Gabelli Gold Fund, Inc.
Gabelli Gold Fund, Inc.
One
Corporate Center
Rye, New
York 10580-1422
800-GABELLI
(800‑422‑3554)
fax: 914‑921‑5118
website: www.gabelli.com
Questions?
Call
800‑GABELLI
or your
investment representative.
Gabelli
Gold Fund,
Inc.
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Class |
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Ticker Symbol |
Class AAA |
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GOLDX |
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Class A |
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GLDAX |
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Class C |
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GLDCX |
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Class I |
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GLDIX |
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PROSPECTUS
Beginning
on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual
shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically
request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available
on the Fund’s website (https://gabelli.com/), and you will be notified by mail
each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the
report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically,
you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. To
elect to receive all future reports on paper free of charge, please contact your
financial intermediary, or, if you invest directly with the Fund, you may call
800-422-3554 or send an email request to [email protected]. Your election to
receive reports on paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you
invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held within the fund
complex if you invest directly with the Fund.
The Securities and
Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the shares described in this
Prospectus or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
SUMMARY OF THE FUND
Investment Objective
The Fund
seeks to provide investors with long term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of
the Fund:
This table
describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of
the Fund. You may
qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to
invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Class A shares of the
Fund. More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in the section entitled, “Classes
of Shares” on page 13 of the prospectus and in Appendix A, “Sales Charge
Reductions and Waivers Available through Certain Intermediaries,” attached to
the Fund’s prospectus.
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Class AAA Shares |
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Class A Shares |
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Class C Shares |
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Class I Shares |
Shareholder Fees
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(fees paid directly from
your investment): |
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Maximum
Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of offering
price) |
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None |
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5.75% |
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None |
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None |
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Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of redemption or offering
price, whichever is lower) |
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None |
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None |
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1.00% |
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None |
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Maximum
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends (as percentage of
amount invested) |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Redemption Fee
(as a percentage of amount redeemed for shares held seven days or
less) |
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2.00% |
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2.00% |
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2.00% |
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2.00% |
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Exchange
Fee |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Annual Fund Operating
Expenses |
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(expenses that you pay each
year as a percentage of the value of your
investment): |
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Management
Fees |
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1.00% |
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1.00% |
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1.00% |
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1.00% |
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Distribution
and Service (Rule 12b‑1) Fees |
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0.25% |
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0.25% |
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1.00% |
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None |
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Other
Expenses |
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0.23% |
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0.23% |
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0.23% |
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0.23% |
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Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
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1.48% |
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1.48% |
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2.23% |
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1.23% |
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Expense Example
This example
is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost
of investing in other mutual funds.
The example
assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and
then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also
assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating
expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower,
based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 Year |
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3 Years |
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5 Years |
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10 Years |
Class AAA
Shares |
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$
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151 |
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$
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468 |
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$
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808 |
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$
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1,768 |
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Class A
Shares |
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$
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717 |
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$
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1,016 |
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$
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1,336 |
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$
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2,242 |
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Class C
Shares |
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$
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326 |
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$
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697 |
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$
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1,195 |
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$
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2,565 |
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Class I
Shares |
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$
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125 |
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$
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390 |
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$
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676 |
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$
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1,489 |
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2
You would pay the following
expenses if you did not redeem your shares of the Fund:
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1 Year |
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3 Years |
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5 Years |
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10 Years |
Class AAA
Shares |
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$
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151 |
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$
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468 |
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$
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808 |
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$
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1,768 |
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Class A
Shares |
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$
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717 |
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$
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1,016 |
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$
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1,336 |
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$
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2,242 |
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Class C
Shares |
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$
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226 |
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$
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697 |
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$
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1,195 |
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$
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2,565 |
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Class I
Shares |
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$
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125 |
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$
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390 |
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$
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676 |
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$
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1,489 |
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Portfolio Turnover
The Fund
pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities
(or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate
higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when the Fund’s shares
are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the
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
9% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment
Strategies
Under normal
circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings
for investment purposes) in equity securities of foreign and domestic issuers
principally engaged in gold related activities and gold bullion (the “80%
Investment Policy”).
In selecting
investments for the Fund, Gabelli Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”), focuses on stocks
that are undervalued, but which appear to have favorable prospects for growth.
Factors considered in this determination include capitalization per ounce of
gold production, capitalization per ounce of recoverable reserves, quality of
management, and the issuer’s ability to create shareholder wealth.
Because most
of the world’s gold production is outside of the United States, the Fund expects
that a significant portion of its assets may be invested in securities of
foreign issuers, including those located in emerging markets.
An important
function of the Adviser’s investment process is to, among other things,
establish through the Adviser’s research, a value at which a particular stock
may be sold, provided there are no other fundamental changes in the business.
The Adviser constantly monitors the Fund’s holdings to determine if such
holdings continue to act in accordance with the factors described above and the
Fund’s investment objective. The Adviser may sell a holding if its fundamentals
deteriorate or change in a way, as determined by the Adviser, that the
investment case for the holding is no longer appropriate for the Fund.
Principal Risks
You may want to
invest in the Fund if:
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you
are investing for a long term goal such as retirement
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you
are looking to add an aggressive growth component to your portfolio
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you
are willing to accept higher risks of investing in a sector of the stock
market in exchange for long term returns
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3
The Fund’s
share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s
portfolio securities. An investment in the Fund is not a
deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
When you sell Fund shares,
they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them; you may lose money
by investing in the Fund.
The
principal risks presented by the Fund are:
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Risk of Investing in Australia. Investments in
Australian companies may subject the Fund to regulatory, political,
currency, security, and economic risk specific to Australia. The
Australian economy is heavily dependent on exports from the energy,
agricultural and mining sectors. This makes the Australian economy
susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. Australia is also
dependent on trading with key trading partners; interruption or
termination of such trading relationships may have a negative effect on
the companies in which the Fund invests.
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Concentration
Risk. The Fund may be subject to greater
volatility with respect to its portfolio securities than a fund that does
not concentrate its investments.
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Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and Global Health
Events. COVID-19 and concerns about its
rapid spread and infections have severely impacted business activity in
virtually all economies, markets, and sectors and negatively impacted the
value of many financial and other assets. The duration of the COVID-19
outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty. These events
could have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance, as well as the
performance and viability of issuers in which it invests.
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Emerging Markets
Risk. Securities of companies in emerging
markets or companies with significant exposure to emerging markets may be
more volatile than those of companies in more developed markets. Emerging
markets may be more likely to experience economic, political or social
instability than more developed markets.
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Equity Market
Risk. The price of equity securities may
rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a
company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These
price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies,
sectors or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities
market as a whole, such as changes in economic, global health, or
political conditions. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down,
your investment in the Fund decreases in value.
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Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in
foreign securities involve risks relating to political, social, and
economic developments abroad, as well as risks resulting from the
differences between the regulations to which U.S. and foreign issuers and
markets are subject. These risks include expropriation, differing
accounting and disclosure standards, currency exchange risks, settlement
difficulties, market illiquidity, difficulties enforcing legal rights, and
greater transaction costs.
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Gold Related
Risks. The price of gold and of gold-related
securities historically has been very volatile. The high volatility of
gold prices may adversely affect the financial condition of companies
involved with gold. The production and sale of gold by governments or
central banks or other larger holders can be affected by various economic,
financial, social, and political factors, which may be unpredictable and
may have a significant impact on the supply and prices of precious metals.
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Issuer-Specific
Risk. The value of an individual security or
particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a
whole and can perform differently from the market as a whole. The Fund
could lose all of its investment in a company’s securities.
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Management
Risk. If the portfolio manager is incorrect
in his assessment of the growth prospects of the securities the Fund
holds, then the value of the Fund’s shares may decline.
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Market Risk. The
risk that the securities markets will move down, sometimes rapidly and
unpredictably based on overall economic conditions and other factors.
Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the
spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or
other events could have a significant impact on the Fund’s investments.
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Risk of Investing in North America. Economic events
in any North American country can have a significant economic effect on
the entire North American region and on some or all of the North American
countries in which the Fund invests. Political developments in the U.S.,
including possible termination of trade treaties with Canada and
imposition of tariffs by the U.S. and Canada on the other’s products,
could negatively impact the value of securities held by the Fund.
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Performance
The bar chart
and table that follow provide an indication of the risks of investing in the
Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year, and by
showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for one year, five years, and ten
years compared with those of a broad based securities market index and
additional style specific indices. As with all mutual funds, the
Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not predict how the Fund
will perform in the future. Updated information
on the Fund’s results can be obtained by visiting www.gabelli.com.
GABELLI GOLD FUND, INC.
(Total Returns for Class AAA Shares for the Years
Ended December 31)
5
During the calendar years shown in the bar
chart, the highest return for a
quarter was 58.42% (quarter ended June 30,
2020) and the lowest return for a quarter
was (36.06)% (quarter ended June 30,
2013).
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Average Annual Total
Returns
(for the years
ended December 31, 2020, with
maximum sales charge, if
applicable) |
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Past One Year |
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Past Five Years |
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Past Ten Years |
Gabelli
Gold Fund, Inc. Class AAA Shares |
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Return
Before Taxes |
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26.31 |
%
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20.35 |
%
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(2.32 |
)%
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Return
After Taxes on Distributions |
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25.69 |
%
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19.96 |
%
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(2.82 |
)%
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Return
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
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15.82 |
%
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16.53 |
%
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(1.58 |
)%
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Class A
Shares |
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Return
Before Taxes |
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19.09 |
%
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18.95 |
%
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(2.87 |
)%
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Class C
Shares |
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Return
Before Taxes |
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24.40 |
%
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19.48 |
%
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(3.04 |
)%
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Class I
Shares |
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Return
Before Taxes |
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26.67 |
%
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20.66 |
%
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(2.07 |
)%
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Standard
& Poor’s (“S&P”) 500 Index (reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes) |
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18.40 |
%
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15.22 |
%
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13.88 |
%
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Philadelphia
Gold & Silver (“XAU”) Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
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35.93 |
%
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27.00 |
%
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(3.31 |
)%
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NYSE
Arca Gold Miners Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or
taxes) |
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24.05 |
%
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22.82 |
%
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(3.94 |
)%
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Lipper
Precious Metals Fund Average |
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31.94 |
%
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21.56 |
%
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(4.19 |
)%
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After‑tax returns are
calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax
rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
In some instances, the
“Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be greater
than “Return Before Taxes” and “Return After Taxes on Distributions” because the
investor is assumed to be able to use the capital loss from the sale of Fund
shares to offset other taxable gains. Actual after‑tax returns
depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown.
After‑tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares
through tax deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement
accounts, including Roth IRAs and SEP IRAs (collectively,
“IRAs”). After‑tax returns are shown
only for Class AAA shares. After‑tax returns for other classes will vary
due to the differences in expenses.
Management
The Adviser. Gabelli Funds, LLC
The Portfolio Managers. Mr. Caesar M.P.
Bryan, Senior Vice President of GAMCO Investors, Inc., has served as portfolio
manager of the Fund since its inception on July 11, 1994.
In managing
the portfolio of the Gabelli Gold Fund, Inc., the Adviser also uses the services
of Christopher Mancini. Mr. Mancini is an analyst in the industrials and
materials sector with a focus on metals and mining. He joined the firm in 2008.
Previously, he was a research analyst at Heyman Investments, R6 Capital
Management and Satellite Asset Management. Mr. Mancini holds a BA in economics
from Boston College and is a CFA charterholder.
6
Purchase and Sale of
Fund Shares
The minimum
initial investment for Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares is $1,000
($250 for IRAs or Coverdell Education Savings Plans). There is no minimum
initial investment for Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares in an
automatic monthly investment plan. Class I shares are available to
investors with a minimum investment of $500,000 when purchasing the shares
directly through G.distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor (“G.distributors”
or the “Distributor”), or investors purchasing Class I shares through
brokers or financial intermediaries that have entered into selling agreements
with the Distributor specifically with respect to Class I shares, and which have
different minimum investment amounts. If you transact in Class I shares through
a broker or financial intermediary, you may be required to pay a commission
and/or other forms of compensation to the broker or financial intermediary. The
Distributor reserves the right to waive or change minimum investment amounts.
There is no minimum for subsequent investments.
You can
purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”) is open for trading (a “Business Day”). You may purchase or redeem Fund
shares by written request via mail (The Gabelli Funds, P.O. 219204, Kansas City,
MO 64121-9204), personal or overnight delivery (The Gabelli Funds, c/o DST Asset
Manager Solutions, Inc., 430 W 7th Street STE
219204, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), Internet, bank wire, or Automated Clearing
House (“ACH”) system. You may also purchase or redeem Fund shares by telephone
at 800-GABELLI (800-422-3554), if you have an existing account with banking
instructions on file.
Fund shares
can also be purchased or sold through registered broker-dealers or financial
intermediaries that have entered into appropriate selling agreements with the
Distributor. The broker-dealer or other financial intermediary will transmit
these transaction orders to the Fund on your behalf and send you confirmation of
your transactions and periodic account statements showing your investments in
the Fund.
Tax Information
The Fund
expects that distributions will generally be taxable as ordinary income or long
term capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax deferred arrangement,
such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.
Payments to
Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you
purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial
intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the
intermediary for the sale of the Fund shares and related services. These
payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or
other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another
investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website
for more information.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE,
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, AND RELATED RISKS
The Fund’s
investment objective is to seek long term capital appreciation. The investment
objective of the Fund is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder
approval.
Under normal
circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any
borrowings for investment purposes) in the equity securities of companies
principally engaged in the exploration, mining,
7
fabrication,
processing, distribution, or trading of gold or the financing, managing,
controlling, or operating of companies engaged in “gold related” activities and
gold bullion. A company is principally engaged in gold related activities if it
derives more than 50% of its income or devotes 50% or more of its assets to
those activities. The 80% Investment Policy may be changed by the Fund’s Board
of Directors (the “Board” or the “Directors”) without shareholder approval.
Shareholders will, however, receive at least sixty days’ prior written
notice of any change in this policy. The Fund may also invest in equity
securities of companies engaged in similar activities with respect to silver,
platinum, or other precious metals or minerals. Equity securities include common
and preferred stocks, securities convertible into common stocks, and securities
such as rights and warrants that have common stock characteristics.
The Fund
provides investors with the opportunity to invest in gold and gold related
securities. An investment in the Fund may offer a better opportunity for capital
growth for the long term investor willing to accept an above-average risk.
Because gold (a tangible asset) has not always moved in close correlation with
financial assets, an investment in the Fund may diversify an existing portfolio
of non‑gold‑related securities and other investments.
In selecting
investments for the Fund, the Adviser focuses on stocks that are undervalued,
but which appear to have favorable prospects for growth. Factors considered in
this determination include capitalization per ounce of production,
capitalization per ounce of recoverable reserves, quality of management, and the
issuer’s ability to create shareholder wealth.
Because most
of the world’s gold production is outside of the United States, the Fund expects
that a significant portion of its assets may be invested in securities of
foreign issuers, including those located in emerging markets. The percentage of
Fund assets invested in particular countries or regions will change from time to
time based on the Adviser’s judgment. Among other things, the Adviser will
consider the economic stability and economic outlook of these countries and
regions.
An important
function of the Adviser’s investment process is to, among other things,
establish through the Adviser’s research, a value at which a particular stock
may be sold, provided there are no other fundamental changes in the business.
The Adviser constantly monitors the Fund’s holdings to determine if such
holdings continue to act in accordance with the factors described above and the
Fund’s investment objective. The Adviser may sell a holding if its fundamentals
deteriorate or change in a way, as determined by the Adviser, that the
investment case for the holding is no longer appropriate for the Fund.
The Fund may
also use the following investment technique:
|
• |
|
Defensive
Investments. When adverse market or economic
conditions exist, the Fund may temporarily invest all or a portion of its
assets in defensive investments. Such investments include short term fixed
income securities or money market instruments. When following a defensive
strategy, the Fund will be less likely to achieve its investment
objective. |
The Fund may
also engage in other investment practices in order to achieve its investment
objectives. These are discussed in the Statement of Additional Information
(“SAI”), which may be obtained by calling 800-GABELLI (800-422-3554), your
financial intermediary, or free of charge through the Fund’s website at
www.gabelli.com.
8
Investing in
the Fund involves the following risks:
|
• |
|
Risk of Investing in Australia. Investment in
Australian companies may subject the Fund to regulatory, political,
currency, security, and economic risk specific to Australia. The
Australian economy is heavily dependent on exports from the energy,
agricultural and mining sectors. As a result, the Australian economy is
susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. The Australian
economy is also becoming increasingly dependent on its growing services
industry. The Australian economy is dependent on trading with key trading
partners, including the U.S., China, Japan, Singapore and certain European
countries. Reduction in spending on Australian products and services, or
changes in any of the economies may cause an adverse impact on the
Australian economy. |
|
• |
|
Concentration
Risk. Because the Fund will invest more than
25% of its total assets in securities of companies involved in gold
related or precious metals related activities, the Fund may be subject to
greater volatility with respect to its portfolio securities than a fund
that is more broadly diversified. As the diversification of the Fund’s
holdings is measured at the time of purchase, certain securities may
become a larger percentage of the Fund’s total assets due to movements in
the financial markets. If market movements affect several securities held
by the Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested
in the securities of fewer issuers. Accordingly, the Fund is subject to
the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor
performance of relatively few securities, compared to a fund that does not
concentrate its investments. |
|
• |
|
Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and Global Health Event
Risk. As of the filing date of this
prospectus, there is an outbreak of a highly contagious form of a novel
coronavirus known as “COVID-19.” COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by
the World Health Organization and, in response to the outbreak, the U.S.
Health and Human Services Secretary has declared a public health emergency
in the United States. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the global
economy, including the U.S. economy, and has resulted in a global economic
recession. Many states have issued orders requiring the closure of
non-essential businesses and/or requiring residents to stay at home. The
COVID-19 pandemic and preventative measures taken to contain or mitigate
its spread have caused, and are continuing to cause, business shutdowns,
cancellations of events and travel, significant reductions in demand for
certain goods and services, reductions in business activity and financial
transactions, supply chain interruptions and overall economic and
financial market instability both globally and in the United States. Such
effects will likely continue for the duration of the pandemic, which is
uncertain, and for some period thereafter. While several countries, as
well as certain states, counties and cities in the United States, began to
relax the early public health restrictions with a view to partially or
fully reopening their economies, many cities, both globally and in the
United States, have since experienced a surge in the reported number of
cases and hospitalizations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase
in cases has led to the re-introduction of restrictions and business
shutdowns in certain states, counties and cities in the United States and
globally and could continue to lead to the re-introduction of such
restrictions elsewhere. Additionally, in December 2020, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (“FDA”) authorized vaccines produced by
Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for emergency use, and in February 2021, the
FDA authorized vaccines |
9
|
produced
by Johnson & Johnson for emergency use. However, it remains unclear
how quickly the vaccines will be distributed nationwide and globally,
whether vaccine distributions may be paused or when “herd immunity” will
be achieved and the restrictions that were imposed to slow the spread of
the virus will be lifted entirely. The delay in distributing the vaccines
could lead people to continue to self-isolate and not participate in the
economy at pre-pandemic levels for a prolonged period of time. Even after
the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, the U.S. economy and most other major
global economies may continue to experience a substantial economic
downturn or recession, and our business and operations, as well as the
business and operations of our portfolio companies, could be materially
adversely affected by a prolonged economic downturn or recession in the
United States and other major markets. |
Despite
actions of the U.S. federal government and foreign governments, the uncertainty
surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors has contributed to
significant volatility and declines in the global public equity markets and
global debt capital markets, including the net asset value of the Fund’s shares.
These events could have, and/or have had, a significant impact on the Fund’s
performance, net asset value, income, operating results and ability to pay
distributions, as well as the performance, income, operating results and
viability of issuers in which it invests.
It is
virtually impossible to determine the ultimate impact of COVID-19 at this time.
Further, the extent and strength of any economic recovery after the COVID-19
pandemic abates, including following any “second wave,” “third wave” or other
intensifying of the pandemic, is uncertain and subject to various factors and
conditions. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund is subject to an elevated
degree of risk as compared to other market environments.
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• |
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Emerging Markets
Risk. Securities of companies in emerging
markets or companies with significant exposure to emerging markets may be
more volatile than those of companies in more developed markets. Emerging
market countries generally have less developed markets and economies and,
in some countries, less mature governments and governmental institutions.
Investing in securities of companies in emerging markets may entail
special risks relating to potential economic, political or social
instability and the risks of expropriation, nationalization, confiscation
or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investment, the lack of
hedging instruments, and on repatriation of capital invested.
|
|
• |
|
Equity Market
Risk. The price of equity securities may
rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a
company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These
price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies,
sectors or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities
market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions.
Equity securities are subject to “stock market risk” meaning that stock
prices in general (or in particular, the prices of the types of securities
in which the Fund invests) may decline over short or extended periods of
time. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment
in the Fund decreases in value. |
|
• |
|
Foreign Securities
Risk. Risks of investing in foreign
securities include currency risks, future political and economic
developments, and possible imposition of foreign withholding taxes on
income payable on the securities. In addition, there may be less publicly
available information about a foreign issuer than about a domestic issuer,
and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing
and financial recordkeeping standards and requirements as domestic
issuers. |
10
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• |
|
Gold Related
Risks. The risk that the stock prices of
companies involved in precious metals related industries will experience
greater volatility than companies not involved in precious metals related
industries. Investments related to gold and other precious metals and
minerals are considered speculative and are affected by a variety of
worldwide economic, financial, and political factors. Prices of gold and
other precious metals may fluctuate sharply over short periods of time due
to changes in inflation or expectations regarding inflation in various
countries, the availability of supplies of precious metals, changes in
industrial and commercial demand, metal sales by governments, central
banks, or international agencies, investment speculation, monetary, and
other economic policies of various governments, and government
restrictions on private ownership of certain precious metals and minerals.
Investors should note that bullion may depreciate in value, and unlike
other investments, does not generate income. When holding bullion, the
Fund may encounter higher custody and other costs (including shipping and
insurance) than those normally associated with ownership of securities.
Also, any gains realized upon the sale of bullion or of interests of
certain trusts holding bullion will not count towards the requirement in
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), that at least
90% of the Fund’s gross income in each taxable year be derived from gains
on the sale of securities and certain other permitted sources.
|
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• |
|
Issuer-Specific
Risk. The value of an individual security or
particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a
whole and can perform differently from the market as a whole. The Fund
could lose all of its investment in a company’s securities.
|
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• |
|
Management
Risk. If the portfolio manager is incorrect
in his assessment of the growth prospects of the securities the Fund
holds, then the value of the Fund’s shares may decline. In addition, the
portfolio manager’s strategy may produce returns that are different from
other mutual funds that invest in similar securities.
|
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• |
|
Market Risk. The
risk that the securities markets will move down, sometimes rapidly and
unpredictably based on overall economic conditions and other factors.
Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the
spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or
other events could have a significant impact on the Fund’s investments.
|
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• |
|
Risk of Investing in North America. A decrease in
imports or exports, changes in trade regulations or an economic recession
in any North American country can have a significant economic effect on
the entire North American region and on some or all of the North American
countries in which the Fund invests. The U.S. is Canada’s and Mexico’s
largest trading and investment partner. The Canadian and Mexican economies
are significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy. The United
States Mexico Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), the successor to the North
American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”), between the United States, Mexico
and Canada, went into effect of July 1, 2020. The termination of NAFTA and
implementation of the USCMA may have a significant and adverse impact on
North America’s economic outlook and the value of the Fund’s investments
in North America. Policy and legislative changes in one country may have a
significant effect on North American markets generally, as well as on the
value of certain securities held by the Fund.
|
Portfolio Holdings. A
description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure
of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI, which may be
obtained by calling 800-Gabelli (800‑422‑3554), your financial intermediary, or
free of charge through the Fund’s website at www.gabelli.com.
11
MANAGEMENT OF THE
FUND
The Adviser. Gabelli
Funds, LLC, with its principal offices located at One Corporate Center, Rye, New
York 10580-1422, is a New York limited liability company that serves as
investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser makes investment decisions for the
Fund and continuously reviews and administers the Fund’s investment program and
manages the Fund’s operations under the general supervision of the Fund’s Board
of Directors (the “Board”). The Adviser also manages several other open-end and
closed-end investment companies in the Gabelli/GAMCO family of funds
(“Gabelli/GAMCO Fund Complex” or “Fund Complex”). The Adviser is a wholly owned
subsidiary of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (“GBL”), a publicly held company listed on
the NYSE.
As
compensation for its services and the related expenses borne by the Adviser for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund paid the Adviser a fee
computed daily and payable monthly in an amount equal on an annualized basis to
1.00% of the value of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
The Fund’s
semiannual report to shareholders for the period ended June 30, 2020,
contains a discussion of the basis of the Board’s determination to continue the
investment advisory agreement.
The Portfolio
Managers. Mr. Caesar M.P. Bryan has been
primarily responsible for the day to day investment management of the Fund’s
investments since 1994. Mr. Bryan joined GBL in 1994. He is currently a
Senior Vice President of GBL and serves as a portfolio manager for the Adviser
managing several funds in the Gabelli/GAMCO Fund Complex, GAMCO Asset
Management, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GBL, and Gabelli & Partners
LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser.
In managing
the portfolio of the Gabelli Gold Fund, Inc., the Adviser also uses the services
of Christopher Mancini. Mr. Mancini is an analyst in the industrials and
materials sector with a focus on metals and mining. He joined the firm in 2008.
Previously, he was a research analyst at Heyman Investments, R6 Capital
Management and Satellite Asset Management. Mr. Mancini holds a BA in economics
from Boston College and is a CFA charterholder.
The Fund’s
SAI provides additional information about Mr. Bryan’s and Mr. Mancini’s
compensation, other accounts managed by them, and their ownership of securities
in the Fund.
INDEX DESCRIPTIONS
The S&P 500 Index is a widely recognized,
unmanaged index of common stocks. The index figures do not reflect any
deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes. You cannot invest directly in the
S&P 500 Index.
The Philadelphia Gold & Silver (“XAU”) Index
is a widely recognized unmanaged index composed of precious metals
related common stocks. You cannot invest directly in the Philadelphia
Gold & Silver Index.
The NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index is a modified
market capitalization-weighted index, and provides exposure to publicly traded
companies worldwide involved primarily in gold mining, representing a
diversified blend of small, mid and large capitalization stocks.
The Lipper Precious Metals Fund Average, which
represents an unmanaged average composed of gold related mutual funds, as
tracked by Lipper, Inc., is adjusted for reinvestment of dividends and capital
gain distributions. You cannot invest directly in the Lipper Precious Metals
Fund Average.
12
CLASSES OF SHARES
Four classes
of the Fund’s shares are offered in this prospectus — Class AAA
shares, Class A shares, Class C shares, and Class I shares. The
Fund is not designed for market timers; see the section entitled “Redemption of
Shares”. Each class of shares has different costs associated with buying,
selling, and holding Fund shares. Your broker or other financial professional
can assist you in selecting which class of shares best meets your needs based on
such factors as the size of your investments and the length of time you intend
to hold your shares.
The minimum
initial investment for Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares is $1,000.
The Fund’s
Class AAA shares are offered only to (1) clients of financial intermediaries (i)
that charge such clients an ongoing fee for advisory, investment, consulting, or
similar service, or (ii) where the Distributor has entered into an agreement
permitting the financial intermediary to offer Class AAA shares through its
mutual fund supermarket network or platform, and (2) customers of the
Distributor.
Class I
shares are available to investors with a minimum investment of $500,000 and
purchasing shares directly through the Distributor, or investors purchasing
Class I shares through brokers or financial intermediaries that have entered
into selling agreements with the Distributor specifically with respect to
Class I shares. Such brokers or financial intermediaries may have different
requirements as to the investment minimum. If you transact in Class I shares
through a broker or financial intermediary, you may be required to pay a
commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker or financial
intermediary.
The
Distributor or its affiliates may, in their discretion, accept investments from
purchasers that do not meet the qualification requirements.
There is no
minimum for subsequent investments.
The table
that follows summarizes the differences among the classes of shares.
|
• |
|
A
“front-end sales load” or sales charge is a one time fee that may be
charged at the time of purchase of shares.
|
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• |
|
A
contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) is a one time fee that may be
charged at the time of redemption. |
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• |
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A
“Rule 12b‑1 fee” is a recurring annual fee for distributing shares
and servicing shareholder accounts based on the Fund’s average daily net
assets attributable to the particular class of shares.
|
In selecting
a class of shares in which to invest, you should consider:
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• |
|
the
length of time you plan to hold the shares;
|
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• |
|
the
amount of sales charge and Rule 12b‑1 fees, recognizing that your
share of Rule 12b‑1 fees as a percentage of your investment increases if
the Fund’s assets increase in value and decreases if the Fund’s assets
decrease in value; |
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• |
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whether
you qualify for a reduction or waiver of the Class A sales charge;
and |
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• |
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whether
you qualify to purchase Class AAA or Class I shares.
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class AAA Shares |
|
Class A Shares |
|
Class C Shares |
|
Class I Shares |
Front-End
Sales Load? |
|
No. |
|
Yes.
The percentage declines as the amount invested increases. The offering
price of a Class A share includes the front-end sales load. |
|
No. |
|
No. |
Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge? |
|
No. |
|
No,
except for shares redeemed up to and including the last day of the
eighteenth month after purchase as part of an investment greater than $1
million if no front-end sales charge was paid at the time of
purchase. |
|
Yes,
for shares redeemed up to and including the last day of the twelfth month
after purchase. |
|
No. |
Rule 12b‑1
Fee |
|
0.25% |
|
0.25% |
|
1.00% |
|
None. |
Convertible
to Another Class? |
|
Yes.
May be converted to Class I shares provided certain conditions are
met. |
|
Yes.
May be converted to Class I shares provided certain conditions are
met. |
|
Yes.
May be converted to Class I shares provided certain conditions are met.
Conversion to Class A shares after approximately eight years. |
|
No. |
Fund Expense
Levels |
|
Lower
annual expenses than Class C shares. Higher annual expenses than Class I
shares. Same as Class A shares. |
|
Lower
annual expenses than Class C shares. Higher annual expenses than Class I
shares. Same as Class AAA shares. |
|
Higher
annual expenses than Class AAA, Class A, and Class I
shares. |
|
Lower
annual expenses than Class AAA, Class A, and Class C
shares. |
The
following sections and Appendix A to this prospectus include important
information about sales charges and sales charge reductions and waivers, and
describe information or records you may need to provide to the Fund or your
broker in order to be eligible for sales charge reductions and waivers.
Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the
availability of sales charge reductions and waivers, please refer to Appendix A
to this prospectus, which describes all such intermediaries. Information about
sales charges and sales charge reductions and waivers to the various classes of
the Fund’s shares is also available free of charge and in a clear and prominent
format on our website at www.gabelli.com. You should consider the information
below as a guide only, as the decision on which share class is best for you
depends on your individual needs and circumstances.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you... |
|
then you should consider... |
• |
|
qualify
for a reduced or waived front-end sales load |
|
purchasing
Class A shares instead of Class C shares |
• |
|
do
not qualify for a reduced or waived front-end sales load and intend to
hold your shares for only a few years |
|
purchasing
Class C shares instead of Class A shares |
• |
|
do
not qualify for a reduced or waived front-end sales load and intend to
hold your shares indefinitely |
|
purchasing
Class A shares instead of Class C shares |
• |
|
are
eligible and wish to purchase at least $500,000 worth of shares |
|
purchasing
Class I shares |
• |
|
qualify
for no-load |
|
purchasing
Class AAA shares |
14
Sales Charge — Class A
Shares. Unless you are eligible for a sales charge
reduction or a waiver as set forth in Appendix A to this prospectus, the sales
charge is imposed on Class A shares at the time of purchase in accordance
with the following schedule. It is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the
Fund, the Distributor, or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of
purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales
charge reductions or waivers.
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|
Amount of Investment |
|
Sales Charge as % of the Offering Price* |
|
Sales Charge as %
of Amount Invested |
|
Reallowance to Broker‑Dealers |
|
|
|
|
Under
$50,000 |
|
|
|
5.75 |
% |
|
|
|
6.10 |
% |
|
|
|
5.00 |
% |
$50,000
but under $100,000 |
|
|
|
4.75 |
% |
|
|
|
4.99 |
% |
|
|
|
4.00 |
% |
$100,000
but under $250,000 |
|
|
|
3.75 |
% |
|
|
|
3.90 |
% |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
$250,000
but under $500,000 |
|
|
|
2.75 |
% |
|
|
|
2.83 |
% |
|
|
|
2.25 |
% |
$500,000
but under $1 million |
|
|
|
2.00 |
% |
|
|
|
2.04 |
% |
|
|
|
1.75 |
% |
$1 million
but under $2 million |
|
|
|
0.00 |
%** |
|
|
|
0.00 |
% |
|
|
|
1.00 |
% |
$2 million
but under $5 million |
|
|
|
0.00 |
%** |
|
|
|
0.00 |
% |
|
|
|
0.50 |
% |
$5 million
or more |
|
|
|
0.00 |
%** |
|
|
|
0.00 |
% |
|
|
|
0.25 |
% |
* |
Front-end
sales load. The term “offering price” includes the front-end sales load.
|
** |
Subject
to a CDSC equivalent to the corresponding amount listed under the column
“Reallowance to Broker-Dealers” for redemptions up to and including the
last day of the eighteenth month after purchase.
|
No sales
charge is imposed on reinvestment of dividends and distributions if you select
that option in advance of the distribution.
Breakpoints or Volume Discounts
The Fund
offers you the benefit of discounts on the sales charges that apply to purchases
of Class A shares in certain circumstances. These discounts, which are also
known as breakpoints, can reduce or, in some instances, eliminate the initial
sales charges that would otherwise apply to your Class A shares investment.
Mutual funds are not required to offer breakpoints and different mutual fund
groups may offer different types of breakpoints.
Breakpoints
or volume discounts allow larger investments in Class A shares to be
charged lower sales charges. If you invest $50,000 or more in Class A
shares of the Fund, then you are eligible for a reduced sales charge. Initial
sales charges are eliminated completely for purchases of $1,000,000 or more,
although a 1% CDSC may apply if shares are redeemed up to and including the last
day of the eighteenth month after purchase.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers —
Class A Shares
Reduced
sales charges are available to (1) investors who are eligible to combine
their purchases of Class A shares to receive volume discounts and
(2) investors who sign a Letter of Intent (“Letter”) agreeing to make
purchases over time. Certain types of investors, as set forth below, are
eligible for sales charge waivers.
Class A
shares may be available for purchase by clients of certain financial
intermediaries without the application of a front-end sales load, as described
in Appendix A to the prospectus.
You may
qualify for a reduced sales charge, or a waiver of sales charges, on purchases
of Class A shares. The requirements are described in the following
paragraphs. To receive a reduction that you
15
qualify for,
you may have to provide additional information to your broker or other service
agent. For more information about sales charge discounts and waivers, consult
with your broker or other service provider.
Volume Discounts/Rights of
Accumulation. In order to determine whether you
qualify for a volume discount under the foregoing sales charge schedule, you may
combine your new investment and your existing investments in Class A shares
with those of your immediate family (spouse and children under age 21),
your and their IRAs, and other employee benefit plans and trusts and other
fiduciary accounts for your and their benefit. You may also include Class A
shares of any other open‑end investment company managed by the Adviser or its
affiliates that are held in any of the foregoing accounts. The Fund uses the
current net asset value per share (“NAV”) of these holdings when combining them
with your new and existing investments for purposes of determining whether you
qualify for a volume discount.
Letter of Intent. If you
initially invest at least $1,000 in Class A shares of the Fund and submit a
Letter to your financial intermediary or the Distributor, you may make purchases
of Class A shares of the Fund during a thirteen-month period at the reduced
sales charge rates applicable to the aggregate amount of the intended purchases
stated in the Letter. The Letter may apply to purchases made up to
ninety days before the date of the Letter. If you fail to invest the total
amount stated in the Letter, the Fund will retroactively collect the sales
charge otherwise applicable by redeeming shares in your account at their then
current NAV. For more information on the Letter, call your broker.
Required Shareholder Information and
Records. In order for you to take advantage of
sales charge reductions, you or your broker must notify the Fund that you
qualify for a reduction. Without notification, the Fund is unable to ensure that
the reduction is applied to your account. You may have to provide information or
records to your broker or the Fund to verify eligibility for breakpoint
privileges or other sales charge waivers. This may include information or
records, including account statements, regarding shares of the Fund or shares of
any other open‑end investment company managed by the Adviser or its affiliates
held in:
|
• |
|
all of
your accounts at the Fund or a financial intermediary;
|
|
• |
|
any
account of yours at another financial intermediary; and
|
|
• |
|
accounts
of related parties of yours, such as members of the same family, at any
financial intermediary. |
You should
therefore keep copies of these types of records.
Investors Eligible for Sales Charge
Waivers. Class A shares of the Fund may be
offered without a sales charge to: (1) employees of the Distributor and its
affiliates, The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, DST Asset Manager
Solutions, Inc. (“DST” or the “Transfer Agent”), State Street Bank and
Trust Company (“State Street”), BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.,
and Soliciting Broker-Dealers, employee benefit plans for those employees and
their spouses and minor children of such employees when orders on their behalf
are placed by such employees (the minimum initial investment for such purchases
is $500); (2) the Adviser, its affiliates and their officers, directors,
trustees, general partners, and employees of other investment companies managed
by the Adviser, employee benefit plans for such persons and their immediate
family when orders on their behalf are placed by such persons (with no required
minimum initial investment)–the term “immediate family” for this purpose refers
to a person’s spouse, children and grandchildren (adopted or natural), parents,
grandparents, siblings, a spouse’s siblings, a sibling’s spouse, and a sibling’s
children; (3) any other investment company in connection with
16
the
combination of such company with the Fund by merger, acquisition of assets, or
otherwise; (4) shareholders who have redeemed shares in the Fund and who
wish to reinvest in the Fund, provided the reinvestment is made within
ninety days of the redemption; (5) employee benefit plans;
(6) any unit investment trusts registered under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended, which have shares of the Fund as a principal investment;
(7) investment advisory clients of GAMCO Asset Management, Inc. and their
immediate families; (8) financial institutions purchasing Class A
shares of the Fund for clients participating in a fee based asset allocation
program or wrap fee program; and (9) investment advisers or financial
planners who place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their
clients and who charge a management, consulting or other fee for their services;
and clients of such investment advisers or financial planners who place trades
for their own accounts if the accounts are linked to the master account of such
investment adviser or financial planner on the books and records of a broker or
financial intermediary.
Additional
categories of sales charge reductions and waivers are also set out in Appendix A
to this prospectus. Investors who qualify under any of the categories described
above or those set out in the Appendix A to this prospectus should contact their
broker or financial intermediary. Some of these investors may also qualify to
invest in Class I shares.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charges
You will pay
a CDSC when you redeem:
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Class A
shares up to and including the last day of the eighteenth month from when
they were purchased as part of an investment greater than $1 million
if no front-end sales charge was paid at the time of purchase; or
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• |
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Class C
shares for up to and including the last day of the twelfth month from when
they were purchased. |
The CDSCs
payable upon redemption of Class A shares in the circumstances described above
are 1.00% for investments of $1 million but less than $2 million, 0.50% for
investments of $2 million but less than $5 million, and 0.25% for investments of
$5 million or more. The CDSC payable upon redemption of Class C shares in the
circumstances described above is 1.00%. In each case, the CDSC is based on the
NAV at the time of investment or the NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is
lower.
The
Distributor pays sales commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of
Class C shares of the Fund at the time of sale to brokers and financial
intermediaries that initiate and are responsible for purchases of such
Class C shares of the Fund.
You will not
pay a CDSC to the extent that the value of the redeemed shares represents
reinvestment of distributions or capital appreciation of shares redeemed. When
you redeem shares, we will assume that you are first redeeming shares
representing reinvestment of distributions, then any appreciation on shares
redeemed, and then any remaining shares held by you for the longest period of
time. We will calculate the holding period of shares acquired through an
exchange of shares of another fund from the date you acquired the original
shares of the other fund. The time you hold shares in a Gabelli money market
fund, however, will not count for purposes of calculating the applicable CDSC.
17
We will
waive the CDSC payable upon redemptions of shares for:
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redemptions
and distributions from retirement plans made after the death or disability
of a shareholder; |
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minimum
required distributions made from an IRA or other retirement plan account
after you reach age 701/2;
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involuntary
redemptions made by the Fund; |
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• |
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a
distribution from a tax deferred retirement plan after your
retirement; and |
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returns
of excess contributions to retirement plans following the shareholder’s
death or disability. |
The CDSC may
be waived if you purchase your shares through intermediaries identified in
Appendix A to this prospectus.
Rule 12b‑1
Plan. The Fund has adopted distribution plans
under Rule 12b‑1 for Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares
of the Fund (“Plans” or each, a “Plan”). Under these Plans, the Fund may use its
assets to finance activities relating to the sale of its Class AAA,
Class A, and Class C shares and the provision of certain shareholder
services. To the extent any activity is one that the Fund may finance without a
distribution plan, the Fund may also make payments to compensate for such
activities outside a Plan and not be subject to its limitations.
The Class
AAA and Class A Plans authorize payments by the Fund at an annual rate of 0.25%
of its average daily net assets attributable to Class AAA and Class A
shares to finance distribution of its Class AAA and Class A shares or
pay shareholder service fees. The Class C Plan authorizes payments at an
annual rate of 0.75% of its average daily net assets attributable to
Class C shares to finance distribution of its Class C shares and 0.25% for
shareholder service fees.
Because the
Rule 12b‑1 fees are higher for Class C shares than for Class AAA or
Class A shares, Class C shares will have higher annual expenses.
Because Rule 12b‑1 fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an on‑going
basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may
cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Due to the payment of
Rule 12b-1 fees, long term shareholders may indirectly pay more than the
equivalent of the maximum permitted front-end sales charge.
Redemption
Fee. Generally, if you sell or exchange your
shares within seven days or less after the purchase date, you will be charged a
redemption fee of 2.00% of the total redemption amount which is payable to the
Fund. See “Redemption of Shares” herein.
PURCHASE OF SHARES
You can
purchase the Fund’s shares on any Business Day.
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By Mail or In
Person. You may open an account by mailing a
completed subscription order form with a check or money order payable to
“Gabelli Gold Fund” to: |
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By Mail |
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By Personal or Overnight Delivery
|
The Gabelli Funds
P.O. Box 219204
Kansas City, MO
64121-9204 |
|
The Gabelli Funds
c/o DST
430 W 7th
Street STE 219204
Kansas City, MO
64105-1407 |
18
You can
obtain a subscription order form by calling 800-GABELLI (800-422-3554). Checks
made payable to a third party and endorsed by the shareholder are not
acceptable. For additional investments, send a check to the above address with a
note stating your exact name and account number, the name of the fund(s) and
class of shares you wish to purchase.
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By Internet. You
may open an account over the Internet at www.gabelli.com.
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By Bank Wire or by ACH
System. To open an account using the bank
wire transfer system or ACH system, first telephone the Fund at
800‑GABELLI (800‑422‑3554) to obtain a new account number. Then instruct
your bank to wire the funds to: |
State Street Bank and Trust Company
225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110
ABA #011‑0000‑28 REF DDA #99046187
Re: Gabelli Gold Fund, Inc.
Account #
Account of [Registered Owners]
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By Telephone. You
may make purchases for an existing account with banking instructions on
file by telephone at 800‑GABELLI (800-422-3554)
|
If you are
making an initial purchase, you should also complete and mail a subscription
order form to the address shown under “By Mail.” Note that banks may charge fees
for wiring funds, although the Fund’s transfer agent, DST, will not charge you
for receiving wire transfers.
You may
purchase shares directly through registered broker-dealers or other financial
intermediaries that have entered into appropriate selling agreements with the
Distributor.
Your
broker-dealer or other financial intermediary can obtain a subscription order
form by calling 800‑GABELLI (800-422-3554). The broker-dealer or other financial
intermediary will transmit a purchase order and payment to DST on your behalf.
Broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries may send you confirmations of
your transactions and periodic account statements showing your investments in
the Fund.
Share Price. The Fund
sells its shares based on the NAV next determined after the time as of which the
Fund receives your completed subscription order form but does not issue the
shares to you until they receive full payment, subject to a front-end sales
charge in the case of Class A shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares”
herein for a description of the calculation of the NAV.
Minimum Investments. The
minimum initial investment for Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares
is $1,000 ($250 for IRAs or Coverdell Education Savings Plans). The minimum
initial investment for Class I shares is $500,000 for investors purchasing Class
I shares directly through the Distributor. Investors who wish to purchase Class
I shares through brokers or financial intermediaries that have entered into
selling agreements with the Distributor specifically with respect to Class I
shares should consult their broker or financial intermediary with respect to any
minimum investment amount required for their account. The Distributor or its
affiliates may, in their discretion, waive the minimum investment requirement
under certain circumstances. There is no minimum for subsequent investments.
Broker-dealers and financial intermediaries may have different minimum
investment requirements.
General. DST will not
issue share certificates unless you request them. The Fund reserves the right to
(i) reject any purchase order if, in the opinion of the Fund’s management,
it is in the Fund’s best interest
19
to do so,
(ii) suspend the offering of shares for any period of time, and
(iii) waive the Fund’s minimum purchase requirements. Except for
differences attributable to these arrangements, the shares of all classes are
substantially the same.
Customer Identification
Program. Federal law requires the Fund to obtain,
verify, and record identifying information, which may include the name,
residential or business address, date of birth (for an individual), social
security or taxpayer identification number, or other identifying information,
for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications
without the required information may be rejected or placed on hold until the
Fund verifies the account holder’s identity.
Third Party
Arrangements. In addition to, or in lieu of,
amounts received by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries as
reallowances of a portion of sales commissions, the Adviser and its affiliates
utilize a portion of their assets, which may include revenues received under the
Plans, to pay all or a portion of the charges of various programs that make
shares of the Fund available to their customers. These payments, sometimes
referred to as “revenue sharing,” do not change the price paid by investors to
purchase the Fund’s shares or the amount the Fund receives as proceeds from such
sales. Revenue sharing payments may be made to broker-dealers, and other
financial intermediaries that provide services to the Fund or to shareholders in
the Fund, including (without limitation) the following programs: shareholder
servicing to Fund shareholders, transaction processing, sub-accounting services,
marketing support, access to sales meetings, sales representatives, and
management representatives of the broker-dealers, or other financial
intermediaries. Revenue sharing payments may also be made to broker-dealers and
other financial intermediaries for inclusion of the Fund on a sales list,
including a preferred or select sales list, and in other sales programs. These
payments take a variety of forms, including (without limitation) compensation
for sales, “trail” fees for shareholder servicing and maintenance of shareholder
accounts, and finders’ fees that vary depending on the share class and the
dollar amount of shares sold. Revenue sharing payments may be structured:
(i) as a percentage of sales; (ii) as a percentage of net assets;
and/or (iii) as a fixed dollar amount.
The Adviser
may also provide non‑cash compensation to broker-dealers or other financial
intermediaries in accordance with applicable rules of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), such as the reimbursement of travel,
lodging, and meal expenses incurred in connection with attendance at educational
and due diligence meetings or seminars by qualified registered representatives
of those firms and, in certain cases, their families; meeting fees; certain
entertainment; advertising or other promotional expenses; or other permitted
expenses as determined in accordance with applicable FINRA rules. In certain
cases these other payments could be significant.
Subject to
tax limitations and approval by the Board, the Fund may also make payments to
third parties out of its own assets (other than Rule 12b‑1 payments) for a
portion of the charges for those programs that generally represent savings of
expenses experienced by the Fund resulting from shareholders investing in the
Fund through such programs rather than investing directly in the Fund.
The Adviser
negotiates the level of payments described above to any particular broker-dealer
or other financial intermediary. Currently, such payments (expressed as a
percentage of net assets) range from 0.10% to 0.40% per year of the average
daily net assets of the Fund attributable to the particular firm depending on
the nature and level of services and other factors. In the case of Class I
shares, the Fund may not make any payments for distribution related services.
20
In addition,
in certain cases, broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries may have
agreements pursuant to which shares of the Fund owned by their clients are held
of record on the books of the Fund in omnibus accounts maintained by each
intermediary, and the intermediaries provide those Fund shareholders with
sub-administration and sub-transfer agency services. Pursuant to the Fund’s
transfer agency agreement, the Fund pays the transfer agent a fee for each
shareholder account. As a result, the use of one omnibus account for multiple
beneficial shareholders can create a cost savings to the Fund. The Board may,
from time to time, authorize the Fund to pay a portion of the fees charged by
these intermediaries if (i) a cost savings to the Fund can be demonstrated and
(ii) the omnibus account of the intermediary has net assets in the Fund in
excess of $10 million. In these cases, the Board may authorize the Fund to pay a
portion of the fees to the intermediary in an amount no greater than the lower
of the transfer agency cost savings relating to the particular omnibus account
or 0.10% of the average daily net assets of that omnibus account. These payments
compensate these intermediaries for the provision of sub-administration and
sub-transfer agency services associated with their clients whose shares are held
of record in this manner.
Additional Purchase
Information
Retirement Plans/Education Savings
Plans. The Fund makes available IRAs and Coverdell
Education Savings Plans for investment in Fund shares. Applications may be
obtained from the Distributor by calling 800‑GABELLI (800‑422‑3554).
Self-employed investors may purchase shares of the Fund through tax-deductible
contributions to existing retirement plans for self-employed persons, known as
“Keogh” or “H.R.‑10” plans. The Fund does not currently act as a sponsor to such
plans. Fund shares may also be a suitable investment for other types of
qualified pension or profit sharing plans which are employer sponsored,
including deferred compensation or salary reduction plans known as “401(k)
Plans.” For Class AAA, A, and C shares, the minimum initial investment in all
such retirement and education savings plans is $250. There is no minimum
subsequent investment for retirement or education savings plans.
Automatic Investment
Plan. The Fund offers an automatic monthly
investment plan. For Class AAA, A, and C shares, there is no initial
minimum investment for accounts establishing an automatic investment plan. Call
your financial intermediary or the Distributor at 800‑GABELLI (800‑422‑3554) for
more details about the plan.
Telephone or Internet Investment
Plan. You may purchase additional shares of the
Fund by telephone and/or over the Internet if your bank is a member of the ACH
system. You must have a completed and approved Account Options Form on file with
the Transfer Agent. There is a minimum of $100 for each telephone or Internet
investment. However, you may split the $100 minimum between two funds. To
initiate an ACH purchase, please call your financial intermediary or 800‑GABELLI
(800‑422‑3554) or 800‑872‑5365, or visit our website at www.gabelli.com.
Voluntary
Conversion. Shareholders may be able to convert
shares to Class I shares of the Fund, which have a lower expense ratio, provided
certain conditions are met. For Class A and Class C shares, this
conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary
offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser
or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Shareholders who currently hold
Class AAA shares and are eligible to purchase Class I shares may convert
existing Class AAA shares of the same Fund through their financial intermediary
if their financial
21
intermediary
has a specific agreement with the Distributor. In such instances,
Class AAA, Class A, or Class C shares may be converted under
certain circumstances. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for
conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Under current
interpretation of applicable federal income tax law by the Internal Revenue
Service, voluntary conversions to a different class of shares generally should
not be treated as a taxable event. Please contact your financial intermediary
for additional information. Not all share classes are available through all
financial intermediaries.
If shares of
the Fund are converted to a different share class of the Fund, the transaction
will be based on the respective NAV of each class as of the trade date of the
conversion. Consequently, a shareholder may receive fewer shares or more shares
than originally owned, depending on that day’s NAVs. Please contact your tax
adviser regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Conversion of Class C shares
to Class A
shares. Investors whose accounts are held at the
Fund’s transfer agent are eligible to hold Class C shares of the Fund only
until the month of the 8‑year anniversary of the purchase date. In the
month of the 8-year anniversary of the purchase date, the Fund will convert such
an investor’s Class C shares into Class A shares. This conversion will not be
subject to any sales charge, fee, or other charge and will be based on the
relative net asset value of the two classes in question. The Internal
Revenue Service currently takes the position that such conversions are not
taxable. Should its position change, the conversion feature may be suspended. If
this were to happen, you would have the option of instructing the Fund to
continue to convert your Class C shares of the Fund to Class A shares
of the Fund at the anniversary date described above. This conversion would also
be based on the relative net asset values of the two classes in question,
without the imposition of a sales charge or fee, but you might face certain tax
consequences as a result. Shareholders should consult with their tax advisor
regarding the state and local tax consequences of such conversions.
Investors
holding Class C shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary in “street
name” may be subject to different eligibility requirements regarding the holding
of Class C shares of the Fund. In this regard, a financial intermediary may
sponsor and/or control accounts, programs or platforms that impose a different
conversion schedule or different eligibility requirements for the conversion of
Class C shares into Class A shares. In these cases, Class C shares of the Fund
may be converted to Class A shares under the policies of the financial
intermediary and the conversion may be structured as an exchange of Class C
shares for Class A shares of the Fund. Financial intermediaries will be
responsible for making such exchanges in those circumstances. Please consult
with your financial intermediary if you have any questions regarding your
shares’ conversion from Class C shares to Class A shares. To the extent a
financial intermediary’s policies provide for no such conversion, or for a
conversion schedule that extends beyond the month of the 8-year anniversary of
the purchase date, investors holding Class C shares through such financial
intermediary may be disadvantaged relative to investors holding Class C shares
either at the Fund’s transfer agent or through another financial intermediary.
Because Class C shares may pay higher ongoing asset-based distribution and
shareholder servicing fees than Class A shares, financial intermediaries may
have a conflict of interest in establishing their relevant conversion schedules
and eligibility requirements. Additional information can also be found in
Appendix A, “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain
Intermediaries,” attached to the Fund’s Prospectus.
REDEMPTION OF
SHARES
You can
redeem shares of the Fund on any Business Day. The Fund may temporarily stop
redeeming its shares beyond seven (7) days when the NYSE is closed, when trading
on the NYSE is restricted (as
22
determined
by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)), or when an emergency exists
(as determined by the SEC), and the Fund cannot sell its portfolio securities or
accurately determine the value of its assets, or if the SEC orders the Fund to
suspend redemptions.
The Fund
redeems its shares based on the NAV per share next determined after the time as
of which the Fund or, if applicable, its authorized designee, receives your
redemption request in proper form, subject in some cases to a redemption fee or
a CDSC, as described under “Classes of Shares — Contingent Deferred Sales
Charges” or a redemption fee as described below in this section. See “Pricing of
Fund Shares” herein for a description of the calculation of NAV. A
redemption is a taxable event on which you would realize gain or loss (subject
to certain limitations on deductibility of losses). In instances where a
redemption fee is triggered, a CDSC may also apply, as described in greater
detail in other parts of this prospectus.
You may
redeem shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has
entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor. The broker-dealer or
financial intermediary will transmit a redemption order to DST on your behalf.
The redemption request will be effected at the NAV next determined (less any
applicable CDSC) after the Fund or, if applicable, its authorized designee,
receives the request in proper form. If you hold share certificates, you must
present the certificates endorsed for transfer.
The Fund is
intended for long term investors and not for those who wish to trade frequently
in Fund shares. The Fund believes that excessive short term trading of Fund
shares creates risks for the Fund and its long term shareholders, including
interference with efficient portfolio management, increased administrative and
brokerage costs, and potential dilution in the value of Fund shares.
In addition,
because the Fund may invest in foreign securities traded primarily on markets
that close prior to the time the Fund determines its NAV, frequent trading by
some shareholders may, in certain circumstances, dilute the value of Fund shares
held by other shareholders. This may occur when an event that affects the value
of the foreign securities takes place after the close of the primary foreign
market, but before the time that the Fund determines its NAV. Certain investors
may seek to take advantage of the fact that there will be a delay in the
adjustment of the market price for a security caused by this event until the
foreign market reopens (referred to as price arbitrage). If this occurs,
frequent traders who attempt this type of price arbitrage may dilute the value
of the Fund’s shares to the extent they receive shares or proceeds based upon
NAVs that have been calculated using the closing market prices for foreign
securities, if those prices have not been adjusted to reflect a change in the
fair value of the foreign securities. In an effort to prevent price arbitrage,
the Fund has procedures designed to adjust closing market prices of foreign
securities before it calculates its NAV when it believes such an event has
occurred that will have more than a minimal effect on the NAV. Prices are
adjusted to reflect what the Fund believes are the fair values of these foreign
securities at the time the Fund determines its NAV (called fair value pricing).
Fair value pricing, however, involves judgments that are inherently subjective
and inexact since it is not always possible to be sure when an event will affect
a market price and to what extent. As a result, there can be no assurance that
fair value pricing will always eliminate the risk of price arbitrage.
In order to
discourage frequent short term trading in Fund shares, the Fund imposes a 2.00%
redemption fee (short term trading fee) on Class AAA, Class A,
Class C, and Class I shares that are redeemed or exchanged within
seven days of a purchase. This fee is calculated based on the share’s aggregate
NAV on the date of redemption and deducted from the redemption proceeds. The
redemption fee is not a sales charge; it is retained by the Fund and does not
benefit the Fund’s Adviser, the Distributor, or any third party. For purposes of
computing the redemption fee, shares will be redeemed in reverse order of
23
purchase
(the latest shares acquired will be treated as being redeemed first).
Redemptions to which the fee applies include redemption of shares resulting from
an exchange made pursuant to the Fund’s exchange privilege. The redemption fee
will not apply to redemptions of shares where (i) the shares were purchased
through automatic reinvestment of dividends or other distributions,
(ii) the redemption is initiated by the Fund, (iii) the shares were
purchased through programs that collect the redemption fee at the program level
and remit them to the Fund, or (iv) the shares were purchased through
programs that the Adviser determines to have appropriate anti-short term trading
policies in place or as to which the Adviser has received assurances that look
through redemption fee procedures or effective anti-short term trading policies
and procedures are in place.
While the
Fund has entered into information sharing agreements with financial
intermediaries which contractually require such financial intermediaries to
provide the Fund with information relating to their customers investing in the
Fund through non‑disclosed or omnibus accounts, the Fund cannot guarantee the
accuracy of the information provided to it from financial intermediaries and may
not always be able to track short term trading effected through these financial
intermediaries. In addition, because the Fund is required to rely on information
provided by the financial intermediary as to the applicable redemption fee, the
Fund cannot guarantee that the financial intermediary is always imposing such
fee on the underlying shareholder in accordance with the Fund’s policies.
Subject to the exclusions discussed above, the Fund seeks to apply these
policies uniformly.
Certain
financial intermediaries may have procedures which differ from those of the Fund
to collect the redemption fees or that prevent or restrict frequent trading.
Investors should refer to their intermediary’s policies on frequent trading
restrictions.
The Fund
continues to reserve all rights, including the right to refuse any purchase
request (including requests to purchase by exchange) from any person or group
who, in the Fund’s view, is likely to engage in excessive trading or if such
purchase is not in the best interests of the Fund and to limit, delay, or impose
other conditions on exchanges or purchases. The Fund has adopted a policy of
seeking to minimize short term trading in its shares and monitors purchase and
redemption activities to assist in minimizing short term trading.
If you hold
shares directly through the Distributor, you may redeem shares:
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By Letter. You may
mail a letter requesting the redemption of shares to: The Gabelli Funds, P.O. Box 219204,
Kansas City, MO 64121-9204. Your letter should state the name of
the fund(s) and the share class, the dollar amount or number of shares you
wish to redeem, and your account number. You must sign the letter in
exactly the same way the account is registered, and if there is more than
one owner of shares, all owners must sign. A medallion signature guarantee
is required for each signature on your redemption letter. You can obtain a
medallion signature guarantee from financial institutions such as
commercial banks, broker-dealers, and savings banks and credit unions. A
notary public cannot provide a medallion signature guarantee.
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By Telephone or the
Internet. Unless you have requested that
telephone or Internet redemptions from your account not be permitted, you
may redeem your shares in an account (excluding an IRA) directly
registered with DST by calling either 800‑GABELLI (800‑422‑3554) or
800‑872‑5365 (617‑328‑5000 from outside the United States), or by visiting
our website at www.gabelli.com. You may not redeem Fund shares held
through an IRA through the Internet. IRA |
24
|
holders
should consult a tax adviser concerning the current tax rules applicable
to IRAs. If DST properly acts on telephone or Internet instructions after
following reasonable procedures to protect against unauthorized
transactions, neither DST nor the Fund will be responsible for any losses
due to unauthorized telephone or Internet transactions and instead you
would be responsible. You may request that proceeds from telephone or
Internet redemptions be mailed to you by check (if your address has not
changed in the prior thirty days), forwarded to you by bank wire, or
invested in another mutual fund advised by the Adviser (see “Exchange of
Shares”). Among the procedures that DST may use are passwords or
verification of personal information. The Fund may impose limitations from
time to time on telephone or Internet redemptions.
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|
1. |
Telephone or Internet Redemption By
Check. The Fund will make checks payable to
the name in which the account is registered and will normally mail the
check to the address of record within seven days.
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2. |
Telephone or Internet Redemption By
Bank Wire or ACH system. The Fund accepts
telephone or Internet requests for wire or ACH system redemptions in
amounts of at least $1,000. The Fund will send a wire or ACH system credit
to either a bank designated on your subscription order form or on a
subsequent letter with a medallion signature guarantee. The proceeds are
normally wired on the next Business Day. |
If you
redeem shares through your broker or other financial intermediary, the broker or
financial intermediary will transmit a redemption order to DST on your behalf.
The redemption request will be effected at the NAV per share next determined
(less any applicable CDSC and redemption fee, if applicable) after a Fund
receives the request in proper form. If you hold share certificates, you must
present the certificates endorsed for transfer.
Automatic Cash Withdrawal
Plan. You may automatically redeem shares on a
monthly, quarterly, or annual basis if you have at least $10,000 in your account
and if your account is directly registered with DST. Please call 800‑GABELLI
(800‑422‑3554) for more information about this plan.
Involuntary
Redemption. The Fund may redeem all shares in your
account (other than an IRA or Coverdell education savings account) if their
value falls below $1,000 as a result of redemptions (but not as a result of a
decline in NAV). You will be notified in writing before the Fund initiates such
action and you will be allowed thirty days to increase the value of your
account to at least $1,000.
Reinstatement
Privilege. A shareholder in the Fund who has
redeemed Class A shares may reinvest, without a sales charge, up to the
full amount of such redemption at the NAV determined at the time of the
reinvestment within ninety days of the original redemption. A redemption is
a taxable transaction and a gain or loss may be recognized for federal income
tax purposes even if the reinstatement privilege is exercised. However, any loss
realized upon the redemption will not be recognized as to the number of shares
acquired by reinstatement, except through an adjustment in the tax basis of the
shares so acquired if those are acquired within thirty days of redemption.
Redemption Proceeds. The
Fund expects to meet redemption requests typically by selling portfolio assets,
with holdings of cash and cash equivalents, or by drawing on its line of credit.
In certain circumstances, the Fund may meet a redemption request in-kind, as
described under “Redemption In Kind.” These methods of meeting redemption
requests are expected to be used in both normal and stressed market conditions.
A redemption request received by the Fund will be effected based on the
25
NAV per
share next determined after the time as of which the Fund or, if applicable, its
authorized designee, receives the request. If you request redemption proceeds by
wire, the Fund will normally wire the funds according to the wire instructions
you provide, within three business days after receipt of your redemption
request. If you request redemption proceeds by check, the Fund will normally
mail the check to you within seven days after receipt of your redemption
request. If you purchased your Fund shares by check or through the Automatic
Investment Plan you may not receive proceeds from your redemption until the
check clears or ten days following the purchase, whichever is earlier. While the
Fund will delay the processing of the redemption payment until the check clears,
your shares will be valued at the next determined NAV after receipt of your
redemption request. Typically, the Fund receives redemption requests through the
National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) system, which is utilized by
financial intermediaries to submit requests on behalf of their clients or
customers who hold shares of the Fund in “street name.” In such circumstances,
the Fund expects redemption proceeds to be delivered via the NSCC system within
three business days after receipt of a redemption request. The NSCC system is
not used for shareholders whose accounts are held at the Fund’s transfer agent
(as opposed to shareholders whose accounts are held in “street name” at a broker
or other financial intermediary).
Redemption In Kind. The
Fund may pay your redemption proceeds wholly or partially in portfolio
securities. Specifically, the Fund may pay your redemption proceeds in portfolio
securities if you redeem more than $250,000 over the preceding three months, and
the Adviser believes that economic conditions exist which would make payments in
cash detrimental to the best interests of the Fund. In such an instance, the
Fund would communicate to you its intention to meet your redemption request in
portfolio securities. Securities received in kind will remain subject to the
risk of market fluctuations until sold; however, the Fund would distribute to
you from its portfolio of investments only securities that the Adviser
determines are readily marketable. The specific security or securities to be
distributed will be selected at the discretion of the Board or its designee(s),
subject to any applicable laws or regulations, and could be individual
securities, a representative basket of securities or a pro-rata slice of the
Fund’s portfolio. Any additional remainder in value owed to you between such
securities and Fund shares that you submitted for redemption would be paid to
you in cash. Payments would be made in portfolio securities only in instances
where the Fund’s Board (or its delegate) believes that it would be in the Fund’s
best interest not to pay the redemption proceeds in cash. A redemption in kind
would be a taxable event to you on which you would realize a capital gain or
capital loss on your shares redeemed. Additionally, you may incur brokerage
costs in converting any of the securities received to cash. The foregoing
considerations apply in both normal and stressed market considerations. Please
see “Redemption of Shares” in the SAI for additional information.
EXCHANGE OF SHARES
You can
exchange shares of the Fund for shares of the same class of certain other funds
managed by the Adviser or its affiliates based on their relative NAVs at the
time of exchange. To obtain a list of the funds whose shares you may acquire
through an exchange, call 800-GABELLI (800‑422‑3554) or contact your broker.
Class C shares will continue to age from the date of the original purchase
of such shares and will assume the CDSC rate such shares had at the time of
exchange. You may also exchange your shares for shares of the same class of a
money market fund managed by the Adviser or its affiliates, without imposition
of any CDSC at the time of exchange. Upon subsequent redemption from such money
market fund or the Fund (after re‑exchange into the Fund), such shares will be
subject to the CDSC
26
calculated
by excluding the time such shares were held in a Gabelli money market fund. The
Fund may impose limitations on, or terminate the exchange privilege with respect
to any investor at any time. You will be given notice at least sixty days
prior to any material change in the exchange privilege. An exchange of shares is
a taxable event to you on which you would realize capital gain or loss (subject
to possible limitations of deductibility).
In effecting
an exchange:
|
• |
|
you
must meet the minimum investment requirements for the fund whose shares
you wish to purchase through exchange; |
|
• |
|
if you
are exchanging into a fund with a higher sales charge, you must pay the
difference at the time of the exchange; |
|
• |
|
if you
are exchanging from a fund with a redemption fee applicable to the
redemption involved in your exchange, you must pay the redemption fee at
the time of exchange; |
|
• |
|
you
will realize a taxable gain or loss (subject to certain loss limitation
rules) because the exchange is treated as a sale for federal income tax
purposes; |
|
• |
|
you
should read the prospectus of the fund whose shares you are purchasing
through exchange. Call 800‑GABELLI (800‑422‑3554) or visit our website at
www.gabelli.com to obtain the prospectus; and
|
|
• |
|
you
should be aware that a financial intermediary may charge a fee for
handling an exchange for you. |
You may
exchange shares through the Distributor, directly through the Transfer Agent, or
through your financial intermediary that has entered into the appropriate
selling agreement with the Distributor.
|
• |
|
Exchange by
Telephone. You may give exchange
instructions by telephone by calling 800‑GABELLI (800-422-3554). You may
not exchange shares by telephone if you hold share certificates.
|
|
• |
|
Exchange by
Mail. You may send a written request for
exchanges to: The Gabelli Funds,
P.O. Box 219204, Kansas City, MO 64121-9204. Your letter
should state your name, your account number, the dollar amount or number
of shares you wish to exchange, the name and class of the fund(s) whose
shares you wish to exchange, and the name of the fund(s) whose shares you
wish to acquire. |
|
• |
|
Exchange through the
Internet. You may also give exchange
instructions via the Internet at www.gabelli.com. The Fund may impose
limitations from time to time on Internet exchanges.
|
Your
financial intermediary may charge you a processing fee for assisting you in
purchasing or redeeming shares of the Fund. This charge is set by your financial
intermediary and does not benefit the Fund, the Distributor, or the Adviser in
any way. It would be in addition to the sales charges and other costs, if any,
described in this prospectus and must be disclosed to you by your broker-dealer
or other financial intermediary.
PRICING OF
FUND SHARES
The Fund’s
NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares on each Business Day. The
NYSE is open Monday through Friday, but currently is scheduled to be closed on
New Year’s Day, Martin Luther
27
King, Jr.
Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day and on the preceding Friday or subsequent
Monday when a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively.
The Fund’s
NAV is determined as of the close of regular trading of the NYSE, normally
4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The NAV of each class is computed by dividing the
value of the Fund’s net assets, i.e., the value of its securities and other
assets less its liabilities, including expenses payable or accrued but excluding
capital stock and surplus attributable to the applicable class of shares by the
total number of shares of such class outstanding at the time the determination
is made. Gold and other precious metals held by the Fund are valued daily at
fair market value, based upon price quotations in common use, in such manner as
the Board of Directors from time to time determines in good faith to reflect
most accurately their fair market value. The price of Fund shares for the
purpose of purchase and redemption orders will be based upon the calculation of
the NAV of each class next made after the time as of which the purchase or
redemption order is received in proper form. Because the Fund may invest in
foreign securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on
weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares, the NAV of the
Fund’s shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase
or redeem the Fund’s shares.
Equity
securities listed or traded on a nationally recognized securities exchange or
traded in the U.S. over-the-counter market where trades are reported
contemporaneously and for which market quotations are readily available are
valued at the last quoted sale or a market’s official closing price at the close
of the exchange’s or other market’s regular trading hours, as of or prior to the
time and day as of which such value is being determined. Portfolio securities
traded on more than one national securities exchange or market are valued
according to the broadest and most representative market as determined by the
Adviser. If there has been no sale on the day the valuation is made, the
securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and ask prices on the
principal market for such security on such day. If no ask prices are quoted on
such day, then the security is valued at the closing bid price on the principal
market for such security on such day. If no bid or ask prices are quoted on such
day, the Fund’s accounting agent will notify the Adviser and the security will
be valued based on written or standing instructions from the Adviser and/or the
Pricing Committee.
Equity
securities that are primarily traded on foreign markets, except for those that
trade primarily in Latin America or South America, are generally valued at the
preceding closing values of such securities on their respective exchanges.
Equity securities which are primarily traded in Latin American or South American
markets are valued each day approximately at the time of the close of regular
trading on the NYSE as though such time were the close of trading on such Latin
American or South American market and such Latin American or South American
market were a U.S. market. When the NYSE is open, but the foreign market on
which an equity security primarily trades is closed, such as for a foreign
national holiday, the security will generally be valued at the last available
closing value (subject to the Fair Value Procedures adopted by the Board) using
the prevailing exchange rate as described below. If some event occurs affecting
or likely to affect the price of an equity security or group of equity
securities to a significant extent including but not limited to material market
movement, changes in market conditions after a foreign market closes, but prior
to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or a company development, such as a material business
development, dividend declaration, stock split or rights offering, and if
adequate and timely information relating to the event is not available or is not
taken into account by the pricing service, the Adviser should review the pricing
furnished by the pricing service to determine whether it is
28
appropriate
in the circumstances. In such case, the Adviser will obtain market quotations
from another source or will make a fair value determination of such securities
using other appropriate value measurements and such information will be
presented to the Board for ratification at its next scheduled meeting. If the
primary market for such an equity security suspends or limits trading or price
movements, whether for the market as a whole or the particular security, and
trading also occurs on a secondary market which has not suspended or limited
trading or price movement, valuation will be based on information from the
secondary market provided by the Adviser. If all markets on which such an equity
security have suspended trading, the Adviser will fair value such security as
provided above. Information that becomes known after the close of the NYSE,
normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on any business day may be assessed in
determining net asset value per share after the time of receipt of the
information, but will not be used to retroactively adjust the price of the
security determined earlier or on a prior day.
Initial
public offering securities are initially valued at cost. Upon commencement of
trading, these securities are valued like any other equity security.
Debt
obligations (including convertible debt) for which market quotations are readily
available are valued at the average of the latest bid and ask prices. If there
were no ask prices quoted on such day, the security is valued using the closing
bid price. Such debt obligations are valued through prices provided by a pricing
service approved by the Board.
Assets and
liabilities denominated in foreign currencies will be translated into U.S.
dollars at the prevailing exchange rates as provided by an appropriate pricing
service. Forward currency exchange contracts will be valued using interpolated
forward exchange rates. Prevailing foreign exchange rates and forward currency
foreign exchange rates may generally be obtained on a consistent basis at
approximately 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, which approximates the close of the
London Exchange. As available and as provided by an appropriate pricing service,
translation of foreign security and currency market values will also occur with
the use of foreign exchange rates obtained at the close of the NYSE, normally
4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Certain
securities are valued principally using dealer quotations. Futures contracts are
valued at the closing settlement price of the exchange or board of trade on
which the applicable contract is traded.
OTC futures
and options on futures for which market quotations are readily available will be
valued by quotations received from a pricing service or, if no quotations are
available from a pricing service, by quotations obtained from one or more
dealers in the instrument in question by the Adviser.
Securities
and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available are fair
valued as determined by the Board. Fair valuation methodologies and procedures
may include, but are not limited to: analysis and review of available financial
and non‑financial information about the company; comparisons with the valuation
and changes in valuation of similar securities, including a comparison of
foreign securities with the equivalent U.S. dollar value American
Depositary Receipt securities at the close of the U.S. exchange; and
evaluation of any other information that could be indicative of the value of the
security.
DIVIDENDS AND
DISTRIBUTIONS
The Fund
intends to pay dividends and/or capital gain distributions, if any, on an annual
basis. You may have dividends and/or capital gain distributions that are
declared by the Fund reinvested automatically at
29
NAV in
additional shares of the Fund. You will make an election to receive dividends
and distributions in cash or Fund shares at the time you first purchase your
shares. You may change this election by notifying your financial intermediary or
the Fund in writing at any time prior to the record date for a particular
dividend or distribution. There are no sales or other charges by the Fund in
connection with the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions.
Shares purchased through dividend reinvestment will receive a price without
sales charge based on the NAV on the reinvestment date, which is typically the
date dividends are paid to shareholders. There is no fixed dividend rate, and
there can be no assurance that the Fund will realize any capital gains or other
income with which to pay dividends and distributions. Distributions are taxable
to you whether received in cash or additional shares. A dividend or capital gain
distribution paid on shares purchased shortly before the record date for that
dividend or distribution was declared will be subject to income taxes. Dividends
and distributions may be different for different classes of shares of the Fund.
TAX INFORMATION
The Fund
expects that distributions will consist primarily of investment company taxable
income and net capital gain. Capital gains may be taxed at different rates
depending on the length of the time the Fund holds the securities giving rise to
such capital gains. Dividends of net investment company taxable income
(including distributions of net short term capital gains, i.e., gains from securities held by the Fund
for one year or less) are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that
qualified dividends of individual taxpayers are eligible for a reduced federal
income tax rate if certain conditions are met. Properly reported distributions
of net long term capital gains are taxable to you at long term capital gain
rates no matter how long you have owned your shares. Gains attributable to sales
of gold bullion held by the Fund for longer than one year are generally taxed at
a federal rate of 28 percent. The Fund has capital loss carryforwards
which, subject to certain potentially significant limitations, are available to
offset any future net recognized gains. As a result, Capital Gain Dividends are
not expected for the Fund until the available capital loss carryforwards are
utilized. The Fund’s dividends and distributions, whether you receive them in
cash or reinvest them in additional shares of the Fund, generally will be
subject to federal income tax and, if applicable, state, and local taxes.
Although dividends (including dividends from short term capital gains) are
generally taxable as ordinary income, individual shareholders who satisfy
certain holding periods and other requirements are taxed on such dividends at
long term capital gain rates to the extent the dividends are attributable to
“qualified dividend income” received by the Fund. Qualified dividend income
generally consists of dividends received from U.S. corporations (other than
dividends from tax‑exempt organizations and certain dividends from real estate
investment trusts and regulated investment companies) and certain foreign
corporations. The amount of qualified dividend income distributed by the Fund in
any year depends on its investments and cannot be predicted. Corporations may be
able to take a dividends received deduction for a portion of the income
dividends they receive. A redemption of Fund shares or an exchange of Fund
shares for shares of another fund will be treated for tax purposes as a sale of
Fund shares, and any gain you realize on such a transaction generally will be
taxable.
The Fund may
be required to withhold as backup withholding, currently at a rate of 24%, a
portion of the dividends, distributions, and redemption proceeds payable to
shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer
identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been
notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Additionally,
the Fund will withhold when the IRS notifies the Fund that backup withholding is
required. Also, dividends, distributions, and redemption proceeds payable to
foreign shareholders may be subject to a federal withholding tax.
30
Dividends
declared by the Fund in October, November, or December to shareholders of record
on a specified date in such a month and paid during January of the following
year will be treated as if paid in December for tax purposes.
After the
end of each year, the Fund will provide you with information regarding any
shares you redeemed and the federal tax status of any dividends or distributions
you received during the previous year.
If you sell,
exchange or have your Fund’s shares redeemed, it is considered a taxable event
for you. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you
sell, you may have a gain or a loss on the transaction. You are responsible for
any tax liabilities generated by your transaction.
Dividends,
net capital gains distributions and gains on the sale or disposition of your
shares in the fund are generally subject to a 3.8% federal tax on net investment
income for shareholders whose adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 for single
filers and $250,000 for married joint filers.
This summary
of tax consequences is intended for general information only and is subject to
change by legislative, judicial, or administrative action, and any such change
may be retroactive. It is applicable only to shareholders who are
U.S. persons. The Fund may make taxable distributions during periods in
which the share price has declined. A more complete discussion of the tax rules
applicable to you and the Fund can be found in the SAI that is incorporated by
reference into this prospectus. You should consult a tax adviser concerning the
tax consequences of your investment in the Fund.
MAILINGS AND
E‑DELIVERY TO SHAREHOLDERS
In our
continuing effort to reduce duplicative mail and Fund expenses, we currently
send a single copy of prospectuses and shareholder reports to your household
even if more than one member in your household owns the same fund or funds
described in the prospectus or report. Additional copies of our prospectuses and
reports may be obtained by calling 800‑GABELLI (800‑422‑3554). If you do not
want us to continue to consolidate your fund mailings and would prefer to
receive separate mailings at any time in the future, please call us at the
telephone number above and we shall resume separate mailings, in accordance with
your instructions, within thirty days of your request. The Fund offers
electronic delivery of Fund documents. Direct shareholders of the Fund can elect
to receive the Fund’s annual, semiannual, and quarterly reports, as well as
manager commentaries and prospectuses via e‑delivery. For more information or to
sign up for e‑delivery, please visit the Fund’s website at www.gabelli.com.
Shareholders who purchased shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary
should contact their financial intermediary to sign up for e‑delivery of fund
documents, if available.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The
Financial Highlights table is intended to help you understand the financial
performance of the Fund for the past five fiscal years. The total returns in the
table represent the percentage amount that an investor would have earned or lost
on an investment in the Fund’s Class AAA, Class A, Class C, and
Class I shares (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). This
information has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent
registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial
statements and related notes, is included in the Fund’s annual report, which is
available upon request.
31
Gabelli Gold Fund, Inc.
Financial Highlights
Selected
data for a share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year:
|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (Loss) from Investment
Operations |
|
Distributions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets/ Supplemental
Data |
Year
Ended December 31 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of
Year |
|
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) |
|
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments |
|
Total
from Investment Operations |
|
Net Investment Income |
|
Total Distributions |
|
Redemption Fees(a)(b) |
|
Net Asset Value, End
of Year |
|
Total Return† |
|
Net
Assets End of Year (in 000’s) |
|
Net Investment Income (Loss) |
|
Operating Expenses(c) |
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class AAA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
16.70 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
$ |
4.51 |
|
|
|
$ |
4.39 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
$ |
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
|
$ |
20.74 |
|
|
|
|
26.3 |
% |
|
|
$ |
167,770 |
|
|
|
|
(0.59 |
)% |
|
|
|
1.48 |
% |
|
|
|
9 |
% |
2019 |
|
|
|
11.70 |
|
|
|
|
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
|
5.19 |
|
|
|
|
5.14 |
|
|
|
|
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
16.70 |
|
|
|
|
43.9 |
|
|
|
|
140,325 |
|
|
|
|
(0.38 |
) |
|
|
|
1.55 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
2018 |
|
|
|
13.78 |
|
|
|
|
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.99 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
11.70 |
|
|
|
|
(14.8 |
) |
|
|
|
111,950 |
|
|
|
|
(0.44 |
) |
|
|
|
1.56 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
2017 |
|
|
|
13.04 |
|
|
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|
0.91 |
|
|
|
|
0.81 |
|
|
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
13.78 |
|
|
|
|
6.2 |
|
|
|
|
154,640 |
|
|
|
|
(0.69 |
) |
|
|
|
1.52 |
(d) |
|
|
|
13 |
|
2016 |
|
|
|
8.69 |
|
|
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
4.66 |
|
|
|
|
4.63 |
|
|
|
|
(0.28 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.28 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
13.04 |
|
|
|
|
53.5 |
|
|
|
|
160,659 |
|
|
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
1.51 |
(d) |
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
16.73 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
$ |
4.53 |
|
|
|
$ |
4.41 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.36 |
) |
|
|
$ |
(0.36 |
) |
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
|
$ |
20.78 |
|
|
|
|
26.4 |
% |
|
|
$ |
23,065 |
|
|
|
|
(0.58 |
)% |
|
|
|
1.48 |
% |
|
|
|
9 |
% |
2019 |
|
|
|
11.72 |
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
5.18 |
|
|
|
|
5.14 |
|
|
|
|
(0.13 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.13 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
16.73 |
|
|
|
|
43.9 |
|
|
|
|
16,546 |
|
|
|
|
(0.31 |
) |
|
|
|
1.55 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
2018 |
|
|
|
13.80 |
|
|
|
|
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.99 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
11.72 |
|
|
|
|
(14.8 |
) |
|
|
|
17,840 |
|
|
|
|
(0.44 |
) |
|
|
|
1.56 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
2017 |
|
|
|
13.07 |
|
|
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
0.92 |
|
|
|
|
0.81 |
|
|
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
13.80 |
|
|
|
|
6.2 |
|
|
|
|
25,551 |
|
|
|
|
(0.76 |
) |
|
|
|
1.52 |
(d) |
|
|
|
13 |
|
2016 |
|
|
|
8.71 |
|
|
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
4.67 |
|
|
|
|
4.65 |
|
|
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
13.07 |
|
|
|
|
53.5 |
|
|
|
|
16,006 |
|
|
|
|
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
|
1.51 |
(d) |
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
15.34 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
$ |
4.14 |
|
|
|
$ |
3.89 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
$ |
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
|
$ |
18.99 |
|
|
|
|
25.4 |
% |
|
|
$ |
21,862 |
|
|
|
|
(1.33 |
)% |
|
|
|
2.23 |
% |
|
|
|
9 |
% |
2019 |
|
|
|
10.77 |
|
|
|
|
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
4.75 |
|
|
|
|
4.61 |
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
15.34 |
|
|
|
|
42.8 |
|
|
|
|
13,110 |
|
|
|
|
(1.11 |
) |
|
|
|
2.30 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
2018 |
|
|
|
12.73 |
|
|
|
|
(0.13 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.83 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.96 |
) |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
10.77 |
|
|
|
|
(15.4 |
) |
|
|
|
10,339 |
|
|
|
|
(1.19 |
) |
|
|
|
2.31 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
2017 |
|
|
|
12.08 |
|
|
|
|
(0.19 |
) |
|
|
|
0.84 |
|
|
|
|
0.65 |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
12.73 |
|
|
|
|
5.4 |
|
|
|
|
15,657 |
|
|
|
|
(1.44 |
) |
|
|
|
2.27 |
(d) |
|
|
|
13 |
|
2016 |
|
|
|
8.07 |
|
|
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
4.33 |
|
|
|
|
4.22 |
|
|
|
|
(0.21 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.21 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
12.08 |
|
|
|
|
52.5 |
|
|
|
|
15,748 |
|
|
|
|
(0.83 |
) |
|
|
|
2.26 |
(d) |
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
17.01 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
$ |
4.60 |
|
|
|
$ |
4.53 |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.40 |
) |
|
|
$ |
(0.40 |
) |
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
|
$ |
21.14 |
|
|
|
|
26.7 |
% |
|
|
$ |
243,090 |
|
|
|
|
(0.33 |
)% |
|
|
|
1.23 |
% |
|
|
|
9 |
% |
2019 |
|
|
|
11.91 |
|
|
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
5.30 |
|
|
|
|
5.28 |
|
|
|
|
(0.18 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.18 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
17.01 |
|
|
|
|
44.3 |
|
|
|
|
137,178 |
|
|
|
|
(0.16 |
) |
|
|
|
1.30 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
2018 |
|
|
|
14.04 |
|
|
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.06 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
11.91 |
|
|
|
|
(14.7 |
) |
|
|
|
90,539 |
|
|
|
|
(0.19 |
) |
|
|
|
1.31 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
2017 |
|
|
|
13.29 |
|
|
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
0.93 |
|
|
|
|
0.86 |
|
|
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
14.04 |
|
|
|
|
6.5 |
|
|
|
|
110,867 |
|
|
|
|
(0.46 |
) |
|
|
|
1.27 |
(d) |
|
|
|
13 |
|
2016 |
|
|
|
8.85 |
|
|
|
|
0.03 |
|
|
|
|
4.73 |
|
|
|
|
4.76 |
|
|
|
|
(0.32 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.32 |
) |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
13.29 |
|
|
|
|
54.0 |
|
|
|
|
86,140 |
|
|
|
|
0.20 |
|
|
|
|
1.26 |
(d) |
|
|
|
14 |
|
† |
|
Total
return represents aggregate total return of a hypothetical investment at
the beginning of the year and sold at the end of the year including
reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the applicable sales
charges. |
(a) |
|
Per
share amounts have been calculated using the average shares outstanding
method. |
(b) |
|
Amount
represents less than $0.005 per share. |
(c) |
|
The
Fund incurred interest expense during all years presented. For the years
ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2016, if interest expense had not been
incurred, the ratio of operating expenses to average net assets would have
been 1.53%, 1.55%, and 1.50% (Class AAA and Class A), 2.28%, 2.30%, and
2.25%, (Class C), 1.28%, 1.30%, and 1.25%, (Class I), respectively. For
the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2017, the effect of interest expense
was minimal. |
(d) |
|
During
the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Fund received
reimbursements of custody expenses paid in prior years. Had such
reimbursements (allocated by relative net asset values of the Fund’s share
classes) been included in the 2016 calculation, the annualized expense
ratios would have been 1.43% (Class AAA and Class A), 2.18% (Class C), and
1.18% (Class I). The 2017 reimbursement had no effect on the expense
ratio. |
32
APPENDIX A
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available through
Certain Intermediaries
Specific
intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the
availability of front-end sales load waivers or CDSC waivers, which are
discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to
notify the Fund or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of
purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales
charge reductions or waivers. Not all
intermediaries will offer the same reductions and waivers to persons purchasing
shares of the Fund. In order to receive these reductions or waivers,
shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares through an intermediary offering
such reductions or waivers or directly from the Fund if the Fund offers such
reductions or waivers. Please see the section entitled “Classes of Shares” for
more information on sales charge reductions and waivers available for different
classes of shares that are available for purchase directly from the Fund. The
specific sales charge waivers and/or discounts for the intermediaries below are
implemented and solely administered by the particular intermediary. Please
contact that intermediary to ensure that you understand the steps that you must
take to qualify for available waivers and discounts.
The
information in this Appendix A is part of, and incorporated into, the Fund’s
prospectus.
Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”)
Shareholders
purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be
eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and
contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may
differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Fund’s prospectus.
|
Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares
Available at Merrill Lynch |
Employer-sponsored
retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including
health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided
that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and
shares are held for the benefit of the plan |
Shares
purchased by a 529 Plan (does not include 529 Plan units or 529-specific
share classes or equivalents) |
Shares
purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory
program |
Shares
exchanged due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated
investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory)
account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load
discounts and waivers |
Shares
purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory
clients through Merrill Lynch’s platform |
Shares
of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if
applicable) |
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend
reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other
fund within the Fund Complex) |
Shares
exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s
policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers |
Employees
and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and
their family members |
Directors
or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or
any of its affiliates, as described in this prospectus |
Eligible
shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the Fund Complex,
provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the
redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and
(3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load
(known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e.
systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are
automatically sold to pay Merrill Lynch’s account maintenance fees are not
eligible for reinstatement |
33
|
CDSC Waivers on Class A and C Shares Available
at Merrill Lynch |
Death
or disability of the shareholder |
Shares
sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s
prospectus |
Return
of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement
accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code |
Shares
sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by
Merrill Lynch |
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Shares
held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost
share class due to transfer to a fee based accounts or platforms
(applicable to A and C shares only) |
Shares
received through an exchange due to the holdings moving from a Merrill
Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage
(non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to
sales load discounts and waivers |
Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill
Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of
Intent |
Breakpoints
as described in this prospectus |
Rights
of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts
as described in the Fund’s prospectus will be automatically calculated
based on the aggregated holding of Fund Complex assets held by accounts
(including 529 program holdings, where applicable) within the purchaser’s
household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible Fund Complex assets not held at
Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the
shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such
assets |
Letters
of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated
purchases within the Fund Complex, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13 month
period of time (if applicable) |
Ameriprise
Financial
Class A Shares Front‑End Sales Charge Waivers
Available at Ameriprise Financial:
The following information applies to Class A
shares purchases if you have an account with or otherwise purchase Fund shares
through Ameriprise Financial:
Shareholders
purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial brokerage account are
eligible for the following front‑end sales charge waivers, which may differ from
those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus or SAI:
|
• |
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b)
plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit
plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement
plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR‑SEPs.
|
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend
reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other
fund within the same fund family). |
|
• |
|
Shares
exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or
following the 7‑year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that
this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges
of Class C shares or conversion of Class C shares following a
shorter holding period, that waiver will apply.
|
|
• |
|
Employees
and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates
and their immediate family members. |
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell
Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and
defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined
as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisor’s
|
34
|
spouse,
advisor’s lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather,
great grandmother, great grandfather), advisor’s lineal descendant (son,
step‑son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great
grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member
who is a lineal descendant. |
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family,
provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the
redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same
account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front‑end or
deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement).
|
Morgan
Stanley Wealth Management
Shareholders
purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional
brokerage account will be eligible only for the following front-end sales charge
waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more
limited than those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.
|
• |
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b)
plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit
plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement
plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans
|
|
• |
|
Morgan
Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan
Stanley’s account linking rules |
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains
distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund
|
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account
|
|
• |
|
Class
C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund
pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s share class conversion
program |
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family,
provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the
redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account,
and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales
charge. |
Raymond James
& Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and each entity’s
affiliates (“Raymond James”)
Shareholders
purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account, or through
an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment adviser for
which Raymond James provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody
services, will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales
charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and
discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund’s
prospectus or SAI.
Front-end sales load waivers on Class A shares
available at Raymond James
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased in an investment advisory program.
|
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of
capital gains and dividend distributions.
|
35
|
• |
|
Employees
and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and
their family members as designated by Raymond James.
|
|
• |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family,
provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the
redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and
(3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load
(known as Rights of Reinstatement). |
|
• |
|
A
shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted
at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of
the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion
is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James.
|
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C shares available at
Raymond James
|
• |
|
Death
or disability of the shareholder. |
|
• |
|
Shares
sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s
prospectus. |
|
• |
|
Return
of excess contributions from an IRA Account.
|
|
• |
|
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement
accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the
fund’s prospectus. |
|
• |
|
Shares
sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by
Raymond James. |
|
• |
|
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement.
|
Front-end load discounts available at Raymond James:
breakpoints, rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent
|
• |
|
Breakpoints
as described in this prospectus. |
|
• |
|
Rights
of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be
automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family
assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Raymond James.
Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in
the calculation of rights of accumulation calculation only if the
shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.
|
|
• |
|
Letters
of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated
purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund
family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation
of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial
advisor about such assets. |
Oppenheimer
& Co. Inc. (“OPCO”)
Shareholders
purchasing Fund shares through OPCO platform or account are eligible only for
the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent
deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ
from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus or SAI.
36
Gabelli Gold Fund, Inc.
Class AAA, A, C, and I Shares
For More Information:
For more
information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon
request:
Annual/Semiannual Reports:
The Fund’s
semiannual and audited annual reports to shareholders contain additional
information on the Fund’s investments. In the Fund’s annual report, you will
find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that
significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI):
The SAI
provides more detailed information about the Fund, including its operations and
investment policies. It is incorporated by reference, and is legally considered
a part of this prospectus.
Appendix A:
Appendix A
to this prospectus, “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available through
Certain Intermediaries” is a separate document that is incorporated by reference
into this prospectus and contains information on sales charge reductions and
waivers that differ from the sales charge reductions and waivers disclosed in
this prospectus and the related SAI.
You can
obtain free copies of these documents and prospectuses of other funds in the
Gabelli/GAMCO
Fund Complex, or request other information and discuss your questions about the
Fund by mail, toll free telephone, or the Internet as follows:
Gabelli Gold
Fund, Inc.
One
Corporate Center
Rye, NY
10580-1422
Telephone:
800‑GABELLI (800‑422‑3554)
www.gabelli.com
You can also
review and/or copy the Fund’s prospectus, annual and semiannual reports, and SAI
at the Public Reference Room of the SEC in Washington DC. You can obtain
text-only copies:
|
• |
|
Free
from the Fund’s website at www.gabelli.com.
|
|
• |
|
For a
fee, by electronic request at [email protected], by writing to the Public
Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-1520, or by calling
202‑551‑8090. |
|
• |
|
Free
from the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
|
(Investment
Company Act File No. 811-08518)