Neuberger Berman Equity Funds

 

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional
Class
Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund   NDGAX   NDGCX   NDGIX
Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund   NEMAX   NEMCX   NEMIX
Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund   NBHAX   NBHCX   NBHIX
Neuberger Berman Focus Fund   NFAAX   NFACX   NFALX
Neuberger Berman Genesis Fund (Institutional class only)       NBGIX
Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund   NGRAX   NGRCX   NGRIX
Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund   NCEAX   NCECX   NCEIX
Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund   NIQAX   NIQCX   NBIIX
Neuberger Berman International Select Fund   NBNAX   NBNCX   NILIX
Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund   NIOAX   NIOCX   NIOIX
Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund   NINAX   NINCX   NINLX
Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund)   NGDAX   NGDCX   NGDLX
Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund   NPNAX   NPNCX   NBPIX
Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund   NMGAX   NMGCX   NBMLX
Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund   NBRAX   NBRCX   NBRTX
Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund   NMUAX   NMUCX   NMULX
Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund   NREAX   NRECX   NBRIX
Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund   NSNAX   NSNCX   NBSMX
Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund   NRAAX   NRACX   NBSLX
Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund   NEQAX   NEQCX   NEQIX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prospectus December 19, 2022

 

These securities, like the securities of all mutual funds, have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has not determined if this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Contents

NEUBERGER BERMAN EQUITY FUNDS

Fund Summaries  
Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund   2
Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund   10
Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund   20
Neuberger Berman Focus Fund   29
Neuberger Berman Genesis Fund   37
Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund   43
Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund   52
Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund   62
Neuberger Berman International Select Fund   69
Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund   76
Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund   83
Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund)   91
Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund   99
Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund   106
Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund   112
Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund   120
Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund   127
Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund   134
Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund   141
Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund   148
Descriptions of Certain Practices and Security Types   155
Additional Information about Principal Investment Risks   156
Information about Additional Risks and Other Practices   171
Descriptions of Indices   172
Management of the Funds   174
Financial Highlights   180
YOUR INVESTMENT    
Choosing a Share Class   238
Maintaining Your Account   239
Share Prices   244
Privileges and Services   245
Sales Charges   246
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers   247
Distributions and Taxes   250
Direct Investors   252
Buying Shares — Direct Investors   254
Selling Shares — Direct Investors   255
Market Timing Policy   256
Portfolio Holdings Policy   256
Fund Structure   256
Appendix A   A-1

 

Table of Contents

 

Fund Summaries

Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund

Class A Shares (NDGAX), Class C Shares (NDGCX), Institutional Class Shares (NDGIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long term capital appreciation and current income.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

       
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)      
Management fees   0.76   0.76   0.65
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.47   0.41   0.40
Total annual operating expenses   1.48   2.17   1.05
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.42   0.36   0.35
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.06   1.81   0.70

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.05%, 1.80% and 0.69% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.05%, 1.80% and 0.69% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $677   $893   $1,217   $2,134
Class C (assuming redemption)   $284   $569   $1,060   $2,413
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $184   $569   $1,060   $2,413
Institutional Class   $ 72   $224   $472   $1,182

 

2 Dividend Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 21% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities that pay dividends. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization. Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic securities, it may also invest in securities of foreign companies, including companies in emerging markets. The Fund mainly invests in common stocks but may invest up to 10% of its net assets in master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) and up to 10% of its net assets in convertible securities. The Fund may invest in convertible securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly known as “junk bonds”) or, if unrated, are determined by the Portfolio Managers to be of comparable quality.

 

The Portfolio Managers use bottom-up, fundamental security analysis to identify companies that they believe have sustainable and growing dividends, and ideally seek to buy them when they appear temporarily out-of-favor or undervalued by the market. The price of the company’s securities in relation to its cash flow, earnings, dividends, book value and asset value, both historical and prospective, are key determinants in the security selection process. Emphasis is also placed on identifying companies undergoing changes that the Portfolio Managers believe will enhance shareholder value in the future, including changes in operations, management, capital allocation, strategies and product offerings.

 

The Fund may also invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, when other opportunities appear more attractive or when the Portfolio Managers believe the holding has grown too large relative to the rest of the portfolio.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities that pay dividends, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. The value of a convertible security, which is a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), typically increases or decreases with the price of the underlying common stock. In general, a convertible security is subject to the market risks of stocks when the underlying stock’s price is high relative to the conversion price and is subject to the market risks of debt securities when the underlying stock’s price is low relative to the conversion price. The general market risks of debt securities that are common to convertible securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk -- that is, the value of convertible securities will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates; they are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due; and their market value may change

 

3 Dividend Growth Fund

 

based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Many convertible securities have credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks as an investment in lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Lower-rated debt securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield than investment grade debt securities and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. To the extent the Fund invests in convertible securities issued by small- or mid-cap companies, it will be subject to the risks of investing in such companies.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Dividend Risk. There is no guarantee that the companies in which the Fund invests will declare dividends in the future or that dividends, if declared, will remain at current levels or increase over time. Securities that pay dividends may be sensitive to changes in interest rates, and as interest rates rise or fall, the prices of such securities may fall.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Interest Rate Risk. In general, the value of investments with interest rate risk, such as income-oriented equity securities that pay dividends, will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the value of such securities may decline.

 

4 Dividend Growth Fund

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Master Limited Partnership Risk. Investing in MLPs involves certain risks related to investing in the underlying assets of the MLPs and risks associated with pooled investment vehicles. MLPs holding credit-related investments are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default on payment obligations by debt issuers. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or a particular geographic region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. Investments held by MLPs may be relatively illiquid, limiting the MLPs’ ability to vary their portfolios promptly in response to changes in economic or other conditions. MLPs may have limited financial resources, their securities may trade infrequently and in limited volume, and they may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly based companies, and may be difficult to value. Distributions from an MLP may consist in part of a return of the amount originally invested, which would not be taxable to the extent the distributions do not exceed the investor’s adjusted basis in its MLP interest. These reductions in the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities.

 

Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), generally allows individuals and certain other non-corporate entities, such as partnerships, a deduction for 20% of “qualified publicly traded partnership income” such as income from MLPs. However, the Code does not include any provision for a regulated investment company to pass the character of its qualified publicly traded partnership income through to its shareholders. As a result, although the Treasury Department has announced that it is considering adopting regulations to provide a pass-through, an investor who invests directly in MLPs will be able to receive the benefit of that deduction, while a shareholder in the Fund currently will not.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In

 

5 Dividend Growth Fund

 

addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation.

 

Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code”) or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

6 Dividend Growth Fund

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

7 Dividend Growth Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

Years

Best quarter:   Q2 ’20, 22.39%

Worst quarter:        Q1 ’20, -23.28%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -21.95%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Dividend Growth Fund   1 Year   5 Years   Since Inception
(12/15/2015)
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   24.39   14.55   15.12
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   23.36   13.76   14.38
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   15.14   11.52   12.15
Class A Return Before Taxes   16.85   12.79   13.59
Class C Return Before Taxes   21.98   13.27   13.83
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   28.71   18.47   17.43

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by William D. Hunter (Managing Director of the Manager), and Shawn Trudeau (Senior Vice President of the Manager). Mr. Hunter has served as Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in December 2015 and Mr. Trudeau joined as a Portfolio Manager in December 2020.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

8 Dividend Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

9 Dividend Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Class A Shares (NEMAX), Class C Shares (NEMCX), Institutional Class Shares (NEMIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.22   1.22   1.11
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.12   0.12   0.12
Total annual operating expenses   1.59   2.34   1.23
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.08   0.08  
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.51   2.26   1.23

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.50%, 2.25% and 1.25% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.50%, 2.25% and 1.25% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $720   $1,025   $1,368   $2,335
Class C (assuming redemption)   $329   $706   $1,227   $2,656
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $229   $706   $1,227   $2,656
Institutional Class   $125   $390   $676   $1,489

 

10 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 39% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of issuers in emerging market countries. These include securities of companies (1) that are traded principally on a stock exchange or over-the-counter in emerging market countries, (2) that are organized under the laws of and have a principal office in emerging market countries, or (3) that derive 50% or more of their total revenues from, and/or have 50% or more of their total assets in, goods produced, sales made, profits generated or services performed in emerging market countries. The Fund considers emerging market countries to be countries included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

 

The Portfolio Manager uses a bottom-up, research-driven securities selection approach focusing on businesses with a recent history of high returns while factoring in economic, legislative and business developments to identify countries and sectors that he believes may be particularly attractive. As part of his fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Manager considers Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors he believes are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Manager believes that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Portfolio Manager believes that in-depth, strategic and financial research is the key to identifying undervalued companies and seeks to identify companies with the following characteristics: stock prices undervalued relative to his view of long-term cash flow growth potential; industry leadership; potential for significant improvement in the company’s business; or strong financial characteristics, corporate governance practices, and management track record.

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many industries. At times, the Portfolio Manager may emphasize certain sectors that he believes will benefit from market or economic trends. Although the Fund has the flexibility to invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or region, it generally intends to invest across a broad range of countries and geographical regions.

 

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common and preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants to purchase common stock, depositary receipts and China A-shares using the “connect programs” of local stock exchanges in China, such as the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program or other similar programs. The Fund may invest in exchange traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest in foreign real estate companies.

 

The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including private placements, which are securities that are subject to legal restrictions on their sale and may not be sold to the public unless registered under the applicable securities law or pursuant to an applicable exemption. The Fund may also invest in private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering.

 

The Portfolio Manager follows a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of issuers in emerging market countries, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in international stock markets, the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Manager in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The markets’ behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal.

 

11 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Manager will be successful in his attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Risks of Investments in China A-shares through Stock Connect Programs. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-shares through “Connect Programs” of local stock exchanges in China, namely the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program (“Shanghai Connect Program”) and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program (“Shenzhen Connect Program”). The Chinese investment and banking systems are materially different in nature from many developed markets, which exposes investors to risks that are different from those in the U.S. The Connect Programs are subject to daily quota limitations, and an investor cannot purchase and sell the same security on the same trading day, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in China A-shares through the Connect Programs and to enter into or exit trades on a timely basis. If either one or both markets involved in a particular Connect Program are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-shares in a timely manner under such Connect Program, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. Only certain China A-shares are eligible to be accessed through the Connect Programs. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they could be sold but could no longer be purchased through the Connect Programs.

 

Further regulations or restrictions, such as limitations on redemptions or suspension of trading, may adversely impact the Connect Programs. The future impact of this integration of Chinese and foreign markets is unclear and the actual effect on the market for trading China A-shares with the introduction of large numbers of foreign investors is unknown.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. The value of a convertible security, which is a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), typically increases or decreases with the price of the underlying common stock. In general, a convertible security is subject to the market risks of stocks when the underlying stock’s price is high relative to the conversion price and is subject to the market risks of debt securities when the underlying stock’s price is low relative to the conversion price. The general market risks of debt securities that are common to convertible securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk -- that is, the value of convertible securities will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates; they are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due; and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Many convertible securities have credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks as an investment in lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Lower-rated debt securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield than investment grade debt securities and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. To the extent the Fund invests in convertible securities issued by small- or mid-cap companies, it will be subject to the risks of investing in such companies.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are certificates issued by a financial institution evidencing ownership of underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks of investing directly in the underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts are subject to the risk of fluctuation in the currency exchange rate if, as is often the case, the underlying

 

12 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

foreign securities are denominated in foreign currency, and there may be an imperfect correlation between the market value of depositary receipts and the underlying foreign securities.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or geographic region. If the Fund does so, there is a greater risk that economic, political, regulatory, diplomatic, social and environmental conditions in that particular country or geographic region may have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance and that the Fund’s performance will be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.

 

Most economies in the Greater China region are generally considered emerging markets and carry the risks associated with emerging markets, as well as risks particular to the region. Events in any one country within the region may impact other countries in the region or the Greater China region as a whole. The economies, industries, and securities and currency markets of the Greater China region may be adversely affected by slow economic activity worldwide, protectionist trade policies, dependence on exports and international trade, currency devaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations, restrictions on monetary repatriation, increasing competition from Asia’s low-cost emerging economies, environmental events and natural disasters that may occur in the Greater China region, and military conflicts either in response to social unrest or with other countries.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for

 

13 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Other Investment Company Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, including money market funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), its performance will be affected by the performance of those other investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risks of the other investment companies’ investments, as well as to the other investment companies’ expenses.

 

An ETF may trade in the secondary market at a price below the value of its underlying portfolio and may not be liquid. An actively managed ETF’s performance will reflect its adviser’s ability to make investment decisions that are suited to achieving the ETF’s investment objectives. A passively managed ETF may not replicate the performance of the index it intends to track.

 

Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities, which are a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities, however, unlike common stocks, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. Distributions on preferred securities are generally payable at the discretion of the issuer’s board of directors and after the company makes required payments to holders of its debt securities. For this reason, preferred securities are subject to greater credit, interest, and liquidation risk than debt securities, and the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than debt securities to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. Preferred securities may be less liquid than common stocks.

 

Private Companies and Pre-IPO Investments Risk. Investments in private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering (“IPO”) (“pre-IPO shares”), involve greater risks than investments in securities of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in these companies are generally less liquid than investments in securities issued by public companies and may be difficult for the Fund to value. Compared to public companies, private companies may have a more limited management group and limited operating histories with narrower, less established product lines and smaller market shares, which may cause them to be more vulnerable to competitors’ actions, market conditions and consumer sentiment with respect to their products or services, as well as general economic downturns. In addition, private companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations. The Fund may only have limited access to a private company’s actual financial results and there is no assurance that the information obtained by the Fund is reliable. These companies may not ever issue shares in an IPO and a liquid market for

 

14 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

their shares may never develop, which could adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity. If the company does issue shares in an IPO, IPOs are risky and volatile and may cause the value of the Fund’s investment to decrease significantly. Moreover, because securities issued by private companies are generally not freely or publicly tradable, the Fund may not have the opportunity to purchase, or the ability to sell, these securities in the amounts, or at the prices, the Fund desires.

 

Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk. Private placements and other restricted securities, including securities for which Fund management has material non-public information, are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Private placements and other restricted securities may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other restricted security.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

15 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation.

 

Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code”) or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

Risks of Investing in Variable Interest Entities. For purposes of raising capital offshore on exchanges outside of China, including on U.S. exchanges, many Chinese-based operating companies are structured as entities commonly-referred to as variable interest entities (“VIEs”). In a typical VIE structure, the onshore PRC-based operating company is the VIE and establishes an entity, which is typically offshore in a foreign jurisdiction, such as the Cayman Islands. The offshore entity lists on a foreign exchange and enters into contractual arrangements with the VIE. This structure enables PRC companies in which the PRC government restricts foreign ownership to raise capital from foreign investors. While the offshore entity has no legal equity ownership of the VIE, its contractual arrangements with the VIE permit the offshore entity to consolidate the VIE’s financial statements with its own for FASB accounting purposes and provide for economic exposure to the performance of the underlying onshore PRC operating company. Therefore, an investor in the listed offshore entity, such as the Fund, will have exposure to the onshore PRC-based operating company only through its contractual arrangements with the VIE and has no legal ownership in the VIE. Furthermore, because the offshore entity only has specific rights provided for in these contractual arrangements with the VIE, its abilities to control the activities of the VIE are limited which may engage in activities that negatively impact investment value. While the VIE structure has been widely adopted, it is not formally or legally recognized under PRC law and therefore there is a risk that the PRC government could restrict the effectiveness of such structures or negatively impact the VIE’s contractual arrangements with the listed offshore entity by making them invalid under PRC laws. If these contracts were found to be unenforceable under PRC law, investors in the listed offshore entity, such as the Fund, may suffer significant losses with little or no recourse available. If the PRC government determines that the contractual agreements involving VIE structures do not comply with PRC law and regulations, including those related to restrictions on foreign ownership, it could subject a VIE to numerous sanctions such as penalties, revocation of business and operating licenses, invalidate or terminate contractual arrangements and/or forfeiture or non-recognition of ownership interest.

 

16 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

Warrants and Rights Risk. Warrants and rights do not carry with them the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities that they entitle their holder to purchase, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a warrant or right does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities. The Fund could lose the value of a warrant or right if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrant’s or right’s expiration date. The market for warrants and rights may be very limited and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for warrants and rights.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

17 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

Years

 

Best quarter:      Q2 ’20, 18.05%

Worst quarter:     Q1 ’20, -23.74%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -29.10%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   -3.32   8.82   5.81
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   -3.57   8.56   5.60
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   -1.80   6.95   4.63
Class A Return Before Taxes   -9.13   7.26   4.91
Class C Return Before Taxes   -5.27   7.74   4.75
MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   -2.54   9.87   5.49

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss upon the Sale of Fund shares.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

The Fund is managed by Conrad Saldanha, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager). He has managed the Fund since its inception in 2008.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

18 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

19 Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund

Class A Shares (NBHAX), Class C Shares (NBHCX), Institutional Class Shares (NBHIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks total return emphasizing both current income and capital appreciation.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.76   0.76   0.65
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.06   0.06   0.06
Total annual operating expenses   1.07   1.82   0.71

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $678   $896   $1,131   $1,806
Class C (assuming redemption)   $285   $573   $985   $2,137
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $185   $573   $985   $2,137
Institutional Class   $73   $227   $395   $883

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 44% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests in income-oriented equity securities that the Portfolio Managers believe will be able to grow their dividends over time. The Fund strives to deliver a total return with lower volatility relative to the Russell 1000® Value index.

 

20 Equity Income Fund

 

Additionally, the Fund seeks to generate a current yield that is greater than the average current yield for stocks in the Russell 1000 Value Index. By selecting these types of equity securities, the Fund seeks to dampen the market volatility associated with investing in equity securities.

 

The Fund typically employs a “value” approach in selecting investments. The Portfolio Managers use a bottom-up, research driven approach to identify companies that they believe have the ability to sustain and potentially to grow their free cash flow and are trading at a discount to what the Portfolio Managers believe to be their net present values. The approach involves examining companies for the presence of potential catalysts that will lead to the creation of value, such as regulatory changes, competitive shifts, reaccelerating earnings, and corporate/management restructuring. The Portfolio Managers also utilize various measures of value, including price-to-earnings ratios, price-to-book ratios and discounted free cash flows, among others.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and other real estate companies, convertible securities (including convertible preferred stock, which receives preference in the payment of dividends) and common stocks. The Fund defines a real estate company as one that derives at least 50% of its revenue or profits from real estate, or has at least 50% of its assets invested in real estate. The Fund may emphasize the real estate and utilities sectors of the market at any given time and may invest up to 40% of its total assets in each of these sectors. The Fund may invest in convertible securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly known as “junk bonds”) or, if unrated, are determined by the Portfolio Managers to be of comparable quality.

 

The Fund also uses derivatives, including futures contracts on individual securities and indices, and options, including writing (selling) calls against positions in the portfolio (“covered calls”) or writing (selling) puts on individual stocks, in an effort to enhance returns.

 

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization. Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic equity securities, it may also invest in equity securities of foreign companies, including those in emerging markets.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, when other opportunities appear more attractive or when the Portfolio Managers believe the security has grown too large relative to the rest of the portfolio.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. For this purpose, equity securities include common stock, preferred stock and securities convertible into common or preferred stock. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments will result in leverage, which amplifies the risks that are associated with these markets. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

21 Equity Income Fund

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Catalyst Risk. Investing in companies in anticipation of a catalyst carries the risk that the catalyst may not happen as anticipated, or the market may react to the catalyst differently than expected. Certain catalysts, such as emergence from, or restructuring as a result of, bankruptcy, carry additional risks, and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more stable companies. Securities of issuers undergoing such an event may be more volatile than other securities, may at times be illiquid, and may be difficult to value, and management of such a company may be addressing a situation with which it has little experience.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. The value of a convertible security, which is a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), typically increases or decreases with the price of the underlying common stock. In general, a convertible security is subject to the market risks of stocks when the underlying stock’s price is high relative to the conversion price and is subject to the market risks of debt securities when the underlying stock’s price is low relative to the conversion price. The general market risks of debt securities that are common to convertible securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk -- that is, the value of convertible securities will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates; they are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due; and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Many convertible securities have credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks as an investment in lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Lower-rated debt securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield than investment grade debt securities and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. To the extent the Fund invests in convertible securities issued by small- or mid-cap companies, it will be subject to the risks of investing in such companies.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Derivatives Risk. Use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments, such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives can be highly complex and highly volatile and may perform in unanticipated ways. Derivatives can create leverage, and the Fund could lose more than the amount it invests; some derivatives can have the potential for unlimited losses. Derivatives may at times be highly illiquid, and the Fund may not be able to close out or sell a derivative at a particular time or at an anticipated price. Derivatives can be difficult to value and valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil. The value of a derivative instrument depends largely on (and is derived from) the value of the reference instrument underlying the derivative. There may be imperfect correlation between the behavior of a derivative and that of the reference instrument underlying the derivative. An abrupt change in the price of a reference instrument could render a derivative worthless. Derivatives may involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the reference instrument. Suitable derivatives may not be available in all circumstances, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will use derivatives to reduce exposure to other risks when that might have been beneficial. Derivatives involve counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the derivative will fail to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the derivative. That risk is generally thought to be greater with over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives than with derivatives that are exchange traded or centrally cleared. When the Fund uses derivatives, it will likely be required to provide margin or collateral; these practices are intended to satisfy contractual undertakings and regulatory requirements and will not prevent the Fund from incurring losses on derivatives. The need to provide margin or collateral could limit the Fund’s ability to pursue other opportunities as they arise. Ongoing changes to regulation of the derivatives markets and actual and potential changes in the regulation of funds using derivative instruments could limit the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment strategies. New regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.

 

22 Equity Income Fund

 

Additional risks associated with certain types of derivatives are discussed below:

 

Futures. Futures contracts are subject to the risk that an exchange may impose price fluctuation limits, which may make it difficult or impossible for a fund to close out a position when desired. In the absence of such limits, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than taking or making delivery. To the extent a Fund enters into futures contracts requiring physical delivery (e.g., certain commodities contracts), the inability of the Fund to take or make physical delivery can negatively impact performance.

 

Options. The use of options involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a strategy is applied at an inappropriate time or market conditions or trends are judged incorrectly, the use of options may lower the Fund’s return. There can be no guarantee that the use of options will increase the Fund’s return or income. In addition, there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the securities underlying them and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for various options. An abrupt change in the price of an underlying security could render an option worthless. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, or in interest or currency exchange rates, including the anticipated volatility of the underlying instrument (known as implied volatility), which in turn are affected by the performance of the issuer of the underlying instrument, by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political and economic events. As such, prior to the exercise or expiration of the option, the Fund is exposed to implied volatility risk, meaning the value, as based on implied volatility, of an option may increase due to market and economic conditions or views based on the sector or industry in which issuers of the underlying instrument participate, including company-specific factors.

 

By writing put options, the Fund takes on the risk of declines in the value of the underlying instrument, including the possibility of a loss up to the entire strike price of each option it sells, but without the corresponding opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of the underlying instrument. When the Fund writes a put option, it assumes the risk that it must purchase the underlying instrument at a strike price that may be higher than the market price of the instrument. If there is a broad market decline and the Fund is not able to close out its written put options, it may result in substantial losses to the Fund. By writing a call option, the Fund may be obligated to deliver instruments underlying an option at less than the market price. When the Fund writes a covered call option, it gives up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying instrument above the strike price. If a covered call option that the Fund has written is exercised, the Fund will experience a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying instrument, depending on the price at which the Fund purchased the instrument and the strike price of the option. The Fund will receive a premium from writing options, but the premium received may not be sufficient to offset any losses sustained from exercised options. In the case of a covered call, the premium received may be offset by a decline in the market value of the underlying instrument during the option period. If an option that the Fund has purchased is never exercised or closed out, the Fund will lose the amount of the premium it paid and the use of those funds.

 

Dividend Risk. There is no guarantee that the companies in which the Fund invests will declare dividends in the future or that dividends, if declared, will remain at current levels or increase over time. Securities that pay dividends may be sensitive to changes in interest rates, and as interest rates rise or fall, the prices of such securities may fall.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market

 

23 Equity Income Fund

 

countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Interest Rate Risk. In general, the value of investments with interest rate risk, such as income-oriented equity securities that pay dividends, will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the value of such securities may decline.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities, which are a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities, however, unlike common stocks, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. Distributions on preferred securities are generally payable at the discretion of the issuer’s board of directors and after the company makes required payments to holders of its debt securities. For this reason, preferred securities are subject to greater credit, interest, and liquidation risk than debt securities, and the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than debt securities to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. Preferred securities may be less liquid than common stocks.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their

 

24 Equity Income Fund

 

approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation.

 

Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code”) or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

25 Equity Income Fund

 

If the Fund emphasizes the real estate sector, the utilities sector, or both sectors, your investment in the Fund will be linked to the performance of one or both sectors and the value of the Fund’s shares may change at different rates compared to the value of shares of a fund with investments in a mix of different sectors or industries.

 

Utility Companies Risk. Utility companies are sensitive to changes in interest rates and other economic conditions, government regulation, uncertainties created by deregulation, environmental protection or energy conservation policies and practices, the level and demand for services, and the cost of technological advances and the possible inability to implement them at opportune times. In addition, securities of utility companies are volatile and may underperform in a sluggish economy.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

26 Equity Income Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

Years

Best quarter:      Q2 ’20, 11.84%

Worst quarter:     Q1 ’20, -22.00%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -13.26%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Equity Income Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   21.69   10.26   9.56
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   18.73   8.57   7.90
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   14.82   7.85   7.38
Class A Return Before Taxes   14.27   8.55   8.50
Class C Return Before Taxes   19.35   9.05   8.33
Russell 1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)*   25.16   11.16   12.97
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   28.71   18.47   16.55

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

*  On April 1, 2022, the Fund began comparing its performance to the Russell 1000® Value Index rather than the S&P 500® Index because the Russell 1000 Value Index has characteristics that are more representative of the Fund’s investment strategy than the S&P 500 Index.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Portfolio Managers Richard S. Levine (Managing Director of the Manager), Alexandra Pomeroy (Managing Director of the Manager), and Associate Portfolio Managers William D. Hunter (Managing Director of the Manager) and Shawn Trudeau (Senior Vice President of the Manager). Mr. Levine and Ms. Pomeroy have served as Portfolio Managers of the Fund since its inception in 2006, Mr. Hunter joined as an Associate Portfolio Manager in 2012 and Mr. Trudeau joined as an Associate Portfolio Manager in 2018.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares

 

27 Equity Income Fund

Table of Contents

 

of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

28 Equity Income Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Focus Fund

Class A Shares (NFAAX), Class C Shares (NFACX), Institutional Class Shares (NFALX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.78   0.78   0.67
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.10   0.13   0.08
Total annual operating expenses   1.13   1.91   0.75
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.02   0.05  
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.11   1.86   0.75

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.11%, 1.86% and 0.75% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.11%, 1.86% and 0.75% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $682   $908   $1,156   $1,865
Class C (assuming redemption)   $289   $585   $1,017   $2,220
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $189   $585   $1,017   $2,220
Institutional Class   $77   $240   $417   $930

 

29 Focus Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 176% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests in a concentrated portfolio, consisting mainly of common stocks of companies of any size that are selected using a fundamental, research driven approach.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund typically holds a limited number of stocks of U.S. and non-U.S. companies, including companies in emerging markets. Because of this, the Fund may at times be substantially over- and under-weighted in certain economic sectors.

 

The Portfolio Managers, with the assistance of Neuberger Berman research analysts, look for what they believe to be undervalued companies. Factors in identifying these firms may include depressed valuations, a history of above-average returns, an established market niche, and a belief that the company has sound future business prospects. This approach is designed to let the Fund benefit from potential increases in stock prices, while endeavoring to limit the risks typically associated with investing in a smaller number of stocks.

 

The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including private placements, which are securities that are subject to legal restrictions on their sale and may not be sold to the public unless registered under the applicable securities law or pursuant to an applicable exemption.

 

The Fund may also use options, including, but not limited to, buying and selling (writing) put and call options on individual stocks, to attempt to enhance returns. The Fund will only sell (write) call options on individual stocks if it simultaneously holds an equivalent position in the stock underlying the option (“covered call option”).

 

The Fund may invest in depositary receipts.

 

In an effort to achieve its goal, the Fund may engage in active and frequent trading.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target valuation, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

30 Focus Fund

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are certificates issued by a financial institution evidencing ownership of underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks of investing directly in the underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts are subject to the risk of fluctuation in the currency exchange rate if, as is often the case, the underlying foreign securities are denominated in foreign currency, and there may be an imperfect correlation between the market value of depositary receipts and the underlying foreign securities.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

High Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading and may have a high portfolio turnover rate, which may increase the Fund’s transaction costs, may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may generate a greater amount of capital gain distributions to shareholders than if the Fund had a low portfolio turnover rate.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

The Fund’s portfolio may contain fewer securities than the portfolios of other mutual funds, which increases the risk that the value of the Fund could go down because of the poor performance of one or a few investments.

 

31 Focus Fund

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Options Risk. The use of options involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a strategy is applied at an inappropriate time or market conditions or trends are judged incorrectly, the use of options may lower the Fund’s return. There can be no guarantee that the use of options will increase the Fund’s return or income. In addition, there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the securities underlying them and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for various options. An abrupt change in the price of an underlying security could render an option worthless. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, or in interest or currency exchange rates, including the anticipated volatility of the underlying instrument (known as implied volatility), which in turn are affected by the performance of the issuer of the underlying instrument, by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political and economic events. As such, prior to the exercise or expiration of the option, the Fund is exposed to implied volatility risk, meaning the value, as based on implied volatility, of an option may increase due to market and economic conditions or views based on the sector or industry in which issuers of the underlying instrument participate, including company-specific factors.

 

By writing put options, the Fund takes on the risk of declines in the value of the underlying instrument, including the possibility of a loss up to the entire strike price of each option it sells, but without the corresponding opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of the underlying instrument. When the Fund writes a put option, it assumes the risk that it must purchase the underlying instrument at a strike price that may be higher than the market price of the instrument. If there is a broad market decline and the Fund is not able to close out its written put options, it may result in substantial losses to the Fund. By writing a call option, the Fund may be obligated to deliver instruments underlying an option at less than the market price. When the Fund writes a covered call option, it gives up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying instrument above the strike price. If a covered call option that the Fund has written is exercised, the Fund will experience a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying instrument, depending on the price at which the Fund purchased the instrument and the strike price of the option. The Fund will receive a premium from writing options, but the premium received may not be sufficient to offset any losses sustained from exercised options. In the case of a covered call, the premium received may be offset by a decline in the market value

 

32 Focus Fund

 

of the underlying instrument during the option period. If an option that the Fund has purchased is never exercised or closed out, the Fund will lose the amount of the premium it paid and the use of those funds.

 

Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk. Private placements and other restricted securities, including securities for which Fund management has material non-public information, are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Private placements and other restricted securities may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other restricted security.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in

 

33 Focus Fund

 

the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

34 Focus Fund

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

Years

Best quarter:      Q2 ’20, 23.07%

Worst quarter:     Q1 ’20, -17.75%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -35.78%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Focus Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   20.46   16.06   15.10
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   15.04   12.97   12.45
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   14.67   12.04   11.77
Class A Return Before Taxes   13.09   14.27   14.01
Class C Return Before Taxes   18.12   14.78   13.84
MSCI All Country World Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   18.54   14.40   11.85

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Timothy Creedon, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager) and Hari Ramanan (Managing Director of the Manager). They have managed the Fund since 2011 and 2019, respectively.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

35 Focus Fund

Table of Contents

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

36 Focus Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Genesis Fund

Institutional Class Shares (NBGIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or 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)   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)    
Management fees   0.81
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   None
Other expenses   0.03
Total annual operating expenses   0.84

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class   $86   $268   $466   $1,037

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests mainly in common stocks of small-capitalization companies, which it defines as those with a total market capitalization within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 2000® Index at the time of initial purchase. The market capitalization of the companies in the Fund’s portfolio and the Russell 2000 Index changes over time and the Fund may continue to hold or add to a position in a company after its market capitalization has moved outside the range of the Russell 2000 Index.

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies and industries. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors that they believe will benefit from market or economic trends.

 

Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies.

 

The Portfolio Managers generally look for what they believe to be undervalued companies whose current market shares and balance sheets are strong. In addition, the Portfolio Managers tend to focus on companies whose financial strength is largely based on existing business lines rather than on projected growth. Factors in identifying these firms may include: a history of above-average returns; an established market niche; circumstances that would make it difficult for new competitors to enter the market; the ability to finance their own growth; and a belief that the company has sound future business prospects. This approach is designed to let the Fund benefit from potential increases in stock prices, while endeavoring to limit the risks typically associated with small-cap stocks.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the

 

37 Genesis Fund

 

Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

38 Genesis Fund

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Small- and Mid-Cap Companies Risk. At times, small- and mid-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to larger companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of

 

39 Genesis Fund

 

a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions. To the extent the Fund holds securities of mid-cap companies, the Fund will be subject to their risks.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy.

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

40 Genesis Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

Years

Best quarter:      Q2 ’20, 24.90%

Worst quarter:     Q1 ’20, -20.98%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -24.05%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Genesis Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Return Before Taxes   18.34   15.74   14.06
Return After Taxes on Distributions   15.48   13.35   11.93
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   12.77   12.08   11.08
Russell 2000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   14.82   12.02   13.23

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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Judith M. Vale, Robert W. D’Alelio, Brett S. Reiner and Gregory G. Spiegel (each a Managing Director of the Manager). Ms. Vale and Mr. D’Alelio are Portfolio Managers and have co-managed the Fund since 1994 and 1997, respectively. Mr. Reiner joined as an Associate Portfolio Manager in 2005 and became co-Portfolio Manager in August 2019. Mr. Spiegel joined as an Associate Portfolio Manager in 2015 and became co-Portfolio Manager in August 2019.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and

 

41 Genesis Fund

Table of Contents

 

“Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

42 Genesis Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund

Class A Shares (NGRAX), Class C Shares (NGRCX), Institutional Class Shares (NGRIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks total return.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.06   1.06   0.95
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   7.27   7.16   7.01
Total annual operating expenses   8.58   9.22   7.96
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   7.21   7.10   6.95
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.37   2.12   1.01

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.36%, 2.11% and 1.00% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.36%, 2.11% and 1.00% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $706   $984   $2,720   $6,545
Class C (assuming redemption)   $315   $664   $2,588   $6,731
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $215   $664   $2,588   $6,731
Institutional Class   $103   $322   $2,059   $5,973

 

43 Global Real Estate Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 78% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. and non-U.S. equity securities issued by real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and common stocks and other securities issued by other real estate companies, including rights and warrants, and convertible and preferred securities. The Fund defines a real estate company as one that derives at least 50% of its revenue or profits from real estate, or has at least 50% of its assets invested in real estate.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its total assets (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Portfolio Managers, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30% of its total assets) in securities that (a) are organized or located outside the U.S., (b) trade primarily in a market located outside the U.S., or (c) derive at least 50% of their revenue or profits from business outside the U.S. or have at least 50% of their assets outside the U.S. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States. The Fund is not limited in the extent to which it may invest in real estate equity securities of companies domiciled in emerging market countries. The Fund may also invest in securities of foreign companies in the form of depositary receipts. The Fund generally will invest in convertible securities only if, in the view of the Portfolio Managers, the conversion feature represents a significant element of the securities’ value.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in debt securities of real estate companies. These debt securities can be either investment grade or below investment grade (commonly known as “junk bonds”), provided that, at the time of purchase, they are rated at least B by S&P Global Ratings or Moody’s Investor Service (or comparably rated by at least one independent credit rating agency) or, if unrated by either of these, determined by the Portfolio Managers to be of comparable quality. The Fund does not normally continue to hold securities that are in default or have defaulted with respect to the payment of interest or repayment of principal, but may do so depending on market conditions. The Fund may invest in companies across all market capitalizations.

 

The Portfolio Managers make investment decisions through a fundamental analysis of each company. The Portfolio Managers review each company’s current financial condition and industry position, as well as economic and market conditions. In doing so, they evaluate the company’s growth potential, earnings estimates and quality of management, as well as other factors. The Fund normally seeks to invest for the long-term, but it may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held if the Portfolio Managers find an opportunity they believe is more compelling, if the Portfolio Managers’ outlook on the company or the market changes, if a stock reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. and non-U.S. equity securities issued by REITs and common stocks and other securities issued by other real estate companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test and the test of whether a company is a real estate company are applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock and real estate markets, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

44 Global Real Estate Fund

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. The value of a convertible security, which is a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), typically increases or decreases with the price of the underlying common stock. In general, a convertible security is subject to the market risks of stocks when the underlying stock’s price is high relative to the conversion price and is subject to the market risks of debt securities when the underlying stock’s price is low relative to the conversion price. The general market risks of debt securities that are common to convertible securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk. Many convertible securities have credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks as an investment in lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). To the extent the Fund invests in convertible securities issued by small- or mid-cap companies, it will be subject to the risks of investing in such companies.

 

Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that issuers, guarantors, or insurers may fail, or become less able or unwilling, to pay interest and/or principal when due. Changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of an issuer or a downgrade or default affecting any of the Fund’s securities could affect the Fund’s performance by affecting the credit quality or value of the Fund’s securities. Generally, the longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a security, the more sensitive it is to credit risk.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are certificates issued by a financial institution evidencing ownership of underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks of investing directly in the underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts are subject to the risk of fluctuation in the currency exchange rate if, as is often the case, the underlying foreign securities are denominated in foreign currency, and there may be an imperfect correlation between the market value of depositary receipts and the underlying foreign securities.

 

Dividend Risk. There is no guarantee that the companies in which the Fund invests will declare dividends in the future or that dividends, if declared, will remain at current levels or increase over time. Securities that pay dividends may be sensitive to changes in interest rates, and as interest rates rise or fall, the prices of such securities may fall.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely

 

45 Global Real Estate Fund

 

affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or geographic region. If the Fund does so, there is a greater risk that economic, political, regulatory, diplomatic, social and environmental conditions in that particular country or geographic region may have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance and that the Fund’s performance will be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.

 

Interest Rate Risk. In general, the value of investments with interest rate risk, such as debt securities, will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the value of such securities may decline. Typically, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt security, the greater the effect a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. Thus, the sensitivity of the Fund’s debt securities to interest rate risk will increase with any increase in the duration of those securities.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Lower-Rated Debt Securities Risk. Lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) and unrated debt securities determined to be of comparable quality involve greater risks than investment grade debt securities. Such securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. These securities also may require a greater degree of judgment to establish a price and may be difficult to sell at the time and price the Fund desires. Lower-rated debt securities are considered by the major rating agencies to be predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to pay principal and interest and carry a greater risk that the issuer of such securities will default in the timely payment of principal and interest. Issuers of securities that are in default or have defaulted may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment. The creditworthiness of issuers of these securities may be more complex to analyze than that of issuers of investment grade debt securities, and the overreliance on credit ratings may present additional risks.

 

46 Global Real Estate Fund

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities, which are a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities, however, unlike common stocks, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. Distributions on preferred securities are generally payable at the discretion of the issuer’s board of directors and after the company makes required payments to holders of its debt securities. For this reason, preferred securities are subject to greater credit, interest, and liquidation risk than debt securities, and the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than debt securities to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. Preferred securities may be less liquid than common stocks.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily

 

47 Global Real Estate Fund

 

be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation.

 

Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code”) or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities.

 

Sector Risk. Although the Fund will not invest in real estate directly, because it concentrates its assets in the real estate industry your investment in the Fund will be closely linked to the performance of the real estate markets and the value of the Fund’s shares may change at different rates compared to the value of shares of a fund with investments in a mix of different sectors or industries.

 

The Fund may at times emphasize particular sub-sectors of the real estate business — for example, apartments, regional malls, offices, infrastructure, industrial, and health care. As such, the Fund’s performance would be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those businesses.

 

Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector or sub-sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Warrants and Rights Risk. Warrants and rights do not carry with them the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities that they entitle their holder to purchase, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a warrant or right does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities. The Fund could lose the value of a warrant or right if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrant’s or right’s expiration date. The market for warrants and rights may be very limited and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for warrants and rights.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues

 

48 Global Real Estate Fund

 

and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

49 Global Real Estate Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q1 ’19, 15.48%
Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -20.60%
Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -29.43%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Global Real Estate Fund   1 Year   5 Years   Since Inception
(12/30/2014)
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   28.14   11.48   8.46
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   25.68   10.14   7.20
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   17.69   8.67   6.25
Class A Return Before Taxes   20.23   9.76   7.15
Class C Return Before Taxes   25.66   10.23   7.26
FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   26.09   7.81   5.81
After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Steve Shigekawa (Managing Director of the Manager), Brian C. Jones, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager), and Anton Kwang, CFA (Portfolio Manager). They have managed the Fund since its inception in 2014.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

50 Global Real Estate Fund

Table of Contents

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

51 Global Real Estate Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund

Class A Shares (NCEAX), Class C Shares (NCECX), Institutional Class Shares (NCEIX)

The Fund is currently closed to further investment, except for the reinvestment of capital gain distributions and dividend reinvestment from existing shareholders.

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.36   1.36   1.25
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.80   0.86   0.66
Total annual operating expenses   2.41   3.22   1.91
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.54   0.60   0.40
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.87   2.62   1.51

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.86%, 2.61% and 1.50% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.86%, 2.61% and 1.50% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

52 Greater China Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $754   $1,129   $1,640   $3,039
Class C (assuming redemption)   $365   $814   $1,518   $3,389
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $265   $814   $1,518   $3,389
Institutional Class   $154   $477   $914   $2,129

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 53% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity investments that are tied economically to the Greater China region. Green Court Capital Management Limited, the Fund’s sub-adviser, considers the Greater China region to include mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The Fund’s equity investments include both equity securities and equity-linked investments, which may be listed or traded on recognized or over-the-counter markets located both inside and outside of the Greater China region, including, without limitation, in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan. An equity investment will be considered to be tied economically to the Greater China region if the issuer is domiciled in the Greater China region or has at least 50% of its assets in, or derives 50% or more of its revenues or profits from, the Greater China region, or if the equity investment’s returns are linked to the performance of such an issuer. The Fund’s equity investments primarily will consist of investments in equity securities, including common stock, preferred stock, and depositary receipts.

 

Securities of companies located in China include China A-shares, China B-shares, and China H-shares, among others. Foreign ownership of China A-shares is subject to certain limitations set by the Chinese government. The Fund may get exposure to China A-shares by investing in equity-linked investments (which are derivative instruments) issued by financial institutions, including, without limitation, participatory notes and other structured notes, swaps, including total return swaps and contracts for differences (i.e., an arrangement in which the parties agree that their return (or loss) will be based on the relative performance of two different groups or baskets of securities), and low exercise priced options (“LEPOs”) (i.e., instruments that pay the holder the difference in price of the underlying security between the date the LEPO was purchased and the date it is sold). The Fund may also invest in China A-shares using the “connect programs” of local stock exchanges in China, such as the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program or other similar programs, or by using other methods, subject to any required approvals.

 

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization, but intends to invest generally in mid- and large-capitalization companies that the Portfolio Managers believe are undervalued in an attempt to outperform the average return of the Fund’s benchmark over the long-term.

 

Listed companies in the Greater China region are not as well researched as companies in other markets. This may lead to high variability of returns for companies in the Greater China region, even within the same sector. Because of this, the Portfolio Managers employ a bottom-up, research intensive and fundamentals-driven approach to selecting investments for the Fund. The Portfolio Managers endeavor to gain an understanding of companies through discussions with suppliers, distributors, clients, competitors and government agencies. This is a process which they believe is a key element to investing in inefficient markets. The Portfolio Managers also make on-going assessments of macroeconomic and market factors to augment their selection process.

 

The Portfolio Managers focus on understanding key issues that affect valuations and identifying investments they believe are undervalued. Generally, the Portfolio Managers seek to invest in companies that have strong recurring operating cash flows where revenues and earnings are growing from their core businesses versus relying on new products in untested markets. The Portfolio Managers consider the perceived downside risk of a position before including the position in the Fund. Allocation to each position

 

53 Greater China Equity Fund

 

is dependent on a number of factors including, but not limited to: conviction in the company, target price, correlation across positions and perceived downside risk.

 

The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it can invest more of its assets in fewer companies than a diversified fund. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors that they believe will benefit from market or economic trends. In particular, the Portfolio Managers will focus on certain areas they believe will benefit from the long-term growth in the Greater China region including opportunities related to domestic consumption, environmental and clean technology, health care and advanced technologies.

 

Although the Portfolio Managers seek to invest for the long-term, the Fund may engage in active and frequent trading when the Portfolio Managers gradually build a position or during periods of high market volatility in the Greater China region.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a position when it reaches a target price or when there are changes to macroeconomic factors, markets, sectors and/or the company that would alter the Portfolio Managers’ assumptions about the company.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity investments that are tied economically to the Greater China region, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in international stock markets, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The markets’ behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Risks of Investments in China A-shares through Stock Connect Programs. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-shares through “Connect Programs” of local stock exchanges in China, namely the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program (“Shanghai Connect Program”) and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program (“Shenzhen Connect Program”). The Chinese investment and banking systems are materially different in nature from many developed markets, which exposes investors to risks that are different from those in the U.S. The Connect Programs are subject to daily quota limitations, and an investor cannot purchase and sell the same security on the same trading day, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in China A-shares through the Connect Programs and to enter into or exit trades on a timely basis. If either one or both markets involved in a particular Connect Program are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-shares in a timely manner under such Connect Program, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. Only certain China A-shares are eligible to be accessed through the Connect Programs. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they could be sold but could no longer be purchased through the Connect Programs.

 

Further regulations or restrictions, such as limitations on redemptions or suspension of trading, may adversely impact the Connect Programs. The future impact of this integration of Chinese and foreign markets is unclear and the actual effect on the market for trading China A-shares with the introduction of large numbers of foreign investors is unknown.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange

 

54 Greater China Equity Fund

 

rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are certificates issued by a financial institution evidencing ownership of underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks of investing directly in the underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts are subject to the risk of fluctuation in the currency exchange rate if, as is often the case, the underlying foreign securities are denominated in foreign currency, and there may be an imperfect correlation between the market value of depositary receipts and the underlying foreign securities.

 

Derivatives Risk. Use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments, such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives can be highly complex and highly volatile and may perform in unanticipated ways. Derivatives can create leverage, and the Fund could lose more than the amount it invests; some derivatives can have the potential for unlimited losses. Derivatives may at times be highly illiquid, and the Fund may not be able to close out or sell a derivative at a particular time or at an anticipated price. Derivatives can be difficult to value and valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil. The value of a derivative instrument depends largely on (and is derived from) the value of the reference instrument underlying the derivative. There may be imperfect correlation between the behavior of a derivative and that of the reference instrument underlying the derivative. An abrupt change in the price of a reference instrument could render a derivative worthless. Derivatives may involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the reference instrument. Suitable derivatives may not be available in all circumstances, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will use derivatives to reduce exposure to other risks when that might have been beneficial. Derivatives involve counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the derivative will fail to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the derivative. That risk is generally thought to be greater with over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives than with derivatives that are exchange traded or centrally cleared. When the Fund uses derivatives, it will likely be required to provide margin or collateral; these practices are intended to satisfy contractual undertakings and regulatory requirements and will not prevent the Fund from incurring losses on derivatives. The need to provide margin or collateral could limit the Fund’s ability to pursue other opportunities as they arise. Ongoing changes to regulation of the derivatives markets and actual and potential changes in the regulation of funds using derivative instruments could limit the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment strategies. New regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.

 

Equity-Linked Investment Risk. Equity-linked investments are subject to the same risks as direct investments in securities of the underlying investment. If the underlying investment decreases in value, the value of the equity-linked investment will decrease; however, the performance of such investments may not correlate exactly to the performance of the underlying investments that they seek to replicate. Equity-linked investments are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the issuer of such investment -- which is different from the issuer of the underlying investment -- may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its obligations. There is no guarantee that a liquid market will exist or that the counterparty or issuer of such investments will be willing to repurchase them when the Fund wishes to sell them.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market

 

55 Greater China Equity Fund

 

countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as participatory notes (or “P-notes”) or other derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Greater China Region Risk. The Fund’s performance is expected to be closely tied to economic, political, diplomatic, and social conditions within the Greater China region and to be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds. Most economies in the Greater China region are generally considered emerging markets and carry the risks associated with emerging markets, as well as risks particular to the region. Events in any one country within the region may impact other countries in the region or the Greater China region as a whole. The economies, industries, and securities and currency markets of the Greater China region may be adversely affected by slow economic activity worldwide, protectionist trade policies, dependence on exports and international trade, currency devaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations, restrictions on monetary repatriation, increasing competition from Asia’s low-cost emerging economies, environmental events and natural disasters that may occur in the Greater China region, and military conflicts either in response to social unrest or with other countries. In addition, the tax laws and regulations in mainland China are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

 

The ongoing U.S.-China “trade war” may affect China’s economy substantially, as the U.S. has been a principal trading partner of China. The ability of China to restructure its foreign trade relationships, and whether China is motivated to stop supporting its currency or stop trade in certain natural resources, and whether the U.S. government imposes restrictions on U.S. investor participation in certain Chinese investments, including through executive order or other means, may determine to some degree the extent to which its economy will be damaged by the trade war, and these things cannot be predicted at the present time.

 

High Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading and may have a high portfolio turnover rate, which may increase the Fund’s transaction costs, may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may generate a greater amount of capital gain distributions to shareholders than if the Fund had a low portfolio turnover rate.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate.

 

56 Greater China Equity Fund

 

Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Non-Diversified Fund Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. As such, the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in any single issuer or a few issuers is not limited as much as it is for a Fund classified as diversified. Investing a higher percentage of its assets in any one or a few issuers could increase the Fund’s risk of loss and its share price volatility, because the value of its shares would be more susceptible to adverse events affecting those issuers.

 

Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities, which are a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities, however, unlike common stocks, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. Distributions on preferred securities are generally payable at the discretion of the issuer’s board of directors and after the company makes required payments to holders of its debt securities. For this reason, preferred securities are subject to greater credit, interest, and liquidation risk than debt securities, and the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than debt securities to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. Preferred securities may be less liquid than common stocks.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

57 Greater China Equity Fund

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

Risks of Investing in Variable Interest Entities. For purposes of raising capital offshore on exchanges outside of China, including on U.S. exchanges, many Chinese-based operating companies are structured as entities commonly-referred to as variable interest entities (“VIEs”). In a typical VIE structure, the onshore PRC-based operating company is the VIE and establishes an entity, which is typically offshore in a foreign jurisdiction, such as the Cayman Islands. The offshore entity lists on a foreign exchange and enters into contractual arrangements with the VIE. This structure enables PRC companies in which the PRC government restricts foreign ownership to raise capital from foreign investors. While the offshore entity has no legal equity ownership of the VIE, its contractual arrangements with the VIE permit the offshore entity to consolidate the VIE’s financial statements with its own for FASB accounting purposes and provide for economic exposure to the performance of the underlying onshore PRC operating company. Therefore, an investor in the listed offshore entity, such as the Fund, will have exposure to the onshore PRC-based operating company only through its contractual arrangements with the VIE and has no legal ownership in the VIE. Furthermore, because the offshore entity only has specific rights provided for in these contractual arrangements with the VIE, its abilities to control the activities of the VIE are limited which may engage in activities that negatively impact investment value. While the VIE structure has been widely adopted, it is not formally or legally recognized under PRC law and therefore there is a risk that the PRC government could restrict the effectiveness of such structures or negatively impact the VIE’s contractual arrangements with the listed offshore entity by making them invalid under PRC laws. If these contracts were found to be unenforceable under PRC law, investors in the listed offshore entity, such as the Fund, may suffer significant losses with little or no recourse available. If the PRC government determines that the contractual agreements involving VIE structures do not comply with PRC law and regulations, including those related to restrictions on foreign ownership, it could subject a VIE to numerous sanctions such as penalties, revocation of business and operating licenses, invalidate or terminate contractual arrangements and/or forfeiture or non-recognition of ownership interest.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology

 

58 Greater China Equity Fund

 

disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

59 Greater China Equity Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

Years

 

Best quarter:     Q1 ‘19, 20.33%
Worst quarter:    Q3 ‘15, -21.25%
Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -29.28%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Greater China Equity Fund   1 Year   5 Years   Since Inception
(7/17/2013)
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   -5.88   14.33   11.91
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   -7.23   10.45   8.62
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   -2.50   10.09   8.30
Class A Return Before Taxes   -11.59   12.57   10.79
Class C Return Before Taxes   -7.78   13.05   10.68
MSCI China All Shares Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   -12.91   9.94   8.19
After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss upon the sale of Fund shares.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager. Green Court Capital Management Limited (“Green Court”) is the Fund’s sub-adviser.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Yulin (Frank) Yao (Managing Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager of Green Court) and Lihui Tang, CFA (Partner and Portfolio Manager of Green Court). They have managed the Fund since the Fund’s inception in 2013.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

60 Greater China Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

61 Greater China Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund

Class A Shares (NIQAX), Class C Shares (NIQCX), Institutional Class (NBIIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in common stocks of foreign companies.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.05   1.05   0.94
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.07   0.07   0.06
Total annual operating expenses   1.37   2.12   1.00
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.14   0.14   0.13
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.23   1.98   0.87

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.21%, 1.96% and 0.85% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.21%, 1.96% and 0.85% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $693   $943   $1,242   $2,090
Class C (assuming redemption)   $301   $621   $1,098   $2,417
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $201   $621   $1,098   $2,417
Institutional Class   $89   $278   $512   $1,187

 

62 International Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 49% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests mainly in common stocks of foreign companies of any size, including companies in developed and emerging markets. The Fund defines a foreign company as one that is organized outside of the United States and conducts the majority of its business abroad.

 

In picking stocks, the Portfolio Managers look for what they believe to be well-managed and profitable companies that show growth potential and whose stock prices are undervalued. Factors in identifying these firms may include strong fundamentals, such as attractive cash flows and balance sheets, as well as prices that are attractive in light of projected returns. The Portfolio Managers also consider the outlooks for various countries and regions around the world, examining economic, market, social, and political conditions.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies and industries. Although the Fund has the flexibility to invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or region, it generally intends to invest across a broad range of countries and geographical regions. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors or industries that they believe offers a better risk/reward opportunity.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in international stock markets, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The markets’ behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

63 International Equity Fund

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or geographic region. If the Fund does so, there is a greater risk that economic, political, regulatory, diplomatic, social and environmental conditions in that particular country or geographic region may have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance and that the Fund’s performance will be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. The Fund attempts to lessen the risk of such losses by seeking growth stocks that sell at what the adviser believes are attractive prices. If the adviser is incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s value, this may negatively impact the Fund. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of

 

64 International Equity Fund

 

securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

65 International Equity Fund

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the

 

66 International Equity Fund

 

prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

For Class A and Class C, the performance prior to January 28, 2013, is that of the Fund’s Institutional Class. Because Institutional Class has lower expenses than Class A and Class C, its performance typically would have been better than that of Class A and Class C.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:       Q2 ’20, 21.35%
Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -23.29%
Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -32.16%

 

67 International Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

International Equity Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   13.61   11.94   9.34
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   10.66   10.83   8.60
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   10.08   9.43   7.56
Class A Return Before Taxes   6.68   10.22   8.34
Class C Return Before Taxes   11.29   10.71   8.25
MSCI EAFE® Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   11.26   9.55   8.03
After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Elias Cohen, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager) and Thomas Hogan, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager). Mr. Cohen has managed the Fund since January 2019. Mr. Hogan became an Associate Portfolio Manager in January 2021 and became Portfolio Manager of the Fund in December 2022.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

68 International Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman International Select Fund

Class A Shares (NBNAX), Class C Shares (NBNCX), Institutional Class Shares (NILIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in common stocks of foreign companies.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.81   0.81   0.70
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.31   0.34   0.30
Total annual operating expenses   1.37   2.15   1.00
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.17   0.20   0.15
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.20   1.95   0.85

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.16%, 1.91% and 0.80% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.16%, 1.91% and 0.80% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $690   $934   $1,233   $2,082
Class C (assuming redemption)   $298   $612   $1,096   $2,432
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $198   $612   $1,096   $2,432
Institutional Class   $87   $271   $506   $1,181

 

69 International Select Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 55% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests mainly in common stocks of foreign companies, including companies in developed and emerging markets. The Fund defines a foreign company as one that is organized outside of the United States and conducts the majority of its business abroad. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, will be invested in companies with a market capitalization greater than $2.5 billion at the time of purchase.

 

In picking stocks, the Portfolio Managers look for what they believe to be well-managed and profitable companies that show growth potential and whose stock prices are undervalued. Factors in identifying these firms may include strong fundamentals, such as attractive cash flows and balance sheets, as well as prices that are attractive in light of projected returns. The Portfolio Managers also consider the outlooks for various countries and sectors around the world, examining economic, market, social, and political conditions.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies and industries. Although the Fund has the flexibility to invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or region, it generally intends to remain well-diversified across countries and geographical regions. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors or industries that they believe offers a better risk/reward opportunity.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in international stock markets, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The markets’ behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange

 

70 International Select Fund

 

rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or geographic region. If the Fund does so, there is a greater risk that economic, political, regulatory, diplomatic, social and environmental conditions in that particular country or geographic region may have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance and that the Fund’s performance will be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. The Fund attempts to lessen the risk of such losses by seeking growth stocks that sell at what the adviser believes are attractive prices. If the adviser is incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s value, this may negatively impact the Fund. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment

 

71 International Select Fund

 

opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among

 

72 International Select Fund

 

other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability

 

73 International Select Fund

 

to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q2 ’20, 20.85%
Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -22.26%
Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -31.96%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

International Select Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   14.21   12.62   9.07
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   11.37   11.65   8.43
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   10.35   9.99   7.34
Class A Return Before Taxes   7.27   10.91   8.04
Class C Return Before Taxes   11.95   11.38   7.87
MSCI EAFE® Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   11.26   9.55   8.03
After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

74 International Select Fund

Table of Contents

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Elias Cohen, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager) and Thomas Hogan, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager). Mr. Cohen has managed the Fund since December 2016. Mr. Hogan became an Associate Portfolio Manager in January 2021 and became Portfolio Manager of the Fund in December 2022.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

75 International Select Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund

Class A Shares (NIOAX), Class C Shares (NIOCX), Institutional Class Shares (NIOIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in common stocks of foreign companies.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.11   1.11   1.00
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   9.11   9.13   9.11
Total annual operating expenses   10.47   11.24   10.11
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   9.05   9.06   9.04
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.42   2.18   1.07

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.41%, 2.16% and 1.05% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.41%, 2.16% and 1.05% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $711   $999   $3,073   $7,345
Class C (assuming redemption)   $321   $682   $2,976   $7,568
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $221   $682   $2,976   $7,568
Institutional Class   $109   $340   $2,496   $6,991

 

76 International Small Cap Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 21% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests mainly in common stocks of foreign companies, including companies in developed and emerging markets. The Fund defines a foreign company as one that is organized outside of the United States and conducts the majority of its business abroad. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in common stocks of small-capitalization companies, which it defines as those with a total market capitalization of no more than $5 billion at the time of purchase.

 

In picking stocks, the Portfolio Manager looks for what he believes to be well-managed and profitable companies that show growth potential and whose stock prices are undervalued. Factors in identifying these firms may include strong fundamentals, such as attractive cash flows and balance sheets, as well as prices that are attractive in light of projected returns. The Portfolio Manager also considers the outlooks for various countries and sectors around the world, examining economic, market, social, and political conditions.

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies and industries. Although the Fund has the flexibility to invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or region, it generally intends to remain well-diversified across countries and geographical regions. At times, the Portfolio Manager may emphasize certain sectors or industries that he believes offers a better risk/reward opportunity.

 

As part of his fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Manager considers Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors he believes are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Manager believes that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Portfolio Manager follows a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes, in small-capitalization companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in international stock markets, the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Manager in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The markets’ behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Manager will be successful in his attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

77 International Small Cap Fund

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or geographic region. If the Fund does so, there is a greater risk that economic, political, regulatory, diplomatic, social and environmental conditions in that particular country or geographic region may have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance and that the Fund’s performance will be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. The Fund attempts to lessen the risk of such losses by seeking growth stocks that sell at what the adviser believes are attractive prices. If the adviser is incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s value, this may negatively impact the Fund. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

78 International Small Cap Fund

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

79 International Small Cap Fund

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

Small- and Mid-Cap Companies Risk. At times, small- and mid-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to larger companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions. To the extent the Fund holds securities of mid-cap companies, the Fund will be subject to their risks.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be

 

80 International Small Cap Fund

 

required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q2 ’20, 20.88%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -23.18%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -36.45%

 

81 International Small Cap Fund

Table of Contents

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

International Small Cap Fund   1 Year   5 Years   Since Inception
(12/8/2016)
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   16.32   14.72   15.04
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   14.98   13.53   13.86
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   10.55   11.44   11.73
Class A Return Before Taxes   9.20   12.98   13.29
Class C Return Before Taxes   13.99   13.45   13.77
MSCI EAFE ® Small Cap Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   10.10   11.04   11.17

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

The Fund is managed by David Bunan (Managing Director of the Manager). He has managed the Fund since its inception in 2016.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

82 International Small Cap Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund

Class A Shares (NINAX), Class C Shares (NINCX), Institutional Class Shares (NINLX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

       
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.00   1.00   0.89
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses2    0.12   0.12   0.12
Total annual operating expenses   1.37   2.12   1.01

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) to exceed 1.36%, 2.11% and 1.00% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense. “Other expenses” shown above include a repayment of 0.04% for each of Institutional Class, Class A and for Class C.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $706   $984   $1,282   $2,127
Class C (assuming redemption)   $315   $664   $1,139   $2,452
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $215   $664   $1,139   $2,452
Institutional Class   $103   $322   $558   $1,236

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

83 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests mainly in common stocks of small- and mid-capitalization companies, which it defines as those companies with a total market value between $50 million and $10 billion at the time the Fund first invests in them. The Fund may continue to hold or add to a position in a stock after the company’s market value has increased above or decreased below this range.

 

The Fund’s strategy consists of using a bottom-up, research driven approach to identify stocks of companies that are available at market prices below the Portfolio Managers’ estimate of their intrinsic value and that the Portfolio Managers believe have the potential for appreciation in value over time. The Portfolio Managers’ estimate of a company’s intrinsic value represents their view of the company’s true, long-term economic value, the market’s view of which may be currently distorted by market inefficiencies. The intrinsic value estimate represents what the Portfolio Managers believe a company could be worth if it is acquired, if its profitability returns to its long-term average level, or if its valuation moves in line with those companies that the Portfolio Managers see as its publicly traded peers.

 

The Portfolio Managers believe that while markets are often efficient, certain investment opportunities tend to be mispriced due to market inefficiencies. For example, market inefficiencies may exist at times in the small capitalization segment of the market due to a lack of widely available research on these companies. The Portfolio Managers attempt to exploit these market inefficiencies and look for opportunities to invest in companies they believe to be undervalued, such as companies with the following characteristics:

 

Complex Companies: These companies typically have multiple lines of business that are in different industries or sectors and/or that have different growth rates and profitability characteristics.

 

Cyclical Companies: These companies typically have ebbs and flows in their business depending on demand patterns for their products, the length of product cycles, or other transient factors.

 

Companies in a Period of Interrupted Growth: Typically, these are companies in attractive, high growth markets that have suffered what the Portfolio Managers believe is a temporary setback and/or are in transition to a more mature, lower growth business model that focuses more on current earnings than on rapid growth.

 

In seeking to identify these types of companies, the Portfolio Managers perform an initial screening to identify those companies that have stock prices that are trailing the performance of the overall market and that the Portfolio Managers believe are attractive relative to current cash flows. Next, the Portfolio Managers establish an estimate of a company’s intrinsic value. The Portfolio Managers will invest in a company’s stock on the basis of the company’s discount to the Portfolio Managers’ estimate of intrinsic value and the Portfolio Managers’ belief in its potential for appreciation over time. In addition, the Portfolio Managers may invest in anticipation of a catalyst, such as a merger, liquidation, spin off, or management change. The Portfolio Managers will typically visit a company and interview its management team to help understand management’s incentives (such as equity ownership in the company and compensation plans), the merits of its strategic plan, and other factors that have the potential to increase the value of the company’s stock. The Portfolio Managers also integrate governance factors into the investment process. They seek to invest in companies that have effective and independent boards composed of diverse, and currently active, CEOs and other C-level executives. They look for companies where management and shareholder interests are aligned (often through high ownership of the company by management), with long-term incentive plans and CEO and management compensation and succession plans in place. The Portfolio Managers also seek out companies that have full transparency and disclosure, effective capital deployment strategies and value enhancing merger and acquisition policies. When appropriate, the Portfolio Managers may engage with portfolio companies regarding directors, strategy and financing in an effort to enhance shareholder value. The Portfolio Managers may also engage on financially material environmental and social issues.

 

The Portfolio Managers establish an intrinsic value for a company’s stock when it is purchased and then continue to evaluate the company’s stock price versus their estimate of its intrinsic value to determine whether to maintain, add to, reduce or eliminate the position. The Portfolio Managers typically reduce or eliminate a position in a company’s stock if the stock’s price appreciates and the company’s discount to their estimate of its intrinsic value narrows. The Portfolio Managers’ decision to reduce or eliminate a position in a particular stock may also be driven by their belief that another company’s stock has a wider discount to their estimate of its intrinsic value. Changes in a company’s management or corporate strategy, or the failure of a company to perform as expected, may also cause the Portfolio Managers to reduce or eliminate a position in that company’s stock.

 

The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including private placements, which are securities that are subject to legal restrictions on their sale and may not be sold to the public unless registered under the applicable securities law or pursuant to an applicable exemption.

 

84 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors that they believe will benefit from market or economic trends.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Catalyst Risk. Investing in companies in anticipation of a catalyst carries the risk that the catalyst may not happen as anticipated, or the market may react to the catalyst differently than expected.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk. Private placements and other restricted securities, including securities for which Fund management has material non-public information, are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Private placements and other restricted securities may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them

 

85 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other restricted security.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

86 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

Small- and Mid-Cap Companies Risk. At times, small- and mid-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to larger companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value or intrinsic value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of one or more broad-based market indices. The indices, which are described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, have characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

As of May 7, 2010, the Fund became the successor to DJG Small Cap Value Fund L.P., an unregistered limited partnership (“DJG Fund”); DJG Fund was the successor to The DJG Small Cap Value Fund, an unregistered commingled investment account (“DJG Account”). The performance after September 12, 2008 is that of DJG Fund and the performance from July 8, 1997 (the Fund’s commencement of operations) to September 11, 2008 is that of DJG Account. On May 7, 2010, the DJG Fund

 

87 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

transferred its assets to the Fund in exchange for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. The investment policies, objectives, guidelines and restrictions of the Fund are in all material respects equivalent to those of DJG Fund and DJG Account (the “Predecessors”). As a mutual fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Fund is subject to certain restrictions under the 1940 Act and the Internal Revenue Code to which the Predecessors were not subject. Had the Predecessors been registered under the 1940 Act and been subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Code, their investment performance may have been adversely affected. The performance information reflects the actual expenses of the Predecessors.

 

The Predecessors did not have distribution policies. The Predecessors were an unregistered limited partnership and an unregistered commingled investment account, did not qualify as regulated investment companies for federal income tax purposes and did not pay dividends or other distributions. As a result of the different tax treatment, we are unable to show the after-tax returns for the Fund prior to May 7, 2010.

 

For each class, the performance prior to May 7, 2010, is that of the Fund’s Predecessors.

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the investment adviser to the Predecessors and/or the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q4 ’20, 38.69%
Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -30.69%
Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -26.68%

 

88 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Intrinsic Value Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years   Since Inception
(7/8/1997)
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   26.47   16.03   14.99   12.10
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   24.58   14.42   13.71   N/A
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   16.91   12.44   12.21   N/A
Class A Return Before Taxes   18.79   14.25   13.90   11.64
Class C Return Before Taxes   24.03   14.75   13.73   11.51
Russell 2000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   28.27   9.07   12.03   9.16
Russell 2000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   14.82   12.02   13.23   8.75
After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is co-managed by Benjamin H. Nahum (Managing Director of the Manager), James F. McAree (Managing Director of the Manager) and Amit Solomon (Managing Director of the Manager). They have managed the Fund since its inception in 2010. Mr. Nahum served as the portfolio manager of the Fund’s Predecessors from 1997 to 2010, and Mr. McAree and Mr. Solomon served as research analysts to the Fund’s Predecessors from 2005 and 2002, respectively, to 2010.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These

 

89 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

90 Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund
(formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund)

Class A Shares (NGDAX), Class C Shares (NGDCX), Institutional Class Shares (NGDLX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital; current income is a secondary goal.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.74   0.74   0.63
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.06   0.06   0.05
Total annual operating expenses   1.05   1.80   0.68

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $676   $890   $1,121   $1,784
Class C (assuming redemption)   $283   $566   $975   $2,116
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $183   $566   $975   $2,116
Institutional Class   $69   $218   $379   $847

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 32% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

91 Large Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goals, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which it defines as those with a market capitalization within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Growth Index at the time of purchase.

 

The Portfolio Managers employ a research driven approach to stock selection, with a long term perspective that combines both quantitative analysis and qualitative judgment. The Portfolio Managers generally seek to identify what they believe to be faster-growing companies with attractive sales growth and competitive returns on equity relative to their peers. In doing so, the Portfolio Managers analyze such factors as: balance sheet metrics; profit margin profiles; market share and competitive leadership of the company’s products; sales; cash flow and earnings growth relative to competitors; and market valuation in comparison to a stock’s own historical norms and the stocks of other large-capitalization companies.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies.

 

The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including private placements, which are securities that are subject to legal restrictions on their sale and may not be sold to the public unless registered under the applicable securities law or pursuant to an applicable exemption. The Fund may also invest in private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering.

 

The Fund may also use options, including, but not limited to, buying and selling (writing) put and call options on individual stocks, to attempt to enhance returns. The Fund will only sell (write) call options on individual stocks if it simultaneously holds an equivalent position in the stock underlying the option (“covered call option”).

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by investing across many companies, sectors and industries. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors or industries that they believe may benefit from market or economic trends.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy that utilizes a process analyzing macroeconomic and/or security-specific circumstances, and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

92 Large Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

The Fund’s portfolio may contain fewer securities than the portfolios of other mutual funds, which increases the risk that the value of the Fund could go down because of the poor performance of one or a few investments.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse

 

93 Large Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Mid- and Large-Cap Companies Risk. At times, mid- and large-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to smaller companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to larger companies, mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of mid-cap companies are often more volatile and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Options Risk. The use of options involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a strategy is applied at an inappropriate time or market conditions or trends are judged incorrectly, the use of options may lower the Fund’s return. There can be no guarantee that the use of options will increase the Fund’s return or income. In addition, there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the securities underlying them and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for various options. An abrupt change in the price of an underlying security could render an option worthless. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, or in interest or currency exchange rates, including the anticipated volatility of the underlying instrument (known as implied volatility), which in turn are affected by the performance of the issuer of the underlying instrument, by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political and economic events. As such, prior to the exercise or expiration of the option, the Fund is exposed to implied volatility risk, meaning the value, as based on implied volatility, of an option may increase due to market and economic conditions or views based on the sector or industry in which issuers of the underlying instrument participate, including company-specific factors.

 

By writing put options, the Fund takes on the risk of declines in the value of the underlying instrument, including the possibility of a loss up to the entire strike price of each option it sells, but without the corresponding opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of the underlying instrument. When the Fund writes a put option, it assumes the risk that it must purchase the underlying instrument at a strike price that may be higher than the market price of the instrument. If there is a broad market decline and the Fund is not able to close out its written put options, it may result in substantial losses to the Fund. By writing a call option, the Fund may be obligated to deliver instruments underlying an option at less than the market price. When the Fund writes a covered call option, it gives up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying instrument above the strike price. If a covered call option that the Fund has written is exercised, the Fund will experience a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying instrument, depending on the price at which the Fund purchased the instrument and the strike price of the option. The Fund will receive a premium from writing options, but the premium received may not be sufficient to offset any losses sustained from exercised options. In the case of a covered call, the premium received may be offset by a decline in the market value of the underlying instrument during the option period. If an option that the Fund has purchased is never exercised or closed out, the Fund will lose the amount of the premium it paid and the use of those funds.

 

Private Companies and Pre-IPO Investments Risk. Investments in private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering (“IPO”) (“pre-IPO shares”), involve greater risks than investments in securities of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in these companies are generally less liquid than investments in securities issued by public companies and may be difficult for the Fund to value. Compared to public companies, private companies may have a more limited management group and limited operating histories with narrower, less established product lines and smaller market shares, which may cause them to be more vulnerable to competitors’ actions, market conditions and consumer sentiment with respect to their products or services, as well as general economic downturns. In addition, private companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations. The Fund may only have limited access to a private company’s actual financial results and there is no assurance that the information obtained by the Fund is reliable. These companies may not ever issue shares in an IPO and a liquid market for their shares may never develop, which could adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity. If the company does issue shares in an IPO, IPOs are risky and volatile and may cause the value of the Fund’s investment to decrease significantly. Moreover, because securities issued by private companies are generally not freely or publicly tradable, the Fund may not have the opportunity to purchase, or the ability to sell, these securities in the amounts, or at the prices, the Fund desires.

 

Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk. Private placements and other restricted securities, including securities for which Fund management has material non-public information, are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include

 

94 Large Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

registration under the applicable securities laws. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Private placements and other restricted securities may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other restricted security.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially

 

95 Large Cap Growth Fund

 

sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

96 Large Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q2 ’20, 25.23%
Worst quarter:    Q4 ’18, -16.82%
Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -26.37%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Guardian Fund)   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   27.81   22.48   17.35
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   23.92   19.80   14.65
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   17.80   17.46   13.54
Class A Return Before Taxes   20.01   20.56   16.22
Class C Return Before Taxes   25.34   21.11   16.04
Russell 1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)*   27.60   25.32   19.79
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   28.71   18.47   16.55
After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
*  On September 30, 2022, the Fund began comparing its performance to the Russell 1000® Growth Index rather than the S&P 500® Index because the Russell 1000 Growth Index has characteristics that are more representative of the Fund’s investment strategy than its current index, the S&P 500 Index.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Charles Kantor (Managing Director of the Manager) and Marc Regenbaum (Managing Director of the Manager). Mr. Kantor has managed the Fund since October 2015. Mr. Regenbaum joined as an Associate Portfolio Manager in February 2017 and became Portfolio Manager in December 2020.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace

 

97 Large Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

98 Large Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund

Class A Shares (NPNAX), Class C Shares (NPNCX), Institutional Class Shares (NBPIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.68   0.68   0.57
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.06   0.05   0.04
Total annual operating expenses   0.99   1.73   0.61

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $670   $872   $1,091   $1,718
Class C (assuming redemption)   $276   $545   $939   $2,041
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $176   $545   $939   $2,041
Institutional Class   $62   $195   $340   $762

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 82% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

99 Large Cap Value Fund

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which it defines as those with a market capitalization within the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Value Index at the time of purchase.

 

The Portfolio Managers look for what they believe to be well-managed companies whose stock prices are undervalued. The Portfolio Managers seek to identify companies with catalysts that they believe have the potential to improve the companies’ earnings from depressed levels. Such catalysts may include: management changes, restructurings, new products, new services, or new markets. The Portfolio Managers may also look for other characteristics in a company, such as a strong market position relative to competitors, a high level of stock ownership among management, and a recent sharp decline in stock price that appears to be the result of a short-term market overreaction to negative news.

 

Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies. The Fund may also invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies and industries. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors or industries that they believe are undervalued relative to their historical valuations.

 

The Fund may also use options, including, but not limited to, buying and selling (writing) put and call options on individual stocks, to attempt to enhance returns. The Fund will only sell (write) call options on individual stocks if it simultaneously holds an equivalent position in the stock underlying the option (“covered call option”).

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive. In an effort to achieve its goal, the Fund may have elevated portfolio turnover.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Catalyst Risk. Investing in companies in anticipation of a catalyst carries the risk that the catalyst may not happen as anticipated, or the market may react to the catalyst differently than expected. Certain catalysts, such as emergence from, or restructuring as a result of, bankruptcy, carry additional risks, and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more stable companies. Securities of issuers undergoing such an event may be more volatile than other securities, may at times be illiquid, and may be difficult to value, and management of such a company may be addressing a situation with which it has little experience.

 

100 Large Cap Value Fund

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

High Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading and may have a high portfolio turnover rate, which may increase the Fund’s transaction costs, may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may generate a greater amount of capital gain distributions to shareholders than if the Fund had a low portfolio turnover rate.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Mid- and Large-Cap Companies Risk. At times, mid- and large-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to smaller companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to larger companies, mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of mid-cap companies are often more volatile and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Options Risk. The use of options involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a strategy is applied at an inappropriate time or market conditions or trends are judged incorrectly, the use of options may lower the Fund’s return. There can be no guarantee that the use of options will increase the Fund’s return or income. In addition, there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the securities underlying them and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for various options. An abrupt change in the price of an underlying security could render an option worthless. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, or in interest or currency exchange rates, including the anticipated volatility of the underlying instrument (known as implied volatility), which in turn are affected by the performance of the issuer of the underlying instrument, by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political and economic events. As such, prior to the exercise or expiration of the option, the Fund is exposed to implied volatility risk, meaning the value,

 

101 Large Cap Value Fund

 

as based on implied volatility, of an option may increase due to market and economic conditions or views based on the sector or industry in which issuers of the underlying instrument participate, including company-specific factors.

 

By writing put options, the Fund takes on the risk of declines in the value of the underlying instrument, including the possibility of a loss up to the entire strike price of each option it sells, but without the corresponding opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of the underlying instrument. When the Fund writes a put option, it assumes the risk that it must purchase the underlying instrument at a strike price that may be higher than the market price of the instrument. If there is a broad market decline and the Fund is not able to close out its written put options, it may result in substantial losses to the Fund. By writing a call option, the Fund may be obligated to deliver instruments underlying an option at less than the market price. When the Fund writes a covered call option, it gives up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying instrument above the strike price. If a covered call option that the Fund has written is exercised, the Fund will experience a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying instrument, depending on the price at which the Fund purchased the instrument and the strike price of the option. The Fund will receive a premium from writing options, but the premium received may not be sufficient to offset any losses sustained from exercised options. In the case of a covered call, the premium received may be offset by a decline in the market value of the underlying instrument during the option period. If an option that the Fund has purchased is never exercised or closed out, the Fund will lose the amount of the premium it paid and the use of those funds.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

102 Large Cap Value Fund

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation.

 

Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code”) or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

103 Large Cap Value Fund

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Prior to April 2, 2012, the Fund had a policy of investing mainly in common stocks of mid- to large-capitalization companies. Its performance prior to that date might have been different if current policies had been in effect.

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q4 ’20, 28.66%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -26.81%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -13.63%

 

104 Large Cap Value Fund

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Large Cap Value Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   28.31   15.53   14.82
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   26.59   13.61   12.45
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   17.66   11.86   11.35
Class A Return Before Taxes   20.47   13.74   13.69
Class C Return Before Taxes   25.90   14.26   13.53
Russell 1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   25.16   11.16   12.97

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Portfolio Manager Eli M. Salzmann (Managing Director of the Manager) and Associate Portfolio Manager David Levine, CFA (Senior Vice President of the Manager). Mr. Salzmann has managed the Fund since December 2011 and Mr. Levine has managed the Fund since April 2021.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

105 Large Cap Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund

Class A Shares (NMGAX), Class C Shares (NMGCX), Institutional Class Shares (NBMLX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)1    5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.74   0.74   0.63
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.07   0.07   0.07
Total annual operating expenses   1.06   1.81   0.70

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $677   $893   $1,126   $1,795
Class C (assuming redemption)   $284   $569   $980   $2,127
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $184   $569   $980   $2,127
Institutional Class   $72   $224   $390   $871

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 58% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

106 Mid Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in common stocks of mid-capitalization companies, which it defines as those with a total market capitalization within the market capitalization range of the Russell Midcap® Index at the time of purchase.

 

The Portfolio Managers employ a disciplined investment strategy when selecting growth stocks. Using fundamental research and quantitative analysis, they look for what they believe to be fast-growing companies with above-average sales and competitive returns on equity relative to their peers. In doing so, the Portfolio Managers analyze such factors as: financial condition (such as debt to equity ratio); market share and competitive leadership of the company’s products; earnings growth relative to competitors; and market valuation in comparison to a stock’s own historical norms and the stocks of other mid-cap companies.

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies, sectors and industries. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors that they believe will benefit from market or economic trends.

 

The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in mid-capitalization companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. Securities issued by U.S. entities with substantial foreign operations or holdings, or issued by foreign entities listed on a U.S. exchange, may involve additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions in foreign countries, as well as currency exchange rates.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

107 Mid Cap Growth Fund

 

Mid-Cap Companies Risk. At times, mid-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to larger companies, mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially

 

108 Mid Cap Growth Fund

 

sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of one or more broad-based market indices. The indices, which are described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, have characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

109 Mid Cap Growth Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q2 ’20, 30.41%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -18.26%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -30.49%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Mid Cap Growth Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   12.89   20.06   15.63
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   8.85   17.27   13.19
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   10.07   15.67   12.28
Class A Return Before Taxes   6.00   18.21   14.52
Class C Return Before Taxes   10.66   18.71   14.34
Russell Midcap® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   12.73   19.83   16.63
Russell Midcap® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   22.58   15.10   14.91

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss upon the sale of Fund shares.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is co-managed by Portfolio Managers Kenneth J. Turek (Managing Director of the Manager), Chad Bruso (Senior Vice President of the Manager), Trevor Moreno (Senior Vice President of the Manager) and Associate Portfolio Manager Jennifer Blachford (Senior Vice President of the Manager). Mr. Turek has managed the Fund since 2003. Messrs. Bruso and Moreno joined as Associate Portfolio Managers in January 2020 and became co-Portfolio Managers in December 2021. Ms. Blachford has managed the Fund since December 2021.

 

Kenneth J. Turek has announced his decision to retire on or about January 31, 2023. Mr. Turek will cease his portfolio management responsibilities at that time. After Mr. Turek’s retirement, Chad Bruso and Trevor Moreno will continue as co-Portfolio Managers, and Jennifer Blachford will continue as Associate Portfolio Manager, of the Fund.

 

110 Mid Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

111 Mid Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

Class A Shares (NBRAX), Class C Shares (NBRCX), Institutional Class Shares (NBRTX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.81   0.81   0.70
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.62   0.62   0.58
Total annual operating expenses   1.68   2.43   1.28
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.47   0.47   0.43
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.21   1.96   0.85

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.21%, 1.96% and 0.85% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.21%, 1.96% and 0.85% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $691   $937   $1,303   $2,329
Class C (assuming redemption)   $299   $615   $1,161   $2,652
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $199   $615   $1,161   $2,652
Institutional Class   $87   $271   $571   $1,425

 

112 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 22% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of mid-capitalization companies, which it defines as those with a total market capitalization within the market capitalization range of the Russell Midcap® Value Index at the time of purchase.

 

The Fund’s strategy consists of using a bottom-up, fundamental research driven approach to identify stocks of companies that are trading below the Portfolio Managers’ estimate of their intrinsic value and that they believe have the potential for appreciation over time. The Portfolio Managers’ estimate of a company’s intrinsic value represents their view of the company’s true, long-term economic worth, the market’s view of which may be currently distorted by market inefficiencies. The intrinsic value estimate represents what the Portfolio Managers believe a company could be worth if it is acquired, if its profitability returns to its long-term average level, or if its valuation moves in line with those companies that the Portfolio Managers see as its publicly traded peers.

 

The Portfolio Managers believe that while markets are often efficient, valuations of certain types of companies are often distorted by market inefficiencies, which can lead to attractive investment opportunities. The Portfolio Managers attempt to exploit recurring market inefficiencies among the following types of companies as the Portfolio Managers believe these types of companies are often misunderstood and mispriced by investors.

 

Complex Companies: These companies typically have multiple lines of business that are in different industries or sectors and/or that have different growth rates and profitability characteristics.

 

Cyclical Companies: These companies typically have ebbs and flows in their business depending on demand patterns for their products, the length of product cycles, or other transient factors.

 

Companies in a Period of Interrupted Growth: Typically, these are companies in attractive, high growth markets that have suffered what the Portfolio Managers believe is a temporary setback and/or are in transition to a more mature, lower growth business model that focuses more on current earnings than on rapid growth.

 

In seeking to identify potential investment opportunities, the Portfolio Managers perform an initial screening to identify those companies that have stock prices that are trailing the performance of the overall market and that they believe are attractive relative to current cash flows. Next, the Portfolio Managers establish an estimate of a company’s intrinsic value. The Portfolio Managers will invest in a company based on its discount to their estimate of intrinsic value and their belief in its potential for appreciation over time. In addition, the Portfolio Managers may invest in anticipation of a catalyst that can be expected to close the value/price gap, such as a merger, restructuring, liquidation, spin-off, major management change, share repurchase, or capital reallocation. The Portfolio Managers will typically visit a company and interview its management team to help understand management’s incentives (such as equity ownership in the company and compensation plans), the merits of its strategic plan, and other factors that have the potential to increase the value of the company’s stock.

 

The Portfolio Managers establish an intrinsic value for a company’s stock when it is purchased and then continues to evaluate the company’s stock price versus their estimate of its intrinsic value to determine whether to maintain, add to, reduce or eliminate the position. The Portfolio Managers typically reduce or eliminate a position in a company’s stock if the stock’s price appreciates and the company’s discount to their estimate of its intrinsic value narrows. The Portfolio Managers’ decision to reduce or eliminate a position in a particular stock may also be driven by their belief that another company’s stock has a wider discount to their estimate of its intrinsic value. Changes in a company’s management or corporate strategy, or the failure of a company to perform as expected, may also cause the Portfolio Managers to reduce or eliminate a position in that company’s stock.

 

Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies. The Fund may also invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).

 

The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including private placements, which are securities that are subject to legal restrictions on their sale and may not be sold to the public unless registered under the applicable securities law or pursuant to an applicable exemption.

 

113 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies, sectors and industries. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors or industries that they believe may benefit from market or economic trends.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of mid-capitalization companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Catalyst Risk. Investing in companies in anticipation of a catalyst carries the risk that the catalyst may not happen as anticipated, or the market may react to the catalyst differently than expected.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

114 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Mid-Cap Companies Risk. At times, mid-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to larger companies, mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk. Private placements and other restricted securities, including securities for which Fund management has material non-public information, are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Private placements and other restricted securities may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other restricted security.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

115 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation.

 

Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code”) or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value or intrinsic value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

116 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of one or more broad-based market indices. The indices, which are described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, have characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

117 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q4 ’20, 28.64%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -40.56%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -19.00%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   32.66   8.42   11.42
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   32.47   7.43   10.12
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   19.46   6.37   9.06
Class A Return Before Taxes   24.62   6.76   10.35
Class C Return Before Taxes   30.21   7.21   10.18
Russell Midcap® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   28.34   11.22   13.44
Russell Midcap® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   22.58   15.10   14.91

 

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is co-managed by Michael C. Greene (Managing Director of the Manager), Benjamin H. Nahum (Managing Director of the Manager), James F. McAree (Managing Director of the Manager), Amit Solomon (Managing Director of the Manager), and Rand W. Gesing (Senior Vice President of the Manager). Mr. Greene has managed the Fund since December 2011 and Messrs. Nahum, McAree, Solomon and Gesing have managed the Fund since May 2021.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

118 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

119 Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

Class A Shares (NMUAX), Class C Shares (NMUCX), Institutional Class Shares (NMULX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term total return.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.85   0.85   0.74
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.09   0.09   0.08
Total annual operating expenses   1.19   1.94   0.82

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $689   $931   $1,192   $1,935
Class C (assuming redemption)   $297   $609   $1,047   $2,264
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $197   $609   $1,047   $2,264
Institutional Class   $84   $262   $455   $1,014

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

120 Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests in a concentrated portfolio, consisting mainly of common stocks of companies that are selected using a fundamental, bottom-up research approach. The Fund may hold stocks of companies of any market capitalization and in any sector. Under normal market conditions, the Fund typically will hold a limited number of stocks.

 

Portfolio construction is an important component of the investment process and primarily consists of three distinct investment categories: Special Situations, Opportunistic, and Classic. Special Situations have unique attributes (e.g., restructurings, spin-offs, post-bankruptcy equities) that require specific methodologies and customized investment research. Opportunistic investments are companies that have become inexpensive for a tangible reason that the Portfolio Manager believes is temporary. Classic investments are those companies with long histories of shareholder-friendly policies, high-quality management teams and consistent operating performance.

 

The Portfolio Manager performs both quantitative and qualitative analysis in an effort to identify companies that he believes have the potential to increase in value. This potential may be realized in many ways, some of which include: free cash flow generation, product or process enhancements, margin increases, and improved capital structure management. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of issuers and their potential in light of their financial condition, industry position, market opportunities, senior management teams and any special situations as well as any relevant economic, political and regulatory factors.

 

As part of his fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Manager considers Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors he believes are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Manager believes that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Portfolio Manager employs disciplined valuation criteria and dynamic price limits to determine when to buy or sell a stock. The valuation criteria and price limits will change over time as a result of changes in company-specific, industry and market factors. The Portfolio Manager follows a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a stock when it reaches a dynamic price target, when other opportunities appear more attractive, or when the Portfolio Manager’s research indicates deteriorating fundamentals.

 

Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies.

 

At times, the Portfolio Manager may emphasize certain sectors that he believes will benefit from market or economic trends.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Manager in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Manager will be successful in his attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange

 

121 Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

 

rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

The Fund’s portfolio may contain fewer securities than the portfolios of other mutual funds, which increases the risk that the value of the Fund could go down because of the poor performance of one or a few investments.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates.

 

122 Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

 

Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Special Situations Risk. Companies that are considered “special situations” include, among others: companies that have unrecognized recovery prospects or new management teams; companies involved in restructurings or spin-offs; companies emerging from, or restructuring as a result of, bankruptcy; companies making initial public offerings that trade below their initial offering prices; and companies with a break-up value above their market price. Investing in special situations carries the risk that certain of such situations may not happen as anticipated or the market may react differently than expected to such situations. The securities of companies involved in special situations may be more volatile than other securities, may at times be illiquid, or may be difficult to value.

 

Certain special situations carry the additional risks inherent in difficult corporate transitions and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more stable companies.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management

 

123 Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

 

team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

124 Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q2 ’20, 18.74%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20,-24.94%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -25.84%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   26.68   16.83   16.19
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   18.83   12.21   13.47
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   21.11   12.77   13.14
Class A Return Before Taxes   18.98   15.02   15.09
Class C Return Before Taxes   24.42   15.55   14.91
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   28.71   18.47   16.55

 

 

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss upon the sale of Fund shares.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

The Fund is managed by Richard S. Nackenson (Managing Director of the Manager). Mr. Nackenson has managed the Fund since 2009.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or

 

125 Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

Table of Contents

 

certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

126 Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund

Class A Shares (NREAX), Class C Shares (NRECX), Institutional Class Shares (NBRIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks total return through investment in real estate securities, emphasizing both capital appreciation and current income.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.06   1.06   0.95
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.07   0.08   0.06
Total annual operating expenses   1.38   2.14   1.01
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.17   0.18   0.16
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.21   1.96   0.85

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.21%, 1.96% and 0.85% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.21%, 1.96% and 0.85% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $691   $937   $1,238   $2,093
Class C (assuming redemption)   $299   $615   $1,097   $2,427
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $199   $615   $1,097   $2,427
Institutional Class   $87   $271   $509   $1,190

 

127 Real Estate Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities issued by real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and common stocks and other securities issued by other real estate companies. The Fund defines a real estate company as one that derives at least 50% of its revenue from, or has at least 50% of its assets in, real estate.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in debt securities of real estate companies. These debt securities can be either investment grade securities or below investment grade securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”), provided that, at the time of investment, they are rated at least B by S&P Global Ratings or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (or comparably rated by at least one independent credit rating agency) or, if unrated, are determined by the Portfolio Managers to be of comparable quality. The Fund does not normally intend to continue holding securities that are in default or have defaulted with respect to the payment of interest or repayment of principal, but may do so depending on market conditions.

 

The Portfolio Managers make investment decisions through a fundamental analysis of each company. The Portfolio Managers review each company’s current financial condition and industry position, as well as economic and market conditions. In doing so, they evaluate the company’s growth potential, earnings estimates and quality of management, as well as other factors. In an effort to achieve its goal, the Fund may engage in active and frequent trading.

 

As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable, as described below. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material ESG factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund’s overall investment process. The consideration of ESG factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of ESG factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific “impact” or “sustainable” investment strategy.

 

The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it can invest more of its assets in fewer companies than a diversified fund. The Fund concentrates its assets in the real estate industry. The Fund may at times emphasize particular sub-sectors of the real estate business — for example, apartments, regional malls, offices, infrastructure, industrial, and health care.

 

Some of the REITs and other real estate securities in which the Fund invests may be preferred stock, which receives preference in the payment of dividends.

 

The Fund normally seeks to invest for the long-term, but it may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held if the Portfolio Managers find an opportunity they believe is more compelling, or if the Portfolio Managers’ outlook on the company or the market changes, if a stock reaches a target price, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities issued by REITs and common stocks and other securities issued by other real estate companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test and the test of whether a company is a real estate company are applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock and real estate markets, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The markets’ behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee

 

128 Real Estate Fund

 

that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and ESG factors.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that issuers, guarantors, or insurers may fail, or become less able or unwilling, to pay interest and/or principal when due. Changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of an issuer or a downgrade or default affecting any of the Fund’s securities could affect the Fund’s performance by affecting the credit quality or value of the Fund’s securities. Generally, the longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a security, the more sensitive it is to credit risk.

 

Dividend Risk. There is no guarantee that the companies in which the Fund invests will declare dividends in the future or that dividends, if declared, will remain at current levels or increase over time. Securities that pay dividends may be sensitive to changes in interest rates, and as interest rates rise or fall, the prices of such securities may fall.

 

High Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading and may have a high portfolio turnover rate, which may increase the Fund’s transaction costs, may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may generate a greater amount of capital gain distributions to shareholders than if the Fund had a low portfolio turnover rate.

 

Interest Rate Risk. In general, the value of investments with interest rate risk, such as debt securities, will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the value of such securities may decline. Typically, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt security, the greater the effect a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. Thus, the sensitivity of the Fund’s debt securities to interest rate risk will increase with any increase in the duration of those securities.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Lower-Rated Debt Securities Risk. Lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) and unrated debt securities determined to be of comparable quality involve greater risks than investment grade debt securities. Such securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. These securities also may require a greater degree of judgment to establish a price and may be difficult to sell at the time and price the Fund desires. Lower-rated debt securities are considered by the major rating agencies to be predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to pay principal and interest and carry a greater risk that the issuer of such securities will default in the timely payment of principal and interest. Issuers of securities that are in default or have defaulted may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment. The creditworthiness of issuers of these securities may be more complex to analyze than that of issuers of investment grade debt securities, and the overreliance on credit ratings may present additional risks.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

129 Real Estate Fund

 

Non-Diversified Fund Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. As such, the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in any single issuer or a few issuers is not limited as much as it is for a Fund classified as diversified. Investing a higher percentage of its assets in any one or a few issuers could increase the Fund’s risk of loss and its share price volatility, because the value of its shares would be more susceptible to adverse events affecting those issuers.

 

Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities, which are a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities, however, unlike common stocks, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. Distributions on preferred securities are generally payable at the discretion of the issuer’s board of directors and after the company makes required payments to holders of its debt securities. For this reason, preferred securities are subject to greater credit, interest, and liquidation risk than debt securities, and the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than debt securities to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. Preferred securities may be less liquid than common stocks.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value.

 

130 Real Estate Fund

 

Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation.

 

Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code”) or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities.

 

Sector Risk. Although the Fund will not invest in real estate directly, because it concentrates its assets in the real estate industry your investment in the Fund will be closely linked to the performance of the real estate markets and the value of the Fund’s shares may change at different rates compared to the value of shares of a fund with investments in a mix of different sectors or industries.

 

The Fund may at times emphasize particular sub-sectors of the real estate business — for example, apartments, regional malls, offices, infrastructure, industrial, and health care. As such, the Fund’s performance would be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those businesses.

 

Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector or sub-sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there

 

131 Real Estate Fund

 

is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

As of June 19, 2012, the Fund changed its investment policy to become “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Its performance prior to this change might have been different if current policies had been in effect.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q1 ’19, 17.38%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -17.57%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -28.79%

 

132 Real Estate Fund

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Real Estate Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   41.97   14.49   12.00
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   40.06   12.76   9.91
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   25.24   10.90   8.98
Class A Return Before Taxes   33.30   12.73   10.94
Class C Return Before Taxes   39.33   13.22   10.77
FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   41.30   12.46   12.22

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is co-managed by Steve Shigekawa (Managing Director of the Manager) and Brian C. Jones, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager). They have been co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2008. Mr. Shigekawa was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund from 2005 to 2008.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

133 Real Estate Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund

Class A Shares (NSNAX), Class C Shares (NSNCX), Institutional Class Shares (NBSMX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks growth of capital.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   1.09   1.09   0.98
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.19   0.16   0.15
Total annual operating expenses   1.53   2.25   1.13
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   0.26   0.23   0.22
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.27   2.02   0.91

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.26%, 2.01% and 0.90% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.26%, 2.01% and 0.90% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $697   $955   $1,288   $2,227
Class C (assuming redemption)   $305   $634   $1,139   $2,528
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $205   $634   $1,139   $2,528
Institutional Class   $93   $290   $555   $1,312

 

134 Small Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 121% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in common stocks of small-capitalization companies, which it defines as those with a total market capitalization within the market capitalization range of the Russell 2000® Index at the time of initial purchase.

 

The Fund’s strategy utilizes a qualitative, bottom-up research driven approach to identify companies that the Portfolio Managers believe have catalysts for growth, which are underappreciated by the market, durable and potentially unique business models and/or proficient management capable of advancing the development of and/or strengthening of sustainable and consistent revenue growth, cash flow growth, earnings growth and/or overall balance sheet strength. Such catalysts may include a new technology, product or service, a regulatory update, change in management and a spin-off or merger. The Portfolio Managers may also invest in anticipation of a catalyst.

 

In analyzing the viability and sustainability of catalysts, the Portfolio Managers evaluate that catalyst’s uniqueness, timing, total potential market and growth potential, as well as assess execution risks, competitive barriers and threats. The Portfolio Managers are also attempting to exploit market inefficiencies that potentially may exist within the small-capitalization market, due to the number of companies that comprise the investable universe and the limited amount of available research that exists for some of those companies. The Portfolio Managers attempt to exploit these market inefficiencies by seeking out and evaluating catalysts which are underappreciated by the market and look for opportunities to invest in companies with the following characteristics:

 

Underappreciated Growth: Companies with potentially transformative near-term catalysts that are underappreciated by the market, that the Portfolio Managers believe are capable of advancing the development of underlying corporate fundamentals or, in the case of early development-stage companies, initiating a path to revenue and eventually earnings growth

 

Strengthening Growth: More established companies that are endeavoring to expand their product offerings, broadening operational depth and strengthening top- and bottom-line consistency

 

Opportunistic Growth: Companies that the Portfolio Managers believe represent an opportunistic valuation play because their potential has yet to be unlocked, they are raising capital or they have fallen out of favor due to what the Portfolio Managers believe is a shorter-term and correctable issue

 

The Fund seeks to reduce risk by diversifying among many companies, sectors and industries. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors that they believe will benefit from market or economic trends.

 

The Portfolio Managers constantly monitor their holdings and are focused on maintaining what they believe is an appropriate and attractive risk/reward balance with a disciplined sell process that acts quickly and dispassionately to address both positive and negative outcomes. A position is typically trimmed or exited for the following reasons: to harvest gains from significant short-term price appreciation, the positive realization of a catalyst, the achievement of a price target or elevated valuations, identification of a better idea, to minimize potential risks, to address an absence of near-term drivers or catalysts, a significant deterioration of fundamentals, a change in management or operating strategy or the failure of a catalyst to develop.

 

In an effort to achieve its goal, the Fund may engage in active and frequent trading that involves initiating new positions, resizing current positions in response to material developments and in order to maintain an appropriate and attractive risk/reward balance and fully exiting positions in favor of new ideas.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing 80% of its net assets in small-capitalization companies, without providing shareholders at least 60 days’ notice. This test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

135 Small Cap Growth Fund

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Catalyst Risk. Investing in companies in anticipation of a catalyst carries the risk that the catalyst may not happen as anticipated, or the market may react to the catalyst differently than expected. Certain catalysts, such as emergence from, or restructuring as a result of, bankruptcy, carry additional risks, and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more stable companies. Securities of issuers undergoing such an event may be more volatile than other securities, may at times be illiquid, and may be difficult to value, and management of such a company may be addressing a situation with which it has little experience.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

High Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading and may have a high portfolio turnover rate, which may increase the Fund’s transaction costs, may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may generate a greater amount of capital gain distributions to shareholders than if the Fund had a low portfolio turnover rate.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In

 

136 Small Cap Growth Fund

 

addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

Small- and Mid-Cap Companies Risk. At times, small- and mid-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to larger companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions. To the extent the Fund holds securities of mid-cap companies, the Fund will be subject to their risks.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage

 

137 Small Cap Growth Fund

 

and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of one or more broad-based market indices. The indices, which are described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, have characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

Best quarter:     Q2 ’20, 30.43%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -20.56%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -26.92%

 

138 Small Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Small Cap Growth Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   4.54   22.40   16.64
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   -1.07   18.98   14.79
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   3.85   16.81   13.28
Class A Return Before Taxes   -1.83   20.52   15.54
Class C Return Before Taxes   2.51   21.05   15.36
Russell 2000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   2.83   14.53   14.14
Russell 2000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   14.82   12.02   13.23

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss upon the sale of Fund shares.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is co-managed by Portfolio Managers Kenneth J. Turek (Managing Director of the Manager), Chad Bruso (Senior Vice President of the Manager), Trevor Moreno (Senior Vice President of the Manager) and Associate Portfolio Manager Jennifer Blachford (Senior Vice President of the Manager). Messrs. Turek, Bruso and Moreno have managed the Fund since November 2015. Messrs. Bruso and Moreno joined as Associate Portfolio Managers in November 2015 and became co-Portfolio Managers in January 2020. Ms. Blachford has managed the Fund since December 2021.

 

Kenneth J. Turek has announced his decision to retire on or about January 31, 2023. Mr. Turek will cease his portfolio management responsibilities at that time. After Mr. Turek’s retirement, Chad Bruso and Trevor Moreno will continue as co-Portfolio Managers, and Jennifer Blachford will continue as Associate Portfolio Manager, of the Fund.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

139 Small Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

140 Small Cap Growth Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund

Class A Shares (NRAAX), Class C Shares (NRACX), Institutional Class Shares (NBSLX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in securities of companies that meet the Fund’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.74   0.74   0.63
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   0.06   0.06   0.05
Total annual operating expenses   1.05   1.80   0.68

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $676   $890   $1,121   $1,784
Class C (assuming redemption)   $283   $566   $975   $2,116
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $183   $566   $975   $2,116
Institutional Class   $69   $218   $379   $847

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 14% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

141 Sustainable Equity Fund

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund seeks to invest primarily in common stocks of mid- to large-capitalization companies that meet the Fund’s quality oriented financial and ESG criteria. The Fund defines mid-capitalization companies as those with a total market capitalization of $2 billion and above and large-capitalization companies as those with a total market capitalization of $10 billion and above, both at the time of initial purchase.

 

The Portfolio Manager employs a fundamental research driven approach to stock selection and portfolio construction, with a focus on long term sustainability issues that, in the judgement of the Portfolio Manager, are financially material. This sustainable investment approach seeks to identify high quality, well-positioned companies with leadership that is focused on ESG issues relevant to their business. In doing such, the Portfolio Manager seeks to identify companies with certain practices, including (i) clear and relevant communication regarding management’s understanding, commitment to, and prioritization of, sustainability issues relevant to the business; (ii) identification and disclosure of material sustainability considerations and management objectives (e.g., sustainability-linked goals and targets, including their supply chain, or executive compensation frameworks linked to such goals and targets); and/or (iii) board-level oversight on material sustainability issues. As part of the focus on quality, the Portfolio Manager looks for solid balance sheets, strong management teams with a track record of success, good cash flow, the prospect for above-average earnings growth and the sustainability of those earnings, as well as of the company’s business model, over the long term. The Portfolio Manager seeks to purchase the stock of businesses that he believes to be well positioned and attractively valued. Among companies that meet these criteria, the Portfolio Manager looks for those that show leadership in environmental, social and governance considerations, including safe and equitable workplace practices and constructive community relations.

 

As part of the focus on long-term sustainability, the Portfolio Manager looks for companies that show leadership in their environmental and workplace practices. The Fund seeks to invest in companies that demonstrate ESG policies in the following areas: (i) environmental issues; (ii) employment practices and diversity policies; (iii) community relations; (iv) supply chain issues; (v) product integrity (e.g., safety, quality) and (vi) disclosure and sustainability reporting.

 

Consistent with the Fund’s ESG Criteria, the Portfolio Manager focuses on identifying companies that are responsive to environmental issues, including those that have identified and communicated climate-related risks and opportunities, have identified and communicated net-zero transition plans, have committed to or are transitioning to facilitate global decarbonization and/or the reduction of other greenhouse gas emissions; are agents of favorable change in workplace policies (particularly for women and minorities); are committed to upholding universal human rights standards; and are good corporate citizens. The Portfolio Manager judges companies on their corporate citizenship overall, considering their accomplishments as well as their goals. While these judgments are inevitably subjective, the Portfolio Manager endeavors to avoid companies that derive revenue from gambling or the production of alcohol, tobacco, weapons, nuclear power or private prisons. Please see the Statement of Additional Information for a detailed description of the Fund’s ESG Criteria.

 

Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies. The Fund seeks to reduce risk by investing across many different industries.

 

The Portfolio Manager follows a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security if he believes it is unattractively valued, if a company’s business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.

 

As a sustainable fund, the Fund is required by the federal securities laws to have a policy, which it cannot change without providing investors at least 60 days’ written notice, of investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities selected in accordance with its ESG criteria. The 80% test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding. In practice, the Portfolio Manager intends to hold only securities selected in accordance with the Fund’s ESG Criteria.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Manager in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Manager’s evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee

 

142 Sustainable Equity Fund

 

that the Portfolio Manager will be successful in his attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

ESG Criteria Risk. The Fund’s application of ESG criteria is designed and utilized to help identify companies that demonstrate the potential to create economic value or reduce risk; however as with the use of any investment criteria in selecting a portfolio, there is no guarantee that the criteria used by the Fund will result in the selection of issuers that will outperform other issuers, or help reduce risk in the portfolio. The use of the Fund’s ESG criteria could also affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or industries, and could impact the Fund’s investment performance depending on whether the ESG criteria used are ultimately reflected in the market.

 

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

The Fund’s portfolio may contain fewer securities than the portfolios of other mutual funds, which increases the risk that the value of the Fund could go down because of the poor performance of one or a few investments.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

Mid- and Large-Cap Companies Risk. At times, mid- and large-cap companies may be out of favor with investors. Compared to smaller companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a

 

143 Sustainable Equity Fund

 

slower rate. Compared to larger companies, mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of mid-cap companies are often more volatile and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

144 Sustainable Equity Fund

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year, as represented by the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect any applicable sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. The table below the bar chart shows what the returns would equal if you averaged out actual performance over various lengths of time and compares the returns with the returns of a broad-based market index. The index, which is described in “Descriptions of Indices” in the prospectus, has characteristics relevant to the Fund’s investment strategy. Unlike the returns in the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

 

Returns would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of the investment management fees during certain of the periods shown.

 

145 Sustainable Equity Fund

 

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for updated performance information.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR % RETURNS AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR

 

 

 

Years

 

Best quarter:     Q2 ’20, 19.31%

Worst quarter:    Q1 ’20, -21.49%

Year-to-date performance as of 9/30/2022: -24.95%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL % RETURNS AS OF 12/31/21

 

Sustainable Equity Fund   1 Year   5 Years   10 Years
Institutional Class Return Before Taxes   23.64   15.88   14.63
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions   20.74   13.69   12.75
Institutional Class Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares   15.94   12.32   11.73
Class A Return Before Taxes   16.12   14.09   13.53
Class C Return Before Taxes   21.27   14.59   13.35
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)   28.71   18.47   16.55

After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for other classes may vary. 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 are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

The Fund is managed by Daniel P. Hanson, CFA (Managing Director of the Manager). Mr. Hanson has managed the Fund since April 2022.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax,

 

146 Sustainable Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

147 Sustainable Equity Fund

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund

Class A Shares (NEQAX), Class C Shares (NEQCX), Institutional Class Shares (NEQIX)

 

GOAL

The Fund seeks long-term total return by investing in companies whose products and services have the potential to deliver positive social and environmental outcomes.

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold or sell shares of the Fund. Under the Fund’s policies, you may qualify for initial sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Neuberger Berman funds. Certain financial intermediaries have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those described below. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 247 in the Fund’s prospectus, and in Appendix A to the Fund’s prospectus. 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.

 

    Class A   Class C   Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)            
Maximum initial sales charge on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75   None   None
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or current market value)1    None   1.00   None

             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)            
Management fees   0.96   0.96   0.85
Distribution and/or shareholder service (12b-1) fees   0.25   1.00   None
Other expenses   4.56   4.81   4.42
Total annual operating expenses   5.77   6.77   5.27
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   4.50   4.75   4.36
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2    1.27   2.02   0.91

 

1  For Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% applies on certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more made without an initial sales charge. For Class C shares, the CDSC is eliminated one year after purchase.
2  Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) has contractually undertaken to waive and/or reimburse certain fees and expenses of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, such as deferred tax expense, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes including any expenses relating to tax reclaims, dividend and interest expenses relating to short sales, and extraordinary expenses, if any) (“annual operating expenses”) of each class are limited to 1.26%, 2.01% and 0.90% of average net assets, respectively. Each of these undertakings lasts until 8/31/2026 and may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The Fund has agreed that each of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class will repay the Manager for fees and expenses waived or reimbursed for the class provided that repayment does not cause annual operating expenses to exceed 1.26%, 2.01% and 0.90% of the class’ average net assets, respectively. Any such repayment must be made within three years after the year in which the Manager incurred the expense.

 

Expense Example

The expense example can help you compare costs among mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 for the periods shown, that you redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods, that the Fund earned a hypothetical 5% total return each year, and that the Fund’s expenses were those in the table. For Class A and Institutional Class shares, your costs would be the same whether you sold your shares or continued to hold them at the end of each period. Actual performance and expenses may be higher or lower.

 

    1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years
Class A   $697   $955   $2,159   $5,091
Class C (assuming redemption)   $308   $643   $2,094   $5,504
Class C (assuming no redemption)   $208   $643   $2,094   $5,504
Institutional Class   $93   $290   $1,476   $4,411

 

148 U.S. Equity Impact Fund

Table of Contents

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 28% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

To pursue its goal, the Fund invests in a concentrated portfolio consisting primarily of U.S. companies whose products and services the Portfolio Managers believe have the potential to deliver positive social and environmental outcomes (“Impact”). The Fund considers securities of U.S. companies to be those that (1) are traded principally on a stock exchange or over-the-counter in the United States, (2) are organized under the laws of and have a principal office in the United States, or (3) derive 50% or more of their total revenues from, and/or have 50% or more of their total assets in, goods produced, sales made, profits generated or services performed in the United States. Companies are selected using a fundamental, bottom-up research approach and proprietary in-depth Impact analysis using quantitative ratios and qualitative scoring frameworks. The Fund may hold stocks of companies of any market capitalization and in any sector. Under normal market conditions, the Fund typically will hold a limited number of stocks.

 

The Portfolio Managers focus on both social and environmental Impact themes while also integrating governance factors into the investment process. Social themes include a company’s ability to deliver sustainable growth and fair employment, increase positive health and safety outcomes, and promote gender and racial equality. Environmental themes include the ability to combat climate change, enable energy transitions, and conserve the natural environment.

 

Portfolio construction is an important component of the investment process and primarily consists of three distinct investment categories: Special Situations, Opportunistic, and Impact Leaders. Special Situations have certain attributes that the Portfolio Managers believe may influence Impact outcomes (e.g., initial public offerings, spin-offs, private investments, changes in capital structure, mergers and acquisitions) and require specific methodologies and customized investment research. Opportunistic investments are companies that the Portfolio Managers believe are temporarily underappreciated by the broader market, given their long- term business and/or Impact potential. Impact Leaders are those companies with a track record of significant Impact, shareholder-oriented management, superior competitive positioning, or that are industry leaders in environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) issues.

 

The Portfolio Managers utilize an integrated approach focused on rigorous Impact analysis, consideration of ESG factors, and assessment of company financials. The Managers perform both quantitative and qualitative analysis in an effort to identify companies that they believe have the potential to increase in value. This potential may be realized in many ways, some of which include: free cash flow generation, product or process enhancements, margin increases, and improved capital structure management. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of issuers and their potential in light of the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of their financial condition, industry position, market opportunities, Impact metrics, ESG factors, senior management teams and any special situations as well as any relevant economic, political and regulatory factors. Environmental and social outcomes will be evaluated on an absolute basis, with the goal of achieving a specific and identifiable positive threshold. Additionally, the contribution of companies to a specific environmental or social outcome will be compared against other companies, which also contribute to that same environmental or social outcome. These factors will be considered both individually and collectively, as part of the Portfolio Managers’ analysis.

 

The Portfolio Managers will invest in accordance with the Fund’s Enhanced Sustainable Exclusion Policy. The policy describes businesses, which may be deemed controversial, and are therefore excluded from investment consideration. Please see the Statement of Additional Information for a detailed description of the Fund’s Enhanced Sustainable Exclusion Criteria.

 

The Portfolio Managers employ disciplined valuation criteria and dynamic price limits to determine when to buy or sell a security.

 

The valuation criteria and price limits will change over time as a result of changes in company-specific, industry and market factors. The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy and may sell a security when it reaches a dynamic price target, when other opportunities appear more attractive, when Impact metrics deteriorate, or when the Portfolio Managers’ research indicates declining fundamentals.

 

Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies.

 

The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including private placements, which are securities that are subject to legal restrictions on their sale and may not be sold to the public unless registered under the applicable securities law or pursuant to an applicable

 

149 U.S. Equity Impact Fund

 

exemption. The Fund may also invest in private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering.

 

At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors that they believe will benefit from market or economic trends.

 

The Fund will not change its strategy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. equity securities, without providing investors at least 60 days’ written notice. The 80% test is applied at the time the Fund invests; later percentage changes caused by a change in Fund assets, market values or company circumstances will not require the Fund to dispose of a holding.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies. The market’s behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.

 

The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers’ evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis and valuation.

 

The Fund is a mutual fund, not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund’s performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or

 

150 U.S. Equity Impact Fund

 

decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously.

 

Impact and ESG Criteria Risk. The Fund’s application of Impact and ESG criteria, including its adherence to the Fund’s Enhanced Sustainable Exclusion Policy could cause it to sell or avoid some stocks or instruments that in hindsight could have performed well or enhanced the Fund’s risk profile. As with the use of any investment criteria in selecting a portfolio, there is no guarantee that the criteria used by the Fund will result in the selection of issuers that will outperform other issuers, or help reduce risk in the portfolio. The Fund may underperform funds that do not follow Impact and ESG criteria. The Fund’s Impact and ESG criteria may also affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or industries, and may impact the Fund’s investment performance depending on whether such sectors or industries are in or out of favor in the market.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole.

 

The Fund’s portfolio may contain fewer securities than the portfolios of other mutual funds, which increases the risk that the value of the Fund could go down because of the poor performance of one or a few investments.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment in which the Fund invests, or a particular type of instrument in which the Fund is invested, may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Market Capitalization Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, and less liquid than the securities of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.

 

New Fund Risk. The Fund may not be successful in implementing its investment strategy, and its investment strategy may not be successful under all future market conditions, either of which could result in the Fund being liquidated at some future time without shareholder approval and/or at a time that may not be favorable for certain shareholders. New funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment, trading or other efficiencies.

 

Private Companies and Pre-IPO Investments Risk. Investments in private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering (“IPO”) (“pre-IPO shares”), involve greater risks than investments in securities of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in these companies are generally less liquid than investments in securities issued by public companies and may be difficult for the Fund to value. Compared to public companies, private companies may have a more limited management group and limited operating histories with narrower, less established product lines and smaller market shares, which may cause them to be more vulnerable to

 

151 U.S. Equity Impact Fund

 

competitors’ actions, market conditions and consumer sentiment with respect to their products or services, as well as general economic downturns. In addition, private companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations. The Fund may only have limited access to a private company’s actual financial results and there is no assurance that the information obtained by the Fund is reliable. These companies may not ever issue shares in an IPO and a liquid market for their shares may never develop, which could adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity. If the company does issue shares in an IPO, IPOs are risky and volatile and may cause the value of the Fund’s investment to decrease significantly. Moreover, because securities issued by private companies are generally not freely or publicly tradable, the Fund may not have the opportunity to purchase, or the ability to sell, these securities in the amounts, or at the prices, the Fund desires.

 

Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk. Private placements and other restricted securities, including securities for which Fund management has material non-public information, are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Private placements and other restricted securities may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other restricted security.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce bank balance sheets. Any of these could cause an increase in market volatility or reduce liquidity across various markets.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the current strength of the U.S. dollar may decrease foreign demand for U.S. assets, which could have a negative impact on certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected and could continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty.

 

152 U.S. Equity Impact Fund

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in the Fund and the risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs, and create adverse tax consequences.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Special Situations Risk. Companies that are considered “special situations” include, among others: companies that have unrecognized recovery prospects or new management teams; companies involved in restructurings or spin-offs; companies emerging from, or restructuring as a result of, bankruptcy; companies making initial public offerings that trade below their initial offering prices; and companies with a break-up value above their market price. Investing in special situations carries the risk that certain of such situations may not happen as anticipated or the market may react differently than expected to such situations. The securities of companies involved in special situations may be more volatile than other securities, may at times be illiquid, or may be difficult to value.

 

Certain special situations carry the additional risks inherent in difficult corporate transitions and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more stable companies.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen, among other reasons, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions or investor preferences.

 

A summary of the Fund’s additional principal investment risks is as follows:

 

Risk of Increase in Expenses. A decline in the Fund’s average net assets during the current fiscal year due to market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expenses for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented in “Fees and Expenses.”

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. It is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Risk Management. Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value

 

153 U.S. Equity Impact Fund

 

methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

PERFORMANCE

Performance history will be included for the Fund after the Fund has been in operation for one calendar year. Until that time, visit www.nb.com or call 800-366-6264 for performance information. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”) is the Fund’s investment manager.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund is managed by Richard S. Nackenson (Managing Director of the Manager) and Jonathan Bailey (Managing Director of the Manager). They have been Portfolio Managers for the Fund since its inception in March 2021.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES

You may purchase, redeem (sell) or exchange shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Fund’s net asset value per share next determined after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. Shares of the Fund generally are available only through certain investment providers, such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers. Contact any investment provider authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Maintaining Your Account” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for purchases of Institutional Class shares.

 

For certain investors, certain shares of the Fund may be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC by regular, first class mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, P.O. Box 219189, Kansas City, MO 64121-9189), by express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail (Neuberger Berman Funds, 430 West 7th Street, Suite 219189, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), or by wire, fax, telephone, exchange, or systematic investment or withdrawal (call 800-877-9700 for instructions). See “Maintaining Your Account” and “Direct Investors” in the prospectus for eligibility requirements for direct purchases of shares and for instructions on buying and redeeming (selling) shares directly.

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments can be as little as $100. These minimums may be waived in certain cases.

 

The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. This minimum may be waived in certain cases.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Unless you invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement plan or account or are a tax-exempt investor, you will be subject to tax on Fund distributions to you of ordinary income and/or net capital gains. Those distributions generally are not taxable to such a plan or account or a tax-exempt investor, although withdrawals from certain retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

PAYMENTS TO INVESTMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, such as a bank, brokerage firm, workplace retirement program, or financial adviser (who may be affiliated with Neuberger Berman), the Fund and/or Neuberger Berman BD LLC and/or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the investment provider or other financial intermediary and its employees to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your investment provider or visit its website for more information.

 

154 U.S. Equity Impact Fund

Table of Contents

 

Descriptions of Certain Practices and Security Types

 

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks and other securities that pay interest or dividends and are convertible into or exchangeable for common stocks. Convertible securities generally have some features of common stocks and some features of debt securities. In general, a convertible security performs more like a stock when the underlying stock’s price is high relative to the conversion price (because it is assumed that it will be converted into the stock) and performs more like a debt security when the underlying stock’s price is low relative to the conversion price (because it is assumed that it will mature without being converted). Convertible securities typically pay an income yield that is higher than the dividend yield of the issuer’s common stock, but lower than the yield of the issuer’s debt securities.

 

Derivatives. A derivative is generally a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, changes in the value of one or more “reference instruments,” such as underlying assets (including securities), reference rates, indices or events. Derivatives may relate to stocks, bonds, credit, interest rates, commodities, currencies or currency exchange rates, or related indices. A derivative may also contain leverage to magnify the exposure to the reference instrument. Derivatives may be traded on organized exchanges and/or through clearing organizations, or in private transactions with other parties in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market with a single dealer or a prime broker acting as an intermediary with respect to an executing dealer. Derivatives may be used for hedging purposes and non-hedging (or speculative) purposes. Some derivatives require one or more parties to post “margin,” which means that a party must deposit assets with, or for the benefit of, a third party, such as a futures commission merchant, in order to initiate and maintain the derivatives position. Margin is typically adjusted daily, and adverse market movements may require a party to post additional margin.

 

Call Options. A call option gives the purchaser the right to buy an underlying asset or other reference instrument at a specified price, regardless of the instrument’s market price at the time. Writing (selling) a call option obligates the writer (seller) to sell the underlying asset or other reference instrument to the purchaser at a specified price if the purchaser decides to exercise the option. A call option is “covered” if the writer (seller) simultaneously holds an equivalent position in the security underlying the option. The writer (seller) receives a premium when it writes a call option. Purchasing a call option gives the purchaser the right to buy the underlying asset or other reference instrument from the writer (seller) at a specified price if the purchaser decides to exercise the option. The purchaser pays a premium when it purchases a call option.

 

Futures. A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell a set quantity of an underlying asset at a future date, or to make or receive a cash payment based on the value of a securities index or other reference instrument at a future date.

 

Put Options. A put option gives the purchaser the right to sell an underlying asset or other reference instrument at a specified price, regardless of the instrument’s market price at the time. Writing (selling) a put option obligates the writer (seller) to buy the underlying asset or other reference instrument from the purchaser at a specified price if the purchaser decides to exercise the option. The writer (seller) receives a premium when it writes a put option. Purchasing a put option gives the purchaser the right to sell the underlying asset or other reference instrument to the writer (seller) at a specified price if the purchaser decides to exercise the option. The purchaser pays a premium when it purchases a put option.

 

Emerging Market Countries. Emerging market countries are generally considered to be those countries whose economies are less developed than the economies of countries such as the United States or most nations in Western Europe.

 

ESG Investing. Funds that follow environmental, social and governance considerations seek positive social and environmental impact in addition to economic success. They are designed to allow investors to put their money to work and also support companies that follow principles of good corporate citizenship.

 

Foreign Stocks. There are many promising opportunities for investment outside the United States. Foreign markets can respond to different factors and therefore may follow cycles that are different from each other. For this reason, many investors put a portion of their portfolios in foreign investments as a way of gaining further diversification.

 

Growth Investing. For growth investors, the aim is to invest in companies that are already successful but could be even more so. Often, these stocks are in emerging or rapidly growing industries. While most growth stocks are known to investors, they may not yet have reached their full potential. The growth investor looks for indications of continued success.

 

Lower-Rated Debt Securities. Lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) typically offer investors higher yields than other fixed income securities. The higher yields are usually justified by the weaker credit profiles of these issuers as compared to investment grade issuers. Lower-rated debt securities may include debt obligations of all types issued by U.S. and

 

155

Table of Contents

 

non-U.S. corporate and governmental entities, including bonds, debentures and notes, loan interests and preferred stocks that have priority over any other class of stock of the entity as to the distribution of assets or the payment of dividends. A lower-rated debt security itself may be convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities, or it may carry with it the right to acquire equity securities evidenced by warrants attached to the security or acquired as part of a unit with the security.

 

Master Limited Partnerships. MLPs are limited partnerships (or similar entities) in which the ownership units (e.g., limited partnership interests) are publicly traded and units are freely traded on a securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. The majority of MLPs operate in oil and gas related businesses, including energy processing and distribution. Many MLPs are pass-through entities that generally are taxed at the security holder level and generally are not subject to federal or state income tax at the partnership level. Annual income, gains, losses, deductions and credits of an MLP pass-through directly to its security holders. Distributions from an MLP may consist in part of a return of capital. Generally, an MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners are not involved in the day-to-day management of the MLP.

 

REITs. A REIT is a pooled investment vehicle that invests primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. A domestic REIT is not taxed on net income and net realized gains that are distributed to its shareholders, provided it complies with certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”), and similar treatment may also apply to foreign REITs under the laws in which they are formed. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, or mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property, derive their income primarily from rents and can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments.

 

Securities Listed on Chinese Stock Exchanges. Securities listed on Chinese stock exchanges, such as the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, are divided into two classes of shares: China A-shares, foreign ownership of which is restricted by the Chinese government, and China B-shares, which may be owned by both Chinese and foreign investors. China H-shares are securities listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which are shares of companies incorporated in mainland China that are sometimes simultaneously listed on either the Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. China A-shares, China B-shares and China H-shares may behave differently due to liquidity differences and the composition of shareholders, among other factors.

 

Value Investing. At any given time, there are companies whose stock prices, whether based on earnings, book value, or other financial measures, do not reflect their full economic opportunities. This happens when investors under-appreciate the business potential of these companies, or are distracted by transient or non-fundamental issues. The value investor examines these companies, searching for those that may rise in price when other investors realize their worth.

 

Additional Information about Principal Investment Risks

 

This section provides additional information about a Fund’s principal investment risks described in its Fund Summary section. The following risks are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance or potential exposure.

 

Catalyst Risk. Investing in companies in anticipation of a catalyst carries the risk that the catalyst may not happen as anticipated, possibly due to the actions of other market participants, or may happen in modified or conditional form, or the market may react to the catalyst differently than expected. Furthermore, a catalyst, such as a pending restructuring or spin-off, may be renegotiated or terminated or involve a longer time frame than originally contemplated. In addition, certain catalysts, such as emergence from, or restructuring as a result of, bankruptcy, carry additional risks and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more stable companies. Securities of issuers undergoing such an event may be more volatile than other securities, may at times be illiquid, and may be difficult to value, and management of such a company may be addressing a situation with which it has little experience. In circumstances where the anticipated catalyst does not occur or the position is no longer an attractive investment opportunity, the Fund may incur losses by liquidating that position. If the catalyst later appears unlikely to occur or is delayed, the market prices of the securities may decline sharply. These investments may be highly speculative and an incorrect assessment of the risk associated with such an investment could result in significant losses to the Fund.

 

Risks of Investments in China A-shares through Stock Connect Programs. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-shares through “Connect Programs” of local stock exchanges in China, namely the Shanghai Connect Program and the Shenzhen Connect Program. The Chinese investment and banking systems are materially different in nature from many developed markets, which exposes investors to risks that are different from those in the U.S. The Connect Programs are subject to daily quota limitations, and an investor cannot purchase and sell the same security on the same trading day, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in China A-shares through the Connect Programs and to enter into or exit trades on a timely basis. A


 

156

Table of Contents

 

Connect Program can operate only when both markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if one or both markets in a particular Connect Program are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-shares in a timely manner under such Connect Program, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. Only certain China A-shares are eligible to be accessed through the Connect Programs. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they could be sold but could no longer be purchased through the Connect Programs.

 

The impact of this integration of Chinese and foreign markets is still unclear and the actual effect on the market for trading China A-shares with the introduction of large numbers of foreign investors is unknown though in the past the People’s Republic of China regulators have intervened in the market as they believed necessary, which may be difficult to predict. The Connect Programs are subject to regulations promulgated by regulatory authorities for both exchanges and further regulations or restrictions, such as limitations on redemptions or suspension of trading, may adversely impact the Connect Programs, if the authorities believe it is necessary to assure orderly markets or for other reasons. The relevant regulations are relatively new and are subject to change, and there is no certainty as to how they will be applied and Chinese securities trading law can change on a frequent basis. Investments in China A-shares may not be covered by the securities investor protection programs of either exchange and, without the protection of such programs, will be subject to the risk of default by the broker. Because of the way in which China A-shares are held in the Connect Programs, the Fund may not be able to exercise the rights of a shareholder and may be limited in its ability to pursue claims against the issuer of a security, and may suffer losses in the event the depository of the Chinese exchange becomes insolvent. Because all trades on the Connect Programs in respect of eligible China A-shares must be settled in Renminbi (“RMB”), the Chinese currency, investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of offshore RMB, which cannot be guaranteed.

 

Currently, the mainland Chinese tax authorities have temporarily exempted foreign investors from income tax on capital gains derived from the trading of A-shares under the Shanghai Connect Program and the Shenzhen Connect Program. While the exemptions have been in effect for a few years, it is uncertain how long they will last and the exemptions are subject to change.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. The value of a convertible security, which is a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), typically increases or decreases with the price of the underlying common stock. In general, a convertible security is subject to the market risks of stocks, and its price may be as volatile as that of the underlying stock, when the underlying stock’s price is high relative to the conversion price, and a convertible security is subject to the market risks of debt securities, and is particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, when the underlying stock’s price is low relative to the conversion price. The general market risks of debt securities that are common to convertible securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk -- that is, the value of convertible securities will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates; they are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due; and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Because their value can be influenced by many different factors, convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than the underlying common stocks. Securities that are convertible other than at the option of the holder generally do not limit the potential for loss to the same extent as securities that are convertible only at the option of the holder.

 

Many convertible securities have credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks as an investment in lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Lower-rated debt securities involve greater risks than investment grade debt securities. Lower-rated debt securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. The credit rating of a company’s convertible securities is generally lower than that of its non-convertible debt securities. Convertible securities are normally considered “junior” securities — that is, the company usually must pay interest on its non-convertible debt securities before it can make payments on its convertible securities. If the issuer stops paying interest or principal, convertible securities may become worthless and the Fund could lose its entire investment. To the extent the Fund invests in convertible securities issued by small- or mid-cap companies, it will be subject to the risks of investing in such companies.

 

Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that issuers, guarantors, or insurers may fail, or become less able or unwilling, to pay interest and/or principal when due. Changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of an issuer, factors affecting an issuer directly (such as management changes, labor relations, collapse of key suppliers or customers, or material changes in overhead costs), factors affecting the industry in which a particular issuer operates (such as competition or technological advances) and changes in general social, economic or political conditions can increase the risk of default by an issuer, which may affect a security’s credit quality or value. A downgrade or default affecting any of the Fund’s securities could affect the Fund’s performance by affecting the credit quality or value of the Fund’s securities Generally, the longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a security, the more sensitive it is to credit risk. In addition, lower credit quality, may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and may negatively affect a security’s liquidity. Ratings represent a rating agency’s opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not

 

157

Table of Contents

 

a guarantee of quality and do not protect against a decline in the value of a security. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuer’s financial condition. The credit quality of a security or instrument can deteriorate suddenly and rapidly, which may negatively impact its liquidity and value. The securities in which the Fund invests may be subject to credit enhancement (for example, guarantees, letters of credit, or bond insurance). Entities providing credit or liquidity support also may be affected by credit risk. Credit enhancement is designed to help assure timely payment of the security; it does not protect the Fund against losses caused by declines in a security’s value due to changes in market conditions.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Domestic issuers that hold substantial foreign assets may be similarly affected. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate in response to factors external to a country’s economy, which makes the forecasting of currency market movements extremely difficult. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception of a country’s economy and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities, such as the International Monetary Fund; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad. To the extent the Fund invests or hedges based on the perceived relationship between two currencies, there is a risk that the correlation between those currencies may not behave as anticipated.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are certificates issued by a financial institution evidencing ownership of underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks of investing directly in the underlying foreign securities. Depositary receipts are subject to the risk of fluctuation in the currency exchange rate if, as is often the case, the underlying foreign securities are denominated in foreign currency, and there may be an imperfect correlation between the market value of depositary receipts and the underlying foreign securities. In addition, holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights, including voting rights, to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. There is no guarantee that a financial institution will continue to sponsor a depositary receipt, or that a depositary receipt will continue to trade on an exchange, either of which could adversely affect the liquidity, availability and pricing of the instrument.

 

Derivatives Risk. Use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments, such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives can be highly complex and highly volatile and may perform in unanticipated ways. Derivatives can create leverage, which can magnify the impact of a decline in the value of the reference instrument underlying the derivative, and the Fund could lose more than the amount it invests. Derivatives can have the potential for unlimited losses, for example, where the Fund may be called upon to deliver a security it does not own. Derivatives may at times be highly illiquid, and the Fund may not be able to close out or sell a derivative at a particular time or at an anticipated price. Derivatives can be difficult to value and valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil. The value of a derivative instrument depends largely on (and is derived from) the value of the reference instrument underlying the derivative. There may be imperfect correlation between the behavior of a derivative and that of the reference instrument underlying the derivative, and the reference instrument may not perform as anticipated. An abrupt change in the price of a reference instrument could render a derivative worthless. Derivatives may involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the reference instrument. Suitable derivatives may not be available in all circumstances, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will use derivatives to reduce exposure to other risks when that might have been beneficial. Derivatives may involve fees, commissions, or other costs that may reduce the Fund’s gains or exacerbate losses from the derivatives. In addition, the Fund’s use of derivatives may have different tax consequences for the Fund than an investment in the reference instruments, and those differences may increase the amount and affect the timing and character of taxable distributions payable to shareholders. Thus, the Fund could be required at times to liquidate other investments in order to satisfy its distribution requirements. Certain aspects of the regulatory treatment of derivative instruments, including federal income tax, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, regulations, or other legally binding authority. In October 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act which will regulate the use of derivatives for certain funds registered under the Investment Company Act (‘‘Rule 18f-4’’). The Funds have adopted a Rule 18f-4 Policy which provides, among other things, that unless the Fund qualifies as a ‘‘limited derivatives user’’ as defined in Rule 18f-4, the Fund is subject to a comprehensive derivatives risk management program, to comply with certain value-at-risk based leverage limits and to provide additional disclosure both publicly and to the SEC regarding its derivatives positions. If the Fund qualifies as a limited derivatives user, Rule 18f-4 requires the Fund to have policies and procedures to manage its aggregate derivatives risk.

 

Derivatives involve counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the derivative will fail to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the derivative. Counterparty risk may arise because of market activities and developments, the

 

158

Table of Contents

 

counterparty’s financial condition (including financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), or other reasons. Not all derivative transactions require a counterparty to post collateral, which may expose the Fund to greater losses in the event of a default by a counterparty. Counterparty risk is generally thought to be greater with OTC derivatives than with derivatives that are exchange traded or centrally cleared. However, derivatives that are traded on organized exchanges and/or through clearing organizations involve the possibility that the futures commission merchant or clearing organization will default in the performance of its obligations.

 

When the Fund uses derivatives, it will likely be required to provide margin or collateral; these practices are intended to satisfy contractual undertakings and regulatory requirements and will not prevent the Fund from incurring losses on derivatives. The need to provide margin or collateral could limit the Fund’s ability to pursue other opportunities as they arise. Derivatives that have margin requirements involve the risk that if the Fund has insufficient cash or eligible margin securities to meet daily variation margin requirements, it may have to sell securities or other instruments from its portfolio at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The Fund normally will remain obligated to meet margin requirements until a derivatives position is closed.

 

Ongoing changes to regulation of the derivatives markets and actual and potential changes in the regulation of funds using derivative instruments could limit the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment strategies. New regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.

 

Although the Fund may use derivatives to attempt to hedge against certain risks, the hedging instruments may not perform as expected and could produce losses.

 

Additional risks associated with certain types of derivatives are discussed below:

 

Futures. There can be no assurance that, at all times, a liquid market will exist for offsetting a futures contract that the Fund has previously bought or sold and this may result in the inability to close a futures position when desired. This could be the case if, for example, a futures price has increased or decreased by the maximum allowable daily limit and there is no buyer (or seller) willing to purchase (or sell) the futures contract that the Fund needs to sell (or buy) at that limit price. In the absence of such limits, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than taking or making delivery. To the extent a Fund enters into futures contracts requiring physical delivery (e.g., certain commodities contracts), the inability of the Fund to take or make physical delivery can negatively impact performance.

 

Options. The use of options involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a strategy is applied at an inappropriate time or market conditions or trends are judged incorrectly, the use of options may lower the Fund’s return. There can be no guarantee that the use of options will increase the Fund’s return or income. In addition, there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the securities underlying them and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for various options. An abrupt change in the price of an underlying security could render an option worthless. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, or in interest or currency exchange rates, including the anticipated volatility of the underlying instrument (known as implied volatility), which in turn are affected by the performance of the issuer of the underlying instrument, by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political and economic events. As such, prior to the exercise or expiration of the option, the Fund is exposed to implied volatility risk, meaning the value, as based on implied volatility, of an option may increase due to market and economic conditions or views based on the sector or industry in which issuers of the underlying instrument participate, including company-specific factors. By writing put options, the Fund takes on the risk of declines in the value of the underlying instrument, including the possibility of a loss up to the entire strike price of each option it sells, but without the corresponding opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of the underlying instrument. When the Fund writes a put option, it assumes the risk that it must purchase the underlying instrument at a strike price that may be higher than the market price of the instrument. If there is a broad market decline and the Fund is not able to close out its written put options, it may result in substantial losses to the Fund. By writing a call option, the Fund may be obligated to deliver instruments underlying an option at less than the market price. When the Fund writes a covered call option, it gives up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying instrument above the strike price. If a covered call option that the Fund has written is exercised, the Fund will experience a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying instrument, depending on the price at which the Fund purchased the instrument and the strike price of the option. The Fund will receive a premium from writing options, but the premium received may not be sufficient to offset any losses sustained from exercised options. In the case of a covered call, the premium received may be offset by a decline in the market value of the underlying instrument during the option

 

159

Table of Contents

 

period. If an option that the Fund has purchased is never exercised or closed out, the Fund will lose the amount of the premium it paid and the use of those funds.

 

Dividend Risk. Dividends the Fund receives on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of an issuer’s board of directors. There is no guarantee that the companies in which the Fund invests will declare dividends in the future or that dividends, if declared, will remain at current levels or increase over time. Securities that pay dividends may be sensitive to changes in interest rates, and as interest rates rise or fall, the prices of such securities may fall. A sharp rise in interest rates, or other market downturn, could result in a decision to decrease or eliminate a dividend.

 

Equity-Linked Investment Risk. Equity-linked investments are subject to the same risks as direct investments in securities of the underlying investment. If the underlying investment decreases in value, the value of the equity-linked investment will decrease; however, the performance of such investments may not correlate exactly to the performance of the underlying investments that they seek to replicate. Equity-linked investments are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the issuer of such investment -- which is different from the issuer of the underlying investment -- may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its obligations. There is no guarantee that a liquid market will exist or that the counterparty or issuer of such investments will be willing to repurchase them when the Fund wishes to sell them.

 

ESG Criteria Risk. The Fund’s application of ESG criteria is designed and utilized to help identify companies that demonstrate the potential to create economic value or reduce risk; however, as with the use of any investment criteria in selecting a portfolio, there is no guarantee that the criteria used by the Fund will result in the selection of issuers that will outperform other issuers, or help reduce risk in the portfolio. The use of the Fund’s ESG criteria could also affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or industries, and could impact the Fund’s investment performance depending on whether the ESG criteria used are ultimately reflected in the market. Information used to evaluate the Fund’s application of ESG criteria, like other information used to identify companies in which to invest, may not be readily available, complete, or accurate, which could negatively impact the Fund’s performance or create additional risk in the portfolio.

 

Foreign and Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political, diplomatic, or economic instability; trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.); significant government involvement in an economy and/or market structure; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; higher transaction costs; confiscatory withholding or other taxes; and less stringent auditing and accounting, corporate disclosure, governance, and legal standards. The Fund may have limited or no legal recourse in the event of default with respect to certain foreign securities. In addition, key information about the issuer, the markets or the local government or economy may be unavailable, incomplete, or inaccurate. As a result, foreign securities may fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, securities issued by U.S. entities with substantial foreign operations may involve risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions in foreign countries, as well as currency exchange rates. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

 

Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. The governments of emerging market countries may be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. To the extent a foreign security is denominated in U.S. dollars, there is also the risk that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country. In addition, the economies of emerging market countries may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates. Emerging market countries may also have less developed legal and accounting systems, and their legal systems may deal with issuer bankruptcies and defaults differently than U.S. law would. Shareholder claims and legal remedies that are common in the United States may be difficult or impossible to pursue in many emerging market countries. In addition, due to jurisdictional limitations, matters of comity and various other factors, U.S. authorities may be limited in their ability to bring enforcement actions against non-U.S. companies and non-U.S. persons in certain emerging market countries. Most foreign and emerging market companies are not subject to the uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting requirements applicable to issuers in the United States, which may impact the availability and quality of information about foreign and emerging market issuers. Securities markets in emerging market countries are also relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. Additionally, in times of market stress, regulatory authorities of different emerging market countries may apply varying techniques and degrees of intervention, which can have an effect on prices. Securities of issuers in

 

160

Table of Contents

 

emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets and the situation may require that the Fund fair value its holdings in those countries.

 

Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as participatory notes (or “P-notes”) or other derivative instruments, may be halted. In the event that the Fund holds material positions in such suspended securities or instruments, the Fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the Fund could incur significant losses.

 

In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the U.S. markets. Over a given period of time, foreign securities may underperform U.S. securities — sometimes for years. The Fund could also underperform if it invests in countries or regions whose economic performance falls short. To the extent that the Fund invests a portion of its assets in one country, state, region or currency, an adverse economic, business or political development may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if its investments were not so invested. Further, from time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country or geographic region. If the Fund does so, there is a greater risk that economic, political, regulatory, diplomatic, social and environmental conditions in that particular country or geographic region may have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance and that the Fund’s performance will be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds. The economies and financial markets of certain regions can be highly interdependent and may decline all at the same time. In addition, certain areas are prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, droughts or tsunamis and are economically sensitive to environmental events.

 

The effect of economic instability on specific foreign markets or issuers may be difficult to predict or evaluate. Some national economies continue to show profound instability, which may in turn affect their international trading and financial partners or other members of their currency bloc.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. Securities issued by U.S. entities with substantial foreign operations or holdings, or issued by foreign entities listed on a U.S. exchange, may involve additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions in foreign countries. Additional risks may include exposure to less developed or less efficient commercial trading markets; social, political, diplomatic or economic instability; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; laws limiting or restricting the movement of assets out of the country; nationalization or expropriation of assets; less stringent legal standards; possible unfavorable treatment under U.S. tax laws; and discriminatory application of local regulatory or criminal laws.

 

Greater China Region Risk. Most economies in the Greater China region are generally considered emerging markets and carry the risks associated with emerging markets, as well as risks particular to the region. Events in any one country within the region may impact other countries in the region or the Greater China region as a whole.

 

The economies of countries in the Greater China region differ from the U.S. economy in various ways, such as rate of growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position (that is, the difference in total value between payments into and out of a country over a period of time). The economies of countries in the region are affected by developments in the economies of their principal trading partners. The economies, industries, and securities and currency markets of the Greater China region may be adversely affected by slow economic activity worldwide, dependence on exports and international trade, currency devaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations, restrictions on monetary repatriation, protectionist trade policies, especially if imposed by the U.S. or China’s other major trading partners, increasing competition from Asia’s other low-cost emerging economies, environmental events and natural disasters that may occur in the Greater China region, and military conflicts either in response to social unrest or with other countries. A small number of companies and industries represent a relatively large portion of the Greater China market as a whole. In addition, the economies of countries in the Greater China region may be dependent on the economies of other Asian countries, many of which are developing countries. Currency fluctuations, devaluations and trading restrictions by any one country in the Greater China region can have a significant effect on the Greater China region as a whole. Official statistics indicate a recent growth rate in China that is significantly lower than that in the early part of the decade; there is also evidence that the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China is having a substantial negative impact on growth in China.

 

The mainland Chinese government exercises significant control over the economy and may intervene in the financial markets, such as by imposing trading restrictions or banning or curtailing short selling. Changes in the economic, diplomatic, and political relationships between other countries in the Greater China region and mainland China could adversely impact the Fund’s

 

161

Table of Contents

 

investments in the region. The government of China is endeavoring to eliminate large amounts of low quality debt from the economy, a program that may produce an increase in the rate of defaults. Given the unique mixture of state-controlled and market-based economic elements in the region, the prior experience of other countries may not provide a reliable guide to the effects of various changes in economic policy, possibly resulting in miscalculations by policymakers and/or investors. In addition, military conflicts, either in response to internal social unrest or with other countries, are a risk. As mainland China’s economic and political strength has grown in recent years, it has shown a greater willingness to assert itself militarily in the region. Military or diplomatic moves to resolve any issues could adversely affect the economies in the region.

 

The ongoing U.S.-China “trade war” may affect China’s economy substantially, as the U.S. has been a principal trading partner of China. The ability of China to restructure its foreign trade relationships, and whether China is motivated to stop supporting its currency or stop trade in certain natural resources, and whether the U.S. government imposes restrictions on U.S. investor participation in certain Chinese investments, including through executive order or other means, may determine to some degree the extent to which its economy will be damaged by the trade war, and these things cannot be predicted at the present time.

 

There has been increased attention from the SEC and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) with regard to international auditing standards of U.S.-listed companies with significant operations in China as well as PCAOB-registered auditing firms in China. Currently, the SEC and PCAOB are only able to get limited information about these auditing firms and are restricted from inspecting the audit work and practices of registered accountants in China. These restrictions may result in the unavailability of material information about issuers in China or an issuer’s operations in China.

 

The tax laws and regulations in mainland China are somewhat unclear and are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. The interpretation, application and enforcement of such laws and regulations by the applicable authorities may vary over time and from region to region, and could have an adverse effect on Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund and its shareholders, particularly in relation to tax imposed upon foreign investors’ capital gains.

 

Growth Stock Risk. Because the prices of most growth stocks are based on future expectations, these stocks tend to be more sensitive than value stocks to bad economic news and negative earnings surprises. When these expectations are not met or decrease, the prices of these stocks may decline, sometimes sharply, even if earnings showed an absolute increase. The Fund attempts to lessen the risk of such losses by seeking growth stocks that sell at what the adviser believes are reasonable prices. If the adviser is incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s value, this may negatively impact the Fund. Bad economic news or changing investor perceptions may adversely affect growth stocks across several sectors and industries simultaneously. Growth stocks also may lack the dividends often associated with value stocks that can cushion their decline in a falling market. While the price of any type of stock may rise and fall rapidly, growth stocks may underperform during periods when the market favors value stocks.

 

High Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading and may have a high portfolio turnover rate, which may increase the Fund’s transaction costs, may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may generate a greater amount of capital gain distributions to shareholders than if the Fund had a low portfolio turnover rate.

 

Impact and ESG Criteria Risk. The Fund’s application of Impact and ESG criteria, including its adherence to the Fund’s Enhanced Sustainable Exclusion Policy could cause it to sell or avoid some stocks or instruments that in hindsight could have performed well or enhanced the Fund’s risk profile. As with the use of any investment criteria in selecting a portfolio, there is no guarantee that the criteria used by the Fund will result in the selection of issuers that will outperform other issuers, or help reduce risk in the portfolio. The Fund may underperform funds that do not follow Impact and ESG criteria. Investing based on Impact and ESG criteria is qualitative and subjective by nature and there is no guarantee that the criteria used by the Fund will reflect the beliefs or values of any particular investor. The Fund’s Impact and ESG criteria may also affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or industries, and may impact the Fund’s investment performance depending on whether such sectors or industries are in or out of favor in the market. There is no guarantee that the Impact and ESG criteria used by the Fund will result in the identification of companies that will be successful or realize what the Portfolio Managers believe to be their full value. The Portfolio Managers’ judgment as to the potential social or environmental impact of a project is based partially on information from external sources; such information, like other information used to identify companies in which to invest, may change or may not be readily available, complete, or accurate which could negatively impact the Fund’s performance or create additional risk in the portfolio.

 

Interest Rate Risk. In general, the value of investments with interest rate risk, such as debt securities or income-oriented equity securities that pay dividends, will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the value of such securities may decline. Interest rates may change in response to the supply and demand for credit, changes to government monetary policy and other initiatives, inflation rates, and other factors. Debt securities have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Typically, the longer the maturity (i.e., the term of a debt security) or duration (i.e., a measure of the sensitivity of a debt security to changes in market interest rates, based on the entire cash flow associated with the security) of a debt security, the

 

162

Table of Contents

 

greater the effect a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, a debt security with a duration of two years will decrease in value by approximately 2%. Thus, the sensitivity of the Fund’s debt securities to interest rate risk will increase with any increase in the duration of those securities. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates, and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates. Short-term and long-term interest rates, and interest rates in different countries, do not necessarily move in the same direction or by the same amount. The link between interest rates and debt security prices tends to be weaker with lower-rated debt securities than with investment grade debt securities.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. An individual security may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the market as a whole. The value of an issuer’s securities may deteriorate because of a variety of factors, including disappointing earnings reports by the issuer, unsuccessful products or services, loss of major customers, major litigation against the issuer, or changes in government regulations affecting the issuer or the competitive environment. Certain unanticipated events, such as natural disasters, may have a significant adverse effect on the value of an issuer’s securities.

 

Liquidity Risk. From time to time, the trading market for a particular investment or type of investment in which the Fund invests is or may become less liquid or even illiquid. Illiquid investments frequently can be more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous price or time. An illiquid investment means any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Judgment plays a greater role in pricing these investments than it does in pricing investments having more active markets, and there is a greater risk that the investments may not be sold for the price at which the Fund is carrying them. The Fund may receive illiquid securities as a result of its investment in securities involved in restructurings. Certain investments that were liquid when the Fund purchased them may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, particularly during periods of increased market volatility or adverse investor perception. Additionally, market closures due to holidays or other factors may render a security or group of securities (e.g., securities tied to a particular country or geographic region) illiquid for a period of time. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile. Market participants attempting to sell the same or a similar investment at the same time as the Fund could decrease the liquidity of such investments, especially during times of market volatility. During periods of substantial market volatility, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to limit losses.

 

Unexpected episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

 

Lower-Rated Debt Securities Risk. Lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) and unrated debt securities determined to be of comparable quality involve greater risks than investment grade debt securities. Such securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. These securities may be less liquid and also may require a greater degree of judgment to establish a price, may be difficult to sell at the time and price the Fund desires, and may carry higher transaction costs. In particular, these securities may be issued by smaller companies or by highly indebted companies, which are generally less able than more financially stable companies to make scheduled payments of interest and principal. Lower-rated debt securities are considered by the major rating agencies to be predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to pay principal and interest and carry a greater risk that the issuer of such securities will default in the timely payment of principal and interest. Such securities are susceptible to such a default or decline in market value due to real or perceived adverse economic and business developments relating to the issuer, the industry in general, market interest rates and market liquidity. Issuers of securities that are in default or have defaulted may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment. Where it deems it appropriate and in the best interests of Fund shareholders, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery on a defaulted security and/or to pursue litigation to protect the Fund’s investment.

 

The credit rating of a security may not accurately reflect the actual credit risk associated with such a security. The creditworthiness of issuers of these securities may be more complex to analyze than that of issuers of investment grade debt securities, and the overreliance on credit ratings may present additional risks.

 

Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of such securities, especially in a thinly traded or illiquid market. To the extent the Fund owns or may acquire illiquid or restricted lower-rated debt securities or unrated debt securities of comparable quality, these securities may involve special registration responsibilities, liabilities, costs, and liquidity and valuation difficulties.

 

163

Table of Contents

 

Market Capitalization Risk (Small-, Mid- and Large-Cap Companies Risk). To the extent the Fund invests in securities of small-, mid-, or large-cap companies, it takes on the associated risks. At times, any of these market capitalizations may be out of favor with investors. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be unable to respond as quickly to changes and opportunities and may grow at a slower rate. As such, the return on investment in securities of large-cap companies may be less than the return on investment in securities of small- and/or mid-cap companies. Compared to large-cap companies, small- and mid-cap companies may depend on a more limited management group, may have a shorter history of operations, less publicly available information, less stable earnings, and limited product lines, markets or financial resources. The securities of small- and mid-cap companies may fluctuate more widely in price than the market as a whole, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, may be difficult to sell when the economy is not robust or during market downturns, and may be more affected than other types of securities by the underperformance of a sector, during market downturns, or by adverse publicity and investor perceptions. There may also be less trading in small- or mid-cap securities, which means that buy and sell transactions in those securities could have a larger impact on a security’s price than is the case with large-cap securities and the Fund may not be able to liquidate a position at a particular time.

 

The Fund may define small-, mid-, and/or large-capitalization companies by reference to the market capitalization range of companies in a named index. The size of companies in an index changes with market conditions. In addition, changes to the composition of an index can change the market capitalization range of companies in the index and, therefore, the market capitalization range of companies in which a Fund invests.

 

Market Volatility Risk. Markets may be volatile and values of individual securities and other investments, including those of a particular type, may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer may impact a market as a whole. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods. If the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance. Geopolitical risks, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are major players on the world stage or major producers of oil, may lead to overall instability in world economies and markets generally and have led, and may in the future lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects. Similarly, environmental and public health risks, such as natural disasters or epidemics, or widespread fear that such events may occur, may impact markets and economies adversely and cause market volatility in both the short- and long-term.

 

Master Limited Partnership Risk. Investing in MLPs involves certain risks related to investing in the underlying assets of the MLPs and risks associated with pooled investment vehicles. MLPs holding credit-related investments are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default on payment obligations by debt issuers. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or a particular geographic region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. Investments held by MLPs may be relatively illiquid, limiting the MLPs’ ability to vary their portfolios promptly in response to changes in economic or other conditions. MLPs may have limited financial resources, their securities may trade infrequently and in limited volume, and they may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly based companies, and may be difficult to value. MLPs involve certain other risks, including risks related to limited control and voting rights on matters affecting MLPs, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between an MLP and the MLP’s general partner, cash flow risks, dilution risks and risks related to the general partner’s right to require unit-holders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price. Distributions from an MLP may consist in part of a return of the amount originally invested, which would not be taxable to the extent the distributions do not exceed the investor’s adjusted basis in its MLP interest. These reductions in the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities.

 

Much of the benefit the Fund derives from its investment in equity securities of MLPs is a result of MLPs generally being treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A change in current tax law, or a change in the business of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and subject to corporate level tax on its income, and could reduce the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP to its unit holders, such as the Fund. If an MLP were classified as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, the MLP may incur significant federal and state tax liability, likely causing a reduction in the value of the Fund’s shares.

 

The risks of investing in an MLP generally include those inherent in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. For example, state law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded investors in an MLP than investors in a corporation. Although unitholders of an MLP are generally limited in their liability, similar to a corporation’s shareholders, creditors typically have the right to seek the return of distributions

 

164

Table of Contents

 

made to unitholders if the liability in question arose before the distributions were paid. This liability may stay attached to a unitholder even after it sells its units.

 

Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, the Code generally allows individuals and certain other non-corporate entities, such as partnerships, a deduction for 20% of “qualified publicly traded partnership income” such as income from MLPs. However, the Code does not include any provision for a regulated investment company to pass the character of its qualified publicly traded partnership income through to its shareholders. As a result, although the Treasury Department has announced that it is considering adopting regulations to provide a pass-through, an investor who invests directly in MLPs will be able to receive the benefit of that deduction, while a shareholder in the Fund currently will not.

 

Non-Diversified Fund Risk. Each of Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund and Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund is classified as non-diversified. As such, the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in any single issuer or a few issuers is not limited as much as it is for a Fund classified as diversified. Investing a higher percentage of its assets in any one or a few issuers could increase the Fund’s risk of loss and its share price volatility, because the value of its shares would be more susceptible to adverse events affecting those issuers.

 

Operational and Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers, and your ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational matters arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks (e.g., malicious software coding, ransomware, or “hacking”) or unintentional events (e.g., inadvertent release of confidential information). A cybersecurity incident could, among other things, result in the loss or theft of customer data or funds, customers or employees being unable to access electronic systems (“denial of services”), loss or theft of proprietary information or corporate data, physical damage to a computer or network system, or remediation costs associated with system repairs. A cybersecurity incident may not permit the Fund and its service providers to access electronic systems to perform critical duties for the Fund, such as trading and calculating net asset value. Any cybersecurity incident could have a substantial adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

 

The occurrence of any of these problems could result in a loss of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage and other consequences, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund or its shareholders. The Manager, through its monitoring and oversight of Fund service providers, endeavors to determine that service providers take appropriate precautions to avoid and mitigate risks that could lead to such problems. While the Manager has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address these problems, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, and it is not possible for the Manager or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the cybersecurity or other operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.

 

Other Investment Company Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, including money market funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), its performance will be affected by the performance of those other investment companies and to the allocation of its assets among those other investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risks of the other investment companies’ investments, as well as to the other investment companies’ expenses. If the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund may receive distributions of taxable gains from portfolio transactions by that investment company and may recognize taxable gains from transactions in shares of that investment company, which could be taxable to the Fund’s shareholders when distributed to them.

 

An ETF may trade in the secondary market at a price below the value of its underlying portfolio and may not be liquid. An actively managed ETF’s performance will reflect its adviser’s ability to make investment decisions that are suited to achieving the ETF’s investment objectives. A passively managed ETF may not replicate the performance of the index it intends to track because of, for example, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of stocks held. A passively managed ETF may not be permitted to sell poorly performing stocks that are included in its index.

 

Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities, which are a form of hybrid security (i.e., a security with both debt and equity characteristics), may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities, however, unlike common stocks, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. Distributions on preferred securities are generally payable at the discretion of the issuer’s board of directors and after the company

 

165

Table of Contents

 

makes required payments to holders of its debt securities. For this reason, preferred securities are subject to greater credit, interest, and liquidation risk than debt securities, and the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than debt securities to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. Preferred securities may be less liquid than common stocks, and there is a risk an issuer of preferred securities may call or redeem prior to any stated maturity. Preferred securities may include provisions that permit the issuer, at its discretion, to defer or omit distributions for a stated period without any adverse consequences to the issuer. Preferred shareholders may have certain rights if distributions are not paid but generally have no legal recourse against the issuer, may suffer a loss of value if distributions are not paid, and may be required to report the deferred distribution on its tax returns, even though it may not have received any cash. Generally, preferred shareholders have no voting rights with respect to the issuer unless distributions to preferred shareholders have not been paid for a stated period, at which time the preferred shareholders may elect a number of directors to the issuer’s board. Generally, once all the distributions have been paid to preferred shareholders, the preferred shareholders no longer have voting rights.

 

Private Companies and Pre-IPO Investments Risk. Investments in private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering (“IPO”) (“pre-IPO shares”) involve greater risks than investments in securities of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in these companies are generally less liquid than investments in securities issued by public companies and may be difficult for the Fund to value. Compared to public companies, private companies may have a more limited management group and limited operating histories with narrower, less established product lines and smaller market shares, which may cause them to be more vulnerable to competitors’ actions, market conditions and consumer sentiment with respect to their products or services, as well as general economic downturns. In addition, private companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations. This could lead to bankruptcy or liquidation of such private company or the dilution or subordination of the Fund’s investment in such private company. Additionally, there is significantly less information available about private companies’ business models, quality of management, earnings growth potential and other criteria used to evaluate their investment prospects and the little public information available about such companies may not be reliable. Because financial reporting obligations for private companies are not as rigorous as public companies, it may be difficult to fully assess the rights and values of securities issued by private companies. The Fund may only have limited access to a private company’s actual financial results and there is no assurance that the information obtained by the Fund is reliable. These companies may not ever issue shares in an IPO and a liquid market for their shares may never develop, which may negatively affect the price at which the Fund can sell these shares and make it more difficult to sell these shares, which could also adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity. If the company does issue shares in an IPO, IPOs are risky and volatile and may cause the value of the Fund’s investment to decrease significantly. Furthermore, these investments may be subject to additional contractual restrictions on resale that would prevent the Fund from selling the company’s securities for a period of time following any IPO. Moreover, because securities issued by private companies are generally not freely or publicly tradable, the Fund may not have the opportunity to purchase, or the ability to sell, these securities in the amounts, or at the prices, the Fund desires. The Fund’s investment in a private company generally will involve investing in restricted securities.

 

Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk. Private placements and other restricted securities, including securities for which Fund management has material non-public information, are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more volatile and more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Private placements and other restricted securities may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. A security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for private placements and other restricted securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering such securities for sale and there may be substantial delays in effecting the registration. If, during such a delay, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed at the time it decided to seek registration of the securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other restricted security, so it may be less able to anticipate a loss. Also, if Fund management receives material non-public information about the issuer, the Fund may, as a result, be legally prohibited from selling the securities.

 

Quantitative Investing and Other Model Risk. The Fund’s investment strategies may employ quantitative algorithms and models that rely heavily on the use of proprietary and nonproprietary data, software and intellectual property that may be licensed from a variety of sources. The quality of the resulting analysis and investment selections produced by the portfolio construction process depends on a number of factors including the accuracy of voluminous data inputs into the quantitative models used in the

 

166

Table of Contents

 

investment process, the mathematical and analytical underpinnings of the coding, the accuracy in translating those analytics into program code, the speed that market conditions change and the successful integration of the various quantitative models in the portfolio selection process.

 

Each component of the investment process has elements that present the possibility of human error. Because the financial markets are constantly evolving, most trading systems and models require continual monitoring and enhancements. There is no guarantee that such enhancements to the various quantitative models will be identified or implemented on a timely basis or that they will be successful. The use of a trading system or model that is not effective could at any time have a material adverse effect on the performance of the Fund. The successful deployment of the portfolio construction process could be severely compromised by unforeseeable software or hardware malfunction and other technological failures, power loss, software bugs, malicious code such as “worms,” viruses or system crashes or various other events or circumstances within or beyond the control of the Portfolio Managers.

 

To a significant extent, the performance of a strategy that utilizes quantitative algorithms and models will depend on the success of implementing and managing the algorithms and models that assist in selecting and/or allocating the Fund’s assets. Models that have been formulated on the basis of past market data may not be predictive of future price movements. Models may not be reliable if unusual or disruptive events cause market moves the nature or size of which are inconsistent with the historic performance of individual markets and their relationship to one another or to other macroeconomic events. Models may also have hidden biases or exposure to broad structural or sentiment shifts. In the event that actual events fail to conform to the assumptions underlying such models, losses could result.

 

Quantitative investment techniques also present the risk that errors may occur and such errors may be extremely hard to detect. In some cases, an error can go undetected for a long period of time. In many cases it would not be possible to fully quantify the impact of an error given the dynamic nature of the quantitative models and changing markets. Analytical errors, software errors, development errors and implementation errors as well as data errors are inherent risks. Quantitative investment techniques often require timely and efficient execution of transactions. Inefficient execution of trades can eliminate the ability to capture the pricing differentials that the strategy seeks to capture.

 

Investment process errors are those errors that occur during the process of generating trade list recommendations for the strategy. Examples of investment process errors include analytical errors, software errors, program code errors, development errors and implementation errors. The Portfolio Managers receive volumes of data from vendors, some of whom aggregate data from a variety of third party sources. Those data sources and the analytics generated by such data are continuously being updated and corrected. It is always possible and often likely that there is some amount of data that is not perfectly correct, thus resulting in a data error.

 

Recent Market Conditions. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. National economies are substantially interconnected, as are global financial markets, which creates the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. However, the interconnectedness of economies and/or markets may be diminishing, which may impact such economies and markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at this time.

 

Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, recently, the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks began to raise interest rates as part of their efforts to address rising inflation. In addition, ongoing inflation pressures from tight labor markets and supply chain disruptions could continue to cause an increase in interest rates and/or negatively impact companies. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might increase, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases in interest rates. Additionally, various economic and political factors could cause the Federal Reserve or other foreign central banks to change their approach in the future and such actions may result in an economic slowdown both in the U.S. and abroad. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may, in turn, increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular issuers, negatively impact market value, increase market volatility, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce liquidity. Unexpected increases in interest rates could lead to market volatility or reduce liquidity in certain sectors of the market. Also, regulators have expressed concern that rate increases may cause investors to sell fixed income securities faster than the market can absorb them, contributing to price volatility. Over the longer term, rising interest rates may present a greater risk than has historically been the case due to the prior period of relatively low rates and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and potential market reaction to those initiatives, or their alteration or cessation. Historical patterns of correlation among asset classes may break down in unanticipated ways during times of high volatility, disrupting investment programs and potentially causing losses.

 

Some countries, including the U.S., have in recent years adopted more protectionist trade policies. Slowing global economic growth, the rise in protectionist trade policies, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with the

 

167

Table of Contents

 

trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time.

 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Following Russia’s actions, various governments, including the United States, have issued broad-ranging economic sanctions against Russia, including, among other actions, a prohibition on doing business with certain Russian companies, large financial institutions, officials and oligarchs; the removal by certain countries and the European Union of selected Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (“SWIFT”), the electronic banking network that connects banks globally; and restrictive measures to prevent the Russian Central Bank from undermining the impact of the sanctions. The current events, including sanctions and the potential for future sanctions, including any impacting Russia’s energy sector, and other actions, and Russia’s retaliatory responses to those sanctions and actions, may continue to adversely impact the Russian economy and economies of surrounding countries and may result in the further decline of the value and liquidity of Russian securities and securities of surrounding countries, a continued weakening of currencies in the region and continued exchange closures, and may have other adverse consequences on the economies of countries in the region that could impact the value of investments in the region and impair the ability of a Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver securities of companies in the region or a Fund’s ability to collect interest payments on fixed income securities in the region. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of a Fund’s investments beyond any direct exposure to issuers in the region. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of a Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

 

Certain illnesses spread rapidly and have the potential to significantly and adversely affect the global economy. Outbreaks such as the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, or other similarly infectious diseases may have material adverse impacts on a Fund. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus, have and may further result in, among other things, closing borders, extended quarantines and stay-at-home orders, order cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, widespread business closures and layoffs, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this virus, and other epidemics and/or pandemics that may arise in the future, has negatively affected and may continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. The impact of any outbreak may last for an extended period of time.

 

High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty. There is no assurance that the U.S. Congress will act to raise the nation’s debt ceiling; a failure to do so could cause market turmoil and substantial investment risks that cannot now be fully predicted. Unexpected political, regulatory and diplomatic events within the U.S. and abroad may affect investor and consumer confidence and may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy.

 

China’s economy, which has been sustained in recent years largely through a debt-financed housing boom, may be approaching the limits of that strategy and may experience a significant slowdown as a result of debt that cannot be repaid. Due to the size of China’s economy, such a slowdown could impact a number of other countries.

 

There is widespread concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impact of climate change in ways that cannot be foreseen. The impact of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change may negatively impact certain issuers and/or industries.

 

A rise in sea levels, a change in weather patterns, including an increase in powerful storms and large wildfires, and/or a climate-driven increase in flooding could cause properties to lose value or become unmarketable altogether. Unlike previous declines in the real estate market, properties in affected zones may not ever recover their value. The U.S. administration appears concerned about the climate change problem and is focusing regulatory and public works projects around those concerns. Regulatory changes and divestment movements tied to concerns about climate change could adversely affect the value of certain land and the viability of industries whose activities or products are seen as accelerating climate change.

 

Losses related to climate change could adversely affect corporate issuers and mortgage lenders, the value of mortgage-backed securities, the bonds of municipalities that depend on tax or other revenues and tourist dollars generated by affected properties, and insurers of the property and/or of corporate, municipal or mortgage-backed securities. Since property and security values are driven largely by buyers’ perceptions, it is difficult to know the time period over which these market effects might unfold.

 

Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience periods of large or frequent redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s overall liquidity, or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that one or more investors or intermediaries control a large percentage of investments in

 

168

Table of Contents

 

the Fund, have short investment horizons, or have unpredictable cash flow needs. In addition, the risk is heightened if redemption requests are unusually large or frequent or occur during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Large redemptions could hurt the Fund’s performance, increase transaction costs and create adverse tax consequences.

 

REITs and Other Real Estate Companies Risk. REITs and other real estate company securities are subject to risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other risks: general and local economic conditions; changes in interest rates; declines in property values; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; increases in property taxes and other operating expenses; overbuilding in their sector of the real estate market; fluctuations in rental income; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; changes in tax and regulatory requirements; losses due to environmental liabilities; casualty or condemnation losses; or other economic, social, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation. Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net investment income and net realized gains under the Code or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, the Code generally allows individuals and certain other non-corporate entities a deduction for 20% of qualified REIT dividends. Regulations provide that a regulated investment company can pass the character of its qualified REIT dividends through to its shareholders for purposes of benefiting from this deduction.

 

While certain of these risk factors may affect only one or a few real estate sectors at a time, others may affect the real estate industry broadly. For example, the value of REIT common shares may decline when interest rates rise. During periods of high interest rates, REITs and other real estate companies may lose appeal for investors who may be able to obtain higher yields from other income-producing investments. High interest rates may also mean that financing for property purchases and improvements is more costly and difficult to obtain.

 

Most equity REITs receive a flow of income from property rentals, which, after covering their expenses, they pay to their shareholders in the form of dividends. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property they own, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit they extend or mortgages they purchase.

 

REITs and other real estate company securities tend to be small- to mid-cap securities and are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-cap securities. Some of the REIT securities in which the Fund invests may be preferred stock, which receives preference in the payment of dividends.

 

Risk Management. Management undertakes certain analyses with the intention of identifying particular types of risks and reducing the Fund’s exposure to them. However, risk is an essential part of investing, and the degree of return an investor might expect is often tied to the degree of risk the investor is willing to accept. By its very nature, risk involves exposure to the possibility of adverse events. Accordingly, no risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to such events; at best, it may only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by adverse events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program. While the prospectus describes material risk factors associated with the Fund’s investment program, there is no assurance that as a particular situation unfolds in the markets, management will identify all of the risks that might affect the Fund, rate their probability or potential magnitude correctly, or be able to take appropriate measures to reduce the Fund’s exposure to them. The Fund could experience losses if judgments about risk prove to be incorrect. Measures taken with the intention of decreasing exposure to identified risks might have the unintended effect of increasing exposure to other risks.

 

Sector Risk. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in one sector, industry, or sub-sector of the market, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors, industries, or sub-sectors. An individual sector, industry, or sub-sector of the market may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events. The Fund’s performance could also be affected if the sectors, industries, or sub-sectors do not perform as expected. Alternatively, the lack of exposure to one or more sectors or industries may adversely affect performance. For a summary of the Fund’s recent sector allocations, see its most recent shareholder report. (The information in the report is as of the date of the report and may have changed.) For information about the risks of investing in particular sectors, see the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities, a possible delay in receiving additional collateral (to cover an increase in the market value of the loaned securities or a decrease in the value of any securities collateral), or a possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. There is a risk that a borrower

 

169

Table of Contents

 

may default on its obligations to return loaned securities, which could negatively impact the Fund. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.

 

To the extent that the portfolio securities acquired with such collateral have decreased in value, it may result in the Fund realizing a loss at a time when it would not otherwise do so. As such, securities lending may introduce leverage into the Fund. The Fund also may incur losses if the returns on securities that it acquires with cash collateral are less than the applicable rebate rates paid to borrowers and related administrative costs.

 

Special Situations Risk. Investing in special situations carries the risk that certain of such situations may not happen as anticipated or the market may react differently than expected to such situations. The securities of companies involved in special situations may be more volatile than other securities, may at times be illiquid, or may be difficult to value.

 

Furthermore, a special situation, such as a pending restructuring or spin-off, may be renegotiated or terminated or involve a longer time frame than originally contemplated. In addition, certain special situations, such as companies emerging from, or restructuring as a result of, bankruptcy, involve difficult transitions in corporate structure, finance and/or governance. These situations carry additional risks and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more stable companies. It also may be difficult to obtain complete financial or other information about companies involved in certain special situations and management of such companies may be addressing a situation with which it has little experience. The terms of certain special situation investments may be subject to restrictions that prevent the Fund from selling the position until the special situation is largely resolved which may limit the Fund’s ability to pursue other opportunities as they arise.

 

Utility Companies Risk. Utility companies are sensitive to changes in interest rates and other economic conditions, government regulation, uncertainties created by deregulation, power shortages and surpluses, the price and availability of fuel, environmental protection or energy conservation policies and practices, the level and demand for services, increased risk and competition in deregulated sectors, and the cost of technological advances and the possible inability to implement them at opportune times. In addition, securities of utility companies are volatile and may underperform in a sluggish economy.

 

Valuation Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell an investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the investment. Such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. If market or other conditions make it difficult to value an investment, the Fund may be required to value such investments using more subjective methods, known as fair value methodologies. Using fair value methodologies to price investments may result in a value that is different from an investment’s most recent closing price and from the prices used by other funds to calculate their NAVs. Investors who purchase or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received if the Fund had not held fair-valued securities or had used a different methodology. The value of foreign securities, certain futures, fixed income securities, and currencies may be materially affected by events after the close of the markets on which they are traded but before the Fund determines its net asset value. The Fund uses pricing services to provide values for certain securities and there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to sell an investment at the price established by such pricing services. Different pricing services use different valuation methodologies, potentially resulting in different values for the same investments. As a result, if the Fund were to change pricing services, or if a pricing service were to change its valuation methodology, the value of the Fund’s investments could be impacted. The Fund’s ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.

 

Value Stock Risk. Value stocks may remain undervalued for extended periods of time, may decrease in value during a given period, may not ever realize what the portfolio management team believes to be their full value or intrinsic value, or the portfolio management team’s assumptions about intrinsic value or potential for appreciation may be incorrect. This may happen because value stocks, as a category, lose favor with investors compared to growth stocks, because of a failure to anticipate which stocks or industries would benefit from changing market or economic conditions a misappraisal of a stock’s growth potential, or because the stocks’ worth was misgauged. Entire industries or sectors may lose favor with investors, and the Fund, in seeking value stocks, may focus its investments more heavily in those industries or sectors.

 

Risks of Investing in Variable Interest Entities. For purposes of raising capital offshore on exchanges outside of China, including on U.S. exchanges, many Chinese-based operating companies are structured as entities commonly-referred to as variable interest entities (“VIEs”). In a typical VIE structure, the onshore PRC-based operating company is the VIE and establishes an entity, which is typically offshore in a foreign jurisdiction, such as the Cayman Islands. The offshore entity lists on a foreign exchange and enters into contractual arrangements with the VIE. This structure enables PRC companies in which the PRC government restricts foreign ownership to raise capital from foreign investors. While the offshore entity has no legal equity ownership of the VIE, its contractual arrangements with the VIE permit the offshore entity to consolidate the VIE’s financial statements with its own for FASB accounting purposes and provide for economic exposure to the performance of the underlying

 

170

Table of Contents

 

onshore PRC operating company. Therefore, an investor in the listed offshore entity, such as the Fund, will have exposure to the onshore PRC-based operating company only through its contractual arrangements with the VIE and has no legal ownership in the VIE. Furthermore, because the offshore entity only has specific rights provided for in these contractual arrangements with the VIE, its abilities to control the activities of the VIE are limited which may engage in activities that negatively impact investment value. While the VIE structure has been widely adopted, it is not formally or legally recognized under PRC law and therefore there is a risk that the PRC government could restrict the effectiveness of such structures or negatively impact the VIE’s contractual arrangements with the listed offshore entity by making them invalid under PRC laws. If these contracts were found to be unenforceable under PRC law, investors in the listed offshore entity, such as the Fund, may suffer significant losses with little or no recourse available. If the PRC government determines that the contractual agreements involving VIE structures do not comply with PRC law and regulations, including those related to restrictions on foreign ownership, it could subject a VIE to numerous sanctions such as penalties, revocation of business and operating licenses, invalidate or terminate contractual arrangements and/or forfeiture or non-recognition of ownership interest.

 

In addition, the listed offshore entity’s benefits through its contractual arrangements over a VIE may also be jeopardized if a natural person who holds the equity interest in the VIE is deemed to breach the terms of the contractual arrangement (assuming the contractual arrangement is held to be valid under PRC laws), is subject to legal proceedings or if any physical instruments for authenticating documentation by the VIE, such as chops and seals, are used without the VIE’s authorization to enter into the contractual arrangements in the PRC. Chops and seals, which are carved stamps used to sign documents by PRC companies, represent a legally binding commitment by the PRC company. Moreover, any future PRC regulatory action may limit or prohibit the ability of the offshore entity to receive the economic benefits of the VIE, which may cause the value of the Fund’s investment in the listed offshore entity to suffer a significant loss.

 

Warrants and Rights Risk. Warrants and rights do not carry with them the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities that they entitle their holder to purchase, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a warrant or right does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities. If a warrant or right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised or, when permissible, sold prior to the warrant’s or right’s expiration date or redemption by the issuer, the Fund would lose all or substantially all of the purchase price of the warrant or right. The market for warrants and rights may be very limited and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for warrants and rights.

 

Information about Additional Risks and Other Practices

 

As discussed in the Statement of Additional Information, a Fund may engage in certain practices and invest in certain securities in addition to those described as its “principal investment strategies” in its Fund Summary section. For example, should a Fund engage in borrowing or securities lending, or should a Fund use derivatives or invest in foreign securities, it will be subject to the additional risks associated with these practices and securities.

 

Borrowing money, securities lending, or using derivatives would create investment leverage, meaning that certain gains or losses would be amplified, increasing share price movements. A Fund that does not engage in derivatives as part of its principal investment strategy may, to a limited extent, use certain derivatives for hedging or investment purposes. A derivative instrument, whether used for hedging or for speculation, could fail to perform as expected, causing a loss for a Fund.

 

Foreign securities, including those issued by foreign governments, involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities, and can fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. Securities issued by U.S. entities with substantial foreign operations may involve risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions in foreign countries.

 

In addition, a Fund may be an investment option for a Neuberger Berman mutual fund that is managed as a “fund of funds.” As a result, from time to time, a Fund may experience relatively large redemptions or investments and could be required to sell securities or to invest cash at a time when it is not advantageous to do so.

 

In anticipation of adverse or uncertain market, economic, political, or other temporary conditions, including during periods of high cash inflows or outflows, a Fund may temporarily depart from its goal and use a different investment strategy (including leaving a significant portion of its assets uninvested) for defensive purposes. Doing so could help a Fund avoid losses, but may mean lost opportunities. In addition, in doing so different factors could affect a Fund’s performance and a Fund may not achieve its goal.

 

171

Table of Contents

 

In addition, to the extent a Fund is new or is undergoing a transition (such as a change in strategy, rebalancing, reorganization, liquidation or experiencing large inflows or outflows) or takes a temporary defensive position, it may deviate from its principal investment strategies during such period.

 

A Fund may change its goal without shareholder approval, although none currently intend to do so.

 

Please see the Statement of Additional Information for more information.

 

Descriptions of Indices

 

The FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed Index (Net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of listed real estate companies and real estate investment trusts (REITs) in developed markets. Net total return indexes reinvest dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indexes) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties.

 

The FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that tracks the performance of all equity real estate investment trusts (REITs) that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE Arca or the NASDAQ National Market List. Equity REITs include all tax-qualified REITs with more than 50 percent of total assets in qualifying real estate assets other than mortgages secured by real property.

 

The MSCI All Country World Index (Net) is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets. The index consists of 47 country indexes comprising 23 developed and 24 emerging market country indexes. The developed market country indexes included are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The emerging market country indexes included are: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the UAE. China A shares are included starting from June 1, 2018 and are partially represented at 20% of their free float-adjusted market capitalization as of November 2019. Net total return indexes reinvest dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indexes) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Effective after the close on March 9, 2022, MSCI reclassified MSCI Russia Indexes from Emerging Markets to Standalone Markets status. At that time, all Russian securities were removed from this index at a final price of 0.00001, including both locally traded Russian equity constituents and Russian ADRs/GDRs constituents.

 

The MSCI China All Shares Index (Net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of China share classes listed in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen and outside of China. It covers the integrated MSCI China equity universe comprising A-shares, B-shares, H-shares, Red-chips, P-chips and foreign listings listed outside China or Hong Kong (e.g. ADRs). A-shares are incorporated in China and trade on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges; they are quoted in local renminbi and entail foreign investment regulations (QFII). B-shares are incorporated in China, and trade on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges; they are quoted in foreign currencies (Shanghai USD, Shenzhen HKD) and are open to foreign investors. H-shares are incorporated in China and trade on the Hong Kong exchange and other foreign exchanges. Red chips and P-chips are incorporated outside of China and trade on the Hong Kong exchange. Red chips are usually controlled by the state or a province or municipality. P-chips are non state-owned Chinese companies incorporated outside the mainland and traded in Hong Kong. Net total return indexes reinvest dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indexes) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties.

 

The MSCI EAFE® Index (Net) (Europe, Australasia, Far East) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets excluding the United States and Canada. The index consists of the following 21 developed market country indexes: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Net total return indexes reinvest dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indexes) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties.

 

The MSCI EAFE® Small Cap Index (Net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of the small cap segment of developed markets, excluding the United States and Canada. The index consists of the following 21 developed market country indices: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden,

 

172

Table of Contents

 

Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Net total return indexes reinvest dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indexes) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties.

 

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net) is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of emerging markets. The index consists of the following 24 emerging market country indexes: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the UAE. China A shares are included starting from June 1, 2018 and are partially represented at 20% of their free float-adjusted market capitalization as of November 2019. Net total return indexes reinvest dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indexes) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Effective after the close on March 9, 2022, MSCI reclassified MSCI Russia Indexes from Emerging Markets to Standalone Markets status. At that time, all Russian securities were removed from this index at a final price of 0.00001, including both locally traded Russian equity constituents and Russian ADRs/GDRs constituents.

 

The Russell 1000® Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the large-cap segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes approximately 1,000 of the largest securities in the Russell 3000® Index (which measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. public companies based on total market capitalization). The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell 1000® Growth Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the large-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes those Russell 1000® companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell 1000® Value Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the large-cap value segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes those Russell 1000® Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth rates. The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell 2000® Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes approximately 2,000 of the smallest securities in the Russell 3000® Index (which measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. public companies based on total market capitalization). The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell 2000® Growth Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes those Russell 2000® Index companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth rates. The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell 2000® Value Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the small-cap value segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes those Russell 2000® Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth rates. The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell Midcap® Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the mid-cap segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes approximately 800 of the smallest securities in the Russell 1000® Index. The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell Midcap® Growth Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the mid-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes those Russell Midcap® Index companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth rates. The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The Russell Midcap® Value Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the mid-cap value segment of the U.S. equity market. It includes those Russell Midcap® Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth rates. The index is rebalanced annually in June.

 

The S&P 500® Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that focuses on the large-cap segment of the U.S. equity market, and includes a significant portion of the total value of the market.

 

173

Table of Contents

 

Management of the Funds

 

Investment Manager

 

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC (“Manager”), located at 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104, is each Fund’s investment manager and administrator. Neuberger Berman BD LLC (“Distributor”), located at 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104, is each Fund’s distributor. Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement, the Manager is responsible for choosing a Fund’s investments and handling its day-to-day business. The services provided by the Manager as the investment manager and administrator include, among others, overall responsibility for providing all supervisory, management, and administrative services reasonably necessary for the operation of the Funds, which may include, among others, compliance monitoring, operational and investment risk management, legal and administrative services and portfolio accounting services. The Manager carries out its duties subject to the policies established by the Board of Trustees. The investment advisory agreement establishes the fees a Fund pays to the Manager for its services as the Fund’s investment manager and the expenses paid directly by the Fund. Together, the Neuberger Berman affiliates manage approximately $408 billion in total assets (as of 9/30/2022) and continue an asset management history that began in 1939. For Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund, the Manager engages Green Court Capital Management Limited (“Green Court”), located at Suites 4007-4008, 40th Floor, One Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central Hong Kong, as sub-adviser to choose the Fund’s investments and handle its day-to-day investment business. As investment manager, the Manager is responsible for overseeing the activities of Green Court. Green Court manages approximately $8 billion in total assets (as of 9/30/2022) and began in 2017.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Funds’ (except Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund) investment advisory agreements and, for Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund, the sub-advisory agreement, is available in the Funds’ semi-annual report for the fiscal period ended February 28, 2022. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ initial approval of the Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund’s investment advisory agreement is available in the Funds’ annual report for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2021.

 

NBIA may engage one or more of foreign affiliates that are not registered under the 1940 Act (“participating affiliates”) in accordance with applicable SEC no-action letters. As participating affiliates, whether or not registered with the SEC, the affiliates may provide designated investment personnel to associate with NBIA as “associated persons” of NBIA and perform specific advisory services for NBIA, including services for the Funds, which may involve, among other services, portfolio management and/or placing orders for securities and other instruments. The designated employees of a participating affiliate act for NBIA and are subject to certain NBIA policies and procedures as well as supervision and periodic monitoring by NBIA. The Funds will pay no additional fees and expenses as a result of any such arrangements.

 

Neither this Prospectus nor the Statement of Additional Information is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that have not been waived. The Funds enter into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Manager, who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended to be third party beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements. Where shareholders are not third party beneficiaries of contractual arrangements, those contractual arrangements cannot be enforced by shareholders acting on their own behalf.

 

The Manager has obtained “manager of managers” exemptive relief from the SEC that permits the Manager, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, to appoint an unaffiliated subadviser or to change the terms of a subadvisory agreement with an unaffiliated subadviser for Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund, Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund and Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund without first obtaining shareholder approval. The exemptive order permits a Fund to add or to change unaffiliated subadvisers or to change the fees paid to such subadvisers from time to time without the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approval of the change. Under this order, the Manager has ultimate responsibility (subject to oversight by the Board) to oversee the subadvisers and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement. A Fund will notify shareholders of any change in the identity of a subadviser or the addition of a subadviser to a Fund.

 

Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.76%, 0.76% and 0.65%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 1.22%, 1.22% and 1.11%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

174

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.76%, 0.76% and 0.65%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Focus Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.78%, 0.78% and 0.67%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Genesis Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.81% of average daily net assets for Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 1.06%, 1.06% and 0.95%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class

 

Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the aggregate management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) and subadvisory fees paid to the Manager and Green Court were 1.36%, 1.36% and 1.25%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.94%, 0.94% and 0.84%, respectively, of average daily net assets, after voluntary waiver, for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Effective October 22, 2019, the Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive its management fee in the amount of 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The Manager may, at its sole discretion, modify or terminate this voluntary waiver without notice to the Fund.

 

Neuberger Berman International Select Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.81%, 0.81% and 0.70%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 1.11%, 1.11% and 1.00%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 1.00%, 1.00% and 0.89%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund): For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.74%, 0.74% and 0.63%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.68%, 0.68% and 0.57%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.74%, 0.74% and 0.63%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.81%, 0.81% and 0.70%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.85%, 0.85% and 0.74%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 1.06%, 1.06% and 0.95%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

175

Table of Contents

 

Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 1.09%, 1.09%, and 0.98%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.74%, 0.74% and 0.63%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund: For the 12 months ended 8/31/2022, the management fees (i.e., advisory and administration fees) paid to the Manager by the Fund were 0.96%, 0.96% and 0.85%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Please see the Statement of Additional Information for additional information about each Portfolio Manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager, and each Portfolio Manager’s ownership of shares in the Fund(s) that he or she manages.

 

Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund

William D. Hunter is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Hunter joined the firm in 2006 and has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in December 2015.

 

Shawn Trudeau, CFA, is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. Mr. Trudeau joined the firm in 2011 and has served as Portfolio Manager since December 2020.

 

Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Conrad Saldanha, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Saldanha joined the firm in 2008 and is a Portfolio Manager for the Emerging Markets Equity team. He has managed the Fund since its inception in 2008.

 

Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund

Richard S. Levine is a Managing Director of the Manager. He has been a Portfolio Manager with the firm since 1989 and has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in 2006.

 

Alexandra Pomeroy is a Managing Director of the Manager. She has been a Portfolio Manager with the firm since 2005 and has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in 2006.

 

William D. Hunter is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Hunter joined the firm in 2006 and has been an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.

 

Shawn Trudeau, CFA, is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. Mr. Trudeau joined the firm in 2011 and has been an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2018.

 

Neuberger Berman Focus Fund

Timothy Creedon, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Creedon joined the firm in 2005 and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2011. He is the Director of Research for the Global Equity Research Department.

 

Hari Ramanan is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Ramanan joined the firm in 2019 and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since September 2019. Mr. Ramanan is a Portfolio Manager and CIO of Research Funds at Neuberger Berman and leads the investing activities for the firm’s research-centric core and thematic funds. Prior to joining the firm, he was Managing Partner of Valarc Holdings since 2014.

 

Neuberger Berman Genesis Fund

Judith M. Vale is a Managing Director of the Manager. Ms. Vale has been a senior member of the Small Cap Team since 1992. Ms. Vale has co-managed the Fund’s assets since 1994.

 

Robert W. D’Alelio is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. D’Alelio has been a senior member of the Small Cap Team since 1996. Mr. D’Alelio has co-managed the Fund’s assets since 1997.

 

Brett S. Reiner is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Reiner has been a member of the Small Cap Team since 2003. Mr. Reiner joined the firm in 2000. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since August 2019 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2005.

 

176

Table of Contents

 

Gregory G. Spiegel is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Spiegel has been a member of the Small Cap Team since 2012. Mr. Spiegel joined the firm in 2012. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Spiegel was the Director of Research at another firm, covering global equities and overseeing that firm’s research analysts from 2010 to 2012. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since August 2019 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2015.

 

Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund

Steve Shigekawa is a Managing Director of the Manager. He has been a Portfolio Manager with the firm since 2005. Prior to that, he was an analyst with the firm covering REIT securities. Mr. Shigekawa has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in 2014.

 

Brian C. Jones, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. He has been a Portfolio Manager with the firm since 2007. Mr. Jones has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in 2014. Prior to that, he was an Associate Portfolio Manager for separately managed accounts investing in REIT securities since 2007.

 

Anton Kwang, CFA, joined Neuberger Berman Asia Limited in 2014. Previously, he was an investment director and lead portfolio manager for the Asia Pacific region of another asset manager’s global property funds since 2007. Mr. Kwang has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in 2014.

 

Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund

Yulin (Frank) Yao, is a Managing Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager at Green Court. Prior to founding the firm, he was a Managing Director at Neuberger Berman and Senior Portfolio Manager for the Neuberger Berman Greater China Investment Team, originally joining Neuberger Berman in 2008. Previously, he was a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at Avenue Capital where he was responsible for directing the investment activities of the Avenue Greater China Equity Funds. From 2004 to 2007, he was an Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at Hua An Fund Management where he managed a team of over 40 investment professionals with overall responsibility for investment, research and trading for RMB 50 billion (or US$7 billion) assets. Mr. Yao has managed the Fund since the Fund’s inception in 2013.

 

Lihui Tang, CFA, is a Partner and Portfolio Manager at Green Court. Prior to this, he was a Managing Director at Neuberger Berman and Portfolio Manager for the Neuberger Berman Greater China Investment Team, originally joining Neuberger Berman in 2008. Previously, he was a senior vice president at Avenue Capital, where he was a portfolio manager for the Avenue Greater China Equity Funds team. Prior to that, he was a portfolio manager and deputy head of research at Hua An Fund Management, where he managed two active funds with combined assets under management of approximately USD $1 billion. These funds received numerous awards from Morningstar, Lipper and Chinese publications. Before joining Hua An, he was a research analyst with SYWG Securities in Shanghai, responsible for the pharmaceutical sector. Prior to that, he was also a research analyst with Da Peng Securities in the real estate and building materials industries. Mr. Tang has managed the Fund since the Fund’s inception in 2013.

 

Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund

Elias Cohen, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Cohen joined the firm in 2000 and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since January 2019.

 

Thomas Hogan, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Hogan joined the firm in 2011 and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2022 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2021.

 

Neuberger Berman International Select Fund

Elias Cohen, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Cohen joined the firm in 2000 and has co-managed the Fund since December 2016.

 

Thomas Hogan, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Hogan joined the firm in 2011 and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2022 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2021.

 

Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund

David Bunan is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Bunan joined the firm in 2008 and has been the Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2016.

 

Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund

Benjamin H. Nahum is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Nahum joined the firm in 2008. He has co-managed the Fund since its inception in 2010. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Nahum was a principal and executive vice president at David J.

 

177

Table of Contents

 

Greene & Co., LLC (“D.J. Greene”), the investment adviser to the Fund’s predecessor partnership and account, from 1991 to 2008. D.J. Greene was acquired by Neuberger Berman in 2008. Mr. Nahum was the portfolio manager of the Fund’s predecessors from 1997 to 2010.

 

James F. McAree is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. McAree joined the firm in 2008. He has co-managed the Fund since its inception in 2010. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. McAree was a principal and research analyst at D.J. Greene, the investment adviser to the Fund’s predecessor partnership and account, from 2005 to 2008. D.J. Greene was acquired by Neuberger Berman in 2008. Mr. McAree was a research analyst for the Fund’s predecessors from 2005 to 2010.

 

Amit Solomon, PhD, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Solomon joined the firm in 2008. He has co-managed the Fund since its inception in 2010. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Solomon was a principal and senior research analyst at D.J. Greene, the investment adviser to the Fund’s predecessor partnership and account, from 2002 to 2008. D.J. Greene was acquired by Neuberger Berman in 2008. Mr. Solomon was a research analyst for the Fund’s predecessors from 2002 to 2010.

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund)

Charles Kantor is a Managing Director of the Manager. He joined the firm in 2000 and has managed the Fund since October 2015.

 

Marc Regenbaum is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Regenbaum joined the firm in 2007 and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2020. Prior to December 2020, he was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since February 2017. Prior to being named Associate Portfolio Manager, Mr. Regenbaum was a Senior Research Analyst for the Long Short and U.S. Equity Team.

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund

Eli M. Salzmann is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Salzmann joined the firm in 2011 and has been the Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2011. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Salzmann spent nearly 14 years at another investment manager where he was a Partner, Director of Large-Cap Value and a portfolio manager specializing in U.S. Large-Cap Value strategies.

 

David Levine, CFA, is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. Mr. Levine joined the firm in 1995 and has been an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since April 2021.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund

Kenneth J. Turek is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Turek has been the Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2003.

 

Chad Bruso is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. He joined the firm in 2006. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2021 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since January 2020.

 

Trevor Moreno is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. He joined the firm in 2014. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2021 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since January 2020. Prior to joining the firm, he was an assistant portfolio manager and equity analyst at an investment company.

 

Jennifer Blachford is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. She joined the firm in 2019. She has been an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2021. Prior to joining the firm, she was a portfolio manager at an investment company.

 

Kenneth J. Turek has announced his decision to retire on or about January 31, 2023. Mr. Turek will cease his portfolio management responsibilities at that time. After Mr. Turek’s retirement, Chad Bruso and Trevor Moreno will continue as co-Portfolio Managers, and Jennifer Blachford will continue as Associate Portfolio Manager, of the Fund.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund

Michael C. Greene is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Greene joined the firm in 2008 and has managed the Fund since December 2011.

 

Benjamin H. Nahum is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Nahum joined the firm in 2008 and has managed the Fund since May 2021.

 

James F. McAree is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. McAree joined the firm in 2008 and has managed the Fund since May 2021.

 

Amit Solomon, PhD, is a Managing Director of the Manager. Mr. Solomon joined the firm in 2008 and has managed the Fund since May 2021.

 

178

Table of Contents

 

Rand W. Gesing is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. Mr. Gesing joined the firm in 2008 and has managed the Fund since May 2021.

 

Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund

Richard S. Nackenson is a Managing Director of the Manager. He is also a Senior Portfolio Manager for separate accounts at Neuberger Berman. He has been the Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2009. Mr. Nackenson joined the firm in 1999.

 

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund

Steve Shigekawa is a Managing Director of the Manager. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2008 and was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund from 2005 to 2008. Prior to that, he was an analyst with the firm covering REIT securities since 2002.

 

Brian C. Jones, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2008. Prior to that, he was an Associate Portfolio Manager for separately managed accounts investing in REIT securities since 2007.

 

Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund

Kenneth J. Turek is a Managing Director of the Manager. He joined the firm in 2002 and has managed the Fund since November 2015.

 

Chad Bruso is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. He joined the firm in 2006. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since January 2020 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since November 2015.

 

Trevor Moreno is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. He joined the firm in 2014. He has been co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund since January 2020 and before that was an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since November 2015. Prior to joining the firm, he was an assistant portfolio manager and equity analyst at an investment company.

 

Jennifer Blachford is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. She joined the firm in 2019. She has been an Associate Portfolio Manager of the Fund since December 2021. Prior to joining the firm, she was a portfolio manager at an investment company.

 

Kenneth J. Turek has announced his decision to retire on or about January 31, 2023. Mr. Turek will cease his portfolio management responsibilities at that time. After Mr. Turek’s retirement, Chad Bruso and Trevor Moreno will continue as co-Portfolio Managers, and Jennifer Blachford will continue as Associate Portfolio Manager, of the Fund.

 

Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund

Daniel P. Hanson, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Manager. He has been Senior Portfolio Manager of the Fund since April 2022. Mr. Hanson joined the firm in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hanson spent over 25 years at other asset management firms where he held various roles such as chief investment officer, partner and portfolio manager.

 

Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund

Richard S. Nackenson is a Managing Director of the Manager. He is also a Senior Portfolio Manager for separate accounts at Neuberger Berman. He has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in March 2021. Mr. Nackenson joined the firm in 1999.

 

Jonathan Bailey is a Managing Director of the Manager. He also serves as Head of ESG Investing at Neuberger Berman. He has served as Portfolio Manager since the Fund’s inception in March 2021. Mr. Bailey joined the firm in 2017.

 

179

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.94       13.93       12.81       14.76       19.68  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.15       0.16       0.16       0.10       0.15  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.13       (0.62 )     1.93       4.99       (2.10 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.28       (0.46 )     2.09       5.09       (1.95 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.11       0.10       0.14       0.17       0.07  
Capital gain distributions     0.18       0.56                   0.53  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.29       0.66       0.14       0.17       0.60  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.93       12.81       14.76       19.68       17.13  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.05       1.05       1.05       1.06       1.05  
Gross expenses(1)      1.67       1.65       1.62       1.59       1.48  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.14       1.28       1.19       0.60       0.79  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      9.98       (2.75 )     16.41       34.73       (10.28 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1.8       1.4       1.5       1.4       1.6  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     43       45       39       32       21  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

180

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.87       13.85       12.70       14.65       19.52  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.05       0.07       0.06       (0.03 )     0.00  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.12       (0.63 )     1.92       4.95       (2.07 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.17       (0.56 )     1.98       4.92       (2.07 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.01       0.03       0.03       0.05        
Capital gain distributions     0.18       0.56                   0.53  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.19       0.59       0.03       0.05       0.53  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.85       12.70       14.65       19.52       16.92  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.80       1.80       1.80       1.81       1.80  
Gross expenses(1)      2.34       2.32       2.28       2.25       2.16  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.40       0.51       0.44       (0.16 )     (0.02 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      9.17       (3.55 )     15.63       33.69       (10.96 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     3.3       2.7       2.5       1.3       0.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     43       45       39       32       21  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

181

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Dividend Growth Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of period     12.93       13.93       12.81       14.76       19.68  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.21       0.21       0.21       0.17       0.21  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.12       (0.64 )     1.94       4.97       (2.09 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.33       (0.43 )     2.15       5.14       (1.88 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.15       0.13       0.20       0.22       0.17  
Capital gain distributions     0.18       0.56                   0.53  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.33       0.69       0.20       0.22       0.70  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.93       12.81       14.76       19.68       17.10  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.69       0.69       0.69       0.70       0.69  
Gross expenses(1)      1.23       1.20       1.17       1.12       1.04  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.54       1.63       1.57       0.96       1.13  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      10.44       (2.45 )     16.91       35.18       (9.99 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     53.4       51.3       49.3       68.3       67.8  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     43       45       39       32       21  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.

 

182

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     19.90       19.26       18.82       20.43       23.60  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.10       0.17       0.24       (0.01 )     0.22  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     (0.64 )     (0.52 )     1.69       3.21       (5.95 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     (0.54 )     (0.35 )     1.93       3.20       (5.73 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.10       0.09       0.32       0.03       0.17  
Capital gain distributions                              
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.10       0.09       0.32       0.03       0.17  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     19.26       18.82       20.43       23.60       17.70  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.50       1.50       1.50       1.50       1.50  
Gross expenses(1)      1.65       1.62       1.60       1.57       1.59  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.49       0.91       1.27       (0.03 )     1.08  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      (2.78 )     (1.77 )     10.28       15.68       (24.42 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     47.6       44.6       31.7       32.2       18.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     23       37       41       47       39  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

183

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     20.00       19.25       18.77       20.40       23.43  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.02 )     0.03       0.10       (0.18 )     0.07  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     (0.68 )     (0.51 )     1.68       3.21       (5.90 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     (0.70 )     (0.48 )     1.78       3.03       (5.83 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.05             0.15             0.11  
Capital gain distributions                              
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.05             0.15             0.11  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     19.25       18.77       20.40       23.43       17.49  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     2.25       2.25       2.25       2.25       2.25  
Gross expenses(1)      2.37       2.35       2.33       2.31       2.33  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.08 )     0.18       0.53       (0.78 )     0.32  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      (3.51 )     (2.50 )     9.47       14.85       (24.97 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     10.9       9.1       6.1       6.6       3.5  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     23       37       41       47       39  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

184

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Equity Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     19.87       19.25       18.76       20.37       23.55  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.20       0.23       0.28       0.06       0.28  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     (0.68 )     (0.54 )     1.70       3.20       (5.93 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     (0.48 )     (0.31 )     1.98       3.26       (5.65 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.14       0.18       0.37       0.08       0.24  
Capital gain distributions                              
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.14       0.18       0.37       0.08       0.24  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     19.25       18.76       20.37       23.55       17.66  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.25       1.25       1.25       1.23       1.23  
Gross expenses     1.28 (1)      1.25 (1)      1.25 (1)       1.23 (1)      1.23  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.98       1.22       1.45       0.25       1.37  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     (2.49 )(2)      (1.56 )(2)      10.59 (2)      16.04 (2)      (24.20 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1,149.4       1,077.0       854.6       972.1       652.5  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     23       37       41       47       39  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no reimbursement/repayment.
(2)  Would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

185

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     13.04       13.48       12.93       12.37       14.95  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.29       0.28       0.24       0.27       0.28  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.00       0.01       (0.10 )     2.56       (0.26 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.29       0.29       0.14       2.83       0.02  
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.35       0.28       0.28       0.25       0.28  
Capital gain distributions     0.50       0.56       0.42             1.25  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.85       0.84       0.70       0.25       1.53  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.48       12.93       12.37       14.95       13.44  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.05       1.06       1.06       1.06       1.07  
Gross expenses     1.05       1.06       1.06       1.06       1.07  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     2.16       2.17       1.99       1.93       1.98  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      10.21       2.68       1.14       23.19       (0.26 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     186.5       142.7       153.1       186.8       170.7  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     41       37       56       35       44  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

186

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.95       13.38       12.83       12.28       14.85  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.18       0.18       0.15       0.16       0.17  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.00       0.01       (0.10 )     2.55       (0.25 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.18       0.19       0.05       2.71       (0.08 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.25       0.18       0.18       0.14       0.17  
Capital gain distributions     0.50       0.56       0.42             1.25  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.75       0.74       0.60       0.14       1.42  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.38       12.83       12.28       14.85       13.35  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.80       1.81       1.81       1.81       1.82  
Gross expenses     1.80       1.81       1.81       1.81       1.82  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.40       1.45       1.24       1.15       1.22  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      9.36       1.91       0.38       22.26       (0.98 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     246.7       178.5       101.1       83.3       67.5  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     41       37       56       35       44  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

187

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Equity Income Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     13.09       13.53       12.98       12.42       15.01  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.33       0.33       0.29       0.31       0.34  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.01       0.00       (0.11 )     2.58       (0.27 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.34       0.33       0.18       2.89       0.07  
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.40       0.32       0.32       0.30       0.33  
Capital gain distributions     0.50       0.56       0.42             1.25  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.90       0.88       0.74       0.30       1.58  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.53       12.98       12.42       15.01       13.50  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.69       0.70       0.69       0.70       0.71  
Gross expenses     0.69       0.70       0.69       0.70       0.71  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     2.52       2.58       2.35       2.28       2.35  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     10.58       3.06       1.53       23.62       0.12  
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1,172.8       1,147.4       994.9       898.6       834.8  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     41       37       56       35       44  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

188

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Focus Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     29.24       28.65       25.69       28.73       35.84  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.07       0.08       (0.02 )     (0.06 )     (0.06 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.34       (1.05 )     6.20       8.77       (9.07 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.41       (0.97 )     6.18       8.71       (9.13 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.06       0.07       0.08              
Capital gain distributions     3.94       1.92       3.06       1.60       5.77  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     4.00       1.99       3.14       1.60       5.77  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     28.65       25.69       28.73       35.84       20.94  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.11       1.11       1.11       1.11       1.11  
Gross expenses(1)      1.12       1.12       1.12       1.11       1.13  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.23       0.32       (0.06 )     (0.19 )     (0.21 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      12.80       (2.51 )     25.90       31.73       (29.83 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     3.4       2.7       3.0       2.9       2.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     59       20       130       123       176  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement/repayment.
(2)  Would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

189

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Focus Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     38.78       28.50       25.42       28.27       34.97  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.16 )     (0.11 )     (0.20 )     (0.30 )     (0.27 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.68       (1.05 )     6.11       8.60       (8.76 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.52       (1.16 )     5.91       8.30       (9.03 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends                              
Capital gain distributions     13.80       1.92       3.06       1.60       5.77  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     13.80       1.92       3.06       1.60       5.77  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     28.50       25.42       28.27       34.97       20.17  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.86       1.86       1.86       1.86       1.86  
Gross expenses(1)      1.87       1.88       1.87       1.89       1.91  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.52 )     (0.43 )     (0.81 )     (1.00 )     (1.01 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      11.92       (3.25 )     24.96       30.76       (30.35 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1.7       1.2       1.4       0.7       0.3  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     59       20       130       123       176  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

190

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Focus Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     27.53       28.72       25.79       28.78       36.05  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.16       0.17       0.07       0.06       0.05  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.27       (1.05 )     6.22       8.81       (9.16 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.43       (0.88 )     6.29       8.87       (9.11 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.12       0.13       0.24              
Capital gain distributions     2.12       1.92       3.06       1.60       5.77  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     2.24       2.05       3.30       1.60       5.77  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     28.72       25.79       28.78       36.05       21.17  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.75       0.75       0.75       0.74       0.75  
Gross expenses     0.75 (1)      0.76 (1)      0.75 (1)      0.74 (1)      0.75  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.60       0.67       0.26       0.17       0.18  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     13.20 (2)      (2.15 )(2)      26.32 (2)      32.25 (2)      (29.57 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     8.6       8.9       14.1       26.8       19.0  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     59       20       130       123       176  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement/repayment.
(2)  Would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

191

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Genesis Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     58.71       65.24       58.48       62.66       80.18  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.17       0.14       0.11       0.00       0.03  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     14.47       (0.92 )     7.58       20.24       (10.48 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     14.64       (0.78 )     7.69       20.24       (10.45 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.22       0.14       0.13       0.02        
Capital gain distributions     7.89       5.84       3.38       2.70       8.15  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     8.11       5.98       3.51       2.72       8.15  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     65.24       58.48       62.66       80.18       61.58  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.85       0.85       0.84       0.84       0.84  
Gross expenses     0.85       0.85       0.84       0.84       0.84  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.28       0.25       0.19       0.00       0.04  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return(%)     26.96       0.69       13.65       33.11       (14.50 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     3,253.8       2,809.8       3,032.9       3,551.7       2,569.7  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     13       14       11       12       12  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense repayment.
(2)  Would have been higher if the Manager had not recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

192

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     10.64       10.84       11.93       10.95       13.81  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.13       0.12       0.12       0.16       0.11  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.34       1.31       (0.58 )     2.85       (2.06 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.47       1.43       (0.46 )     3.01       (1.95 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.17       0.22       0.28       0.15       0.17  
Capital gain distributions     0.10       0.12       0.21             0.77  
Tax Return of Capital                 0.03              
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.27       0.34       0.52       0.15       0.94  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     10.84       11.93       10.95       13.81       10.92  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.37       1.37       1.37       1.36       1.36  
Gross expenses(1)      11.57       9.72       9.28       11.06       8.58  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.23       1.07       1.10       1.32       0.86  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      4.47       13.65       (3.93 )     27.70       (15.09 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     0.3       0.4       0.2       0.3       0.3  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     48       38       49       51       78  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

193

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     10.62       10.81       11.89       10.91       13.73  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.06       0.04       0.04       0.06       0.01  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.34       1.30       (0.58 )     2.84       (2.04 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.40       1.34       (0.54 )     2.90       (2.03 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.11       0.14       0.20       0.08       0.10  
Capital gain distributions     0.10       0.12       0.21             0.77  
Tax Return of Capital                 0.03              
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.21       0.26       0.44       0.08       0.87  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     10.81       11.89       10.91       13.73       10.83  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     2.12       2.12       2.12       2.11       2.11  
Gross expenses(1)      12.21       10.43       9.88       11.69       9.21  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.53       0.32       0.35       0.54       0.09  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      3.81       12.75       (4.65 )     26.73       (15.75 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     0.3       0.3       0.2       0.3       0.2  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     48       38       49       51       78  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

194

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Global Real Estate Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     10.64       10.85       11.94       10.97       13.84  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.17       0.16       0.17       0.17       0.15  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.35       1.31       (0.58 )     2.88       (2.05 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.52       1.47       (0.41 )     3.05       (1.90 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.21       0.26       0.32       0.18       0.21  
Capital gain distributions     0.10       0.12       0.21             0.77  
Tax Return of Capital                 0.03              
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.31       0.38       0.56       0.18       0.98  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     10.85       11.94       10.97       13.84       10.96  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.01       1.01       1.01       1.01       1.00  
Gross expenses(1)      11.12       9.11       8.80       10.46       7.95  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.62       1.46       1.47       1.41       1.21  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      4.98       14.01       (3.48 )     28.06       (14.76 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     2.3       3.4       1.4       3.6       2.8  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     48       38       49       51       78  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.

 

195

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     15.95       14.86       9.26       11.48       12.95  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.08 )     0.06       (0.00 )     0.02       0.02  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.81       (0.98 )     2.27       1.47       (3.62 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.73       (0.92 )     2.27       1.49       (3.60 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.17             0.05       0.02       0.03  
Capital gain distributions     1.65       4.68                   0.63  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.82       4.68       0.05       0.02       0.66  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     14.86       9.26       11.48       12.95       8.69  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.87       1.88       1.87       1.87       1.87  
Gross expenses(1)      2.01       2.32       2.29       2.26       2.41  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.47 )     0.54       (0.04 )     0.14       0.22  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      4.02       (1.40 )     24.51       13.01       (28.95 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     10.2       6.1       4.3       3.6       1.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     60       46       82       81       53  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

196

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     16.57       15.37       9.32       11.52       12.93  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.17 )     (0.02 )     (0.05 )     (0.07 )     (0.11 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.81       (1.04 )     2.25       1.48       (3.56 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.64       (1.06 )     2.20       1.41       (3.67 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.08                          
Capital gain distributions     1.76       4.99                   0.63  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.84       4.99                   0.63  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     15.37       9.32       11.52       12.93       8.63  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     2.62       2.63       2.62       2.62       2.61  
Gross expenses(1)      2.80       3.07       2.95       3.06       3.22  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.99 )     (0.19 )     (0.53 )     (0.55 )     (1.02 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      3.26       (2.13 )     23.62       12.20       (29.51 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     0.3       0.2       0.2       0.2       0.0  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     60       46       82       81       53  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

197

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     15.85       14.80       9.28       11.49       12.97  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.00       0.09       0.06       0.09       0.06  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.77       (0.96 )     2.24       1.46       (3.62 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.77       (0.87 )     2.30       1.55       (3.56 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.18             0.09       0.07       0.09  
Capital gain distributions     1.64       4.65                   0.63  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.82       4.65       0.09       0.07       0.72  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     14.80       9.28       11.49       12.97       8.69  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.51       1.52       1.51       1.51       1.51  
Gross expenses(1)      1.58       1.84       1.81       1.80       1.91  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.03       0.85       0.64       0.66       0.55  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      4.37       (1.03 )     24.93       13.54       (28.71 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     79.0       45.2       52.3       61.3       32.4  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     60       46       82       81       53  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

198

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.56       13.15       12.46       14.03       17.16  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.08       0.09       0.04       0.08       0.13  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.52       (0.67 )     1.85       3.73       (4.44 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.60       (0.58 )     1.89       3.81       (4.31 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.01       0.08       0.11       0.08       0.05  
Capital gain distributions           0.03       0.22       0.60       1.63  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.01       0.11       0.33       0.68       1.68  
Plus:                                        
Voluntary contribution from Management                 0.01              
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.15       12.46       14.03       17.16       11.17  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or waiver arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.21       1.21       1.21       1.22       1.23  
Gross expenses(1)      1.35       1.37       1.34       1.35       1.37  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.63       0.76       0.30       0.54       0.91  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      4.77       (4.30 )     15.27       28.05       (27.53 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     67.2       52.2       55.8       66.1       11.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     32       34       45       26       49  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement and/or waiver of a portion of investment management fees.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of investment management fees.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

199

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.58       13.09       12.39       13.94       17.00  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.01 )     (0.00 )     (0.06 )     (0.03 )     0.03  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.52       (0.67 )     1.83       3.69       (4.39 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.51       (0.67 )     1.77       3.66       (4.36 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends           0.00       0.01             0.02  
Capital gain distributions           0.03       0.22       0.60       1.63  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders           0.03       0.23       0.60       1.65  
Plus:                                        
Voluntary contribution from Management                 0.01              
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.09       12.39       13.94       17.00       10.99  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or waiver arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.96       1.96       1.96       1.97       1.98  
Gross expenses(1)      2.11       2.12       2.09       2.10       2.12  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.06 )     (0.02 )     (0.47 )     (0.22 )     0.21  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      4.05       (5.05 )     14.41       27.07       (28.09 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     14.3       9.6       7.4       8.2       4.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     32       34       45       26       49  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement and/or waiver of a portion of investment management fees.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of investment management fees.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

200

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.66       13.18       12.48       14.06       17.20  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.14       0.13       0.09       0.14       0.18  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.51       (0.67 )     1.85       3.72       (4.43 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.65       (0.54 )     1.94       3.86       (4.25 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.13       0.13       0.15       0.12       0.18  
Capital gain distributions           0.03       0.22       0.60       1.63  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.13       0.16       0.37       0.72       1.81  
Plus:                                        
Voluntary contribution from Management                 0.01              
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.18       12.48       14.06       17.20       11.14  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or waiver and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.85       0.85       0.85       0.86       0.87  
Gross expenses(1)      0.99       1.00       0.98       0.98       1.00  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.03       1.08       0.71       0.92       1.30  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      5.12       (3.95 )     15.74       28.45       (27.29 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1,772.4       1,518.8       1,319.0       1,654.0       953.7  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     32       34       45       26       49  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement and/or waiver of a portion of investment management fees.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of investment management fees.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

201

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Select Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.34       12.87       12.21       13.80       17.47  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.08       0.10       0.05       0.10       0.16  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.55       (0.58 )     1.92       3.74       (4.44 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.63       (0.48 )     1.97       3.84       (4.28 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.10       0.05       0.19       0.07       0.10  
Capital gain distributions           0.13       0.19       0.10       1.62  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.10       0.18       0.38       0.17       1.72  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     12.87       12.21       13.80       17.47       11.47  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.17       1.16       1.16       1.17       1.20  
Gross expenses(1)      1.31       1.35       1.31       1.34       1.37  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.63       0.85       0.36       0.66       1.10  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      5.12       (3.58 )     16.22       28.07       (26.89 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     3.9       3.2       3.2       4.5       3.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     44       32       33       21       55  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

202

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Select Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.16       12.68       11.99       13.54       17.09  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.00 )     0.01       (0.04 )     (0.02 )     0.05  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.53       (0.57 )     1.87       3.67       (4.33 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.53       (0.56 )     1.83       3.65       (4.28 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.01             0.09             0.05  
Capital gain distributions           0.13       0.19       0.10       1.62  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.01       0.13       0.28       0.10       1.67  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     12.68       11.99       13.54       17.09       11.14  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.92       1.91       1.91       1.92       1.95  
Gross expenses(1)      2.06       2.09       2.06       2.12       2.15  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.02 )     0.10       (0.34 )     (0.11 )     0.38  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      4.37       (4.32 )     15.37       27.11       (27.45 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     2.4       1.5       0.9       0.8       0.5  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     44       32       33       21       55  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

203

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Select Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.42       12.96       12.28       13.89       17.60  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.13       0.15       0.10       0.16       0.21  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.55       (0.60 )     1.93       3.77       (4.47 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.68       (0.45 )     2.03       3.93       (4.26 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.14       0.10       0.23       0.12       0.15  
Capital gain distributions           0.13       0.19       0.10       1.62  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.14       0.23       0.42       0.22       1.77  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     12.96       12.28       13.89       17.60       11.57  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.81       0.80       0.80       0.81       0.84  
Gross expenses(1)      0.93       0.97       0.94       0.97       1.00  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.99       1.27       0.79       1.01       1.48  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      5.52       (3.29 )     16.68       28.57       (26.61 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     142.4       128.1       138.9       152.5       119.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     44       32       33       21       55  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

204

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.70       12.93       11.24       13.82       18.24  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.02       0.06       (0.03 )     (0.03 )     0.02  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.05       (1.57 )     2.66       4.94       (5.47 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.07       (1.51 )     2.63       4.91       (5.45 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.30             0.05       0.05       0.07  
Capital gain distributions     0.54       0.18             0.44       0.72  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.84       0.18       0.05       0.49       0.79  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     12.93       11.24       13.82       18.24       12.00  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.41       1.41       1.42       1.43       1.42  
Gross expenses(1)      7.56       6.77       6.40       13.62       10.46  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.16       0.54       (0.23 )     (0.17 )     0.11  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      8.60       (11.49 )     23.41       36.43       (31.05 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     0.2       0.1       0.2       0.5       0.2  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     48       32       14       22       21  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

205

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     12.63       12.83       11.06       13.55       17.81  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.07 )     (0.01 )     (0.11 )     (0.15 )     (0.07 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.05       (1.58 )     2.60       4.85       (5.36 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.98       (1.59 )     2.49       4.70       (5.43 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.24                         0.02  
Capital gain distributions     0.54       0.18             0.44       0.72  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.78       0.18             0.44       0.74  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     12.83       11.06       13.55       17.81       11.64  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     2.16       2.16       2.17       2.19       2.17  
Gross expenses(1)      8.15       7.38       6.93       14.29       11.24  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.53 )     (0.10 )     (0.97 )     (0.96 )     (0.45 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      7.89       (12.22 )     22.51       35.48       (31.59 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     0.2       0.1       0.1       0.2       0.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     48       32       14       22       21  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

206

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman International Small Cap Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of period     12.74       12.98       11.28       13.86       18.34  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.11       0.11       0.02       0.03       0.11  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.02       (1.60 )     2.66       4.96       (5.54 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.13       (1.49 )     2.68       4.99       (5.43 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.35       0.03       (0.10 )     0.07       0.11  
Capital gain distributions     0.54       0.18             0.44       0.72  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.89       0.21       (0.10 )     0.51       0.83  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     12.98       11.28       13.86       18.34       12.08  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.05       1.05       1.05       1.07       1.06  
Gross expenses(2)      7.02       6.24       5.81       13.09       10.11  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.83       1.00       0.14       0.20       0.72  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      9.06       (11.26 )     23.84       36.97       (30.79 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     6.2       5.3       1.4       2.8       2.7  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     48       32       14       22       21  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.

 

207

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     16.20       18.54       14.44       15.02       23.74  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.12 )     (0.09 )     (0.09 )     (0.19 )     (0.16 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.34       (2.14 )     1.11       9.23       (3.40 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.22       (2.23 )     1.02       9.04       (3.56 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     0.88       1.87       0.44       0.32       1.48  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.88       1.87       0.44       0.32       1.48  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     18.54       14.44       15.02       23.74       18.70  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.36       1.37       1.36       1.37       1.36  
Gross expenses(1)      1.41       1.44       1.43       1.37       1.36  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.73 )     (0.56 )     (0.65 )     (0.90 )     (0.73 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      20.58       (11.18 )     7.04       60.81       (15.90 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     20.0       19.7       21.0       51.4       49.0  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     25       22       19       23       12  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement/repayment.
(2)  Would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

208

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     16.39       18.54       14.34       14.79       23.19  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.26 )     (0.20 )     (0.19 )     (0.33 )     (0.30 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.35       (2.13 )     1.08       9.05       (3.31 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.09       (2.33 )     0.89       8.72       (3.61 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     0.94       1.87       0.44       0.32       1.48  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.94       1.87       0.44       0.32       1.48  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     18.54       14.34       14.79       23.19       18.10  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     2.11       2.12       2.11       2.12       2.11  
Gross expenses(1)      2.13       2.16       2.16       2.12       2.11  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (1.47 )     (1.30 )     (1.38 )     (1.65 )     (1.48 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      19.65       (11.78 )     6.16       59.58       (16.52 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     24.5       16.8       11.3       18.4       20.4  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     25       22       19       23       12  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement/repayment.
(2)  Would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

209

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Intrinsic Value Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     16.12       18.54       14.50       15.13       24.01  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.06 )     (0.03 )     (0.04 )     (0.11 )     (0.08 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.33       (2.14 )     1.11       9.31       (3.45 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.27       (2.17 )     1.07       9.20       (3.53 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     0.85       1.87       0.44       0.32       1.48  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.85       1.87       0.44       0.32       1.48  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     18.54       14.50       15.13       24.01       19.00  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.00       1.01       1.00       1.01       1.00  
Gross expenses(1)      1.02       1.05       1.05       1.01       1.00  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.35 )     (0.20 )     (0.29 )     (0.54 )     (0.37 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      21.01       (10.83 )     7.36       61.43       (15.58 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     678.0       574.1       555.2       979.4       1,204.8  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     25       22       19       23       12  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement/repayment.
(2)  Would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

210

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund) — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     17.85       19.50       18.28       23.34       29.27  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.07       0.06       0.02       (0.03 )     (0.02 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.57       0.33       6.19       7.73       (4.59 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.64       0.39       6.21       7.70       (4.61 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.13       0.08       0.05       0.03        
Capital gain distributions     1.86       1.53       1.10       1.74       2.92  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.99       1.61       1.15       1.77       2.92  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     19.50       18.28       23.34       29.27       21.74  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses - actual     1.09       1.09       1.07       1.05       1.05  
Gross expenses     1.09       1.09       1.07       1.05       1.05  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.41       0.34       0.12       (0.12 )     (0.09 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      21.67       3.79       35.49       35.15       (17.33 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     5.5       4.1       6.1       10.0       12.4  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     41       37       49       28       32  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

211

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund) — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     17.42       19.40       18.10       22.98       28.61  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      (0.06 )     (0.06 )     (0.13 )     (0.21 )     (0.20 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.51       0.31       6.11       7.58       (4.46 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.45       0.25       5.98       7.37       (4.66 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.01       0.02                    
Capital gain distributions     1.46       1.53       1.10       1.74       2.92  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.47       1.55       1.10       1.74       2.92  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     19.40       18.10       22.98       28.61       21.03  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses – actual     1.83       1.84       1.81       1.79       1.80  
Gross expenses     1.83       1.84       1.81       1.79       1.80  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.32 )     (0.38 )     (0.70 )     (0.86 )     (0.85 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      20.74       3.00       34.53       34.17       (17.97 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1.8       1.8       2.3       3.1       3.4  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     41       37       49       28       32  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

212

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Growth Fund (formerly, Neuberger Berman Guardian Fund) — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     17.13       19.55       18.32       23.41       29.42  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.14       0.13       0.08       0.06       0.07  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.51       0.32       6.22       7.77       (4.62 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.65       0.45       6.30       7.83       (4.55 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.14       0.15       0.11       0.08       0.05  
Capital gain distributions     1.09       1.53       1.10       1.74       2.93  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.23       1.68       1.21       1.82       2.98  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     19.55       18.32       23.41       29.42       21.89  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.71       0.71       0.70       0.67       0.68  
Gross expenses     0.71       0.71       0.70       0.67       0.68  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.80       0.74       0.43       0.26       0.28  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     22.15       4.19       36.03       35.68       (17.06 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     82.5       83.9       149.6       204.8       245.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     41       37       49       28       32  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

213

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     31.62       32.88       30.59       30.39       44.87  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.39       0.58       0.53       0.64       0.71  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.48       0.97       0.45       14.33       (2.65 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.87       1.55       0.98       14.97       (1.94 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.34       0.46       0.53       0.40       0.49  
Capital gain distributions     2.27       3.38       0.65       0.09       1.68  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     2.61       3.84       1.18       0.49       2.17  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     32.88       30.59       30.39       44.87       40.76  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.08       1.08       1.05       1.01       0.98  
Gross expenses     1.08       1.08       1.05       1.01       0.98  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.24       1.89       1.73       1.51       1.61  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      12.68       5.99       3.03       49.67       (4.58 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     4.1       52.5       23.4       136.5       201.5  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     153       109       157       89       82  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

214

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     31.67       32.87       30.61       30.30       44.90  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.15       0.33       0.31       0.40       0.39  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.48       1.02       0.44       14.30       (2.64 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.63       1.35       0.75       14.70       (2.25 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.16       0.23       0.41       0.01       0.36  
Capital gain distributions     2.27       3.38       0.65       0.09       1.68  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     2.43       3.61       1.06       0.10       2.04  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     32.87       30.61       30.30       44.90       40.61  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.82       1.82       1.81       1.74       1.72  
Gross expenses     1.82       1.82       1.81       1.74       1.72  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.48       1.08       1.04       0.94       0.90  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      11.83       5.24       2.27       48.59       (5.28 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1.9       19.7       14.7       102.3       222.8  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     153       109       157       89       82  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

215

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     31.60       32.87       30.57       30.38       44.84  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.52       0.66       0.64       0.84       0.88  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.47       1.01       0.47       14.26       (2.65 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.99       1.67       1.11       15.10       (1.77 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.45       0.59       0.65       0.55       0.64  
Capital gain distributions     2.27       3.38       0.65       0.09       1.68  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     2.72       3.97       1.30       0.64       2.32  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     32.87       30.57       30.38       44.84       40.75  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.70       0.69       0.68       0.62       0.61  
Gross expenses     0.70 (1)      0.69       0.68       0.62       0.61  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.64       2.17       2.15       1.96       2.00  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     13.11 (2)      6.41       3.42       50.25       (4.21 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     98.5       339.6       365.3       4,146.7       7,555.8  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     153       109       157       89       82  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense repayment.
(2)  Would have been higher if the Manager had not recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

216

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     14.73       17.09       16.02       18.48       22.77  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      (0.07 )     (0.07 )     (0.09 )     (0.16 )     (0.08 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.76       0.46       3.41       6.36       (4.98 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.69       0.39       3.32       6.20       (5.06 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     1.33       1.46       0.86       1.91       3.13  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.33       1.46       0.86       1.91       3.13  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     17.09       16.02       18.48       22.77       14.58  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.07       1.07       1.06       1.04       1.06  
Gross expenses     1.07       1.07       1.06       1.04       1.06  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.42 )     (0.47 )     (0.57 )     (0.78 )     (0.47 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      26.48       4.65       21.70       35.42       (25.08 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     52.1       33.0       36.0       48.1       39.0  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     50       48       55       42       58  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

217

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     15.22       17.52       16.29       18.63       22.73  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.20 )     (0.19 )     (0.21 )     (0.32 )     (0.22 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.87       0.47       3.43       6.33       (4.95 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.67       0.28       3.22       6.01       (5.17 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     1.37       1.51       0.88       1.91       3.13  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.37       1.51       0.88       1.91       3.13  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     17.52       16.29       18.63       22.73       14.43  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement/repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.85       1.82       1.81       1.79       1.80  
Gross expenses     1.85 (1)      1.82       1.81       1.79       1.80  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (1.20 )     (1.24 )     (1.32 )     (1.53 )     (1.24 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(4)      25.49 (2)      3.91       20.77       34.42       (25.67 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     11.6       10.8       11.3       13.2       7.7  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     50       48       55       42       58  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement/repayment.
(2)  Would have been lower/higher if the Manager had not reimbursed/recouped certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

218

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Growth Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     14.50       16.88       15.90       18.41       22.79  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      (0.01 )     (0.02 )     (0.03 )     (0.08 )     (0.02 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.70       0.48       3.38       6.37       (4.99 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.69       0.46       3.35       6.29       (5.01 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     1.31       1.44       0.84       1.91       3.13  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.31       1.44       0.84       1.91       3.13  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     16.88       15.90       18.41       22.79       14.65  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.70       0.70       0.70       0.67       0.69  
Gross expenses     0.70       0.70       0.70       0.67       0.69  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.05 )     (0.11 )     (0.22 )     (0.41 )     (0.10 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     26.93       5.09       22.12       35.91       (24.81 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     353.7       273.4       347.4       481.1       469.7  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     50       48       55       42       58  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

219

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     23.34       24.17       19.32       16.03       24.63  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.11       0.19       0.21       0.11       0.15  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     2.60       (3.41 )     (3.29 )     8.50       (1.10 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     2.71       (3.22 )     (3.08 )     8.61       (0.95 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.10       0.12       0.21       0.01       0.06  
Capital gain distributions     1.78       1.51                    
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.88       1.63       0.21       0.01       0.06  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     24.17       19.32       16.03       24.63       23.62  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or waiver and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.21       1.22       1.22       1.22       1.21  
Gross expenses(1)      1.39       1.40       1.54       1.73       1.68  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.46       0.91       1.15       0.50       0.59  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      12.23       (13.03 )     (16.17 )     53.74       (3.88 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     10.1       6.2       1.7       1.5       1.2  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     36       56       16       31       22  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement and/or waiver of a portion of investment management fees.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of investment management fees.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

220

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     23.47       24.18       19.29       16.00       24.43  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations     (0.06 )     0.02       0.07       (0.06 )     (0.04 )
Net investment income (loss)(3)      2.61       (3.39 )     (3.30 )     8.49       (1.09 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     2.55       (3.37 )     (3.23 )     8.43       (1.13 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations                                        
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.00       0.01       0.06              
Capital gain distributions     1.84       1.51                    
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.84       1.52       0.06              
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     24.18       19.29       16.00       24.43       23.30  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or waiver and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.96       1.97       1.97       1.97       1.96  
Gross expenses(1)      2.14       2.19       2.31       2.47       2.42  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.29 )     0.10       0.41       (0.26 )     (0.15 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      11.37       (13.69 )     (16.81 )     52.69       (4.63 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     2.4       1.5       0.8       1.0       0.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     36       56       16       31       22  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement and/or waiver of a portion of investment management fees.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of investment management fees.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

221

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     23.00       24.17       19.31       16.02       24.65  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.19       0.25       0.27       0.18       0.24  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     2.59       (3.40 )     (3.28 )     8.51       (1.11 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     2.78       (3.15 )     (3.01 )     8.69       (0.87 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.17       0.20       0.28       0.06       0.15  
Capital gain distributions     1.44       1.51                    
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.61       1.71       0.28       0.06       0.15  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     24.17       19.31       16.02       24.65       23.63  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or waiver and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.85       0.86       0.86       0.86       0.85  
Gross expenses(1)      1.02       1.07       1.19       1.32       1.28  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.81       1.21       1.52       0.84       0.97  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      12.60       (12.70 )     (15.88 )     54.34       (3.55 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     52.5       40.2       12.6       15.2       13.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     36       56       16       31       22  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement and/or waiver of a portion of investment management fees.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses and/or waived a portion of investment management fees.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

222

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     18.69       20.12       18.65       17.05       18.55  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.05       0.07       0.03       (0.01 )     (0.01 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.28       0.18       1.76       5.16       (1.99 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.33       0.25       1.79       5.15       (2.00 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.04       0.07       0.07       0.00       0.01  
Capital gain distributions     1.86       1.65       3.32       3.65       4.83  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.90       1.72       3.39       3.65       4.84  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     20.12       18.65       17.05       18.55       11.71  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.09       1.12       1.14       1.18       1.19  
Gross expenses     1.09       1.12       1.14       1.18       1.19  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.25       0.38       0.17       (0.04 )     (0.06 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      18.72       2.54       9.83       35.69       (14.92 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     75.7       49.9       41.6       53.1       41.2  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     23       36       27       15       16  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

223

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     18.87       20.13       18.59       16.92       18.23  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      (0.10 )     (0.06 )     (0.09 )     (0.13 )     (0.11 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.30       0.17       1.74       5.09       (1.94 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.20       0.11       1.65       4.96       (2.05 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     1.94       1.65       3.32       3.65       4.83  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.94       1.65       3.32       3.65       4.83  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     20.13       18.59       16.92       18.23       11.35  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.83       1.86       1.88       1.93       1.94  
Gross expenses     1.83       1.86       1.88       1.93       1.94  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.49 )     (0.35 )     (0.57 )     (0.78 )     (0.82 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      17.83       1.78       9.04       34.66       (15.58 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     44.7       39.4       30.4       27.2       15.6  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     23       36       27       15       16  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

224

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     18.67       20.12       18.64       17.03       18.55  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.12       0.14       0.09       0.05       0.04  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     3.28       0.17       1.76       5.17       (2.00 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     3.40       0.31       1.85       5.22       (1.96 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.11       0.14       0.14       0.05       0.05  
Capital gain distributions     1.84       1.65       3.32       3.65       4.83  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     1.95       1.79       3.46       3.70       4.88  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     20.12       18.64       17.03       18.55       11.71  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.72       0.74       0.76       0.81       0.82  
Gross expenses     0.72       0.74       0.76       0.81       0.82  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.61       0.75       0.53       0.33       0.28  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     19.15       2.91       10.23       36.24       (14.66 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     1,866.7       1,098.2       609.7       490.7       208.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     23       36       27       15       16  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

225

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     13.51       13.34       15.13       13.76       18.10  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.17       0.15       0.15       0.18       0.11  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.47       2.46       (0.81 )     4.41       (2.01 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.64       2.61       (0.66 )     4.59       (1.90 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.17       0.16       0.14       0.17       0.13  
Capital gain distributions     0.64       0.66       0.57       0.08       0.60  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.81       0.82       0.71       0.25       0.73  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.34       15.13       13.76       18.10       15.47  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.21       1.21       1.21       1.21       1.21  
Gross expenses(1)      1.42       1.42       1.40       1.39       1.38  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.31       1.13       1.04       1.18       0.62  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      4.90       21.01       (4.31 )     33.89       (11.02 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     58.8       63.9       60.7       84.6       78.4  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     47       38       26       22       37  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

226

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     13.52       13.36       15.16       13.79       18.15  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.08       0.06       0.04       0.08       (0.02 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.47       2.45       (0.80 )     4.42       (2.02 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.55       2.51       (0.76 )     4.50       (2.04 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.07       0.05       0.04       0.06       0.00  
Capital gain distributions     0.64       0.66       0.57       0.08       0.60  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.71       0.71       0.61       0.14       0.60  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.36       15.16       13.79       18.15       15.51  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.96       1.96       1.96       1.96       1.96  
Gross expenses(1)      2.18       2.18       2.16       2.15       2.14  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.59       0.43       0.28       0.56       (0.13 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      4.14       20.12       (5.08 )     32.94       (11.72 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     13.5       10.5       9.1       11.2       10.6  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     47       38       26       22       37  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

227

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     13.56       13.39       15.19       13.81       18.17  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      0.23       0.20       0.19       0.20       0.17  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     0.46       2.46       (0.80 )     4.47       (2.03 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     0.69       2.66       (0.61 )     4.67       (1.86 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.22       0.20       0.20       0.23       0.19  
Capital gain distributions     0.64       0.66       0.57       0.08       0.60  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.86       0.86       0.77       0.31       0.79  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     13.39       15.19       13.81       18.17       15.52  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.85       0.85       0.85       0.85       0.85  
Gross expenses(1)      1.06       1.06       1.04       1.02       1.01  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     1.81       1.49       1.37       1.32       0.99  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      5.28       21.44       (3.97 )     34.40       (10.76 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     177.7       213.6       344.1       706.9       738.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     47       38       26       22       37  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

228

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     32.98       45.10       37.93       44.88       56.68  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.39 )     (0.29 )     (0.32 )     (0.56 )     (0.39 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     12.97       0.26       8.82       12.94       (9.55 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     12.58       (0.03 )     8.50       12.38       (9.94 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     0.46       7.14       1.55       0.58       8.93  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.46       7.14       1.55       0.58       8.93  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     45.10       37.93       44.88       56.68       37.81  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.26       1.26       1.26       1.26       1.26  
Gross expenses(1)      1.88       1.65       1.60       1.49       1.53  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (1.02 )     (0.76 )     (0.86 )     (1.04 )     (0.88 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      38.60       4.01       23.09       27.69       (20.14 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     5.3       50.1       23.3       26.5       18.2  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     217       161       128       127       121  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

229

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     34.31       46.16       38.45       45.14       56.58  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.69 )     (0.63 )     (0.62 )     (0.97 )     (0.73 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     13.33       0.27       8.90       12.99       (9.49 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     12.64       (0.36 )     8.28       12.02       (10.22 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     0.79       7.35       1.59       0.58       8.93  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.79       7.35       1.59       0.58       8.93  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     46.16       38.45       45.14       56.58       37.43  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     2.01       2.01       2.01       2.01       2.01  
Gross expenses(1)      2.62       2.45       2.30       2.21       2.25  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (1.77 )     (1.60 )     (1.61 )     (1.79 )     (1.64 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)(4)      37.56       3.20       22.19       26.75       (20.74 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     3.1       4.2       4.6       6.6       4.2  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     217       161       128       127       121  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(4)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

230

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Small Cap Growth Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     32.51       44.59       37.66       44.74       56.73  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(3)      (0.25 )     (0.17 )     (0.20 )     (0.36 )     (0.24 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     12.81       0.29       8.80       12.93       (9.57 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     12.56       0.12       8.60       12.57       (9.81 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Capital gain distributions     0.48       7.05       1.52       0.58       8.93  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     0.48       7.05       1.52       0.58       8.93  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     44.59       37.66       44.74       56.73       37.99  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.90       0.90       0.90       0.90       0.90  
Gross expenses(1)      1.50       1.28       1.18       1.09       1.13  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.66 )     (0.43 )     (0.51 )     (0.68 )     (0.53 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      39.12       4.38       23.52       28.18       (19.86 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     16.4       87.7       158.1       235.8       146.5  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     217       161       128       127       121  

 

(1)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(2)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(3)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

231

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     37.58       41.88       37.08       39.43       49.84  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.16       0.23       0.15       0.10       0.09  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     6.41       (1.81 )     5.57       12.83       (6.28 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     6.57       (1.58 )     5.72       12.93       (6.19 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.24       0.10       0.20       0.17       0.27  
Capital gain distributions     2.03       3.12       3.17       2.35       4.54  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     2.27       3.22       3.37       2.52       4.81  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     41.88       37.08       39.43       49.84       38.84  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.04       1.05       1.05       1.04       1.04  
Gross expenses     1.04       1.05       1.05       1.04       1.04  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.40       0.61       0.41       0.21       0.21  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      18.14       (2.90 )     15.94       34.17       (13.86 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     126.4       95.1       98.0       160.6       133.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     12       20       21       16       14  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

232

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     37.63       41.81       36.85       39.07       49.19  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      (0.14 )     (0.04 )     (0.12 )     (0.23 )     (0.24 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     6.42       (1.80 )     5.51       12.70       (6.17 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     6.28       (1.84 )     5.39       12.47       (6.41 )
Minus:                                        
Distribution to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.07                          
Capital gain distributions     2.03       3.12       3.17       2.35       4.67  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     2.10       3.12       3.17       2.35       4.67  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     41.81       36.85       39.07       49.19       38.11  
RATIO (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense repayment and/or offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     1.78       1.79       1.79       1.79       1.79  
Gross expenses     1.78       1.79       1.79       1.79       1.79  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.35 )     (0.12 )     (0.34 )     (0.53 )     (0.55 )
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)(2)      17.26       (3.62 )     15.06       33.19       (14.49 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     62.4       47.4       40.4       48.0       36.4  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     12       20       21       16       14  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.
(2)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

233

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal periods indicated. All figures for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover). The information for the prior fiscal years or periods was audited by a different independent public accounting firm.

 

Neuberger Berman Sustainable Equity Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2018     2019     2020     2021     2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                                        
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                                        
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     37.55       41.84       37.02       39.40       49.78  
Plus:                                        
Income from investment operations                                        
Net investment income (loss)(1)      0.30       0.37       0.28       0.26       0.25  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     6.41       (1.81 )     5.57       12.81       (6.27 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     6.71       (1.44 )     5.85       13.07       (6.02 )
Minus:                                        
Distributions to shareholders                                        
Income dividends     0.39       0.26       0.30       0.34       0.43  
Capital gain distributions     2.03       3.12       3.17       2.35       4.54  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders     2.42       3.38       3.47       2.69       4.97  
Equals:                                        
Share price (NAV) at end of year     41.84       37.02       39.40       49.78       38.79  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                                        
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain offset arrangements had not been in effect.                                        
Net expenses — actual     0.67       0.68       0.68       0.67       0.68  
Gross expenses     0.67       0.68       0.68       0.67       0.68  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     0.76       1.00       0.77       0.58       0.57  
OTHER DATA                                        
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                                        
Total return (%)     18.56       (2.52 )     16.35       34.68       (13.55 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     950.5       768.3       689.9       896.3       608.2  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     12       20       21       16       14  

 

(1)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during each fiscal period.

 

234

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares for the fiscal period indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund — Class A

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2021(1)      2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     10.00       11.33  
Plus:                
Income from investment operations                
Net investment income (loss)(7)      (0.02 )     (0.03 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.35       (2.49 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.33       (2.52 )
Minus:                
Distributions to shareholders                
Income dividends            
Capital gain distributions           0.01  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders           0.01  
Equals:                
Share price (NAV) at end of year     11.33       8.80  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                
Net expenses — actual     1.26 (4)(6)      1.26  
Gross expenses(2)      9.83 (4)(6)      5.77  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.48 )(4)(6)      (0.29 )
OTHER DATA                
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                
Total return (%)(3)(8)      13.30 (5)      (22.28 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     0.2       0.1  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     7 (5)      28  

 

(1)  Period from 3/23/2021 (beginning of operations) to 8/31/2021.
(2)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(3)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(4)  Annualized.
(5)  Not annualized.
(6)  Organization expenses, which are non-recurring expenses, are included in the ratio on a non-annualized basis.
(7)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(8)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

235

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Class C shares for the fiscal period indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund — Class C

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2021(1)      2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     10.00       11.29  
Plus:                
Income from investment operations                
Net investment income (loss)(7)      (0.06 )     (0.10 )
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.35       (2.47 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.29       (2.57 )
Minus:                
Distributions to shareholders                
Income dividends            
Capital gain distributions           0.01  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders           0.01  
Equals:                
Share price (NAV) at end of year     11.29       8.71  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                
Net expenses — actual     2.01 (4)(6)      2.01  
Gross expenses(2)      18.90 (4)(6)      6.76  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (1.30 )(4)(6)      (0.99 )
OTHER DATA                
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                
Total return (%)(3)(8)      12.90 (5)      (22.80 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     0.0       0.0  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     7 (5)      28  

 

(1)  Period from 3/23/2021 (beginning of operations) to 8/31/2021.
(2)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(3)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(4)  Annualized.
(5)  Not annualized.
(6)  Organization expenses, which are non-recurring expenses, are included in the ratio on a non-annualized basis.
(7)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.
(8)  Does not include the effect of sales charges.

 

236

Table of Contents

 

Financial Highlights

 

These financial highlights describe the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the fiscal period indicated. All figures have been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Their report, along with full financial statements, appears in the Fund’s most recent annual shareholder report (see back cover).

 

Neuberger Berman U.S. Equity Impact Fund — Institutional Class

 

YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,   2021(1)      2022  
PER-SHARE DATA ($)                
Data apply to a single share throughout each year indicated. You can see what the Fund earned (or lost), what it distributed to investors, and how its share price changed.                
Share price (NAV) at beginning of year     10.00       11.35  
Plus:                
Income from investment operations                
Net investment income (loss)(7)      (0.01 )     0.01  
Net gains (losses) — realized and unrealized     1.36       (2.50 )
Subtotal: income (loss) from investment operations     1.35       (2.49 )
Minus:                
Distributions to shareholders                
Income dividends            
Capital gain distributions           0.01  
Subtotal: distributions to shareholders           0.01  
Equals:                
Share price (NAV) at end of year     11.35       8.85  
RATIOS (% OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)                
The ratios show the Fund’s expenses and net investment income (loss) — as they actually are as well as how they would have been if certain expense reimbursement arrangements had not been in effect.                
Net expenses — actual     0.90 (4)(6)      0.90  
Gross expenses(2)      6.59 (4)(6)      5.26  
Net investment income (loss) — actual     (0.19 )(4)(6)      0.13  
OTHER DATA                
Total return shows how an investment in the Fund would have performed over each year, assuming all distributions were reinvested. The turnover rate reflects how actively the Fund bought and sold securities.                
Total return (%)(3)      13.50 (5)      (21.95 )
Net assets at end of year (in millions of dollars)     6.1       5.9  
Portfolio turnover rate (%)     7 (5)      28  

 

(1)  Period from 3/23/2021 (beginning of operations) to 8/31/2021.
(2)  Shows what this ratio would have been if there had been no expense reimbursement.
(3)  Would have been lower if the Manager had not reimbursed certain expenses.
(4)  Annualized.
(5)  Not annualized.
(6)  Organization expenses, which are non-recurring expenses, are included in the ratio on a non-annualized basis.
(7)  Calculated based on the average number of shares outstanding during the fiscal period.

 

237

Table of Contents

 

YOUR INVESTMENT

 

Shares of the Funds generally are available only through financial intermediaries. For certain investors, shares of a Fund may also be available directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC, the Funds’ Distributor. See “Maintaining Your Account”.

 

Choosing a Share Class

 

The Funds offer different classes of shares through this prospectus. Each share class is available through various investment programs or accounts, including certain types of retirement plans and accounts (see limitations below). The services or share classes available to you may vary depending upon how you wish to purchase shares of a Fund.

 

Each share class represents investment in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you to choose the class that best fits your situation. When you purchase shares of a Fund, you should choose a share class. If none is chosen, your investment will be made in Class A shares.

 

Factors you should consider in choosing a class of shares include:

 

how long you expect to own the shares

 

how much you intend to invest

 

total expenses associated with owning shares of each class

 

whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges (for example, Class A shares may be a less expensive option than Class C shares over time, particularly if you qualify for a sales charge reduction or waiver)

 

whether you plan to take any distributions in the near future

 

availability of (and eligibility for) share classes.

 

Each investor’s financial considerations are different. You should speak with your financial intermediary to help you decide which share class is best for you.

 

Summary of Primary Differences Among Share Classes

 

Class A Shares

Initial sales charge   Up to 5.75% (reduced for purchases of $50,000 or more and eliminated for purchases of $1 million or more)
Contingent deferred sales charge   None (except that a charge of 1.00% applies to certain redemptions made within 18 months following purchases of $1 million or more without an initial sales charge)
12b-1 fees   0.25% annually
Dividends   Generally higher than Class C due to lower annual expenses and lower than Institutional Class due to higher annual expenses
Purchase maximum   None
Conversion   None
Class C Shares    
Initial sales charge   None
Contingent deferred sales charge   1.00% if shares are sold within one year after purchase
12b-1 fees   1.00% annually
Dividends   Generally lower than Class A and Institutional Class due to higher annual expenses
Purchase maximum   See the discussion regarding purchase minimums and maximums in “Maintaining Your Account”
Conversion   Automatic conversion into Class A shares of the same Fund at the end of the month following the eighth anniversary of the purchase date of Class C shares. Class C shares held through a financial intermediary may be converted pursuant to the conversion schedule or eligibility requirements of such financial intermediary. It is the financial intermediary’s (and not the Fund’s) responsibility to keep records and to ensure that the shareholder is credited with the proper holding period as the Fund and its agents may not have transparency into how long a shareholder has held Class C shares for purposes of determining whether such Class C shares are eligible to automatically convert pursuant to the conversion feature. Please see the Statement of Additional Information for more information regarding the conversion privileges of Class C shares.

 

238

Table of Contents

 

Institutional Class Shares  
Initial sales charge None
Contingent deferred sales charge None
12b-1 fees None
Dividends Generally higher than Class A and Class C due to lower annual expenses
Purchase maximum None
Conversion None

 

Maintaining Your Account

 

Purchase of Class A and Class C shares — To open an account and purchase Class A and Class C shares of a Fund, contact any financial intermediary authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. Financial intermediaries may have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales charge waivers or contingent deferred sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those discussed herein; any such differences are described in Appendix A to this prospectus. All variations described in Appendix A are applied by, and are the responsibility of, the identified financial intermediary. Such variations may apply to purchases, sales, exchanges and reinvestments of Fund shares. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the Distributor or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular financial intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Distributor, if eligible, or through another financial intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts. See “Financial Intermediaries” if you are buying shares through a financial intermediary.

 

For Grandfathered Investors (as defined below), instructions for buying shares directly from Neuberger Berman BD LLC, the Funds’ Distributor, are under “Buying Shares.”

 

Purchase of Institutional Class shares — To open an account and purchase Institutional Class shares of a Fund, contact any financial intermediary authorized to sell the Fund’s shares. See “Financial Intermediaries” if you are buying shares through a financial intermediary.

 

Institutional Class shares are available for purchase (i) primarily through omnibus accounts (either at the plan level or at the level of the financial intermediary) by certain qualified retirement plans (including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans), profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, (ii) primarily through omnibus accounts by financial intermediaries (including, but not limited to registered investment advisors and financial planners) that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor or an affiliate, (iii) by institutional investors, if approved by the Distributor, or (iv) by accounts or funds managed by the Manager or an affiliate (including the funds in the Neuberger Berman family of funds).

 

For shareholders who are eligible to buy Institutional Class shares directly from the Distributor (“Eligible Investors”), instructions for buying shares directly from the Distributor are under “Buying Shares.”

 

If you transact in Institutional Class shares, you may be required to pay a commission to a financial intermediary acting as your broker. You may be eligible to transact in the other share classes that are offered by the Fund that have different fees and expenses.

 

When you buy shares — Investment checks must be drawn on a U.S. bank. We cannot accept cash, money orders, starter checks, travelers checks, or other cash equivalents. We do accept Bank Checks and Cashier’s Checks from U.S. Financial Institutions.

 

When you buy shares, you will receive the next share price to be calculated after your order has been received in proper form. Purchase orders are deemed “received in proper form” when the Funds’ transfer agent has received payment for the shares. In the case of certain institutional investors and financial intermediaries, the Distributor will process purchase orders when received, on the basis of a pre-existing arrangement to make payment by the following morning. In addition, if you have established a systematic investment program (SIP) with one or more of the Funds, your order is deemed received in proper form on the date you pre-selected on your SIP application for the systematic investments to occur. If you use a financial intermediary, you should check with that provider to find out by what time your purchase order must be received so that it can be processed the same day. Depending on when it accepts orders, it is possible that a Fund’s share price could change on days when you are unable to buy shares.

 

239

Table of Contents

 

Whenever you make an initial investment in a Fund or add to your existing account (except with an automatic investment), you will be sent a statement confirming your transaction if you bought shares directly. Investors who bought shares through a financial intermediary should contact their financial intermediary for information regarding transaction statements.

 

Purchase minimums — The minimum initial investment in Class A or Class C shares is $1,000. Additional investments in Class A or Class C shares can be as little as $100. The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares is $1 million. These minimums may be waived in certain cases. If you purchase shares of the Fund through an investment provider or other financial intermediary, you may be subject to different investment minimums. Please contact your financial intermediary for further information regarding investment minimums.

 

Purchase maximums — For Class C shares, a purchase transaction may not (1) be $1 million or above or (2) increase an investor’s aggregate holdings in Class C shares to $1 million or above.

 

In addition, if you have significant holdings in the fund family, you may not be eligible to invest in Class C shares. Specifically, you may not purchase Class C shares if you are eligible to purchase Class A shares at the $1 million or more sales charge discount rate (i.e., at net asset value). See “Sales Charges” and the Statement of Additional Information for more information regarding sales charge discounts.

 

When you sell shares — To sell shares you bought through a financial intermediary, contact your financial intermediary. See “Financial Intermediaries” if you are selling shares through a financial intermediary. If you bought your shares directly from the Distributor, instructions for selling shares are under “Selling Shares.”

 

When you sell shares, you will receive the next share price to be calculated after your order has been received in proper form, minus any applicable contingent deferred sales charge. Redemption orders are deemed “received in proper form” when a Fund’s transfer agent has received your order to sell.

 

If you use a financial intermediary, you should check with that provider to find out by what time your redemption order must be received so that it can be processed the same day. Depending on when it accepts orders, it is possible that a Fund’s share price could change on days when you are unable to sell shares.

 

In some cases, you will have to place your order to sell shares in writing, and you will need a Medallion signature guarantee (see “Medallion Signature Guarantees”).

 

When selling Class A or Class C shares in an account that you do not intend to close, remember to leave at least $1,000 worth of shares in the account. When selling Institutional Class shares in an account that you do not intend to close, remember to leave at least $1 million worth of shares in the account. Otherwise, a Fund has the right to request that you bring the balance back up to the minimum level. If you have not done so within 60 days, we may close your account and redeem the proceeds. Institutional Class shareholders of a Fund as of the opening of regular trading on the Exchange on July 1, 2009, may continue to hold and buy Institutional Class shares of the Fund as long as they continuously maintain an account of at least $1 million in Institutional Class shares of the Fund; however, this minimum may be waived by the Distributor in certain cases.

 

The Funds reserve the right to pay in kind for redemptions. The Funds do not redeem in kind under normal circumstances, but would do so when the Manager or the Board of Trustees determines that it is in the best interests of a Fund’s shareholders as a whole or the transaction is otherwise effected in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. Institutional Class shareholders are urged to call 800-366-6264 before effecting any large redemption.

 

Class A and Class C only — You may reinvest proceeds from a redemption, dividend payment or capital gain distribution without a sales charge in a Fund or another fund in the fund family provided the reinvestment is made into the same account from which you redeemed the shares or received the distribution. Financial intermediaries may have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales charge waivers or contingent deferred sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ; any such differences are described in Appendix A to this prospectus. If the account has been closed, reinvestment can be made without a sales charge if the new receiving account has the same registration as the closed account. Proceeds from a redemption and all dividend payments and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in the same share class from which the original redemption or distribution was made. Upon an eligible reinvestment, any contingent deferred sales charge on Class A or Class C shares will be credited to your account. Proceeds will be reinvested at the next calculated net asset value after your request is received in proper form. Redemption proceeds from a systematic withdrawal plan are not eligible for reinvestment without a sales charge.

 

Uncashed checks — We do not pay interest on uncashed checks from Fund distributions or the sale of Fund shares. We are not responsible for checks after they are sent to you. Checks will not be forwarded if the address of record is incorrect. After allowing a reasonable time for delivery, please call us if you have not received an expected check. While we cannot track a check, we may

 

240

Table of Contents

 

make arrangements for a replacement. We may be required to transfer assets related to uncashed checks to a state government under the state’s unclaimed or abandoned property law.

 

When you exchange Class A and Class C shares — Generally, you can move an investment from one fund to a comparable class of another fund in the fund family (or to an eligible money market fund outside the fund family) through an exchange of shares or by electing to use your cash distributions from one fund to purchase shares of the other fund, both without a sales charge. Financial intermediaries may have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales charge waivers or contingent deferred sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ; any such differences are described in Appendix A to this prospectus. Exchanges from eligible money market funds outside the fund family will be subject to applicable sales charges on the fund being purchased, unless the eligible money market fund shares were acquired through an exchange from a fund in the fund family having a sales charge or by reinvestment or cross-reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions from a fund in the fund family having a sales charge. Currently, most, but not all, funds in the fund family offer Class A and Class C shares.

 

When you exchange Institutional Class shares — Generally, you can move an investment from one fund to a comparable class of another fund in the fund family (or to an eligible money market fund outside the fund family) through an exchange of shares or by electing to use your cash distributions from one fund to purchase shares of the other fund.

 

When you exchange shares — There are three things to remember when making an exchange:

 

both accounts must have the same registration

 

you will need to observe any eligibility requirements, including minimum investment and minimum account balance requirements for the fund accounts involved

 

because an exchange is treated as a sale (redemption) of the exchanged shares for federal income tax purposes, consider any tax consequences before placing your order.

 

The exchange privilege can be withdrawn from any investor that we believe is trying to “time the market” or is otherwise making exchanges that we judge to be excessive. Frequent exchanges can interfere with Fund management and affect costs and performance for other shareholders. Contact your financial intermediary to see if it allows you to take advantage of the fund exchange program and for its policies to effect an exchange.

 

Grandfathered Investors generally are also eligible to take advantage of the exchange privilege assuming that they meet the requirements set forth above.

 

See “Additional Exchange Information” in the Statement of Additional Information for information regarding eligible money market funds outside the fund family.

 

Placing orders by telephone — If you use a financial intermediary, contact your financial intermediary for its policies regarding telephone orders.

 

If you bought your shares directly from the Distributor, you have the option of placing telephone orders, subject to certain restrictions. This option is available to you unless you indicate on your account application (or in a subsequent letter to us or to DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.) that you do not want it.

 

Whenever we receive a telephone order, we take steps to make sure the order is legitimate. These may include asking for identifying information and recording the call. As long as a Fund and its representatives take reasonable measures to verify the authenticity of calls, investors may be responsible for any losses caused by unauthorized telephone orders.

 

In unusual circumstances, it may be difficult to place an order by phone. In these cases, consider sending your order by express delivery.

 

Proceeds from the sale of shares — For Class A and Class C shares, the proceeds from the shares you sell are typically sent out within two business days after your order is executed, and nearly always within seven days regardless of payment type. For Institutional Class shares, the proceeds from the shares you sell are typically sent out the next business day after your order is executed, and nearly always within seven days regardless of payment type. When you sell shares through your financial intermediary, contact your provider to find out when proceeds will be sent to you. There are two cases in which proceeds may be delayed beyond this time:

 

in unusual circumstances where the law allows additional time if needed

 

if a check you wrote to buy shares has not cleared by the time you sell those shares; clearance may take up to 15 calendar days from the date of purchase.

 

241

Table of Contents

 

If you think you may need to sell shares soon after buying them, you can avoid the check clearing time by investing by wire.

 

The Funds do not issue certificates for shares.

 

The Funds typically expect to meet redemption requests, under both normal and stressed market conditions, by redeeming cash and cash equivalent portfolio holdings and/or selling portfolio securities or other instruments. As described further above and in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information, the Funds also reserve the right to redeem an investor’s shares in kind (i.e., providing investors with portfolio securities instead of cash), in whole or in part to meet redemption requests in stressed market conditions and other appropriate circumstances.

 

The Funds reserve the right to pay in kind for redemptions. A Fund also may elect to honor a shareholder’s request for the Fund to pay in kind for redemptions in an attempt to manage any liquidity needs, to manage and optimize its portfolio composition, to offset transaction costs associated with portfolio transactions, and/or to more efficiently manage its portfolio. The securities provided to investors in an in-kind redemption may be a pro-rata portion of the Fund’s portfolio or a non-pro-rata portion of the Fund’s portfolio selected by the Manager based upon various circumstances and subject to the Fund’s policies and procedures and any applicable laws or regulations. If the securities provided to investors in an in-kind redemption are a non-pro-rata portion of the Fund’s portfolio, it will only include securities that have been disclosed in the Fund’s most recent public portfolio holdings disclosure.

 

Redemptions in kind may cause you to incur transaction costs to the extent you dispose of the securities redeemed in kind and the value of the securities redeemed in kind may decrease between the time of redemption and the time of such sale. The Funds may also borrow under any available line of credit and other available methods to meet redemption requests in both normal and stressed market conditions and other appropriate circumstances.

 

Other policies — Under certain circumstances, which may include normal and stressed market conditions, the Funds reserve the right to:

 

suspend the offering of shares

 

reject any exchange or purchase order

 

suspend or reject future purchase orders from any investor who has not provided timely payment to settle a purchase order

 

change, suspend, or revoke the exchange privilege

 

suspend the telephone order privilege

 

satisfy an order to sell Fund shares with securities rather than cash

 

suspend or postpone investors’ ability to sell Fund shares or postpone payments on redemptions for more than seven days, on days when trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“Exchange”) is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)

 

suspend or postpone investors’ ability to sell Fund shares or postpone payments on redemptions for more than seven days, on days when the Exchange is closed

 

suspend or postpone investors’ ability to sell Fund shares or postpone payments on redemptions for more than seven days, on days when the Exchange closes early (e.g., on the eve of a major holiday or because of a local emergency, such as a blizzard)

 

change investment minimums or other requirements for buying and selling, or waive any minimums or requirements for certain investors

 

remain open and process orders to purchase or sell Fund shares when the Exchange is closed.

 

Important information regarding unclaimed/abandoned property — If your financial intermediary (or, if you bought your shares directly, the Distributor) is unable to locate you, then it is required by law to determine whether your account(s) must be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned.” Your financial intermediary (or the Distributor) is required to transfer (or escheat) unclaimed or abandoned property to the appropriate state government in accordance with state law. Your account(s) may also be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned” and subsequently transferred to the appropriate state government if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within the account(s) during the period of time specified by state law or if checks related to the account(s) remain uncashed. Your last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction.

 

It is your responsibility to ensure that your financial intermediary (or the Distributor) maintains a correct address for your account(s). An incorrect address may cause your account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Neither the Distributor nor a Fund nor its transfer agent will be liable to investors or their representatives for good faith compliance with state unclaimed or abandoned property (escheatment) laws. If you use a financial intermediary, contact that provider regarding applicable state escheatment laws.

 

242

Table of Contents

 

Medallion Signature Guarantees

 

You may need a Medallion signature guarantee when you sell shares directly or through a financial intermediary. A Medallion signature guarantee is a guarantee that your signature is authentic.

 

Medallion signature guarantees are required for a variety of transactions including requests for changes to your account or to the instructions for distribution of proceeds. We reserve the right to require a Medallion signature guarantee on any transaction at our discretion.

 

Most banks, brokers, and other financial institutions can provide you with one. Some may charge a fee; others may not, particularly if you are a customer of theirs.

 

A notarized signature from a notary public is not a Medallion signature guarantee.

 

Financial Intermediaries

 

The shares available in this prospectus can be purchased through certain financial intermediaries such as banks, brokerage firms, workplace retirement programs, and financial advisers.

 

The minimum aggregate size for each financial intermediary’s account with a Fund is $1 million for Institutional Class shares. This minimum does not apply to your individual account; however, your financial intermediary may establish a minimum size for individual accounts. The Distributor can waive this $1 million minimum for financial intermediaries in appropriate cases.

 

The fees and policies outlined in this prospectus are set by the Funds and by the Distributor. However, if you use a financial intermediary, most of the information you will need for managing your investment will come from that provider. This includes information on how to buy and sell shares, investor services, and additional policies.

 

If you use a financial intermediary, contact that provider to buy or sell shares of the Funds described in this prospectus.

 

Most financial intermediaries allow you to take advantage of the fund exchange program, which is designed for moving an investment from one fund to a comparable class of another fund in the fund family if made available by that financial intermediary through an exchange of shares. Currently, most, but not all, funds in the fund family offer Class A and Class C shares.

 

In exchange for the services it offers, your financial intermediary may charge fees that are in addition to those described in this prospectus.

 

Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries

 

The Distributor and/or its affiliates pay additional compensation, out of their own resources and not as an expense of the Funds, to certain financial intermediaries, including affiliates, in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. The amount of these payments may be substantial and may differ among financial intermediaries based on, for example, the level or type of services provided by a financial intermediary. These payments are in addition to any fees paid to compensate financial intermediaries for providing distribution related services to the Funds and/or administrative or shareholder services to Fund shareholders, as well as any commissions paid to financial intermediaries out of sales charges paid by investors. These arrangements are separately negotiated between the Distributor and/or its affiliates, and the recipients of these payments or their affiliates. If your financial intermediary receives such payments, these payments may provide an incentive for the financial intermediary to make the Fundsshares available to you or recommend the Funds. If you have purchased shares of a Fund through a financial intermediary, please speak with your financial intermediary to learn more about any payments it receives from the Distributor and/or its affiliates, as well as fees and/or commissions the financial intermediary charges. You should also consult disclosures made by your financial intermediary at the time of purchase. Any such payments by the Distributor or its affiliates will not change the net asset value or the price of a Funds shares. For more information, please see the FundsStatement of Additional Information.

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Fees

 

The Funds have adopted plans pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the plans, each of Class A and Class C pays the Distributor a fee at an annual rate of 0.25% and 1.00%, respectively, of its average net assets to compensate financial intermediaries for providing distribution related services to a Fund and/or administrative or shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Distributor may also retain part of this fee as

 

243

Table of Contents

 

compensation for providing these services. These fees increase the cost of investment. Because these fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an on-going basis, over the long term they could result in higher overall costs than other types of sales charges.

 

Information Required from New Accounts

 

To help the U.S. 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, we (which may include your financial intermediary acting on our behalf) will require your name, address, date of birth, and social security number or other taxpayer identification number. We may also require other identifying documents. If we cannot verify the information you supply to us or if it is incomplete, we may be required to return your funds or redeem your account.

 

Retirement Plans and Accounts

 

If you use a financial intermediary, contact that provider for information on retirement plans or accounts it may make available for investment in Fund shares.

 

Internet Access

 

If you use a financial intermediary, contact that provider about the services and information it provides on the Internet.

 

Share Prices

 

Because Class A shares of the Funds have an initial sales charge, the price you pay for each Class A share of a Fund is the Fund’s offering price, which is the Fund’s net asset value per share plus any applicable sales charge. The initial sales charge for Class A shares of a Fund may be eliminated in certain circumstances. Because Class C shares of the Funds do not have an initial sales charge, the price you pay for each Class C share of a Fund is the Fund’s net asset value per share. Unless a contingent deferred sales charge is applied, a Fund pays you the full share price when you sell Class A or Class C shares (see “Sales Charges” for more information).

 

Because Institutional Class shares of the Funds do not have a sales charge, the price you pay for each Institutional Class share of a Fund is the Fund’s net asset value per share. Similarly, because the Funds do not charge fees for selling Institutional Class shares, a Fund pays you the full share price when you sell Institutional Class shares.

 

If you use a financial intermediary, that provider may charge fees that are in addition to those described in this prospectus.

 

The Funds are generally open for business every day the Exchange is open. The Exchange is generally closed on all national holidays and Good Friday; Fund shares will not be priced on those days or other days on which the Exchange is scheduled to be closed. When the Exchange is closed for unusual reasons, Fund shares will generally not be priced although a Fund may decide to remain open and price Fund shares and in such a case, the Fund would post a notice on www.nb.com.

 

Each Fund normally calculates its share price on each day the Exchange is open once daily as of 4:00 P.M., Eastern time. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the Exchange, a Fund’s share price would still normally be determined as of 4:00 P.M., Eastern time. In general, every buy or sell order you place will go through at the next share price calculated after your order has been received in proper form (see “Maintaining Your Account” for information on placing orders). If you use a financial intermediary, you should check with that provider to find out by what time your order must be received so that it can be processed the same day. Depending on when your financial intermediary accepts orders, it is possible that a Fund’s share price could change on days when you are unable to buy or sell shares.

 

Because foreign markets may be open on days when U.S. markets are closed, the value of foreign securities owned by a Fund could change on days when you cannot buy or sell Fund shares. Remember, though, any purchase or sale takes place at the next share price calculated after your order is received in proper form.

 

Share Price Calculations

 

The net asset value per share of Class A, Class C and Institutional Class of a Fund is the total value of Fund assets attributable to shares of that class minus the liabilities attributable to that class, divided by the total number of shares outstanding for that class. Because the value of a Funds portfolio securities changes every business day, its share price usually changes as well.

 

244

Table of Contents

 

A Fund generally values its investments based upon their last reported sale prices, market quotations, or estimates of value provided by an independent pricing service as of the time as of which the Fund’s share price is calculated. Debt securities and certain derivative instruments that do not trade on an exchange generally are valued by one or more independent pricing services approved by the Manager on the basis of market quotations and in the case of derivatives, market data about the underlying investments. Short-term securities held by a Fund may be valued on the basis of amortized cost, unless other factors indicate that amortized cost is not an accurate estimate of the security’s value. Equity securities (including securities issued by ETFs) and exchange-traded derivative instruments held by a Fund generally are valued by one or more independent pricing services approved by the Manager at the last reported sale price or official closing price or, if there is no reported sale quoted on a principal exchange or market for that security or official closing price, on the basis of market quotations.

 

Investments in non-exchange traded investment companies are valued using the respective fund’s daily calculated net asset value per share. The prospectuses for these funds explain the circumstances under which the funds will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

 

If a valuation for a security is not available from an independent pricing service or if the Manager believes in good faith that the valuation does not reflect the amount a Fund would receive on a current sale of that security, the Fund seeks to obtain quotations from brokers or dealers. If such quotations are not readily available, the Fund may use a fair value estimate made according to methods approved by the Manager. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Board of Trustees designated the Manager as the Fund’s valuation designee. As the Fund’s valuation designee, the Manager is responsible for determining fair value in good faith for any and all Fund investments. A Fund may also use these methods to value certain types of illiquid securities. Fair value pricing generally will be used if the market in which a portfolio security trades closes early or if trading in a particular security was halted during the day and did not resume prior to the time as of which a Fund’s share price is calculated.

 

A Fund may also fair value securities that trade in a foreign market if significant events that appear likely to affect the value of those securities occur between the time the foreign market closes and the time as of which the Fund’s share price is calculated. Significant events may include (1) corporate actions or announcements that affect a single issuer, (2) governmental actions that affect securities in one sector, country or region, (3) natural disasters or armed conflicts that affect a country or region, or (4) significant domestic or foreign market fluctuations.

 

For certain foreign assets, after the relevant foreign markets have closed, a third-party vendor supplies evaluated, systematic fair value pricing based upon analysis of historical correlation of multiple factors. In the case of both foreign equity and foreign income securities, in the absence of precise information about the market values of these foreign securities as of the time as of which a Fund’s share price is calculated, the Board has determined on the basis of available data that prices adjusted or evaluated in this way are likely to be closer to the prices a Fund could realize on a current sale than are the prices of those securities established at the close of the foreign markets in which the securities primarily trade. Please see the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information for additional detail about the Funds’ fair valuation practices.

 

The effect of using fair value pricing is that a portfolio security will be priced based on the subjective judgment of the Manager, operating under procedures approved by the Manager, instead of being priced using valuations from an independent pricing service. Fair value pricing can help to protect a Fund by reducing arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value pricing will completely prevent dilution of a Fund’s net asset value by such traders.

 

Trading in securities on many foreign exchanges is normally completed before the Fund calculates its net asset value. In addition, foreign markets may be open on days when U.S. markets are closed. As a result, the value of foreign securities owned by the Fund could change at times or on days when the Fund’s net asset value is not calculated, when Fund shares do not trade, and when sales and redemptions of Fund shares do not occur.

 

Privileges and Services

 

If you purchase shares through a financial intermediary, consult your financial intermediary for information about privileges and services. If you purchase shares directly from the Distributor, see “Direct Investors” for information about privileges and services.

 

245

Table of Contents

 

Sales Charges

 

Class A sales charges — The initial sales charge you pay each time you buy Class A shares differs depending upon the amount you invest and may be reduced or eliminated for larger purchases as indicated below. The “offering price,” the price you pay to buy shares, includes any applicable sales charge, which will be deducted directly from your investment. Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions are not subject to an initial sales charge.

 

    Sales charges as a percentage of:  
Investment   Offering Price  

Net amount

invested

  Dealer commission
as a percentage
of offering price
Less than $50,000   5.75%   6.10%   5.00%
$50,000 or more but less than $100,000   4.75%   4.99%   4.00%
$100,000 or more but less than $250,000   3.75%   3.90%   3.00%
$250,000 or more but less than $500,000   2.75%   2.83%   2.25%
$500,000 or more but less than $1 million   2.00%   2.04%   1.75%
$1 million or more and certain other investments described below   None   None   See below

 

The sales charge, expressed as a percentage of the offering price or the net amount invested, may be higher or lower than the percentages described in the table above due to rounding. This is because the dollar amount of the sales charge is determined by subtracting the net asset value of the shares purchased from the offering price, which is calculated to two decimal places using standard rounding criteria. The impact of rounding will vary with the size of the investment and the net asset value of the shares. Similarly, any contingent deferred sales charge paid by you on investments in Class A shares may be higher or lower than the 1% charge described below due to rounding.

 

Except as provided below, investments in Class A shares of $1 million or more may be subject to a 1% contingent deferred sales charge if the shares are sold within 18 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is a percentage of the original purchase price or the current market value of the shares being sold, whichever is less.

 

Class A purchases not subject to sales charges – Sales charge waivers are available for investments in Class A shares by Grandfathered Investors (see “Direct Investors” for more information) provided that such investors have properly notified the Manager or the Distributor of such status in advance of such purchases, except that in the case of accounts of Grandfathered Investors who have a documented relationship with a financial intermediary, the availability of the sales charge waiver may depend on the financial intermediary’s policies and procedures and eligibility requirements regarding such waivers.

 

When purchasing through a financial intermediary, you may not benefit from certain policies and procedures of the Fund as your eligibility may be dependent upon the policies and procedures of your financial intermediary, including those regarding sales charge waivers and reductions of sales charges through reinstatement, rights of accumulation, letters of intent, and share class exchanges and/or conversions. In some cases, due to financial intermediary policies and procedures, customers may receive waivers in circumstances that are not expressly provided for herein. In all instances, it is the investor’s responsibility to notify its financial intermediary of any relationship or other facts qualifying the investor for sales charge waivers or reductions. (Please see “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” below for additional information).

 

The Distributor may pay financial intermediaries up to 1% on investments made in Class A shares with no initial sales charge. See “Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Fees” for additional information regarding each Fund’s plans of distribution.

 

Certain other investors may qualify to purchase shares without a sales charge, such as employees of financial intermediaries authorized to sell funds in the fund family, employees of Neuberger Berman and members of the Funds’ Board of Trustees. See “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” below for more information.

 

Class C sales charges — Class C shares are sold without any initial sales charge. For Class C shares, a contingent deferred sales charge of 1% applies if shares are sold within one year of purchase.

 

Any contingent deferred sales charge paid by you on investments in Class C shares, expressed as a percentage of the applicable redemption amount, may be higher or lower than the percentages described above due to rounding.

 

Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. In addition, the contingent deferred sales charge may be waived in certain circumstances. See “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” below for more information. The contingent deferred sales charge is a percentage of the original purchase price or

 

246

Table of Contents

 

the current market value of the shares being sold, whichever is less. For purposes of determining the contingent deferred sales charge, if you sell only some of your shares, shares that are not subject to any contingent deferred sales charge will be sold first, followed by shares that you have owned the longest. The Distributor pays a fee equal to 1% of the amount invested to financial intermediaries who sell Class C shares. All or a portion of these payments may be made from amounts that each Fund pays the Distributor through its plans of distribution. See “Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Fees” for information regarding each Fund’s plans of distribution.

 

Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers

 

Sales charge waivers are available for investments in Class A shares by Grandfathered Investors (see “Direct Investors” for more information) provided that such investors have properly notified NB Group and any affiliates of such status in advance of purchase.

 

Financial intermediaries may have sales charges and/or policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales charge waivers or contingent deferred sales charge waivers applicable to their customers that differ from those discussed herein; any such differences are described in Appendix A to this prospectus and it is the responsibility of the intermediary to monitor for and implement such policies and procedures. To receive a reduction in your Class A initial sales charge, you or your financial intermediary must let the Distributor know at the time you purchase shares that you qualify for such a reduction. If you or your financial intermediary does not let the Distributor know that you are eligible for a reduction, you may not receive a sales charge discount to which you are otherwise entitled. In order to determine your eligibility to receive a sales charge discount, it may be necessary for you or your financial intermediary to provide the Distributor with information and records (including account statements) of all relevant accounts invested in the fund family. To have your Class A or Class C contingent deferred sales charge waived, you or your financial intermediary must let the Distributor know at the time you redeem shares that you qualify for such a waiver.

 

Class A shares of a Fund may be sold at net asset value to the following types of investors, provided that such investors have properly notified their financial intermediary, NB Group (and/or any affiliates), as appropriate, of their eligibility in advance of purchase:

 

1. current or retired directors, trustees, and officers of the Neuberger Berman Funds, current or retired employees and partners of NB Group and any affiliates, or of any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with a Neuberger Berman Fund, NB Group and any affiliates;

 

2. current employees of firms, including wholesalers, that have entered into selling agreements to distribute shares of the Neuberger Berman Funds;

 

3. current employees of registered investment advisers that invest in the Neuberger Berman Funds either for proprietary accounts or on behalf of clients;

 

4. immediate family members of persons listed in (1) through (3) above (as “immediate family” is defined below);

 

5. companies exchanging securities with a Fund through a merger, acquisition or exchange offer;

 

6. insurance company separate accounts;

 

7. NB Group and its affiliated companies;

 

8. an individual or entity with a substantial client relationship with NB Group and its affiliated companies, or an individual or entity related or relating to such individual or entity that holds its shares directly with a Fund;

 

9. financial intermediaries (including but not limited to registered investment advisors and financial planners) that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor or one of its affiliates, purchasing shares on behalf of clients participating in a fund supermarket or in a wrap program, asset allocation program or other program in which the clients pay an asset-based fee;

 

10. Employer-sponsored qualified retirement plans, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, group 403(b) plans and individual 403(b) accounts, maintained at a financial intermediary that has an agreement with the Distributor, the Manager or the Administrator, profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans; and individual retirement account (“IRA”) rollovers involving retirement plan assets invested in the Funds and transferred in-kind to an IRA held at a financial intermediary that has an agreement with the Distributor, the Manager or the Administrator to service such accounts;

 

247

Table of Contents

 

11. Employee benefit and retirement plans sponsored by NB Group and any affiliates and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with NB Group and any affiliates;

 

12. Certain IRAs that are part of an IRA platform sponsored by or maintained at a financial intermediary that has an agreement with the Distributor, the Manager or the Administrator which specifically provides that the Funds’ shares are offered at NAV on such IRA platform; and

 

13. Qualified Tuition Programs under Section 529 of the Code.

 

Shares are offered at NAV to these persons and organizations due to anticipated economies in sales effort and expense. Once an account is established under this net asset value privilege, additional investments can be made at NAV for the life of the account.

 

Reducing your Class A initial sales charge — Consistent with the policies described in this prospectus, you and your “immediate family” (your spouse — or equivalent if recognized under local law — and your children under the age of 21) may combine all of your investments in the fund family to reduce your Class A sales charge.

 

Aggregating accounts to reduce Class A initial sales charge — To receive a reduced Class A sales charge, investments made by you and your immediate family (see above) may be aggregated if made for your own account(s) and/or certain other accounts if all parties are purchasing shares for their own accounts and/or:

 

trust accounts established by you or your immediate family (for trusts with only one primary beneficiary, upon the trustor’s death the trust account may be aggregated with such beneficiary’s own accounts; for trusts with multiple primary beneficiaries, upon the trustor’s death the trustees of the trust may instruct the Fund’s transfer agent to establish separate trust accounts for each primary beneficiary; each primary beneficiary’s separate trust account may then be aggregated with such beneficiary’s own accounts);

 

business accounts solely controlled by you or your immediate family (for example, you own the entire business);

 

individual retirement plans, such as an IRA, individual 403(b) plan (see exception in “Purchases by certain 403(b) plans” under “Sales Charges”) or single-participant Keogh-type plan ;

 

endowments or foundations established and controlled by you or your immediate family; or

 

529 accounts, which will be aggregated at the account owner level.

 

Individual purchases by a trustee(s) or other fiduciary(ies) may also be aggregated if the investments are:

 

for a single trust estate or fiduciary account, including employee benefit plans other than the individual-type employee benefit plans described above;

 

made for two or more employee benefit plans of a single employer or of affiliated employers as defined in the 1940 Act, excluding the individual-type employee benefit plans described above;

 

for a diversified common trust fund or other diversified pooled account not specifically formed for the purpose of accumulating Fund shares;

 

for nonprofit, charitable or educational organizations, or any endowments or foundations established and controlled by such organizations, or any employer-sponsored retirement plans established for the benefit of the employees of such organizations, their endowments, or their foundations; or

 

for individually established participant accounts of a 403(b) plan that is treated similarly to an employer-sponsored plan for sales charge purposes (see “Purchases by certain 403(b) plans” under “Sales Charges” above), or made for two or more such 403(b) plans that are treated similarly to employer-sponsored plans for sales charge purposes, in each case of a single employer or affiliated employers as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

Purchases made for nominee or street name accounts (securities held in the name of an investment dealer or another nominee such as a bank trust department instead of the customer) may not be aggregated with those made for other accounts and may not be aggregated with other nominee or street name accounts unless otherwise qualified as described above.

 

Concurrent purchases to reduce Class A initial sales charge — You may combine simultaneous purchases (including, upon your request, purchases for gifts) of any class of shares of two or more funds in the fund family to qualify for a reduced Class A sales charge.

 

Rights of accumulation to reduce Class A initial sales charge — Subject to the limitations described in the aggregation policies above, you may take into account your accumulated holdings in all share classes of the fund family to determine the initial sales charge you pay on each purchase of Class A shares. Subject to your financial intermediary’s capabilities, your accumulated holdings will be calculated as the higher of (a) the current value of your existing holdings (the “market value”) or (b) the amount

 

248

Table of Contents

 

you invested (including reinvested dividends and other distributions, but excluding capital appreciation) less any withdrawals (the “cost value”). Depending on the entity on whose books your account is held, the value of your holdings in that account may not be eligible for calculation at cost value. For example, accounts held in nominee or street name may not be eligible for calculation at cost value and instead may be calculated at market value for purposes of rights of accumulation. You should retain any records necessary to substantiate the historical amounts you have invested. You must contact your financial adviser or the Distributor if you have additional information that is relevant to the calculation of the value of your holdings. If you make a gift of shares, upon your request, you may purchase the shares at the sales charge discount allowed under rights of accumulation of all of your accounts in the fund family. You may not purchase Class C shares if such combined holdings cause you to be eligible to purchase Class A shares at the $1 million or more sales charge discount rate (i.e. at NAV).

 

Letter of Intent to reduce Class A initial sales charge — You may reduce your Class A sales charge by establishing a letter of intent. By establishing a letter of intent (the “Letter”), you enter into a nonbinding commitment to purchase shares of funds in the fund family over a 13-month period (the “Period”) and receive the same sales charge (expressed as a percentage of your purchases) as if all shares had been purchased at once; however, purchases made under a right of reinvestment, appreciation of your holdings, and reinvested dividends and other distributions do not count as purchases made during the Period. The market value of your existing holdings eligible to be aggregated as of the day immediately before the start of the Period may be credited toward satisfying the Letter. See “Sales Charges” for more information.

 

The Letter may be revised upward at any time during the Letter period, and such a revision will be treated as a new Letter, except that the Letter period during which the purchases must be made will remain unchanged. Purchases made from the date of revision will receive the reduced sales charge, if any, resulting from the revised Letter.

 

The Letter will be considered completed if the shareholder dies within the 13-month Letter period. Commissions to dealers will not be adjusted or paid on the difference between the Letter amount and the amount actually invested before the shareholder’s death.

 

A portion of your account may be held in escrow to cover additional Class A sales charges that may be due if your total purchases over the Period do not qualify you for the applicable sales charge reduction. When a shareholder elects to use a Letter, shares equal to 5% of the dollar amount specified in the Letter may be held in escrow in the shareholder’s account out of the initial purchase (or subsequent purchases, if necessary) by the Fund’s transfer agent. All dividends and any other distributions on shares held in escrow will be credited to the shareholder’s account in shares (or paid in cash, if requested). If the intended investment is not completed within the specified Letter period, the purchaser may be required to remit to the Distributor the difference between the sales charge actually paid and the sales charge which would have been paid if the total of such purchases had been made at a single time. Any dealers assigned to the shareholder’s account at the time a purchase was made during the Letter period will receive a corresponding commission adjustment if appropriate. If the difference is not paid by the close of the Letter period, the appropriate number of shares held in escrow will be redeemed to pay such difference. If the proceeds from this redemption are inadequate, the purchaser may be liable to the Distributor for the balance still outstanding.

 

Shareholders purchasing shares at a reduced sales charge under a Letter indicate their acceptance of these terms and those in the Class A and Class C Prospectuses with their first purchase. Employer sponsored retirement plans may be restricted from establishing a letter of intent.

 

Right of reinvestment — Please see “Maintaining Your Account — When you sell shares” for information on how to reinvest proceeds from a redemption, dividend payment or capital gain distribution without a sales charge.

 

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers — The contingent deferred sales charge on Class A and Class C shares may be waived in the following cases:

 

permitted exchanges of shares, except if shares acquired by exchange are then redeemed within the period during which contingent deferred sales charge would apply to the initial shares purchased

 

tax-free returns of excess contributions to IRAs

 

redemptions due to death or post-purchase disability of the shareholder (this generally excludes accounts registered in the names of trusts and other entities). In the case of joint tenant accounts, if one joint tenant dies, a surviving joint tenant, at the time he or she notifies the Fund’s transfer agent of the other joint tenant’s death and removes the decedent’s name from the account, may redeem shares from the account without incurring a CDSC. Redemptions made after the date of such notification will be subject to a CDSC.

 

distributions from an IRA upon the shareholder’s attainment of age 59½

 

the following types of transactions, if together they do not exceed 12% of the value of an “account” (defined below) annually (the 12% limit):

 

249

Table of Contents

 

(i) redemptions due to the shareholder receiving required minimum distributions from retirement accounts upon reaching age 70½; and

 

(ii) redemptions through a systematic withdrawal plan (SWP) established directly with a Fund. For each SWP payment, assets that are not subject to a CDSC, such as appreciation on shares and shares acquired through reinvestment of income dividends and/or other distributions, will be redeemed first and will count toward the 12% limit. If there is an insufficient amount of assets not subject to a CDSC to cover a particular SWP payment, shares subject to the lowest CDSC will be redeemed next until the 12% limit is reached. Any income dividends and/or other distributions taken in cash by a shareholder who receives payments through a SWP will also count toward the 12% limit. In the case of a SWP, the 12% limit is calculated at the time a systematic redemption is first made, and is recalculated at the time each additional systematic redemption is made. Shareholders who establish a SWP should be aware that the amount of a payment not subject to a CDSC may vary over time depending on fluctuations in the value of their accounts. This privilege may be revised or terminated at any time.

 

For purposes of this paragraph, “account” means:

 

(a) in the case of Class A shares, your investment in Class A shares of all funds in the fund family; and

 

(b) in the case of Class C shares, your investment in Class C shares of the particular fund from which you are making the redemption.

 

purchases where no commission or transaction fee is paid by the Distributor to authorized dealers at the time of purchase.

 

Exchanges of shares — Exchanges of shares are generally not subject to any applicable sales charges. However, exchanges from eligible money market funds outside the fund family will be subject to applicable sales charges on the fund shares being purchased, unless the eligible money market fund shares were acquired through an exchange from a fund in the fund family having a sales charge or by reinvestment or cross-reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions from a fund in the fund family having a sales charge.

 

Distributions and Taxes

 

Distributions — Each Fund pays out to its shareholders any net investment income and net realized capital and foreign currency gains. Ordinarily, each Fund makes any distributions once a year (usually in December), except that Equity Income Fund, Global Real Estate Fund and Real Estate Fund typically distribute any net investment income quarterly. Gains from foreign currency transactions, if any, are normally distributed in December. A Fund may make additional distributions, if necessary, to avoid federal income or excise taxes.

 

Unless you designate otherwise, your distributions from a Fund will be reinvested in additional shares of the distributing class of the Fund. However, if you prefer, you may receive all distributions in cash or reinvest capital gain distributions but receive income dividends in cash. Distributions taken in cash can be sent to you by check or by electronic transfer to a designated bank account or invested in shares of the same class of another fund in the fund family with the same account registration. To take advantage of one of these options, please indicate your choice on your application or contact a Fund in writing or by phone if you bought shares directly. If you use a financial intermediary, you must consult it about whether your income dividends and capital gain distributions from a Fund will be reinvested in additional shares of the distributing class of the Fund or paid to you in cash.

 

How distributions are taxed — Except for tax-advantaged retirement plans and accounts and other tax-exempt investors (collectively, “exempt investors”) and except as noted in the next paragraph, all Fund distributions you receive are generally taxable to you, regardless of whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in additional Fund shares.

 

Fund distributions to IRAs, Roth IRAs, and qualified retirement plans generally are tax-free. Eventual withdrawals from a Roth IRA also may be tax-free, while withdrawals from other retirement plans and accounts generally are subject to federal income tax.

 

Distributions generally are taxable to shareholders other than exempt investors in the year they are received. In some cases, however, distributions received in January are treated for federal income tax purposes as if they had been paid the previous December 31. Your tax statement (see “Taxes and You”) will help clarify this for you.

 

Distributions of net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss (“dividends”) are taxed as ordinary income. However, for individual and certain other non-corporate shareholders (each, an “individual shareholder”) who satisfy certain holding period and other restrictions with respect to their Fund shares on which the dividends are paid, a Fund’s dividends attributable to “qualified dividend income” (generally, dividends the Fund receives on stock of most

 

250

Table of Contents

 

U.S. and certain foreign corporations with respect to which it satisfies those restrictions) are subject to maximum federal income tax rates that are lower than the maximum rates for ordinary income (“lower maximum rates”).

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxed as long-term capital gain and for individual shareholders are subject to the lower maximum rates. The tax treatment of capital gain distributions from a Fund depends on how long the Fund held the securities it sold that generated the gain, not on when you bought your shares of the Fund or whether you reinvested your distributions.

 

If, for any taxable year, a Fund distributes an amount that exceeds the sum of its investment company taxable income plus net capital gain for that year — which might result from, among other things, the difference between book and tax accounting treatment of certain derivatives and foreign currency transactions — that excess generally will not be taxable (a so-called “return of capital”), which will reduce your tax basis in your Fund shares. To the extent that excess is greater than your tax basis, it will be treated as gain from a redemption of your shares (taxed as described below).

 

Shareholders should review any notice that accompanies a payment of dividends or other distributions to determine whether any portion of the payment represents a return of capital rather than a distribution of a Fund’s net income and/or realized gains.

 

How share transactions are taxed — When you sell (redeem) or exchange Fund shares, you generally will realize a taxable gain or loss. An exception, once again, applies to exempt investors. For individual shareholders, any capital gain recognized on a redemption or exchange of Fund shares that have been held for more than one year will qualify for the lower maximum rates.

 

Additional tax — An individual shareholder’s distributions from a Fund and net gains recognized on redemptions and exchanges of Fund shares are subject to a 3.8% federal tax on the lesser of (1) the individual’s “net investment income” (which generally includes distributions from a Fund and net gains from the disposition of Fund shares) or (2) the excess of the individual’s “modified adjusted gross income” over a specified threshold amount. This tax is in addition to any other taxes due on that income. You should consult your own tax professional regarding the effect, if any, this tax may have on your investment in Fund shares.

 

Taxes and You

 

The taxes you actually owe on Fund distributions and share transactions can vary with many factors, such as your marginal tax bracket, how long you held your shares and, if you are an individual shareholder, whether you owe federal alternative minimum tax.

 

How can you figure out your tax liability on Fund distributions and share transactions? One helpful tool is the tax statement that we or your financial intermediary sends you after the end of each calendar year. It details the distributions you received during the past year and shows their tax status. That statement, or a separate statement from us or your financial intermediary, also covers your share transactions.

 

Most importantly, consult your tax professional. Everyone’s tax situation is different, and your tax professional should be able to help you answer any questions you may have.

 

Backup Withholding

 

A Fund is required to withhold at the backup withholding rate from the money you are otherwise entitled to receive from its distributions and redemption proceeds (regardless of whether you realized a gain or loss) if you are an individual shareholder who fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number to the Fund. Withholding at that rate also is required from a Fund’s distributions to which you are otherwise entitled if you are an individual shareholder and the Internal Revenue Service tells us that you are subject to backup withholding (1) for failing to properly report the receipt of interest or dividend income or (2) for any other reason.

 

If you use a financial intermediary, you must supply your signed taxpayer identification number form (generally, Form W-9) to your financial intermediary and it must supply its taxpayer identification number to us, in order to avoid backup withholding.

 

Buying Shares Before a Distribution

 

The money a Fund earns, either as net investment income or as net realized capital gains, is reflected in its share price until it distributes the money. At that time, the amount of the distribution is deducted from the share price. Because of this, if you buy shares of a Fund just before it makes such a distribution, you will end up getting some of your investment back as a taxable distribution. You can avoid this situation by waiting to invest until after the record date for the distribution.

 

251

Table of Contents

 

Generally, if you are an exempt investor, there are no current tax consequences to you from distributions.

 

Basis Determination and Reporting

 

Your basis in Fund shares that you acquired or acquire after December 31, 2011 (collectively, “Covered Shares”), will be determined in accordance with the Fundsdefault basis determination method, which is average cost basis, unless you affirmatively elect in writing (which may be electronic) to use a different basis determination method acceptable to the Internal Revenue Service. The basis determination method may not be changed with respect to a redemption (including a redemption that is part of an exchange) of Covered Shares after the settlement date of the redemption. A Fund must report to the Internal Revenue Service and furnish to its shareholders the basis information for Covered Shares. See “Additional Tax Information” in the Statement of Additional Information for more information about the rules regarding basis determination and a Fund’s reporting obligation. You should consult with your tax professional to determine the best basis determination method for your tax situation and to obtain more information about how the basis determination and reporting rules apply to you.

 

Direct Investors

 

Eligible Investors and Grandfathered Investors are collectively referred to as “Direct Investors”.

 

“Grandfathered Investors” are investors in any fund in the Neuberger Berman family of funds who hold their shares directly with Neuberger Berman, who established accounts in Investor Class or Trust Class shares prior to March 1, 2008, and who have continuously maintained an account directly with Neuberger Berman since that date. A Grandfathered Investor’s “immediate family” (his or her spouse — or equivalent if recognized under local law — and his or her children under the age of 21) are also deemed “Grandfathered Investors.” A Grandfathered Investor’s mother, father, sister, or brother may open a custodial account for the Grandfathered Investor’s minor children. Grandfathered Investors do not include any financial intermediaries who have accounts with a fund or shareholders who invest through such financial intermediaries.

 

Statements and Confirmations — Please review your account statements and confirmations carefully as soon as you receive them. You must contact us within 30 days if you have any questions or notice any discrepancies. Otherwise, you may adversely affect your right to make a claim about the transaction(s).

 

Systematic Investments — This plan lets you take advantage of dollar-cost averaging by establishing periodic investments of $100 or more a month (for Institutional Class, once you make an initial minimum investment of at least $1 million). You choose the schedule and amount. Your investment money may come from an eligible money market fund outside the fund family or your bank account.

 

Systematic Withdrawals — This plan lets you arrange withdrawals of at least $100 from a fund in the fund family on a periodic schedule. You can also set up payments to distribute the full value of an account over a given time. While this service can be helpful to many investors, be aware that it could generate capital gains or losses.

 

Electronic Bank Transfers — When you sell Fund shares, you can have the money sent to your bank account electronically rather than mailed to you as a check. Please note that your bank must be a member of the Automated Clearing House, or ACH, system.

 

FUNDfone® — Grandfathered Investors only. Get up-to-date performance and account information through our 24-hour automated service by calling 800-335-9366.

 

Dollar-Cost Averaging

 

Systematic investing allows you to take advantage of the principle of dollar-cost averaging. When you make regular investments of a given amount — say, $100 a month — you will end up investing at different share prices over time. When the share price is high, your $100 buys fewer shares; when the share price is low, your $100 buys more shares. Over time, this can help lower the average price you pay per share.

 

Dollar-cost averaging cannot guarantee you a profit or protect you from losses in a declining market. But it can be beneficial over the long term.

 

Internet Access

 

Grandfathered Investors with Internet access can enjoy many valuable and time-saving features by visiting us at www.nb.com.

 

252

Table of Contents

 

The site offers more complete information on our funds, including current performance data, portfolio manager interviews, tax information plus educational articles, news and analysis. You can tailor the site so it serves up information that is most relevant to you.

 

As a Fund shareholder, you can use the web site to access account information 24 hours a day.

 

253

Table of Contents

 

If you are a Direct Investor buying or selling shares, instructions are provided in the following charts. Investors buying or selling shares through a financial intermediary should contact it for instructions.

 

Buying Shares — Direct Investors

 

Method   Things to know   Instructions
Sending us a check  

Grandfathered Investors: Your first investment must be at least $1,000

 

Additional investments can be as little as $100

 

Eligible Investors: Your first investment must be at least $1 million

 

Direct Investors: We cannot accept cash, money orders, starter checks, travelers checks, or other cash equivalents

 

We do accept Bank Checks and Cashier’s Checks from U.S. Financial Institutions

 

You will be responsible for any losses or fees resulting from a bad check; if necessary, we may sell other shares belonging to you in order to cover these losses

 

All checks must be made out to “Neuberger Berman Funds”; we cannot accept checks made out to you or other parties and signed over to us

 

Fill out the application and enclose your check

 


If regular first-class mail, send to:

 

Neuberger Berman Funds

P.O. Box 219189

Kansas City, MO 64121-9189

 

If express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail, send to:

 

Neuberger Berman Funds

430 West 7th Street

Suite 219189

Kansas City, MO 64105-1407

         

Wiring money

Grandfathered Investors: All wires must be for at least

$1,000

 

Eligible Investors: Your first investment must be at least

$1 million

 

Grandfathered Investors: Before wiring any money,

call 800-877-9700 for an order confirmation

 

Eligible Investors: Before wiring any money, call
800-366-6264 for an order confirmation.

 

Direct Investors: Have your financial institution send

your wire to DST Asset Manager Solutions

 

Include your name, the Fund name, your account number

and other information as requested

         

Exchanging from another fund

 

 

All exchanges must be for at least $1,000

 

Both accounts involved must be registered in the same

name, address and taxpayer identification number

 

An exchange order cannot be cancelled or changed once it

has been placed

 

If you are an individual retail investor, please call

800-877-9700 to place your order

 

If you are an institution or a financial intermediary, please

call 800-366-6264 to place your order

 

         

By telephone

 

 

We do not accept phone orders for a first investment

 

Additional shares will be purchased when your order is received in proper form

 

Not available on retirement accounts

 

 

If you are an individual retail investor, please call

800-877-9700 to notify us of your purchase

 

If you are an institution or a financial intermediary, please

call 800-366-6264 to notify us of your purchase

 

Immediately follow up with a wire or electronic transfer

         

Setting up systematic investments

 

 

All investments must be at least $100 (and for

Institutional Class, in addition to an initial minimum

investment of at least $1 million)

 

 

If you are an individual retail investor, please call

800-877-9700 for instructions

 

If you are an institution or a financial intermediary, please

call 800-366-6264 for instructions

 

254

Table of Contents

 

Selling Shares — Direct Investors

 

Method   Things to know   Instructions
Sending us a letter  

Unless you instruct us otherwise, we will mail your proceeds by check to the address of record, payable to the registered owner(s); checks will not be forwarded

 

If you have designated a bank account on your application, you can request that we wire the proceeds to this account; if the total balance of all of your Neuberger Berman fund accounts is less than $100,000, you will be charged an $8.00 wire fee

 

You can also request that we send the proceeds to your designated bank account by electronic transfer (ACH) without a fee

 

You may need a Medallion signature guarantee

 

Please also supply us with your e-mail address and daytime telephone number when you write to us in the event we need to reach you

 

 

Send us a letter requesting us to sell shares signed by all registered owners; include your name, account number, the Fund name, the dollar amount or number of shares you want to sell, and any other instructions

 

If regular first-class mail, send to:

 

Neuberger Berman Funds

P.O. Box 219189

Kansas City, MO 64121-9189

 

If express delivery, registered mail, or certified mail, send to:

 

Neuberger Berman Funds

430 West 7th Street

Suite 219189

Kansas City, MO 64105-1407

         

Sending us a fax

 

 

Grandfathered Investors: For amounts of up to $100,000

 

Eligible Investors: For amounts of up to $250,000

 

Direct Investors: Not available if you have changed the address on the account in the past 15 days

 

Write a request to sell shares as described above

 

If you are an individual retail investor, please call 800-877-9700 to obtain the appropriate fax number

 

If you are an institution or a financial intermediary, please call 800-366-6264 to obtain the appropriate fax number

         

Calling in your order

 

 

Grandfathered Investors: All phone orders to sell shares must be for at least $1,000 unless you are closing out an account

 

Direct Investors: Not available if you have declined the phone option or are selling shares in certain retirement accounts (The only exception is for those retirement shareholders who are at least 59½ or older and have their birthdates on file)

 

Not available if you have changed the address on the account in the past 15 days

 

If you are an individual retail investor, please call 800-877-9700 to place your order

 

If you are an institution or a financial intermediary, please call 800-366-6264 to place your order

 

Give your name, account number, the Fund name, the dollar amount or number of shares you want to sell, and any other instructions

 

         
Exchanging into another fund  

All exchanges must be for at least $1,000

 

Both accounts involved must be registered in the same name, address and taxpayer identification number

 

An exchange order cannot be cancelled or changed once it has been placed

 

If you are an individual retail investor, please call 800-877-9700 to place your order

 

If you are an institution or a financial intermediary, please call 800-366-6264 to place your order

 

         

Setting up systematic withdrawals

 

 

Withdrawals must be at least $100

 

 

If you are an individual retail investor, please call 800-877-9700 for instructions

 

If you are an institution or a financial intermediary, please call 800-366-6264 for instructions

 

255

Table of Contents

 

Market Timing Policy

 

Frequent purchases, exchanges and redemptions of Fund shares (“market-timing activities”) can interfere with effective Fund management and adversely affect Fund performance in various ways, including by requiring a portfolio manager to liquidate portfolio holdings at a disadvantageous time or price, by increasing costs (such as brokerage costs) to a Fund by requiring a portfolio manager to effect more frequent purchases and sales of portfolio securities, and possibly by requiring a portfolio manager to keep a larger portion of Fund assets in cash, all of which could adversely affect the interests of long-term shareholders. To discourage market-timing activities by Fund shareholders, the Board of Trustees has adopted market-timing policies and has approved the procedures of the principal underwriter for implementing those policies. As described earlier in this prospectus, pursuant to such policies, the exchange privilege can be withdrawn from any investor that is believed to be “timing the market” or is otherwise making exchanges judged to be excessive. In furtherance of these policies, under certain circumstances, the Funds reserve the right to reject any exchange or purchase order; change, suspend or revoke the exchange privilege; or suspend the telephone order privilege.

 

The Manager applies the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to market-timing activities by monitoring trading activity in the Funds, identifying excessive trading patterns, and warning or prohibiting shareholders who trade excessively from making further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares. These policies and procedures are applied consistently to all shareholders. Although the Funds make efforts to monitor for market-timing activities, the ability of the Funds to monitor trades that are placed by the underlying shareholders of omnibus accounts maintained by brokers, retirement plan accounts and other approved financial intermediaries may be limited in those instances in which the financial intermediary maintains the underlying shareholder accounts. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Funds will be able to eliminate all market-timing activities.

 

Portfolio Holdings Policy

 

A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information.

 

The complete portfolio holdings for each Fund are available at www.nb.com/holdings (click on the tab with the name of the relevant Fund). The complete portfolio holdings for each Fund (except Genesis Fund, Greater China Equity Fund, Large Cap Value Fund, Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund and U.S. Equity Impact Fund) are generally posted 15-30 days after each month-end. The complete portfolio holdings for Genesis Fund, Large Cap Value Fund, Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund and U.S. Equity Impact Fund are generally posted 15-30 days after the end of each calendar quarter. The complete portfolio holdings for Greater China Equity Fund are generally posted 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter.

 

Each Fund’s (except Genesis Fund’s, Greater China Equity Fund’s, Large Cap Value Fund’s, Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund’s and U.S. Equity Impact Fund’s) complete portfolio holdings will remain available at this website until the subsequent month-end holdings have been posted. Genesis Fund’s, Greater China Equity Fund’s, Large Cap Value Fund’s, Multi-Cap Opportunities Fund’s and U.S. Equity Impact Fund’s complete portfolio holdings will remain available at this website until the subsequent quarter-end holdings have been posted. Complete portfolio holdings for the Funds will also be available in reports on Form N-PORT and Form N-CSR filed with the SEC. Historical portfolio holdings are available upon request.

 

Generally, no earlier than five business days after month-end, a Fund may publicly disclose via various shareholder and public communications, such as portfolio manager commentaries, fact sheets or other marketing materials, which will be publicly available at www.nb.com, certain portfolio characteristics and partial information concerning portfolio holdings for the month or quarter as of month-end or quarter-end, as applicable, including but not limited to: up to the top 10 holdings of the Fund (if the Fund engages in short selling, it may also disclose up to the top 10 short positions); up to the top 10 holdings that contributed to and/or detracted from performance or were the best and/or worst performers; sector breakdowns or changes to portfolio composition (e.g., buys and sells). This information will typically remain available at this website until information for the subsequent month or quarter, as applicable, has been posted; however, to comply with Rule 30e-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, quarter-end information may be retained on this website for each Fund’s previous fiscal year. A Fund may also post intra-month updates to holdings and certain portfolio characteristics to www.nb.com. Any such intra-month update would be in addition to and not in lieu of the holdings disclosure policies described above.

 

Fund Structure

 

Each Fund offers one or more classes of shares that have identical investment programs, but may have different fee waivers and different arrangements for distribution and shareholder servicing and, consequently, different expenses. Shares of a class to which a fee waiver applies may not be available to all investors in a Fund. Rather, they will be made available to investors meeting

 

256

Table of Contents

 

eligibility criteria outlined in the Prospectuses for such share classes. This prospectus relates solely to the Class A, Class C and Institutional Class shares, as applicable, of the Funds.

 

257

Table of Contents

 

Appendix A

 

Financial Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts

 

The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from the Distributor or through a financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load (“CDSC”) waivers, which are discussed below, and it is the responsibility of the intermediary to monitor for and implement such policies and procedures. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the Distributor or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Distributor or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.

 

Ameriprise Financial:

 

The following information applies to Class A shares purchases if you have an account with or otherwise purchase Fund shares through Ameriprise Financial:

 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial brokerage account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in a Fund’s prospectus or SAI:

 

Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs.

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family).

 

Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 7-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares or conversion of Class C shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply.

 

Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members.

 

Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisor’s spouse, advisor’s lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisor’s lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant.

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement).

 

Baird:

 

Effective June 15, 2020, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Baird platform or account will only be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

 

Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Baird

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund

 

Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Baird or its affiliate and their family members as designated by Baird

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions from another Fund within the fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same accounts, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as rights of reinstatement)

 

A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C Shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird

 

A-1

Table of Contents

 

Employer-sponsored retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs

 

CDSC Waivers on Class A and C Shares Available at Baird

 

Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus

 

Shares bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA Account

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 72 as described in the Fund’s Prospectus

 

Shares sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement

 

Front-End Sales Charge Discounts Available at Baird: Breakpoints and/or Rights of Accumulations

 

Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus

 

Rights of accumulations which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Baird. Eligible fund family assets not held at Baird may be included in the rights of accumulations calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets

 

Letters of Intent (LOI) allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family through Baird, over a 13-month period of time

 

Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. (“Edward Jones”):

 

Policies Regarding Transactions Through Edward Jones

 

The following information has been provided by Edward Jones:

 

Effective on or after March 1, 2021, the following information supersedes prior information with respect to transactions and positions held in fund shares through an Edward Jones system. Clients of Edward Jones (also referred to as “shareholders”) purchasing fund shares on the Edward Jones commission and fee-based platforms are eligible only for the following sales charge discounts (also referred to as “breakpoints”) and waivers, which can differ from discounts and waivers described elsewhere in the mutual fund prospectus or statement of additional information (“SAI”) or through another broker-dealer. In all instances, it is the shareholder’s responsibility to inform Edward Jones at the time of purchase of any relationship, holdings in the fund family, or other facts qualifying the purchaser for discounts or waivers. Edward Jones can ask for documentation of such circumstance. Shareholders should contact Edward Jones if they have questions regarding their eligibility for these discounts and waivers.

 

Breakpoints

 

Breakpoint pricing, otherwise known as volume pricing, at dollar thresholds as described in the prospectus.

 

Rights of Accumulation (ROA)

 

The applicable sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares is determined by taking into account all share classes (except certain money market funds and any assets held in group retirement plans) of the fund family held by the shareholder or in an account grouped by Edward Jones with other accounts for the purpose of providing certain pricing considerations (“pricing groups”). If grouping assets as a shareholder, this includes all share classes held on the Edward Jones platform and/or held on another platform. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the ROA calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Money market funds are included only if such shares were sold with a sales charge at the time of purchase or acquired in exchange for shares purchased with a sales charge.

 

The employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan may elect to establish or change ROA for the IRA accounts associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping as opposed to including all share classes at a shareholder or pricing group level.

 

ROA is determined by calculating the higher of cost minus redemptions or market value (current shares x NAV).

 

A-2

Table of Contents

 

Letter of Intent (“LOI”)

 

Through a LOI, shareholders can receive the sales charge and breakpoint discounts for purchases shareholders intend to make over a 13- month period from the date Edward Jones receives the LOI. The LOI is determined by calculating the higher of cost or market value of qualifying holdings at LOI initiation in combination with the value that the shareholder intends to buy over a 13-month period to calculate the front-end sales charge and any breakpoint discounts. Each purchase the shareholder makes during that 13-month period will receive the sales charge and breakpoint discount that applies to the total amount. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the LOI calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Purchases made before the LOI is received by Edward Jones are not adjusted under the LOI and will not reduce the sales charge previously paid. Sales charges will be adjusted if LOI is not met.

 

If the employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan has elected to establish or change ROA for the IRA accounts associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping, LOIs will also be at the plan-level and may only be established by the employer.

 

Sales Charge Waivers

 

Sales charges are waived for the following shareholders and in the following situations:

 

Associates of Edward Jones and its affiliates and their family members who are in the same pricing group (as determined by Edward Jones under its policies and procedures) as the associate. This waiver will continue for the remainder of the associate’s life if the associate retires from Edward Jones in good-standing and remains in good standing pursuant to Edward Jones’ policies and procedures.

 

Shares purchased in an Edward Jones fee-based program.

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment.

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redeemed shares of the same fund family so long as the following conditions are met: 1) the proceeds are from the sale of shares within 60 days of the purchase, and 2) the sale and purchase are made in the same share class and the same account or the purchase is made in an individual retirement account with proceeds from liquidations in a non-retirement account.

 

Shares exchanged into Class A shares from another share class so long as the exchange is into the same fund and was initiated at the discretion of Edward Jones. Edward Jones is responsible for any remaining CDSC due to the fund company, if applicable. Any future purchases are subject to the applicable sales charge as disclosed in the prospectus.

 

Exchanges from Class C shares to Class A shares of the same fund, generally, in the 84th month following the anniversary of the purchase date or earlier at the discretion of Edward Jones.

 

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (“CDSC”) Waivers

 

If the shareholder purchases shares that are subject to a CDSC and those shares are redeemed before the CDSC is expired, the shareholder is responsible to pay the CDSC except in the following conditions:

 

The death or disability of the shareholder

 

Systematic withdrawals with up to 10% per year of the account value

 

Return of excess contributions from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA)

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts if the redemption is taken in or after the year the shareholder reaches qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations

 

Shares sold to pay Edward Jones fees or costs in such cases where the transaction is initiated by Edward Jones

 

Shares exchanged in an Edward Jones fee-based program

 

Shares acquired through NAV reinstatement

 

Shares redeemed at the discretion of Edward Jones for Minimum Balances, as described below.

 

******************************************************************************************************************************************

 

Other Important Information Regarding Transactions Through Edward Jones

 

Minimum Purchase Amounts

 

Initial purchase minimum: $250

 

Subsequent purchase minimum: none

 

A-3

Table of Contents

 

Minimum Balances

 

Edward Jones has the right to redeem at its discretion fund holdings with a balance of $250 or less. The following are examples of accounts that are not included in this policy:

 

A fee-based account held on an Edward Jones platform

 

A 529 account held on an Edward Jones platform

 

An account with an active systematic investment plan or LOI

 

Exchanging Share Classes

 

At any time it deems necessary, Edward Jones has the authority to exchange at NAV a shareholder’s holdings in a fund to Class A shares of the same fund.

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC:

 

Shares purchased through a self-directed brokerage account are eligible for sales charge waivers on purchases of Class A shares.

 

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC:

 

Effective May 1, 2020, if you purchase fund shares through a Janney Montgomery Scott LLC (“Janney”) brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”), or back-end sales charge, waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in a Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.

 

Front-end sales charge* waivers on Class A shares available at Janney

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).

 

Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney.

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e., right of reinstatement).

 

Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans.

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

 

Class C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Janney’s policies and procedures.

 

CDSC waivers on Class A and C shares available at Janney

 

Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder.

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account.

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and other retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

Shares sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney.

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

 

Shares exchanged into the same share class of a different fund.

 

Front-end sales charge* discounts available at Janney: breakpoints, rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent

 

Breakpoints as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

Rights of accumulation (“ROA”), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Janney. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

A-4

Table of Contents

 

Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

* Also referred to as an “initial sales charge.”

 

Merrill Lynch:

 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus or SAI.

 

Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch

 

Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan

 

Shares purchased by a 529 Plan (does not include 529 Plan units or 529-specific share classes or equivalents)

 

Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program

 

Shares exchanged due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers

 

Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch’s platform

 

Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable)

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family)

 

Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers

 

Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members

 

Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this prospectus

 

Eligible shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e. systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill Lynch’s account maintenance fees are not eligible for reinstatement

 

CDSC Waivers on A, B and C Shares available at Merrill Lynch

 

Death or disability of the shareholder

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus

 

Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code

 

Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement

 

Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to a fee based account or platform (applicable to A and C shares only)

 

Shares received through an exchange due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers

 

Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch:

Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent

 

Breakpoints as described in this prospectus.

 

A-5

Table of Contents

 

Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in the Fund’s prospectus will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts (including 529 program holdings, where applicable) within the purchaser’s household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets

 

Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable)

 

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management:

 

Effective July 1, 2018 shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account will be eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.

 

Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

 

Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans

 

Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley’s account linking rules

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund

 

Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account

 

Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s share class conversion program

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge.

 

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.:

 

Effective June 30, 2020, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (“OPCO”) platform or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.

 

Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at OPCO

 

Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan

 

Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan

 

Shares purchased through a OPCO affiliated investment advisory program

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family)

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Restatement).

 

A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of OPCO

 

Employees and registered representatives of OPCO or its affiliates and their family members

 

Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus

 

CDSC Waivers on A, B and C Shares available at OPCO

 

Death or disability of the shareholder

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus

 

A-6

Table of Contents

 

Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the prospectus

 

Shares sold to pay OPCO fees but only if the transaction is initiated by OPCO

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement

 

Front-end load Discounts Available at OPCO: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent

 

Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

 

Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at OPCO. Eligible fund family assets not held at OPCO may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. & each entity’s affiliates (“Raymond James”):

 

Effective March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account, or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment adviser for which Raymond James provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.

 

Front-end sales load waivers on Class A shares available at Raymond James

 

Shares purchased in an investment advisory program.

 

Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions.

 

Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James.

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement).

 

A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James.

 

CDSC Waivers on Classes A, B and C shares available at Raymond James

 

Death or disability of the shareholder.

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account.

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the Fund’s prospectus.

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James.

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

 

Front-end load discounts available at Raymond James: breakpoints, rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent

 

Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

 

Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

A-7

Table of Contents

 

Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

UBS Financial Services, Inc.

 

Non-profits in brokerage accounts are eligible for sales charge waivers on purchases of Class A shares.

 

A-8

Table of Contents

 

 

 

NEUBERGER BERMAN EQUITY FUNDS

Class A, Class C and Institutional Class Shares

If you would like further details on these Funds, you can request a free copy of the following documents:

 

Shareholder Reports. The shareholder reports offer information about each Fund, including:

a discussion by the Portfolio Managers about strategies and market conditions that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year

 

Fund performance data and financial statements

 

portfolio holdings.

 

Statement of Additional Information (SAI). The SAI contains more comprehensive information on each Fund, including:

various types of securities and practices, and their risks

 

investment limitations and additional policies

 

information about the Fund’s management and business structure.

 

The SAI is hereby incorporated by reference into this prospectus, making it legally part of the prospectus.

 

Investment Manager: Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC

 

Sub-adviser (for Neuberger Berman Greater China Equity Fund): Green Court Capital Management Limited

 

Obtaining Information

 

You can obtain a shareholder report, SAI, and other information from your financial intermediary, or from:

 

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC

1290 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10104

877-628-2583

Website: www.nb.com

 

Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: [email protected].

 

Each Fund’s current net asset value per share is made available at: http://www.nb.com/performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The “Neuberger Berman” name and logo and “Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC” are registered service marks of Neuberger Berman Group LLC. The individual Fund names in this prospectus are either service marks or registered service marks of Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC. ©2022 Neuberger Berman BD LLC, distributor. All rights reserved.

 

SEC File Number: 811-00582

K0376 12/22