The fund seeks maximum total return, consisting of capital appreciation and current income.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement agreement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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 fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 136% of the average value of its portfolio.

The fund seeks to achieve its objective by normally investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings made for investment purposes) in convertible securities. Convertible securities include, but are not limited to, corporate bonds, debentures, notes or preferred stocks and their hybrids that can be converted into (exchanged for) equity securities or other securities (such as warrants or options) that provide an opportunity for equity participation. The fund may also invest a portion of its assets in contingent convertible securities (“CoCos”), which are a form of hybrid security that generally either converts into equity or has its principal written down at the election of investors and upon the occurrence of certain pre-specified triggering events.

For purposes of this policy, the fund may also gain exposure to convertible securities through derivatives or other “synthetic” means. The fund may invest in securities of any size market capitalization or credit quality, and may from time to time invest a significant amount of its assets in securities of smaller companies. The fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in nonconvertible debt securities rated below investment grade or unrated and determined to be of similar quality (“high-yield securities” or “junk bonds”). The fund may also invest in securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The portfolio managers follow a disciplined, fundamental bottom-up research process, which facilitates the early identification of convertible securities issuers demonstrating the ability to improve their fundamental characteristics. The portfolio managers select issuers that exceed minimum fundamental metrics and exhibit the highest visibility of future expected operating performance. The fundamental research process generally includes: a breakdown of a company and its growth by division and region, including revenue model analysis; profit margin analysis; analysis of experience and quality of its management; industry dynamics and competitive analysis; distribution channel and supply chain analysis; and macroeconomic climate analysis. Under normal market conditions, the portfolio managers seek to invest in securities that can participate in the upside of the underlying equity and provide downside protection from the bond. In addition to gaining “synthetic” exposure to convertible securities through derivatives as outlined above, the fund may utilize foreign currency exchange contracts, options, stock index futures contracts, warrants and other derivative instruments. Although the fund did not invest significantly in derivative instruments as of the most recent fiscal year end, it may do so at any time.

> Market Volatility Risk: The value of the securities in the fund may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be short- or long-term. Local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the fund and its investments, including hampering the ability of the fund’s portfolio manager(s) to invest the fund’s assets as intended.

> Issuer Risk: The fund will be affected by factors specific to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the fund invests, including actual or perceived changes in the financial condition or business prospects of such issuers.

> Convertible Securities Risk: The value of a convertible security may decline as interest rates rise and/or vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities. The security may be called for redemption at a time and/or price unfavorable to the fund.

> Interest Rate Risk: The values of debt instruments may rise or fall in response to changes in interest rates, and this risk may be enhanced for securities with longer maturities.

> Counterparty Risk: There is risk that a party upon whom the fund relies to complete a transaction will default.

> Credit Risk: If the issuer of a debt instrument fails to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or negative perceptions exist in the market of the issuer’s ability to make such payments, the price of the security may decline.

> Prepayment/Call Risk: Issuers may prepay or call their fixed rate obligations when interest rates fall, forcing the fund to reinvest in obligations with lower interest rates and the fund may not benefit fully from the increase in value that other fixed income investments experience when interest rates decline.

> Equity Securities Risk: The value of the stocks held by the fund may be negatively affected by the financial market, industries in which the fund invests, or issuer-specific events. Focus on a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.

> High-Yield Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk: High-yield or junk bonds are subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk, may be speculative and may decline in value due to increases in interest rates or an issuer’s deterioration or default.

> Allocation Risk: If the fund’s exposure to equities and fixed income securities, or to other asset classes, deviates from the intended allocation, or if the fund’s allocation is not optimal for market conditions at a given time, the fund’s performance may suffer.

> Contingent Convertible Securities Risk: Contingent convertible securities (“CoCos”) are subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk than fixed income securities generally. They may rank junior to other creditors in the event of a liquidation or other bankruptcy-related event and become further subordinated as a result of conversion from debt to equity.

> Derivatives Risk: Derivatives and other similar instruments (collectively referred to in this section as “derivatives”) may include, among other things, futures, options, forwards and swap agreements and may be used in order to hedge portfolio risks, create leverage or attempt to increase returns. Investments in derivatives may result in increased volatility and the fund may incur a loss greater than its principal investment.

> Debt Instruments Risk: Debt instruments are subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk, may be speculative and may decline in value due to changes in interest rates or an issuer’s or counterparty’s deterioration or default.

> Focused Investment Risk: To the extent the fund focuses its investments on a limited number of issuers, sectors, industries, geographic regions or portfolio themes, it may be subject to increased risk and volatility.

> Leverage Risk: When a fund leverages its portfolio by borrowing or certain types of transactions or instruments, including derivatives, fund may be less liquid, may liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, and the volatility of the fund’s value may increase.

> Liquidity Risk: Certain securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities or common stocks. To the extent the fund invests in less liquid securities or the level of liquidity in a particular market is constrained, the lack of an active market for investments may cause delay in disposition or force a sale below fair value.

> Portfolio Turnover Risk: High levels of portfolio turnover increase transaction costs and taxes and may lower investment performance.

> Redemption Risk: One or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders may redeem their holdings in the fund, resulting in an adverse impact on remaining shareholders in the fund by causing the fund to take actions it would not otherwise have taken.

> Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk: The fund’s investments in small and medium market capitalization companies may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.

> U.S. Government Securities Risk: U.S. Government securities may be subject to price fluctuations. An agency may default on an obligation not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Any guarantee on U.S. government securities does not apply to the value of the fund’s shares.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index and a style-specific index that reflects the market sectors in which the fund invests. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

The ICE BofA US Convertibles Index tracks the performance of publicly issued US dollar denominated convertible securities of U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total return basis. The index is unmanaged and is not available for direct investment.

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. After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.

The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement agreement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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 fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 19% of the average value of its portfolio.

The fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings made for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies that are represented in one or more of the S&P Global Water Index, the NASDAQ OMX US Water or Global Water Indices, or the S-Network Global Water Index (Composite), or that are substantially engaged in water-related activities. Water-related activities consist of those that relate to the quality or availability of or demand for potable and non-potable water and include, but are not limited to, the following: water production, storage, transport and distribution; water supply enhancing or water demand-reducing technologies and materials; water planning, control and research; water conditioning, such as filtering, desalination, disinfection and purification; sewage and liquid waste treatment; and water delivery-related equipment and technology, consulting or engineering services relating to any of the above-mentioned activities. The specific activities that the fund may from time to time consider to qualify as “water-related activities” will change as markets, technologies and investment practices develop. The portfolio managers intend to diversify the fund’s investments across geographic regions. Under normal market conditions, the fund will typically invest (i) between 45%-75% of its total assets in U.S. securities, (ii) between 20%-45% of its total assets in European securities, and (iii) up to 25% of its total assets in Asia and other geographies. The fund may invest in emerging market securities.

The portfolio managers select investments on a bottom-up basis irrespective of market capitalization, geography, industry/sector or growth- or value-orientation, and may look for several of the following characteristics: higher than average sustainable growth; substantial capacity for growth of revenue and earnings; superior management; alignment to select United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and other comparable societal goals; strong commitment to research and product development; and differentiated or superior product offerings addressing the structural demand drivers. The portfolio managers consider the level of active contribution to the improvement of water resource management during the stock selection process.

Companies’ Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (“ESG”) practices are also considered as the portfolio managers believe this enhances the investment process.

The fund is “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a significant portion of its assets in a relatively small number of issuers, which may increase risk. In addition to common stocks and other equity securities (such as preferred stocks and warrants), the fund may invest in securities issued in initial public offerings (IPOs), and may utilize foreign currency exchange contracts, options, and other derivative instruments. Although the fund did not invest significantly in derivative instruments as of the most recent fiscal year end, it may do so at any time.

> Market Volatility Risk: The value of the securities in the fund may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be short- or long-term. Local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the fund and its investments, including hampering the ability of the fund’s portfolio manager(s) to invest the fund’s assets as intended.

> Issuer Risk: The fund will be affected by factors specific to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the fund invests, including actual or perceived changes in the financial condition or business prospects of such issuers.

> Equity Securities Risk: The value of the stocks held by the fund may be negatively affected by the financial market, industries in which the fund invests, or issuer-specific events. Focus on a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.

> Water-Related Risk: Because the fund focuses its investments in water-related companies, it is particularly affected by events or factors relating to this sector, which may increase risk and volatility.

> Focused Investment Risk: To the extent the fund focuses its investments on a limited number of issuers, sectors, industries, geographic regions or portfolio themes, it may be subject to increased risk and volatility.

> Foreign Investing Risk: Investing in foreign securities subjects the fund to additional risks such as increased volatility; currency fluctuations; less liquidity; less publicly available information about the foreign investment; and political, regulatory, economic, and market risk.

> ESG Risk: The fund’s consideration of ESG factors could cause the fund to perform differently from other funds. While the subadviser believes that the integration of ESG factors into the fund’s investment process has the potential to contribute to performance, ESG factors may not be considered for every investment decision and there is no guarantee that the integration of ESG factors will result in better performance.

> Counterparty Risk: There is risk that a party upon whom the fund relies to complete a transaction will default.

> Credit Risk: If the issuer of a debt instrument fails to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or negative perceptions exist in the market of the issuer’s ability to make such payments, the price of the security may decline.

> Currency Rate Risk: Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.

> Derivatives Risk: Derivatives and other similar instruments (collectively referred to in this section as “derivatives”) may include, among other things, futures, options, forwards and swap agreements and may be used in order to hedge portfolio risks, create leverage or attempt to increase returns. Investments in derivatives may result in increased volatility and the fund may incur a loss greater than its principal investment.

> Emerging Markets Risk: Foreign investing risk may be particularly high to the extent that the fund invests in emerging market securities. Emerging markets securities may be more volatile, or more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.

> IPO Risk: Securities purchased in initial public offerings have no trading history, limited issuer information and increased volatility.

> Leverage Risk: When a fund leverages its portfolio by borrowing or certain types of transactions or instruments, including derivatives, fund may be less liquid, may liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, and the volatility of the fund’s value may increase.

> Liquidity Risk: Certain securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities or common stocks. To the extent the fund invests in less liquid securities or the level of liquidity in a particular market is constrained, the lack of an active market for investments may cause delay in disposition or force a sale below fair value.

> Non-Diversification Risk: The fund is not diversified and may be more susceptible to factors negatively impacting its holdings to the extent the fund invests more of its assets in the securities of fewer issuers than would a diversified fund.

> Redemption Risk: One or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders may redeem their holdings in the fund, resulting in an adverse impact on remaining shareholders in the fund by causing the fund to take actions it would not otherwise have taken.

> Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk: The fund’s investments in small and medium market capitalization companies may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. The current subadviser commenced providing services for the fund in July 2022 and therefore the returns shown in the table for periods prior to that date reflect the performance of other investment professionals.

The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index and a more narrowly based index that reflects the market sectors in which the fund invests. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

The MSCI All Country World Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures equity performance of developed and emerging markets. The MSCI All Country World Index (net) is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.

The S&P Global Water Index (net) is a modified capitalization-weighted index comprised of 50 of the largest publicly traded companies in water-related businesses that meet specific invest ability requirements. The index is designed to provide liquid exposure to the leading publicly-listed companies in the global water industry, from both developed markets and emerging markets. The index is calculated on a total return basis. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.

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. After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities.

The fund seeks after-inflation capital appreciation and current income.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement agreement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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 fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 55% of the average value of its portfolio.

The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective through a combination of active allocation across asset classes and actively managed strategies within those asset classes. The fund allocates its investments across asset classes in response to changing market, macroeconomic, and other factors and events that the portfolio managers believe may affect the value of the fund’s investments. To gain exposure to different asset classes, the fund incorporates actively managed underlying strategies, both directly through dedicated teams managing separate sleeves of the fund and indirectly through investments in affiliated mutual funds, as well as through passive strategies. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests directly and indirectly in global equity securities, fixed-income securities, and long and short positions using derivatives across multiple asset classes. The fund may also invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), unaffiliated mutual funds, other pooled vehicles and derivative instruments such as futures, among others. The fund’s actively managed underlying strategies incorporate environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors into the selection of individual securities, and the portfolio managers also consider ESG factors in the construction of the overall portfolio. The fund’s allocations to different strategies and instruments are expected to vary over time and from time to time.

The fund’s baseline long-term allocation consists of 60% to global equity exposure (the “Equity Component”) and 40% to fixed income exposure (the “Fixed Income Component”), which is also the allocation of the blended benchmark index against which the fund’s portfolio is managed. The Equity Component can include direct or indirect exposure to equity securities of any market capitalization, any sector and from any country, including emerging markets. The fund expects to invest a significant portion of the Equity Component into Virtus NFJ Global Sustainability Fund, an affiliated mutual fund. The Fixed Income Component primarily consists of direct or indirect exposure to fixed income securities from any sector, of any credit-quality including high yield bonds, from any part of the capital structure including loans, preferred securities and convertibles, denominated in any currency and issued by any country including emerging markets. Within the Fixed Income Component, the allocation to high-yield bonds, senior loans, preferred securities, convertibles and emerging market debt will not exceed 30% of the fund’s assets on a gross exposure basis. Separately, the fund will also invest in non-U.S. currencies and take FX positions through derivatives, both long and short.

The portfolio managers may also invest up to 10% of the portfolio in any other asset class that falls outside of the Equity Component and the Fixed-Income Component, which constitute the “Other Component.” Examples include, but are not limited to, derivatives on carbon emissions and commodities. Other asset classes may be added at the portfolio managers’ discretion. The portfolio managers will typically over- or under-weight the fund’s portfolio against the baseline long-term allocation, depending on the portfolio managers’ view of the relative attractiveness of the investment opportunities available, which will change over time.

Depending on market conditions, the Equity Component may range between approximately 50% and 70% of the fund’s assets, the Fixed Income Component may range between approximately 10% and 70% of the fund’s assets and the Other Component may range between 0% and 10% of the fund’s assets. The ranges apply at the time of purchase. The fund’s exposure to each component may vary from the ranges due to market movements and it is at the portfolio managers’ discretion when to bring the fund back within the range. As a result of its derivative positions, the fund may have gross investment exposures in excess of 100% of its net assets (i.e., the fund may be leveraged) and therefore subject to heightened risk of loss. The fund’s performance can depend substantially on the performance of assets or indices underlying its derivatives even though it does not directly or indirectly own those underlying assets or indices.

The portfolio managers adjust the fund’s exposure to the Equity Component, the Fixed Income Component, and the Other Component in response to changes in their views based on their analysis of market, macroeconomic and other factors. In conjunction with their asset class analysis the portfolio managers seek to gain exposure to desired asset classes primarily through actively managed underlying strategies that apply ESG factors (including the strategy employed by Virtus NFJ Global Sustainability Fund within the Equity Component) and passive ESG ETFs and futures. They also consider ESG factors in the construction of the overall portfolio. The portfolio managers believe that investing in companies with strong records for managing ESG risks can generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact.

Within the Fixed Income Component limits described above, the fund intends to make use of an integrated ESG security selection strategy (“U.S. Fixed Income Sleeve”) that is managed by a dedicated team of portfolio managers. This strategy focuses on investments in bonds, notes, other debt instruments and preferred securities, including derivatives relating to such investments. The portfolio managers invest in a diversified portfolio of high-quality bonds that generates return primarily through security selection and sector rotation with an investment grade focus. The U.S. Fixed Income Sleeve may also invest in high yield debt (commonly known as “junk bonds”) and emerging market corporate and sovereign bonds. The strategy is based on bottom-up fundamental credit research, which accounts for the potential financial impact of ESG issues facing corporations and therefore considers ESG factors alongside financial factors in the security selection and overall risk management process. Portfolio managers have the ability to weigh risks relative to market compensation and relative to corporate strategies that seek to address identified ESG concerns.

As a portion of the Equity Component described above, the fund intends to make use of a managed volatility strategy that focuses on investments in globally diverse equity securities, including emerging market equities (“Managed Volatility Sleeve”), and is managed by a dedicated team of portfolio managers. The sleeve’s strategy focuses on the overall management of portfolio volatility and favors stocks that demonstrate lower beta. The portfolio managers apply an investment constraint requiring that the weighted average of the combined MSCI “E,” “S” and “G” scores of the individual securities within the Managed Volatility Sleeve is higher at the time of purchase than the weighted average of the combined “E,” “S” and “G” scores of the securities in the benchmark, the MSCI All Country World Index. The ESG evaluation process incorporates scores based on company sustainability disclosure, government and academic data and media searches, among other sources.

The fund may invest in any type of equity or fixed income security, including common and preferred stocks, warrants and convertible securities, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities and government and corporate bonds. The fund may invest in securities of companies of any capitalization, including smaller capitalization companies. The fund also may make investments intended to provide exposure to one or more commodities or securities indices, currencies, and real estate-related securities. The fund is expected to be highly diversified across industries, sectors, and countries. The fund may liquidate a holding if it locates another instrument that offers a more attractive exposure to an asset class or when there is a change in the fund’s target asset allocation or allocation among dedicated sleeves, or if the instrument is otherwise deemed inappropriate.

In implementing these investment strategies, the fund may make substantial use of over-the-counter (OTC) or exchange-traded derivatives, including futures contracts, interest rate swaps, total return swaps, credit default swaps, options (puts and calls) purchased or sold by the fund, currency forwards, and structured notes. The fund may use derivatives for a variety of purposes, including: as a hedge against adverse changes in the market price of securities, interest rates, or currency exchange rates; as a substitute for purchasing or selling securities; to increase the fund’s return as a non-hedging strategy that may be considered speculative; and to manage portfolio characteristics. When making use of volatility-linked derivatives, the fund will enter into instruments such as variance swaps, volatility futures and similar volatility instruments that reference indexes representing targeted asset classes, such as variance swaps on the S&P 500 Index or on the Euro Stoxx 50 Index. Derivatives positions are eligible to be held in any of the Equity Component, the Fixed Income Component or Other Component of the fund. The fund may maintain a significant percentage of its assets in cash and cash equivalents which will serve as margin or collateral for the fund’s obligations under derivative transactions.

> Allocation Risk: If the fund’s exposure to equities and fixed income securities, or to other asset classes, deviates from the intended allocation, or if the fund’s allocation is not optimal for market conditions at a given time, the fund’s performance may suffer.

> Market Volatility Risk: The value of the securities in the fund may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be short- or long-term. Local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the fund and its investments, including hampering the ability of the fund’s portfolio manager(s) to invest the fund’s assets as intended.

> Issuer Risk: The fund will be affected by factors specific to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the fund invests, including actual or perceived changes in the financial condition or business prospects of such issuers.

> Sustainable Investing Risk: Because the fund focuses on investments in companies that the fund’s subadviser believes exhibit strong environmental, social, and corporate governance records, the fund’s universe of investments may be smaller than that of other funds and broad equity benchmark indices.

> Underlying Fund Risk: The fund will be indirectly affected by factors, risks and performance specific to any other fund in which it invests.

> Equity Securities Risk: The value of the stocks held by the fund may be negatively affected by the financial market, industries in which the fund invests, or issuer-specific events. Focus on a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.

> Debt Instruments Risk: Debt instruments are subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk, may be speculative and may decline in value due to changes in interest rates or an issuer’s or counterparty’s deterioration or default.

> Interest Rate Risk: The values of debt instruments may rise or fall in response to changes in interest rates, and this risk may be enhanced for securities with longer maturities.

> Derivatives Risk: Derivatives and other similar instruments (collectively referred to in this section as “derivatives”) may include, among other things, futures, options, forwards and swap agreements and may be used in order to hedge portfolio risks, create leverage or attempt to increase returns. Investments in derivatives may result in increased volatility and the fund may incur a loss greater than its principal investment.

> Commodity and Commodity-linked Instruments Risk: Commodities and commodity-linked instruments will subject the fund’s portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.Commodity-linked instruments may experience returns different than the commodity they attempt to track and may also be exposed to counterparty risk.

> Convertible Securities Risk: The value of a convertible security may decline as interest rates rise and/or vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities. The security may be called for redemption at a time and/or price unfavorable to the fund.

> Counterparty Risk: There is risk that a party upon whom the fund relies to complete a transaction will default.

> Credit Risk: If the issuer of a debt instrument fails to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or negative perceptions exist in the market of the issuer’s ability to make such payments, the price of the security may decline.

> Currency Rate Risk: Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.

> Emerging Markets Risk: Foreign investing risk may be particularly high to the extent that the fund invests in emerging market securities. Emerging markets securities may be more volatile, or more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.

> ETF Risk: The risks associated with investing in ETFs generally reflect the risks of owning shares of the underlying securities the ETF is designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

> Focused Investment Risk: To the extent the fund focuses its investments on a limited number of issuers, sectors, industries, geographic regions or portfolio themes, it may be subject to increased risk and volatility.

> Foreign Investing Risk: Investing in foreign securities subjects the fund to additional risks such as increased volatility; currency fluctuations; less liquidity; less publicly available information about the foreign investment; and political, regulatory, economic, and market risk.

> High-Yield Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk: High-yield or junk bonds are subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk, may be speculative and may decline in value due to increases in interest rates or an issuer’s deterioration or default.

> Index Risk: Investments in index-linked derivatives are subject to the risks associated with the applicable index.

> Leverage Risk: When a fund leverages its portfolio by borrowing or certain types of transactions or instruments, including derivatives, fund may be less liquid, may liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, and the volatility of the fund’s value may increase.

> Liquidity Risk: Certain securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities or common stocks. To the extent the fund invests in less liquid securities or the level of liquidity in a particular market is constrained, the lack of an active market for investments may cause delay in disposition or force a sale below fair value.

> Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk: Changes in interest rates may cause both extension and prepayment risks for mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. These securities are also subject to risks associated with the non-repayment of underlying collateral, including losses to the fund.

> Portfolio Turnover Risk: High levels of portfolio turnover increase transaction costs and taxes and may lower investment performance.

> Prepayment/Call Risk: Issuers may prepay or call their fixed rate obligations when interest rates fall, forcing the fund to reinvest in obligations with lower interest rates and the fund may not benefit fully from the increase in value that other fixed income investments experience when interest rates decline.

> Real Estate Investment Risk: The fund may be negatively affected by changes in real estate values or economic conditions, credit risk and interest rate fluctuations, changes in the value of the underlying real estate and defaults by lessees and/or borrowers.

> Redemption Risk: One or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders may redeem their holdings in the fund, resulting in an adverse impact on remaining shareholders in the fund by causing the fund to take actions it would not otherwise have taken.

> Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk: The fund’s investments in small and medium market capitalization companies may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.

> Variable Distribution Risk: Periodic distributions by investments of variable or floating interest rates vary with fluctuations in market interest rates.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of two broad-based securities market indexes and a composite benchmark that reflects the market sectors in which the fund invests. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index measures the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market. The index is calculated on a total return basis. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.

The MSCI All Country World Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures equity performance of developed and emerging markets. The MSCI All Country World Index (net) is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.

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. After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.

The fund seeks maximum long-term capital appreciation.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement agreement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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

fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 70% of the average value of its portfolio.

The fund seeks to achieve its objective by normally investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings made for investment purposes) in companies with smaller market capitalizations. The fund currently defines companies with smaller market capitalizations as those with market capitalizations comparable to companies included in the MSCI All Country World ex USA Small-Cap Index. Under normal circumstances, the fund expects to maintain a weighted-average market capitalization between 50% and 200% of the weighted-average market capitalization of the securities in the MSCI All Country World ex USA Small-Cap Index, which as of September 30, 2023 would permit the fund to maintain a weighted-average market capitalization ranging from $900 million to $2.8 billion. The fund normally invests principally in securities of issuers located outside the United States and allocates its investments among at least eight different countries. The fund may invest in emerging market securities.

Members of the portfolio management team believe that behavioral biases of investors contribute to market inefficiencies. Their quantitative investment process begins with a proprietary investment-return forecasting model which combines behavioral factors (which seek to capitalize on human behavioral biases (i.e., systematic tendencies) from financial analysts, company management and investors), with intrinsic and valuation factors (which are expected to provide tangible measures of a company’s true worth). The portfolio managers integrate this multi-factor approach with a proprietary risk model to form the basis of portfolio construction, with constraints at the individual security, country and industry levels to manage exposures relative to the benchmark. Additionally, all investment recommendations are thoroughly vetted on an individual company level to confirm the investment rationale and suitability before a purchase or sale.

In addition to common stocks and other equity securities (such as preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants), the fund may invest in securities issued in initial public offerings (IPOs), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and may utilize foreign currency exchange contracts, options, stock index futures contracts and other derivative instruments. The fund typically does not engage in active hedging of currency but retains flexibility to do so depending on market performance. Although the fund did not invest significantly in derivative instruments as of the most recent fiscal year end, it may do so at any time.

> Market Volatility Risk: The value of the securities in the fund may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be short- or long-term. Local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the fund and its investments, including hampering the ability of the fund’s portfolio manager(s) to invest the fund’s assets as intended.

> Issuer Risk: The fund will be affected by factors specific to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the fund invests, including actual or perceived changes in the financial condition or business prospects of such issuers.

> Equity Securities Risk: The value of the stocks held by the fund may be negatively affected by the financial market, industries in which the fund invests, or issuer-specific events. Focus on a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.

> Foreign Investing Risk: Investing in foreign securities subjects the fund to additional risks such as increased volatility; currency fluctuations; less liquidity; less publicly available information about the foreign investment; and political, regulatory, economic, and market risk.

> Emerging Markets Risk: Foreign investing risk may be particularly high to the extent that the fund invests in emerging market securities. Emerging markets securities may be more volatile, or more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.

> Allocation Risk: If the fund’s exposure to equities and fixed income securities, or to other asset classes, deviates from the intended allocation, or if the fund’s allocation is not optimal for market conditions at a given time, the fund’s performance may suffer.

> Counterparty Risk: There is risk that a party upon whom the fund relies to complete a transaction will default.

> Credit Risk: If the issuer of a debt instrument fails to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or negative perceptions exist in the market of the issuer’s ability to make such payments, the price of the security may decline.

> Currency Rate Risk: Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.

> Derivatives Risk: Derivatives and other similar instruments (collectively referred to in this section as “derivatives”) may include, among other things, futures, options, forwards and swap agreements and may be used in order to hedge portfolio risks, create leverage or attempt to increase returns. Investments in derivatives may result in increased volatility and the fund may incur a loss greater than its principal investment.

> Focused Investment Risk: To the extent the fund focuses its investments on a limited number of issuers, sectors, industries, geographic regions or portfolio themes, it may be subject to increased risk and volatility.

> IPO Risk: Securities purchased in initial public offerings have no trading history, limited issuer information and increased volatility.

> Leverage Risk: When a fund leverages its portfolio by borrowing or certain types of transactions or instruments, including derivatives, fund may be less liquid, may liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, and the volatility of the fund’s value may increase.

> Liquidity Risk: Certain securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities or common stocks. To the extent the fund invests in less liquid securities or the level of liquidity in a particular market is constrained, the lack of an active market for investments may cause delay in disposition or force a sale below fair value.

> Redemption Risk: One or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders may redeem their holdings in the fund, resulting in an adverse impact on remaining shareholders in the fund by causing the fund to take actions it would not otherwise have taken.

> Real Estate Investment Risk: The fund may be negatively affected by changes in real estate values or economic conditions, credit risk and interest rate fluctuations, changes in the value of the underlying real estate and defaults by lessees and/or borrowers.

> Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk: The fund’s investments in small and medium market capitalization companies may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of two broad-based securities market indexes. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

The MSCI All Country World ex USA Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures equity performance of developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States. The index is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.

Effective January 1, 2023 the benchmark to which performance of the fund is compared is the MSCI All Country World ex USA Small Cap Index (net) replacing MSCI World ex USA Small Cap Index (net) and MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index (net). This change is being made to more closely match the fund’s primary benchmark to its principal investment strategy. The MSCI All Country World ex USA Small Cap Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures mid- and small-cap performance across 22 of 23 Developed Market countries (excluding the U.S.) and 24 Emerging Markets countries. The index is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.

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. After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.

The fund seeks a high level of current income with lower volatility than the broader high yield market.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement agreement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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 fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 43% of the average value of its portfolio.

The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by normally investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings made for investment purposes) in debt securities issued by public and private companies, which are rated below investment grade (rated Ba or below by Moody’s or BB or below by S&P or Fitch, or if unrated, determined by the fund’s subadviser to be of comparable quality) (sometimes referred to as “high-yield securities” or “junk bonds”), while maintaining an average duration of less than three years, and in derivatives and other synthetic instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such debt securities. Derivatives transactions may have the effect of either magnifying or limiting the fund’s gains and losses. To illustrate the effects of changes in interest rates on a portfolio with a similar average duration, generally, a portfolio with an average duration of three years would be expected to fall approximately 3% if interest rates rose by one percentage point.

The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in bank loans. The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in non-U.S. securities, which will typically be U.S. dollar-denominated but may also include securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies. The fund will invest less than 10% of its net assets in securities rated CCC or below by Standard and Poor’s.

The fund invests in high yield securities and bank loans, seeking to generate investment income while protecting from adverse market conditions and prioritizing capital preservation.

The portfolio managers apply a disciplined investment approach, making use of fundamental research, to construct a portfolio for investment. The subadviser uses an investment process that focuses on adding value through issue selection, sector/industry selection and opportunistic trading. The fund will generally overweight those sectors and industries where the subadviser identifies well-valued companies whose business profiles are viewed to be improving. In selecting specific debt instruments for investment, the portfolio managers may look to such factors as the issuer’s creditworthiness, the investment’s yield in relation to its credit quality and the investment’s relative value in relation to the high yield market. The portfolio managers seek to construct a portfolio with lower volatility than the broader high yield market in part through the fund’s approach to duration and credit quality. The portfolio managers may sell a security for a variety of reasons, such as to invest in a company offering superior investment opportunities.

The fund may utilize foreign currency exchange contracts, options, stock index futures contracts, warrants and other derivative instruments. Although the fund did not invest significantly in derivative instruments as of the most recent fiscal year end, it may do so at any time.

> Debt Instruments Risk: Debt instruments are subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk, may be speculative and may decline in value due to changes in interest rates or an issuer’s or counterparty’s deterioration or default.

> High-Yield Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk: High-yield or junk bonds are subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk, may be speculative and may decline in value due to increases in interest rates or an issuer’s deterioration or default.

> Market Volatility Risk: The value of the securities in the fund may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be short- or long-term. Local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the fund and its investments, including hampering the ability of the fund’s portfolio manager(s) to invest the fund’s assets as intended.

> Issuer Risk: The fund will be affected by factors specific to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the fund invests, including actual or perceived changes in the financial condition or business prospects of such issuers.

> Interest Rate Risk: The values of debt instruments may rise or fall in response to changes in interest rates, and this risk may be enhanced for securities with longer maturities.

> Credit Risk: If the issuer of a debt instrument fails to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or negative perceptions exist in the market of the issuer’s ability to make such payments, the price of the security may decline.

> Bank Loan Risk: In addition to the risks typically associated with high-yield/high-risk fixed income securities, bank loans may be unsecured or not fully collateralized, may be subject to restrictions on resale, may be less liquid and may trade infrequently on the secondary market. Bank loans settle on a delayed basis; thus, sale proceeds may not be available to meet redemptions for a substantial period of time after the sale of the loan.

> Confidential Information Access Risk: The fund’s subadviser normally will seek to avoid the receipt of material, non-public information (“Confidential Information”) about the issuers of privately placed instruments (which may include Senior Loans, other bank loans and related investments), because such issuers may have or later issue publicly traded securities, and thus the fund may be disadvantaged in comparison to other investors who have received Confidential Information from such issuers.

> Counterparty Risk: There is risk that a party upon whom the fund relies to complete a transaction will default.

> Currency Rate Risk: Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.

> Derivatives Risk: Derivatives and other similar instruments (collectively referred to in this section as “derivatives”) may include, among other things, futures, options, forwards and swap agreements and may be used in order to hedge portfolio risks, create leverage or attempt to increase returns. Investments in derivatives may result in increased volatility and the fund may incur a loss greater than its principal investment.

> Equity Securities Risk: The value of the stocks held by the fund may be negatively affected by the financial market, industries in which the fund invests, or issuer-specific events. Focus on a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.

> Foreign Investing Risk: Investing in foreign securities subjects the fund to additional risks such as increased volatility; currency fluctuations; less liquidity; less publicly available information about the foreign investment; and political, regulatory, economic, and market risk.

> Leverage Risk: When a fund leverages its portfolio by borrowing or certain types of transactions or instruments, including derivatives, fund may be less liquid, may liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, and the volatility of the fund’s value may increase.

> Liquidity Risk: Certain securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities or common stocks. To the extent the fund invests in less liquid securities or the level of liquidity in a particular market is constrained, the lack of an active market for investments may cause delay in disposition or force a sale below fair value.

> Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk: Changes in interest rates may cause both extension and prepayment risks for mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. These securities are also subject to risks associated with the non-repayment of underlying collateral, including losses to the fund.

> Prepayment/Call Risk: Issuers may prepay or call their fixed rate obligations when interest rates fall, forcing the fund to reinvest in obligations with lower interest rates and the fund may not benefit fully from the increase in value that other fixed income investments experience when interest rates decline.

> Redemption Risk: One or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders may redeem their holdings in the fund, resulting in an adverse impact on remaining shareholders in the fund by causing the fund to take actions it would not otherwise have taken.

> Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk: The fund’s investments in small and medium market capitalization companies may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.

> Unrated Fixed Income Securities Risk: If the subadviser is unable to accurately assess the quality of an unrated fixed income security, the fund may invest in a security with greater risk than intended, or the securities may be more difficult to sell than anticipated.

> U.S. Government Securities Risk: U.S. Government securities may be subject to price fluctuations. An agency may default on an obligation not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Any guarantee on U.S. government securities does not apply to the value of the fund’s shares.

> Variable Distribution Risk: Periodic distributions by investments of variable or floating interest rates vary with fluctuations in market interest rates.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. The current subadviser commenced providing services for the fund in July 2022 and therefore the returns shown in the table for periods prior to that date reflect the performance of other investment professionals.

The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index and a style-specific index that reflects the market sectors in which the fund invests. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

The ICE BofA 1-3 Year BB U.S. Cash Pay High Yield Index is a subset of The ICE BofA U.S. Cash Pay High Yield Index including all securities with a remaining term to final maturity less than 3 years and rated BB1 through BB3, inclusive. The ICE BofA U.S. Cash Pay High Yield Index tracks the performance of U.S. dollar denominated below investment grade corporate debt, currently in a coupon paying period, that is publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market.

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. After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.

The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement agreement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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 fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 92% of the average value of its portfolio.

The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by normally investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies that are domiciled in or tied economically to countries with emerging securities markets—that is, countries with securities markets which are, in the opinion of the portfolio managers, less sophisticated than more developed markets in terms of participation by investors, analyst coverage, liquidity and regulation. Most countries with emerging securities markets are located in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe. The fund may achieve its exposure to non-U.S. equity securities in several ways, including through investing in American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and other depositary receipts, in addition to direct investments in the securities of non-U.S. issuers. The fund may invest in exchange traded funds (“ETFs”).

Although the fund does not expect to invest significantly in foreign currency exchange contracts, options, stock index futures contracts and other derivative instruments, or access products such as participatory notes (“P-Notes”), it may do so at any time. The fund typically does not seek to hedge its exposure to securities denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies but retains the flexibility to do so at any time.

In selecting investments for the fund, the portfolio managers use a value investing style focusing on companies the portfolio managers believe are undervalued, including smaller capitalization securities and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). The portfolio managers partition the fund’s selection universe by industry and then identify what they believe to be undervalued securities in each industry to determine potential holdings for the fund representing a broad range of industry groups. The portfolio managers use quantitative factors to screen the fund’s selection universe, analyzing factors such as price-to-earnings ratios (i.e., share price relative to a company’s earnings), dividend yield, price-to-book ratios (i.e., share price relative to a company’s balance sheet value), price-to-cash-flow ratios (i.e., share price relative to a company’s cash flow). After still further narrowing the universe through a combination of qualitative analysis and fundamental research, the portfolio managers select securities for the fund.

> Market Volatility Risk: The value of the securities in the fund may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be short- or long-term. Local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the fund and its investments, including hampering the ability of the fund’s portfolio manager(s) to invest the fund’s assets as intended.

> Issuer Risk: The fund will be affected by factors specific to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the fund invests, including actual or perceived changes in the financial condition or business prospects of such issuers.

> Equity Securities Risk: The value of the stocks held by the fund may be negatively affected by the financial market, industries in which the fund invests, or issuer-specific events. Focus on a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.

> Foreign Investing Risk: Investing in foreign securities subjects the fund to additional risks such as increased volatility; currency fluctuations; less liquidity; less publicly available information about the foreign investment; and political, regulatory, economic, and market risk.

> Emerging Markets Risk: Foreign investing risk may be particularly high to the extent that the fund invests in emerging market securities. Emerging markets securities may be more volatile, or more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.

> China-Related Risk: Because the fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets in equity securities of Chinese companies, it is particularly affected by events or factors relating to China, which may increase risk and volatility.

> Allocation Risk: If the fund’s exposure to equities and fixed income securities, or to other asset classes, deviates from the intended allocation, or if the fund’s allocation is not optimal for market conditions at a given time, the fund’s performance may suffer.

> Counterparty Risk: There is risk that a party upon whom the fund relies to complete a transaction will default.

> Credit Risk: If the issuer of a debt instrument fails to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or negative perceptions exist in the market of the issuer’s ability to make such payments, the price of the security may decline.

> Currency Rate Risk: Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.

> Depositary Receipts Risk: Investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts may expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.

> Derivatives Risk: Derivatives and other similar instruments (collectively referred to in this section as “derivatives”) may include, among other things, futures, options, forwards and swap agreements and may be used in order to hedge portfolio risks, create leverage or attempt to increase returns. Investments in derivatives may result in increased volatility and the fund may incur a loss greater than its principal investment.

> Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Risk: The value of an ETF may be more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities the ETF is designed to track. The costs to the fund of owning shares of an ETF may exceed the cost of investing directly in the underlying securities.

> Focused Investment Risk: To the extent the fund focuses its investments on a limited number of issuers, sectors, industries, geographic regions or portfolio themes, it may be subject to increased risk and volatility.

> Leverage Risk: When a fund leverages its portfolio by borrowing or certain types of transactions or instruments, including derivatives, fund may be less liquid, may liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, and the volatility of the fund’s value may increase.

> Liquidity Risk: Certain securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities or common stocks. To the extent the fund invests in less liquid securities or the level of liquidity in a particular market is constrained, the lack of an active market for investments may cause delay in disposition or force a sale below fair value.

> Participatory Notes Risk: The performance of participatory notes (“P-notes”) will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers that they seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses, and P-notes are also subject to counterparty risk and liquidity risk.

> Portfolio Turnover Risk: High levels of portfolio turnover increase transaction costs and taxes and may lower investment performance.

> Real Estate Investment Risk: The fund may be negatively affected by changes in real estate values or economic conditions, credit risk and interest rate fluctuations, changes in the value of the underlying real estate and defaults by lessees and/or borrowers.

> Redemption Risk: One or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders may redeem their holdings in the fund, resulting in an adverse impact on remaining shareholders in the fund by causing the fund to take actions it would not otherwise have taken.

> Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk: The fund’s investments in small and medium market capitalization companies may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.

> Value Stocks Risk: The fund may underperform when value investing is out of favor or the fund’s investments may not appreciate in value as anticipated.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over the life of the fund. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. The index is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.

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. After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities.

The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement agreement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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 fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 114% of the average value of its portfolio.

The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by creating a portfolio of global equities with a focus on companies that the portfolio managers believe exhibit strong records with respect to environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) factors. The fund normally invests primarily in equity securities of both U.S. and non-U.S. companies, including emerging market securities. Under normal market conditions, the fund will invest at least 40% of its assets in non-U.S. securities. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, if the weighting of non-U.S. securities in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (the “Index”) drops below 45%, the fund may invest a lower amount in non-U.S. securities, which will normally be such that the minimum level for non-U.S. securities will be 5% below the weighting of non-U.S. securities in the Index as of the most

recently published month-end composition. As of December 31, 2023, the capitalization weighting of non-U.S. securities in the Index was approximately 47.4%. The fund is not managed with reference to the Index, and its primary performance benchmark is the MSCI All Country World Index. The portfolio managers intend to diversify the fund’s investments across geographic regions and economic sectors. The fund intends, but is not required, to hold stocks that are not included in the benchmark index. The fund may invest in issuers of any size market capitalization, including smaller capitalization companies. The fund may achieve its exposure to non-U.S. securities either directly or through depository receipts such as Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).

The portfolio managers begin with an investment universe comprised of more than 5,000 equity securities and assess individual securities using a disciplined investment process that integrates a focus on the ESG records of the issuers of such securities with proprietary fundamental, company- specific research and quantitative analysis. The portfolio managers utilize a sector analysis to screen out issuers based on revenue from sectors such as tobacco, thermal coal, alcohol, gambling and weapons.

The portfolio managers use a proprietary ESG model scoring to evaluate and rate the securities in the investment universe. Based on this proprietary ESG scoring model, companies’ ESG practices and risk factors are considered as part of the investment process, namely for the purposes of identifying tail risk factors (i.e., low probability factors that could have an outsized negative effect on performance) arising from a company’s ESG practices and understanding how a company’s ESG risk factors might affect the company and its performance. The portfolio managers believe that there are long-term benefits in an investment approach that attaches material weight to certain issues that receive less attention from traditional investment analysis, such as the environment, workplace relations, human rights, community relations, product safety and impact, and corporate governance and business ethics. The portfolio managers also believe that investing in companies with strong records for managing ESG risks can generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact and that companies that do not exhibit strong records with respect to ESG factors may be at a greater long-term risk of negative economic consequences. With respect to ESG factors, the portfolio managers will aim to invest the majority of the fund’s portfolio in stocks that they rate as best-in-class (i.e., NFJ ESG rated AAA, AA or A) and avoid stocks rated worst-in-class (i.e., NFJ rated B and CCC), although the portfolio managers maintain discretion to invest from time to time in companies with minimum ESG scores and to exclude companies with high ESG scores from the fund’s portfolio.

The portfolio managers then analyze specific companies for possible investment through a disciplined, fundamental, bottom up-research process and quantitative analysis. In identifying potential investments, the portfolio managers ordinarily look for companies that exhibit some or all of the following characteristics: a strong record with respect to ESG factors; a demonstrated record of ESG risk management; long-term competitive advantage; a strong balance sheet; high barriers to entry in the company’s industry or area of business; and a strong record of capital discipline. The portfolio managers then seek to identify attractively-valued quality companies that exhibit growth characteristics. The portfolio managers construct the fund’s portfolio with the expectation that stock-specific risk will drive the fund’s returns over a complete market cycle and may reallocate the portfolio’s holdings in attempting to mitigate other risk factors, such as currency risk, country/regional risk, investment style risk, and sector risk, among others. Under normal circumstances, the portfolio managers typically select approximately 40 to 60 stocks for the fund.

> Market Volatility Risk: The value of the securities in the fund may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be short- or long-term. Local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the fund and its investments, including hampering the ability of the fund’s portfolio manager(s) to invest the fund’s assets as intended.

> Issuer Risk: The fund will be affected by factors specific to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the fund invests, including actual or perceived changes in the financial condition or business prospects of such issuers.

> Equity Securities Risk: The value of the stocks held by the fund may be negatively affected by the financial market, industries in which the fund invests, or issuer-specific events. Focus on a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.

> Foreign Investing Risk: Investing in foreign securities subjects the fund to additional risks such as increased volatility; currency fluctuations; less liquidity; less publicly available information about the foreign investment; and political, regulatory, economic, and market risk.

> Sustainable Investing Risk: Because the fund focuses on investments in companies that the fund’s subadviser believes exhibit strong environmental, social, and corporate governance records, the fund’s universe of investments may be smaller than that of other funds and broad equity benchmark indices.

> Allocation Risk: If the fund’s exposure to equities and fixed income securities, or to other asset classes, deviates from the intended allocation, or if the fund’s allocation is not optimal for market conditions at a given time, the fund’s performance may suffer.

> Counterparty Risk: There is risk that a party upon whom the fund relies to complete a transaction will default.

> Credit Risk: If the issuer of a debt instrument fails to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or negative perceptions exist in the market of the issuer’s ability to make such payments, the price of the security may decline.

> Currency Rate Risk: Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.

> Depositary Receipts Risk: Investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts may expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.

> Emerging Markets Risk: Foreign investing risk may be particularly high to the extent that the fund invests in emerging market securities. Emerging markets securities may be more volatile, or more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.

> Focused Investment Risk: To the extent the fund focuses its investments on a limited number of issuers, sectors, industries, geographic regions or portfolio themes, it may be subject to increased risk and volatility.

> Liquidity Risk: Certain securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities or common stocks. To the extent the fund invests in less liquid securities or the level of liquidity in a particular market is constrained, the lack of an active market for investments may cause delay in disposition or force a sale below fair value.

> Redemption Risk: One or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders may redeem their holdings in the fund, resulting in an adverse impact on remaining shareholders in the fund by causing the fund to take actions it would not otherwise have taken.

> Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk: The fund’s investments in small and medium market capitalization companies may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. The current subadviser commenced providing services for the fund in July 2022 and therefore the returns shown in the table for periods prior to that date reflect the performance of other investment professionals.

The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over the life of the fund. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of two broad-based securities market indexes. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

The MSCI All Country World Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures equity performance of developed and emerging markets. The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (net) tracks the performance of the top 10% of the 2,500 largest companies in the S&P Global Broad Market

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. After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.

The fund seeks a high level of current income and capital growth.

The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial professional or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 75 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 117 of the fund’s SAI.