ck0000890453-20231231

WILSHIRE MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.
LARGE COMPANY GROWTH PORTFOLIO
Investment Class Shares (DTLGX)
Institutional Class Shares (WLCGX)
LARGE COMPANY VALUE PORTFOLIO
Investment Class Shares (DTLVX)
Institutional Class Shares (WLCVX)
SMALL COMPANY GROWTH PORTFOLIO
Investment Class Shares (DTSGX)
Institutional Class Shares (WSMGX)
SMALL COMPANY VALUE PORTFOLIO
Investment Class Shares (DTSVX)
Institutional Class Shares (WSMVX)
WILSHIRE 5000 INDEXSM FUND
Investment Class Shares (WFIVX)
Institutional Class Shares (WINDX)
WILSHIRE INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND
Investment Class Shares (WLCTX)
Institutional Class Shares (WLTTX)
WILSHIRE INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND
Investment Class Shares (WIORX)
Institutional Class Shares (WIOPX)
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(http://wilshire.com)
April 30, 2024
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) provides supplementary information for the investment portfolios of Wilshire Mutual Funds, Inc. (the “Company”): Large Company Growth Portfolio, Large Company Value Portfolio, Small Company Growth Portfolio, Small Company Value Portfolio, Wilshire 5000 IndexSM Fund (the “Index Fund”), Wilshire International Equity Fund (the “International Fund”), and Wilshire Income Opportunities Fund (the “Income Fund”) (each a “Portfolio” and collectively the “Portfolios”). This SAI is not a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus of the Company, dated April 30, 2024, as supplemented from time to time. Copies of the prospectus and the Company’s shareholder reports are available, without charge, by writing to the Wilshire Funds, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701, or by calling (866) 591-1568.
The financial statements of the Portfolios for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 included in the Annual Report to shareholders and the report dated February 29, 2024 of Cohen & Company, Ltd., the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, related thereto are incorporated into this SAI by reference. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated herein by reference.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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B-1

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THE PORTFOLIOS
Each series of the Company is a diversified, open-end investment management company. Each series of the Company currently offers two classes of shares, the Investment Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares. Wilshire Advisors LLC (“Wilshire” or the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser for the Portfolios. Fred Alger Management, LLC (“Alger Management”), AllianceBernstein, L.P. (“AllianceBernstein”), Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. (“Diamond Hill”), DoubleLine® Capital LP (“DoubleLine”), Granahan Investment Management, Inc. (“Granahan”), Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management, LLC (“Hotchkis & Wiley”), Lazard Asset Management LLC (“Lazard”), Los Angeles Capital Management LLC (“Los Angeles Capital”), Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC (“Manulife”), Massachusetts Financial Services Company (d/b/a MFS Investment Management) (“MFS”), Pzena Investment Management, LLC (“Pzena”), Ranger Investment Management, L.P. (“Ranger”), Voya Investment Management Co LLC (“Voya”), and WCM Investment Management LLC (“WCM”) (together with Alger Management, AllianceBernstein, Diamond Hill, DoubleLine, Granahan, Hotchkis & Wiley, Lazard, Los Angeles Capital, Manulife, MFS, Pzena, Ranger and Voya, collectively, the “Subadvisers,”) each have entered into an agreement with Wilshire to serve as a Subadviser to at least one of the Portfolios. Terms not defined in this SAI have the meanings assigned to them in the prospectus.
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS
This section should be read in conjunction with each Portfolio’s description in its prospectus and each Portfolio’s fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies.
Temporary Investments Risk. From time to time, in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, a Portfolio may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Portfolio’s principal investment strategies and invest all or a part of its assets in defensive investments. These investments include U.S. government securities and high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market securities, including certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, commercial paper, short-term debt securities and repurchase agreements. When following a defensive strategy, a Portfolio may not achieve its investment objective.
General Risk Factors. The net asset value (“NAV”) of a Portfolio is expected to fluctuate, reflecting fluctuations in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of fixed-income instruments held by a Portfolio generally fluctuates inversely with interest rate movements. In other words, bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise and generally rise as interest rates fall. Longer term bonds held by a Portfolio, if applicable, are subject to greater interest rate risk. There is no assurance that a Portfolio will achieve its investment objective.
Management Risk. Each actively managed Portfolio is subject to management risk. The Subadvisers, as applicable, will apply investment techniques and risk analysis in making decisions for the Portfolio, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results. Furthermore, active trading will increase the costs a Portfolio incurs because of higher brokerage charges or mark-up charges, which are passed on to shareholders of the Portfolio and as a result, may lower the Portfolio’s performance and have a negative tax impact. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the Subadvisers in connection with managing a Portfolio and may also adversely affect the ability of a Portfolio to achieve its investment objectives.
Exchange-Traded Funds. Each Portfolio may purchase shares of exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate within a wide range, and a fund could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down. In addition, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional funds: (1) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to their NAV; (2) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (3) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted if the listing exchange’s officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are de-listed from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally.
Most ETFs are investment companies. Therefore, a Portfolio’s purchase of ETF shares generally are subject to the risks of the Portfolio’s investments in other investment companies, which are described below under the heading “Investment Companies.”
Repurchase Agreements. Each Portfolio may invest in repurchase agreements. A Portfolio will invest in repurchase agreements in accordance with its fundamental investment restrictions.
Repurchase agreements are agreements under which the Portfolio acquires ownership of an obligation (debt instrument or time deposit) and the seller agrees, at the time of the sale, to repurchase the obligation at a mutually agreed upon time and price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser’s holding period. This results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations during such period. If the seller of a repurchase agreement fails to repurchase this obligation in accordance with the terms of the agreement, the Portfolio will incur a loss to the extent that the proceeds on the sale are less than the repurchase price. Repurchase agreements usually involve U.S. government or federal agency securities and, as utilized by the Portfolio, include only those securities in which the Portfolio may otherwise invest. Repurchase agreements are for short periods, most often less than 30 days and usually less than one week. In entering into a repurchase agreement, a fund is exposed to the risk that the other party to the agreement may be unable to keep its commitment to repurchase. In that event, the Portfolio may incur disposition costs in connection with liquidating the collateral (i.e., the underlying security). Moreover, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the selling party, receipt
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of the value of the collateral may be delayed or substantially limited and a loss may be incurred if the collateral securing the repurchase agreement declines in value during the bankruptcy proceedings. The Portfolio believes that these risks are not material inasmuch as the applicable Subadviser will evaluate the creditworthiness of all entities with which it proposes to enter into repurchase agreements, and will seek to assure that each such arrangement is adequately collateralized.
Lending Portfolio Securities. The Portfolios may seek additional income by lending their securities on a short-term basis to banks, brokers and dealers. A Portfolio may return a portion of the interest earned to the borrower or a third party which is unaffiliated with the Company and acting as a “placing broker.” The Company has engaged U.S. Bank, National Association, to serve as the lending agent for the Portfolios. As securities lending agent, U.S. Bank, National Association, coordinates securities loan agreements, including negotiating fees, with borrowers, processes securities movements, marks to market loaned securities and collateral daily, maintains and monitors the collateral levels, and invests collateral balances.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) currently requires that the following lending conditions must be met: (1) a Portfolio must receive at least 100% collateral from the borrower (cash, U.S. government securities, or irrevocable bank letters of credit); (2) the borrower must increase the collateral whenever the market value of the loaned securities rises above the level of such collateral; (3) a Portfolio must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) a Portfolio must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions payable on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (5) a Portfolio may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (6) while voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) must be able to terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs.
Even though loans of portfolio securities are collateralized, a risk of loss exists if an institution that borrows securities from a Portfolio breaches its agreement with the Portfolio and the Portfolio is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the income earned by each Portfolio as well as the fees and/or compensation paid by each Portfolio (in dollars) were as follows:
Portfolio Gross income earned by the Fund from Securities lending activities
Fees and/or compensation paid by the Fund for securities lending activities and related services
Aggregate fees / compensation paid by the Fund for securities lending activities
Net income from securities lending activities
Large Company Growth Portfolio $5,766 $4,579 $4,579 $1,187
Large Company Value Portfolio $10,308 $7,308 $7,308 $3,000
Small Company Growth Portfolio $13,223 $8,017 $8,017 $5,207
Small Company Value Portfolio $8,917 $5,132 $5,132 $3,786
Wilshire 5000 IndexSM Fund
$63,721 $34,073 $34,073 $29,648
Wilshire International Equity Fund $24,877 $20,630 $20,630 $4,247
Wilshire Income Opportunities Fund $92,909 $65,579 $65,579 $27,330
Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Other Borrowings. Certain Portfolios may be authorized to borrow money and may invest in reverse repurchase agreements. If the securities held by a Portfolio should decline in value while borrowings are outstanding, the NAV of a Portfolio’s outstanding shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value suffered by the Portfolio’s securities. A Portfolio may borrow through reverse repurchase agreements under which a Portfolio sells portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers and agrees to repurchase them at a particular date and price. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by a Portfolio with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment. If it employs reverse repurchase agreements, a Portfolio may use the proceeds to purchase instruments eligible for purchase by the Portfolio. At the time a Portfolio enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will segregate cash, cash equivalents or any other liquid asset, including equity securities and debt securities, having a value at least equal to the repurchase price. A Portfolio will generally utilize reverse repurchase agreements when the interest income to be earned from the investment of the proceeds of the transactions is greater than the interest expense incurred as a result of the reverse repurchase transactions. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities purchased by a Portfolio with the proceeds of the transaction may decline below the repurchase price of the securities that a fund is obligated to repurchase. A Portfolio will invest in reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its fundamental investment restrictions and the limits of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). If the asset coverage for such borrowings falls below 300%, a Portfolio will reduce, within three days, the amount of its borrowings to provide for 300% asset coverage.
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Leverage. Certain Portfolios may use leverage. Leveraging a Portfolio creates an opportunity for increased net income but, at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leveraging may exaggerate changes in the NAV of a Portfolio’s shares and in the yield on the Portfolio’s portfolio. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, a Portfolio’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Since any decline in value of a Portfolio’s investments will be borne entirely by the Portfolio’s shareholders (and not by those persons providing the leverage to the Portfolio), the effect of leverage in a declining market would be a greater decrease in NAV than if the Portfolio were not so leveraged. Leveraging will create interest and other expenses for the Portfolio, which can exceed the investment return from the borrowed funds. To the extent the investment return derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest a Portfolio will have to pay, the Portfolio’s investment return will be greater than if leveraging were not used. Conversely, if the investment return from the assets retained with borrowed funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the investment return of a Portfolio will be less than if leveraging were not used. Under the 1940 Act, a Portfolio is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% with respect to borrowings and to sell (within three days) sufficient portfolio holdings to restore such coverage if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise, even if such liquidations of the Portfolio’s holdings may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint. A Portfolio’s policy on borrowing is not intended to limit the ability to pledge assets to secure loans permitted under the Portfolio’s policies.
High-Yield (High-Risk) Securities. High-yield (high-risk) securities (hereinafter referred to as “lower-quality securities”) include (i) bonds rated as low as “C” by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. (“Moody’s), Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“S&P”) or by Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”); (ii) commercial paper rated as low as “C” by S&P, “Not Prime” by Moody’s, or “Fitch 4” by Fitch; and (iii) unrated debt obligations of comparable quality. Lower- quality securities, while generally offering higher yields than investment grade securities with similar maturities, involve greater risks, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy. They are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The special risk considerations in connection with investments in these securities are discussed below.
Effect of Interest Rates and Economic Changes. Interest-bearing securities typically experience appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates rise. The market values of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities tend to reflect individual corporate developments more than do higher-rated securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Lower-quality and comparable unrated securities also tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher-rated securities. As a result, they generally involve more credit risks than securities in the higher-rated categories. During an economic downturn or a sustained period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of lower- quality and comparable unrated securities may experience financial stress and may not have sufficient funds to meet their payment obligations. The issuer’s ability to service its debt obligations may also be adversely affected by specific corporate developments, the issuer’s inability to meet specific projected business forecasts or the unavailability of additional financing. The risk of loss due to default by an issuer of these securities is significantly greater than by issuers of higher-rated securities because such securities are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to other creditors. Further, if the issuer of a lower-quality or comparable unrated security defaulted, a fund might incur additional expenses to seek recovery. Periods of economic uncertainty and changes would also generally result in increased volatility in the market prices of these securities and thus in a Portfolio’s NAV.
As previously stated, the value of a lower-quality or comparable unrated security will generally decrease in a rising interest rate market, and accordingly, so will a Portfolio’s NAV. If a Portfolio experiences unexpected net redemptions in such a market, it may be forced to liquidate a portion of its portfolio securities without regard to their investment merits. Due to the limited liquidity of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities in the marketplace (discussed below in “Liquidity and Valuation”), a Portfolio may be forced to liquidate these securities at a substantial discount. Any such liquidation would force the Portfolio to sell the more liquid portion of its portfolio.
Payment Expectations. Lower-quality and comparable unrated securities typically contain redemption, call, or prepayment provisions that permit the issuer of such securities containing such provisions to, at its discretion, redeem the securities. During periods of falling interest rates, issuers of these securities are likely to redeem or prepay the securities and refinance them with debt securities that have a lower interest rate. To the extent an issuer can refinance the securities, or otherwise redeem them, a Portfolio may have to replace the securities with a lower-yielding security, which would result in a lower return for the Portfolio.
Credit Ratings. Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies are designed to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of lower-quality securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the condition of the issuer that affect the market value of the security. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality.
Investments in lower-quality and comparable unrated obligations may be more dependent on a subadviser’s credit analysis than would be the case with investments in investment-grade debt obligations. The Subadvisers to a Portfolio employ their own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debt and to pay dividends, the issuer’s sensitivity to economic conditions, its operating history, and the current trend of earnings. The Subadvisers monitor the applicable Portfolio’s investments and carefully evaluate whether to dispose of or to retain lower-quality and comparable unrated securities whose credit ratings or credit quality may have changed.
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Liquidity and Valuation. Certain Portfolios may have difficulty disposing of certain lower-quality and comparable unrated securities because there may be a thin trading market for such securities. Because not all dealers maintain markets in all lower-quality and comparable unrated securities, there is no established retail secondary market for many of these securities. Such securities could be sold only to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the extent a secondary trading market does exist, it is generally not as liquid as the secondary market for higher-rated securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. As a result, a Portfolio’s NAV and ability to dispose of particular securities, when necessary to meet a Portfolio’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, may be impacted. The lack of a liquid secondary market for certain securities may also make it more difficult for a Portfolio to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing the Portfolio’s Investments. Market quotations are generally available on many lower-quality and comparable unrated issues only from a limited number of dealers and may not necessarily represent firm bids of such dealers or prices for actual sales. During periods of thin trading, the spread between bid and asked prices is likely to increase significantly. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perception, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities, especially in a thinly traded market.
Restricted Securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities cannot be sold to the public without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Unless registered for sale, restricted securities can be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Restricted securities may be considered illiquid and, therefore, are subject to a Portfolio’s limitation on illiquid securities.
Restricted securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk which may result in substantial losses. The securities may be less liquid than publicly traded securities. Although these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid for by a Portfolio. A Portfolio may invest in restricted securities, including securities initially offered and sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144A (“Rule 144A Securities”) and securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers initially offered and sold outside the United States without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S (“Regulation S Securities”) under the 1933 Act. Rule 144A Securities. Regulation S Securities generally may be traded freely among certain qualified institutional investors, such as a Portfolio, and non-U.S. persons, but resale to a broader base of investors in the United States may be permitted only in significantly more limited circumstances. A qualified institutional investor is defined by Rule 144A generally as an institution, acting for its own account or for the accounts of other qualified institutional investors, that in the aggregate owns and invests on a discretionary basis at least $100 million in securities of issuers not affiliated with the institution. A dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934 Act”), acting for its own account or the accounts of other qualified institutional investors, that in the aggregate owns and invests on a discretionary basis at least $10 million in securities of issuers not affiliated with the dealer may also qualify as a qualified institutional investor, as well as a 1934 Act registered dealer acting in a riskless principal transaction on behalf of a qualified institutional investor.
Certain Portfolios also may purchase restricted securities that are not eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S. A Portfolio may acquire such securities through private placement transactions, directly from the issuer or from security holders, generally at higher yields or on terms more favorable to investors than comparable publicly traded securities. However, the restrictions on resale of such securities may make it difficult for a Portfolio to dispose of such securities at the time considered most advantageous and/or may involve expenses that would not be incurred in the sale of securities that were freely marketable. Risks associated with restricted securities include the potential obligation to pay all or part of the registration expenses in order to sell certain restricted securities. A considerable period of time may elapse between the time of the decision to sell a security and the time a Portfolio may be permitted to sell it under an effective registration statement. If, during a period, adverse conditions were to develop, a Portfolio might obtain a less favorable price than prevailing when it decided to sell.
Warrants and Rights. Certain Portfolios may invest in warrants and rights. Warrants are instruments that provide the owner with the right to purchase a specified security, usually an equity security such as common stock, at a specified price (usually representing a premium over the applicable market value of the underlying equity security at the time of the warrant’s issuance) and usually during a specified period of time. While warrants may be traded, there is often no secondary market for them. Moreover, they are usually issued by the issuer of the security to which they relate. Warrants do not have any inherent value. To the extent that the market value of the security that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrant rises above the exercise price, the value of the warrant will tend to rise. To the extent that the exercise price equals or exceeds the market value of such security, the warrants will have little or no market value. If warrants remain unexercised at the end of the specified exercise period, they lapse and a Portfolio’s investment in them will be lost. Rights are similar to warrants, but generally are shorter in duration and are distributed by the issuer directly to its shareholders. Warrants and rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights to the assets of the issuer.
Convertible Preferred Stocks and Debt Securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in convertible preferred stock and debt securities. Certain preferred stocks and debt securities include conversion features allowing the holder to convert securities into another specified security (usually common stock) of the same issuer at a specified conversion ratio (e.g., two shares of preferred for one share of common stock) at some specified future date or period. The market value of convertible securities generally includes a premium that reflects the conversion right. That premium may be negligible or substantial. To the extent that any preferred stock or debt security remains unconverted after the expiration of the conversion period, the market value will fall to the extent represented by that premium.
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Preferred Equity Redemption Cumulative Stock. Certain Portfolios may invest in preferred equity redemption cumulative stock. Preferred equity redemption cumulative stock (“PERCS”) is a form of convertible preferred stock which automatically converts into shares of common stock on a predetermined conversion date. PERCS pays a fixed annual dividend rate which is higher than the annual dividend rate of the issuing company’s common stock. However, the terms of PERCS limit an investor’s ability to participate in the appreciation of the common stock (usually capped at approximately 40%). Predetermined redemption dates and prices set by the company upon the issuance of the securities provide the mechanism for limiting the price appreciation of PERCS.
Preferred Stock. A Portfolio may invest in preferred stock. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, offers a stated dividend rate payable from a corporation’s earnings. Such preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative, participating or auction rate. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline. Dividends on some preferred stock may be “cumulative,” requiring all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends are paid on the issuer’s common stock. Preferred stock also generally has a preference over common stock on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of liquidation of the corporation, and may be “participating,” which means that it may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a corporation’s debt securities.
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in adjustable rate mortgage securities, (“ARMs”), which are pass-through mortgage securities collateralized by mortgages with adjustable rather than fixed rates. ARMs eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for either the first three, six, twelve, thirteen, thirty-six or sixty scheduled monthly payments. Thereafter, the interest rates are subject to periodic adjustment based on changes to a designated benchmark index. ARMs contain maximum and minimum rates beyond which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the security. In addition, certain ARMs provide for limitations on the maximum amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single adjustment period. Alternatively, certain ARMs contain limitations on changes in the required monthly payment. In the event that a monthly payment is not sufficient to pay the interest accruing on an ARM, any such excess interest is added to the principal balance of the mortgage loan, which is repaid through future monthly payments. If the monthly payment for such an instrument exceeds the sum of the interest accrued at the applicable mortgage interest rate and the principal payment required at such point to amortize the outstanding principal balance over the remaining term of the loan, the excess is utilized to reduce the then-outstanding principal balance of the ARM.
Types of Credit Enhancement. Mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) and asset-backed securities (“ABS”) are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, these securities may contain elements of credit support which fall into two categories: (i) liquidity protection and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to seek to ensure that the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from default seeks to ensure ultimate payment of the obligations on at least a portion of the assets in the pool. This protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction or through a combination of such approaches. The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquencies or losses in excess of those anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in a security. A Portfolio will not pay any additional fees for credit support, although the existence of credit support may increase the price of a security. Certain types of structured products may also have structural features, including diversions of cash flow, waterfalls, over-collateralization and other performance tests, and triggers, that may provide credit protection.
Foreign Securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in foreign securities. Investors should recognize that investing in foreign securities involves certain special considerations, including those set forth below, which are not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities and which may favorably or unfavorably affect a Portfolio’s performance. As foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic companies, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a domestic company. Many foreign securities markets, while growing in volume of trading activity, have substantially less volume than the U.S. market, and securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of domestic issuers. Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign bond markets is less than in the U.S. and, at times, volatility of prices can be greater than in the United States. Fixed commissions on some foreign securities exchanges and bid-to-asked spreads in foreign bond markets are generally higher than commissions or bid-to-asked spreads on U.S. markets, although a Portfolio will endeavor to achieve the most favorable net results on its portfolio transactions. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than in the U.S. It may be more difficult for a Portfolio’s agents to keep currently informed about corporate actions which may affect the prices of portfolio securities. Communications between the United States and foreign countries may be less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities. Payment for securities without delivery may be required in certain foreign markets. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic
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developments which could affect U.S. investments in those countries. Russia’s assertion of influence in its surrounding region, including its invasion of Ukraine, increases the likelihood of additional sanctions by the United States and other countries or the imposition of sanctions by additional countries, which may cause volatility in the markets. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. The management of a Portfolio seeks to mitigate the risks associated with the foregoing considerations through continuous professional management.
Each Portfolio may invest in securities of foreign issuers that trade on U.S. exchanges. These investments may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). ADRs are dollar-denominated receipts issued generally by U.S. banks and which represent the deposit with the bank of a foreign company’s securities. ADRs are publicly traded on exchanges or over-the-counter (“OTC”) in the United States. Investors should consider carefully the substantial risks involved in investing in securities issued by companies of foreign nations, which are in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. ADRs, European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) or other securities convertible into securities of issuers based in foreign countries are not necessarily denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. In general, ADRs, in registered form, are denominated in U.S. dollars and are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, while EDRs (also referred to as Continental Depositary Receipts (“CDRs”)), in bearer form, may be denominated in other currencies and are designed for use in European securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs are European receipts evidencing a similar arrangement. GDRs are global receipts evidencing a similar arrangement. For purposes of each Portfolio’s investment policies, ADRs, EDRs and GDRs usually are deemed to have the same classification as the underlying securities they represent. Thus, an ADR, EDR or GDR representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock.
Depositary receipts are issued through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and a depositary, whereas a depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the deposited security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the cost of such facilities, and the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts in respect of the deposited securities. As a result, available information regarding the issuer may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs, and the prices of unsponsored ADRs may be more volatile than if they were sponsored by the issuers of the underlying securities.
Emerging Markets Securities. Certain Portfolios may each invest in emerging markets securities. Emerging markets securities are fixed income and equity securities of foreign companies domiciled, headquartered, or whose primary business activities or principal trading markets are located in emerging and less developed markets (“emerging markets”). Investments in emerging markets securities involve special risks in addition to those generally associated with foreign investing. Many investments in emerging markets can be considered speculative, and the value of those investments can be more volatile than investments in more developed foreign markets. This difference reflects the greater uncertainties of investing in less established markets and economies. Costs associated with transactions in emerging markets securities typically are higher than costs associated with transactions in U.S. securities. Such transactions also may involve additional costs for the purchase or sale of foreign currency. Certain foreign markets (including emerging markets) may require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. A Portfolio could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application of any restrictions on investments. Many emerging markets have experienced substantial rates of inflation for extended periods. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have adverse effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries. Governments of many emerging market countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector through ownership or control of many companies. The future actions of those governments could have a significant effect on economic conditions in emerging markets, which, in turn, may adversely affect companies in the private sector, general market conditions and prices and yields of certain of the securities in a Portfolio’s portfolio. Expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization and political, economic and social instability have occurred throughout the history of certain emerging market countries and could adversely affect a Portfolio’s assets should any of those conditions recur. In addition, the securities laws of emerging market countries may be less developed than those to which U.S. issuers are subject.
Brady Bonds. Certain Portfolios may invest in “Brady Bonds,” which are debt restructurings that provide for the exchange of cash and loans for newly issued bonds. Brady Bonds are securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to public and private entities in certain emerging markets for new bonds in connection with debt restructuring. Brady Bonds may be collateralized or uncollateralized, are issued in various currencies (primarily the U.S. dollar) and are actively traded in the secondary market for Latin American debt. U.S. dollar-denominated, collateralized Brady Bonds, which may be fixed rate par bonds or floating rate discount bonds, are collateralized in full as to principal by U.S. Treasury zero coupon bonds having the same maturity as the bonds. Interest payments on such bonds generally are collateralized by cash or securities in an amount that, in the case of fixed rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of rolling interest payments or, in the case of floating rate bonds, initially is equal to at least one year’s rolling interest payments based on the applicable interest rate at the time and is adjusted at regular intervals thereafter.
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Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts. Certain Portfolios may invest in foreign currencies. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts involve an obligation to purchase or sell a specified currency at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. Forward currency contracts do not eliminate fluctuations in the values of Portfolio securities but rather allow a Portfolio to establish a rate of exchange for a future point in time. A Portfolio may use forward foreign currency exchange contracts to hedge against movements in the value of foreign currencies (including the “Euro” used by certain European Countries) relative to the U.S. dollar in connection with specific Portfolio transactions or with respect to its positions.
Dollar Roll Transactions. Certain Portfolios may engage in dollar roll transactions, which consist of the sale by the Portfolio to a bank or broker/dealer (the “counterparty”) of the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) certificates or other MBS together with a commitment to purchase from the counterparty similar, but not identical, securities at a future date, at the same price. The counterparty receives all principal and interest payments, including prepayments, made on the security while it is the holder. A Portfolio receives a fee from the counterparty as consideration for entering into a commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed over a period of several months with a different purchase and repurchase price fixed and a cash settlement made at each renewal without physical delivery of securities. Moreover, the transaction may be preceded by a firm commitment agreement pursuant to which a Portfolio agrees to buy a security on a future date. The security sold by a Portfolio that is subject to repurchase at such future date may not be an existing security in the Portfolio’s holdings. As part of a dollar roll transaction, this is not considered to be a short sale event.
Dollar rolls may be treated for purposes of the 1940 Act as borrowings of a Portfolio because they involve the sale of a security coupled with an agreement to repurchase. A dollar roll involves costs to a Portfolio. For example, while a Portfolio receives a fee as consideration for agreeing to repurchase the security, the Portfolio forgoes the right to receive all principal and interest payments while the counterparty holds the security. These payments to the counterparty may exceed the fee received by a Portfolio, thereby effectively charging the Portfolio interest on its borrowing. Further, although a Portfolio can estimate the amount of expected principal prepayment over the term of the dollar roll, a variation in the actual amount of prepayment could increase or decrease the cost of the Portfolio’s borrowing.
The entry into dollar rolls involves potential risks of loss that are different from those related to the securities underlying the transactions. For example, if the counterparty becomes insolvent, a Portfolio’s right to purchase from the counterparty might be restricted. Additionally, the value of such securities may change adversely before a Portfolio is able to purchase them. Similarly, a Portfolio may be required to purchase securities in connection with a dollar roll at a higher price than may otherwise be available on the open market. Since, as noted above, the counterparty is required to deliver a similar, but not identical security to a Portfolio, the security that is required to buy under the dollar roll may be worth less than an identical security. Finally, there can be no assurance that a Portfolio’s use of the cash that it receives from a dollar roll will provide a return that exceeds borrowing costs.
Strategic Transactions and Derivatives. Certain Portfolios may, but are not required to, utilize various other investment strategies as described below to hedge various market risks (such as interest rates and broad or specific equity or fixed-income market movements), to manage the effective maturity or duration of fixed-income securities in the Portfolio’s portfolio or to enhance potential gain. These strategies may be executed using derivative contracts. Such strategies are generally accepted as a part of modern portfolio management and are regularly utilized by many mutual funds and other institutional investors. Techniques and instruments may change over time as new instruments and strategies are developed or regulatory changes occur.
In the course of pursuing these investment strategies, a Portfolio may purchase and sell exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on securities, equity and fixed-income indices and other financial instruments, purchase and sell financial futures contracts and options thereon; enter into various interest rate transactions such as swaps, caps floors or collars; and enter into various currency transactions such as currency forward contracts, currency futures contracts, currency swaps or options on currencies or currency futures (collectively, all the above are called “Strategic Transactions”). Strategic Transactions may be used without limit to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of securities held in or to be purchased for a Portfolio’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of such securities for investment purposes, to manage the effective maturity or duration of fixed-income securities in the Portfolio’s portfolio or to establish a position in the derivatives markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing or selling particular securities. Some Strategic Transactions may also be used to enhance potential gain. Any or all of these investment techniques may be used at any time and in any combination, and there is no particular strategy that dictates the use of one technique rather than another, as use of any Strategic Transaction is a function of numerous variables including market conditions. The ability of a Portfolio to utilize these Strategic Transactions successfully will depend on a Subadviser’s ability to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. The Portfolios will comply with applicable regulatory requirements when implementing these strategies, techniques and instruments. Certain Portfolios may use Strategic Transactions for non-hedging purposes to enhance potential gain.
Strategic Transactions, including derivative contracts, have risks associated with them, including possible default by the other party to the transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent a Subadviser’s view as to certain market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of such Strategic Transactions could result in losses greater than if they had not been used. Use of put and call options may result in losses to a Portfolio, force the sale or purchase of portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices higher than (in the case of put options) or lower than (in the case of call options) current market values, limit the amount of appreciation the Portfolio can realize on its investments or cause a Portfolio to hold a security it might otherwise sell. The use of currency transactions can result in a fund
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incurring losses as a result of a number of factors including the imposition of exchange controls, suspension of settlements or the inability to deliver or receive a specified currency. The use of options and futures transactions entails certain other risks. In particular, the variable degree of correlation between price movements of futures contracts and price movements in the related portfolio position of a Portfolio creates the possibility that losses on the hedging instrument may be greater than gains in the value of the Portfolio’s position. In addition, futures and options markets may not be liquid in all circumstances and OTC options may have no markets. As a result, in certain markets, a fund might not be able to close out a transaction without incurring substantial losses, if at all. Although the use of futures and options transactions for hedging should tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged position, at the same time it tends to limit any potential gain which might result from an increase in value of such position. Finally, the daily variation margin requirements for futures contracts would create a greater ongoing potential financial risk than would purchases of options, where the exposure is limited to the cost of the initial premium. Losses resulting from the use of Strategic Transactions would reduce NAV, and possibly income, and such losses can be greater than if the Strategic Transactions had not been utilized.
In addition to the instruments and strategies discussed in this section, a Subadviser may discover additional opportunities in connection with derivatives, strategic transactions and other similar or related techniques. These new opportunities may become available as a Subadviser develops new techniques, as regulatory authorities broaden the range of permitted transactions and as new derivatives, strategic transactions and other techniques are developed. A Subadviser may utilize these opportunities and techniques to the extent that they are consistent with a Portfolio’s respective investment objective and investment limitations and applicable regulatory authorities. These opportunities and techniques may involve risks different from, or in addition to, those summarized herein.
This discussion is not intended to limit a Portfolio’s investment flexibility, unless such a limitation is expressly stated, and therefore will be construed by the Portfolio as broadly as possible. Statements concerning what a Portfolio may do are not intended to limit any other activity. Also, as with any investment or investment technique, even when the prospectus or this discussion indicates that a Portfolio may engage in an activity, it may not actually do so for a variety of reasons, including cost considerations.
Derivatives. Each Portfolio may invest in “derivatives.” These are financial instruments which derive their performance at least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset, index or interest rate. The derivatives a Portfolio may use are currently comprised of stock index futures and options. A Portfolio may invest in derivatives for a variety of reasons, including to hedge against certain market risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling particular securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for a Portfolio to invest than “traditional” securities.
Although certain Portfolios do not currently intend to invest in derivatives, a Portfolio may do so in the future.
Derivatives permit a Portfolio to increase, decrease or change the level of risk to which its securities are exposed in much the same way as a Portfolio can increase, decrease or change the risk of its investments by making investments in specific securities. However, derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative and a Portfolio as a whole. Under certain market conditions, they can increase the volatility of a Portfolio’s NAV, decrease the liquidity of a Portfolio’s investments and make more difficult the accurate pricing of a Portfolio’s shares.
In addition, derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in derivatives could have a large potential impact on a Portfolio’s performance. If a Portfolio invests in derivatives at inappropriate times or judges market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower a Portfolio’s return or result in a loss. A Portfolio also could experience losses if its derivatives were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if a Portfolio were unable to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges (“exchange-traded” derivatives) or through privately negotiated transactions (OTC derivatives). Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. This guarantee usually is supported by a daily payment system operated by the clearing agency in order to reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency guarantees OTC derivatives. Therefore, each party to an OTC derivative transaction bears the risk that the counterparty will default. Accordingly, a Subadviser will consider the creditworthiness of counterparties to OTC derivative transactions in the same manner as it would review the credit quality of a security to be purchased by a Portfolio. OTC derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in bidding for it.
Other Derivatives. A Portfolio may take advantage of opportunities in futures contracts and any other derivatives which presently are not contemplated for use by the Portfolio or which currently are not available but which may be developed, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Portfolio’s investment objective and legally permissible for the Portfolio. Before entering into such transactions or making any such investment, the Company will provide appropriate disclosure in its prospectus or SAI.
General Characteristics of Options. The Portfolios may invest in options. Put options and call options typically have similar structural characteristics and operational mechanics regardless of the underlying instruments on which they are purchased or sold. Thus, the
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following general discussion relates to each of the particular types of options discussed in greater detail below. In addition, many Strategic Transactions involving options require segregation of Portfolio assets in special accounts.
A put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the underlying security, commodity, index, currency or other instrument at the exercise price. For instance, a Portfolio’s purchase of a put option on a security might be designed to protect its holdings in the underlying instrument (or, in some cases, a similar instrument) against a substantial decline in the market value by giving the fund, the right to sell such instrument at the option exercise price. A call option, upon payment of a premium, gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the seller the obligation to sell, the underlying instrument at the exercise price. A Portfolio’s purchase of a call option, on a security, financial future, index, currency or other instrument might be intended to protect the Portfolio against an increase in the price of the underlying instrument that it intends to purchase in the future by fixing the price at which it may purchase such instrument. An American-style put or call option may be exercised at any time during the option period thereto. A Portfolio may purchase and sell exchange-listed options and OTC options. Exchange-listed options are issued by a regulated intermediary such as the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”), which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options. The discussion below uses the OCC as an example, but is also applicable to other financial intermediaries.
With certain exceptions, OCC issued and exchange listed options generally settle by physical delivery of the underlying security or currency, although in the future cash settlement may become available. Index options and Eurodollar instruments are cash settled for the net amount, if any, by which the option is “in-the-money” (i.e., where the value of the underlying instrument exceeds, in the case of a call option, or is less than, in the case of a put option, the exercise price of the option) at the time the option is exercised. Frequently, rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument through the process of exercising the option, listed options are closed by entering into offsetting purchase or sale transactions that do not result in ownership of the underlying instrument.
A Portfolio’s ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller of an OCC or exchange listed put or call option is dependent, in part, upon the liquidity of the option market. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a liquid option market on an exchange are: (i) insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities including reaching daily price limits; (iv) interruption of the normal operations of the OCC or an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to handle current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to discontinue the trading of options for a particular class or series of options, in which event the relevant market for that option on that exchange would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange would generally continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
The hours of trading for listed options may not coincide with the hours during which the underlying financial instruments are traded. To the extent that the option markets close before the markets for the underlying financial instruments, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.
OTC options are purchased from or sold to securities dealers, financial institutions, or other parties (collectively “Counterparties”) through direct bilateral agreement with the Counterparty. In contracts to exchange listed options, which generally have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all the terms of an OTC option, including such terms as method of settlement, term, exercise price, premium, guarantees and security, are set by negotiation of the parties. The Portfolios expect generally to enter into OTC options that have cash settlement provisions, although they are not required to do so.
Unless the parties provide for it, there is no central clearing or guaranty function in an OTC option. As a result, if the Counterparty fails to make or take delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying an OTC option it has entered into with the Portfolio fails to make a cash settlement payment due in accordance with the terms of that option, the Portfolio will lose any premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the transaction. Accordingly, the Subadviser or Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of each such Counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement of the Counterparty’s credit to determine the likelihood that the terms of the OTC option will be satisfied. The staff of the SEC currently takes the position that OTC options purchased by the Portfolio, and portfolio securities “covering” the amount of the Portfolio’s obligation pursuant to an OTC option sold by it (the cost of the sell-back plus the in-the-money amount, if any), are illiquid, and may be subject to the Portfolio’s, limitation on investing in illiquid securities. If the Portfolio exceeds the limits specified above, the Portfolio will take prompt steps to reduce its holdings in illiquid securities.
If a Portfolio sells a call option, the premium that it receives may serve as a partial hedge, to the extent of the option premium, against a decrease in the value of the underlying securities or instruments in its portfolio, or will increase the Portfolio’s income. The sale of put options can also provide income. A Portfolio may purchase and sell call options on securities including U.S. Treasury and agency securities, MBS, corporate debt securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar instruments that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and in the OTC markets, and on securities, indices, currencies and futures contracts. All calls sold by the Portfolio must be “covered” (i.e., the Portfolio, must own the securities or futures contract subject to the call). Even though the Portfolio will receive the option premium to help protect it against loss, a call sold by the Portfolio exposes the Portfolio during the term of the option to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security or instrument and may require the fund to hold a security or instrument which it might otherwise have sold.
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A Portfolio may purchase and sell put options on securities including U.S. Treasury and agency securities, MBS, foreign sovereign debt, corporate debt securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar instruments (whether or not it holds the above securities in its portfolio), and on securities indices, currencies and futures contracts other than futures on individual corporate debt and individual equity securities. The Portfolio will sell put options in accordance with the 1940 Act. In selling put options, there is a risk that the Portfolio may be required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price above the market price.
When a Portfolio purchases a put option, the premium paid by it is recorded as an asset of the Portfolio. When a Portfolio writes an option, an amount equal to the net premium (the premium less the commission) received by the Portfolio is included in the liability section of the Portfolio’s statement of assets and liabilities as a deferred credit. The amount of this asset or deferred credit will be subsequently marked to market to reflect the current value of the option purchased or written. The current value of the traded option is the last sale price or, in the absence of sale, the mean between the last bid and asked price. If an option purchased by the Portfolio expires unexercised, the Portfolio realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If the Portfolio enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Portfolio will realize a gain if the premium received by the Portfolio on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by the Portfolio expires on the stipulated expiration date or if the Portfolio enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold) and the deferred credit related to such option will be eliminated. If an option written by the Portfolio is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Portfolio will realize a gain or loss.
There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded OTC or on a national securities exchange (an “Exchange”), may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an Exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an Exchange; the facilities of an Exchange or the OCC may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or one or more Exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that Exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the OCC as a result of trades on that Exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
General Characteristics of Futures. The Portfolios may enter into financial futures contracts or purchase or sell put and call options on such futures primarily as a hedge against anticipated interest rate, currency or equity market changes, for duration management and for risk management purposes. The Portfolios may also engage in futures for speculative purposes. Futures are generally bought and sold on the commodities exchanges where they are listed with payment of initial and variation margin as described below.
The sale of a futures contract creates a firm obligation by the Portfolio, as seller, to deliver to the buyer the specific type of financial instrument called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price (or, with respect to index futures and Eurodollar instruments, the net cash amount). Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities except that an option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid to assume a position in a futures contract and obligates the seller to deliver such position.
A Portfolio’s use of financial futures and options thereon will be consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in particular the rules and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”). Typically, maintaining a futures contract or selling an option thereon requires a fund to deposit with a financial intermediary as security for its obligations an amount of cash or other specified assets (initial margin) which initially is typically 1% to 10% of the face amount of the contract (but may be higher in some circumstances). Additional cash or assets (variation margin) may be required to be deposited thereafter on a daily basis as the mark-to-market value of the contract fluctuates. The purchase of an option on financial futures involves payment of a premium for the option without any further obligation on the part of the Portfolio. If the Portfolio exercises an option on a futures contract, it will be obligated to post initial margin (and potential subsequent variation margin) for the resulting futures position just as it would for any position. Futures contracts and options thereon are generally settled by entering into an offsetting transaction, but there can be no assurance that the position can be offset prior to settlement at an advantageous price, nor that delivery will occur.
Wilshire is registered with the National Futures Association as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and commodity trading advisor (“CTA”) under the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (“CEA”). Rule 4.5 under the CEA permits an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, to rely on an exclusion from registration under the CEA as a commodity pool. Among other conditions, under amended Rule 4.5, the adviser to a registered investment company can claim exclusion only if the registered investment company uses commodity interests, such as commodity futures and commodity options, solely for “bona fide hedging purposes,” or limits its use of commodity interests not used solely for bona fide hedging purposes to certain minimal amounts. Wilshire has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from registration as a commodity pool on behalf of the Large Company Growth Portfolio, Large Company Value Portfolio, International Fund, and Income Fund. If a Portfolio no longer qualifies for the exclusion,
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that Portfolio would be subject to regulations as a commodity pool under the CEA and the Adviser would need to register as the CPO to the Portfolio.
Options on Securities Indices and Other Financial Indices. The Portfolios also may purchase and sell call and put options on securities indices and other financial indices and in so doing can achieve many of the same objectives they would achieve through the sale or purchase of options on individual securities or other instruments. Options on securities indices and other financial indices are similar to options on a security or other instrument except that, rather than settling by physical delivery of the underlying instrument, they settle by cash settlement (i.e., an option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the option is based exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option (except if, in the case of an OTC option, physical delivery is specified)). This amount of cash is equal to the excess of the closing price of the index over the exercise price of the option, which also may be multiplied by a formula value. The seller of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The gain or loss on an option on an index depends on price movements in the instruments making up the market, market segment, industry or other composite on which the underlying index is based, rather than price movements in individual securities, as is the case with respect to options on securities.
Synthetic Investment Risk. Certain Portfolios may be exposed to certain additional risks should a Subadviser use derivatives transactions to synthetically implement a Portfolio’s investment strategies. Customized derivative instruments will likely be highly illiquid, and it is possible that a Portfolio will not be able to terminate such derivative instruments prior to their expiration date or that the penalties associated with such a termination might impact a Portfolio’s performance in a materially adverse manner. Synthetic investments may be imperfectly correlated to the investment a Subadviser is seeking to replicate. There can be no assurance that a Subadviser’s judgments regarding the correlation of any particular synthetic investment will be correct. A Portfolio may be exposed to certain additional risks associated with derivatives transactions should a Subadviser use derivatives to synthetically implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies. A Portfolio would be subject to counterparty risk in connection with such transactions. If a Portfolio enters into a derivative instrument whereby it agrees to receive the return of a security or financial instrument or a basket of securities or financial instruments, it will typically contract to receive such returns for a predetermined period of time. During such period, a Portfolio may not have the ability to increase or decrease its exposure. In addition, such customized derivative instruments will likely be highly illiquid, and it is possible that a Portfolio will not be able to terminate such derivative instruments prior to their expiration date or that the penalties associated with such a termination might impact the Portfolio’s performance in a material adverse manner. Furthermore, derivative instruments typically contain provisions giving the counterparty the right to terminate the contract upon the occurrence of certain events, such as a decline in the value of the reference securities and material violations of the terms of the contract or the portfolio guidelines as well as other events determined by the counterparty. If a termination were to occur, a Portfolio’s return could be adversely affected as it would lose the benefit of the indirect exposure to the reference securities and it may incur significant termination expenses.
Currency Transactions. In general, certain Portfolios’ dealings in forward currency contracts and other currency transactions such as futures, options, options on futures and swaps will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio positions. Each Portfolio, however, can invest up to the 1940 Act limits of its assets in such transactions for non-hedging purposes. Currency transactions include forward currency contracts, exchange listed currency futures, exchange listed and OTC options on currencies, and currency swaps. A forward currency contract involves a privately negotiated obligation to purchase or sell (with delivery generally required) a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash flows based on the notional difference among two or more currencies and operates similarly to an interest rate swap, which is described below.
Transaction hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to specific assets or liabilities of a Portfolio, which will generally arise in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or the receipt of income therefrom. Position hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or generally quoted in that currency.
Certain Portfolios may also cross-hedge currencies by entering into transactions to purchase or sell one or more currencies that are expected to decline in value relative to other currencies to which it has or in which the Portfolio expects to have portfolio exposure.
To reduce the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of existing or anticipated holdings of portfolio securities, a Portfolio may also engage in proxy hedging. Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the Portfolio is exposed is difficult to hedge or to hedge against the dollar. Proxy hedging entails entering into a commitment or option to sell a currency whose changes in value are generally considered to be correlated to a currency or currencies in which some or all of a Portfolio’s portfolio securities are or are expected to be denominated, in exchange for U.S. dollars. The amount of the commitment or option would not exceed the value of a Portfolio’s securities denominated in correlated currencies. Currency hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in losses to a Portfolio if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree or in a direction that is not anticipated. Further, there is the risk that the perceived correlation between various currencies may not be present, or may not be present during the particular time that a Portfolio is engaging in proxy hedging. If a Portfolio enters into a currency hedging transaction, the Portfolio will comply with the asset segregation requirements described below.
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Risks of Currency Transactions. Currency transactions are subject to risks different from those of other portfolio transactions. Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These can result in losses to a Portfolio if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or funds in settlement of obligations, and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs. Buyers and sellers of currency futures are subject to the same risks that apply to the use of futures generally. Further, settlement of currency futures contracts for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a bank based in the issuing nation. The ability to establish and close out positions on options on currency futures is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market which may not always be available. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors extrinsic to that country’s economy.
Combined Transactions. Certain Portfolios may enter into multiple transactions, which may include multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency transactions (including forward currency contracts) and multiple interest rate transactions and any combination of futures, options, currency and interest rate transactions (“component” transactions), instead of a single Strategic Transaction, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of a Subadviser, it is in the best interests of a fund to do so. A combined transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of its component transactions. Although combined transactions are normally entered into based on a Subadviser’s judgment that the combined strategies will reduce risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or hinder achievement of the portfolio management objective.
Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars. Among the Strategic Transactions into which a Portfolio may enter are interest rate, currency, credit default and index swaps and the purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars. A Portfolio may enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Portfolio anticipates purchasing at a later date. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Portfolio with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments with respect to a notional amount of principal. The purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such cap to the extent that a specific index exceeds a predetermined interest rate or amount. The purchase of a floor entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such floor to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate or amount. A collar is a combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest rates or values.
A Portfolio will usually enter into swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with the fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as these swaps, caps, floors and collars are entered into for good-faith hedging purposes, the Portfolio believes such obligations do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act, and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the 1940 Act’s borrowing restrictions.
Hybrid Instruments. Certain Portfolios may invest in hybrid instruments. A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond, or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption, or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (“underlying benchmark”). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed-income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the underlying benchmark. An example of a hybrid instrument could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.
Hybrid instruments can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging, and increased total return. Hybrid instruments may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid instrument or its interest rate may be a multiple of the underlying benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the underlying benchmark. These underlying benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid instrument. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid instrument could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid instrument may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrid instruments also exposes a Portfolio to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrid instruments. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of a Portfolio.
Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options, or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. A Portfolio would only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify, under applicable rules of the CFTC, for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA. The
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requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes may limit a Portfolio’s ability to invest in commodity-linked instruments.
Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, a Portfolio’s investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and other restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.
Risk Linked Securities. Risk-linked securities (“RLS”) are a form of derivative issued by insurance companies and insurance-related special purpose vehicles that apply securitization techniques to catastrophic property and casualty damages. RLS are typically debt obligations for which the return of principal and the payment of interest are contingent on the non-occurrence of a pre-defined “trigger event.” Depending on the specific terms and structure of the RLS, this trigger could be the result of a hurricane, earthquake or some other catastrophic event. Insurance companies securitize this risk to transfer the truly catastrophic part of the risk exposure to the capital markets. A typical RLS provides for income and return of capital similar to other fixed-income investments, but would involve full or partial default if losses resulting from a certain catastrophe exceeded a predetermined amount. RLS typically have relatively high yields compared with similarly rated fixed-income securities, and have low correlation with the returns of traditional securities. Investments in RLS may be linked to a broad range of insurance risks, which can be broken down into three major categories: natural risks (such as hurricanes and earthquakes), weather risks (such as insurance based on a regional average temperature) and non-natural events (such as aerospace and shipping catastrophes). Although property-casualty RLS have been in existence for over a decade, significant developments have started to occur in securitizations done by life insurance companies. In general, life insurance industry securitizations could fall into a number of categories. Some are driven primarily by the desire to transfer risk to the capital markets, such as the transfer of extreme mortality risk (mortality bonds). Others, while also including the element of risk transfer, are driven by other considerations. For example, a securitization could be undertaken to relieve the capital strain on life insurance companies caused by the regulatory requirements of establishing very conservative reserves for some types of products. Another example is the securitization of the stream of future cash flows from a particular block of business, including the securitization of embedded values of life insurance business or securitization for the purpose of funding acquisition costs.
Spread Transactions. Certain Portfolios may purchase covered spread options from securities dealers. Such covered spread options are not presently exchange-listed or exchange-traded. The purchase of a spread option gives a Portfolio the right to put, or sell, a security that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield spread in relationship to another security that a Portfolio does not own, but which is used as a benchmark. The risk to a Portfolio in purchasing covered spread options is the cost of the premium paid for the spread option and any transaction costs. In addition, there is no assurance that closing transactions will be available. The purchase of spread options will be used to protect a Portfolio against adverse changes in prevailing credit quality spreads, i.e., the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. Such protection is only provided during the life of the spread option.
Derivatives Regulations. The laws and regulations that apply to derivatives (e.g., swaps, futures, etc.) and persons who use them (including, as applicable, the Portfolios, the Subadvisers, and others) are rapidly changing in the U.S. and abroad. As a result, restrictions and additional regulations may be imposed on these parties, trading restrictions may be adopted and additional trading costs are possible. The impact of these changes on each Portfolio’s investment strategies is not yet fully ascertainable.
In particular, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), which was signed into law in July 2010, significantly revised and expanded the rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement authority of federal bank, securities and commodities regulators. While certain of the Dodd-Frank provisions have been adopted, other rules are not yet final; therefore, it is unclear how regulators will exercise their expanded powers and whether they will undertake rulemaking, supervisory or enforcement actions that would adversely affect a Portfolio or its investments. Possible regulatory actions taken under these revised and expanded powers may include actions related to financial consumer protection, proprietary trading and derivatives. There is a risk that new and additional government regulation authorized by the Dodd-Frank Act could restrict the ability of a Portfolio to use certain instruments as part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using these instruments or make them less effective. Legislators and regulators in the United States are currently considering a wide range of proposals in addition to the Dodd-Frank Act that, if enacted, could result in major changes to the way the financial services industry is regulated. In particular, new position limits imposed on a Portfolio’s counterparties may impact the Portfolio’s ability to invest in futures, options, and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to a Portfolio, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime, and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of the Portfolio’s investments and cost of doing business, which would adversely affect investors.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. Rule 18f-4 imposes limits on the amount of derivatives a fund may enter into, eliminates the asset segregation framework previously used by the Portfolios to comply with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, treats derivatives as senior securities so that a failure to comply with the limits would result in a statutory violation and require funds whose use of derivatives is more than a limited specific exposure amount to establish and maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program and to appoint a derivatives risk manager. Certain of the Portfolios are “limited derivatives users” and are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4, while the other Portfolios are derivatives users subject to the full requirements of the Rule. The requirements of Rule 18f-4 may limit a Portfolio’s ability to engage in derivatives transactions, as well as certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by a fund, as part
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of its investment strategies. These requirements may also increase the cost of doing business, which could adversely affect the performance of a Portfolio.
Eurodollar Instruments. Certain Portfolios may make investments in Eurodollar instruments. Eurodollar instruments are U.S. dollar-denominated futures contracts or options that are linked to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or another reference rate. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings. Certain Portfolios may use Eurodollar futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes in LIBOR, to which many interest rate swaps and fixed income instruments are linked.
Euro Risk. Certain Portfolios may invest in securities issued by companies operating in Europe. Investments in a single region, even though representing many different countries within the region, may be affected by common economic forces and other factors. A Portfolio may be subject to greater risk of adverse events which occur in the European region and may experience greater volatility than a fund that is more broadly diversified geographically. Political or economic disruptions in European countries, even in countries in which a Portfolio is not invested may adversely affect the security values and thus a Portfolio’s holdings. A significant number of countries in Europe are member states in the European Union (the “EU”), and these member states no longer have the ability to implement an independent monetary policy and may be significantly affected by requirements that limit their fiscal options. European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and have been adversely affected by concerns of economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. The United Kingdom withdrew from the EU on January 31, 2020, following a June 2016 referendum referred to as “Brexit.” There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit’s longer term ramifications, and the range of possible political, regulatory, economic and market outcomes are difficult to predict. The uncertainty surrounding the United Kingdom’s economy may continue to be a source of instability and cause considerable disruption in securities markets, including increased volatility and illiquidity, as well as currency fluctuations in the British pound’s exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.
Risks of Strategic Transactions Outside the United States. When conducted outside the United States, Strategic Transactions may not be regulated as rigorously as in the United States, may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign, political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in a fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lower trading volume and liquidity.
Greater China and China A-Shares Risk. There are special risks associated with investments in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, including exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization and exchange control regulations (including currency blockage). Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation and interest rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economy and securities markets of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In addition, investments in Taiwan could be adversely affected by its political and economic relationship with China. Certain securities issued by companies located or operating in Greater China, such as China A-shares, are subject to trading restrictions, quota limitations and less market liquidity. Additionally, developing countries, such as those in Greater China, may subject the Portfolio’s investments to a number of tax rules, and the application of many of those rules may be uncertain. Moreover, China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years, and may amend or revise its existing; tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Portfolio, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Portfolio invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Portfolio. China A-shares listed and traded through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (“Stock Connect”), mutual market access programs designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) via brokers in Hong Kong, are subject to a number of restrictions imposed by Chinese securities regulations and listing rules. Because Stock Connect is in its initial stages, developments are likely, which may restrict or otherwise affect the Portfolio’s investments or returns. Furthermore, any changes in laws, regulations and policies of the China A-shares market or rules in relation to Stock Connect may affect China A-share prices. These risks are heightened by the underdeveloped state of the PRC’s investment and banking systems in general.
Guaranteed Investment Contracts (“GICs”). Certain Portfolios may invest in GICs. When investing in GICs, a Portfolio makes cash contributions to a deposit fund of an insurance company’s general account. The insurance company then credits guaranteed interest to the deposit fund monthly. The GICs provide that this guaranteed interest will not be less than a certain minimum rate. The insurance company may assess periodic charges against a GIC for expenses and service costs allocable to it, and the charges will be deducted from the value of the deposit fund. Because a Portfolio may not receive the principal amount of a GIC from the insurance company on 7 days’ notice or less, the GIC is considered an illiquid investment. In determining average portfolio maturity, GICs generally will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the guaranteed interest rate.
Variable and Floating Rate Instruments. Certain Portfolios may invest in variable and floating rate instruments. With respect to purchasable variable and floating rate instruments, a Subadviser will consider the earning power, cash flows and liquidity ratios of the issuers and guarantors of such instruments and, if the instruments are subject to a demand feature, will monitor their financial status to meet payment on demand. Such instruments may include variable amount demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to
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vary in addition to providing for periodic adjustments in the interest rate. The absence of an active secondary market with respect to particular variable and floating rate instruments could make it difficult for a Portfolio to dispose of a variable or floating rate note if the issuer defaulted on its payment obligation or during periods that the Portfolio is not entitled to exercise its demand rights, and the Portfolio could, for these or other reasons, suffer a loss with respect to such instruments. In determining average-weighted a Portfolio maturity, an instrument will be deemed to have a maturity equal to either the period remaining until the next interest rate adjustment or the time a fund involved can recover payment of principal as specified in the instrument, depending on the type of instrument involved.
Money Market Obligations of Domestic Banks, Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of U.S. Banks. Certain Portfolios may purchase bank obligations, such as certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits, including instruments issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions having total assets at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion. The assets of a bank or savings institution will be deemed to include the assets of its domestic and foreign branches for purposes of a Portfolio’s investment policies. Investments in short-term bank obligations may include obligations of foreign banks and domestic branches of foreign banks, and foreign branches of domestic banks.
Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Bankers’ acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.
Money Market Instruments. Each Portfolio may invest in money market instruments, including certificates of deposit, time deposits, bankers’ acceptances and other short-term obligations issued by domestic banks, foreign subsidiaries or branches of domestic banks, domestic and foreign branches of foreign banks, domestic savings and loan associations and other banking institutions.
A certificate of deposit is a negotiable certificate requiring a bank to repay funds deposited with it for a specified period.
A time deposit is a non-negotiable deposit maintained in a banking institution for a specified period at a stated interest rate. A Portfolio will only invest in time deposits of domestic banks that have total assets in excess of one billion dollars. Time deposits held by the Portfolios will not benefit from insurance administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
A bankers’ acceptance is a credit instrument requiring a bank to pay a draft drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation both of the bank and of the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity. Other short-term bank obligations in which the Portfolios may invest may include uninsured, direct obligations bearing fixed, floating or variable interest rates. With respect to such securities issued by foreign branches and subsidiaries of domestic banks, and domestic and foreign branches of foreign banks, a Portfolio may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred by a Portfolio which invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. Such risks include possible political and economic developments, possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible imposition of foreign withholding taxes on interest income, the possible establishment of exchange controls or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which may adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.
Mortgage-Backed Securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in MBS, which are securities that represent interests in pools of mortgage loans. MBS, including mortgage pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations, include certain securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities, such as GNMA, the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”); securities issued by private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by MBS issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities; securities issued by private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by mortgage loans; and reperforming/non-performing loans, reperforming/non-performing loan securitizations, and resecuritizations of existing MBS and/or ABS (“Re-REMICS”).There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that issue MBS and among the securities that they issue.
MBS guaranteed by the GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Ginnie Maes”) which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA is a wholly-owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA certificates also are supported by the authority of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee. MBS issued by the FNMA include FNMA-guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Fannie Maes”) which are solely the obligations of the FNMA, are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States and are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury. FNMA is a government- sponsored organization owned entirely by private stockholders. Fannie Maes are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA. MBS issued by the FHLMC include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates (also known as “Freddie Macs” or “PCs”). FHLMC is a corporate instrumentality of the United States, created pursuant to an Act of Congress, which is owned entirely by Federal Home Loan Banks.
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Freddie Macs are not guaranteed by the United States or by any Federal Home Loan Banks and do not constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home Loan Bank. Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest, which is guaranteed by the FHLMC. FHLMC guarantees either ultimate collection or timely payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage loans. When FHLMC does not guarantee timely payment of principal, FHLMC may remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of principal at any time after default on an underlying mortgage, but in no event later than one year after it becomes payable.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of FNMA and FHLMC, placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality. The U.S. Treasury also pledged to make additional capital contributions as needed to help ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. While the purchase programs for MBS ended in 2010, the U.S. Treasury continued its support of the entities’ capital as necessary to prevent a negative net worth. FNMA and FHLMC continue to rely on the support of the U.S. Treasury to continue operations, and it is not known when the conservatorships will be terminated or what changes will be made to their operations following the conservatorships.
The performance of private label MBS issued by private institutions is based on the financial health of those institutions. There is no guarantee that a Portfolio’s investment in MBS will be successful, and the Portfolio’s total return could be adversely affected as a result. In the reperforming/non-performing loan securitization market additional consideration must be given to sponsor risk and sponsor concentration.
MBS differ from traditional debt securities. Among the major differences are that interest and principal payments are made more frequently, usually monthly, and that principal may be prepaid at any time because the underlying mortgage loans generally may be prepaid at any time. Since prepayment rates vary widely, it is not possible to accurately predict the average maturity of a particular mortgage-backed pool; however, statistics published by the Federal Housing Authority indicate that the average life of mortgages with 25- to 30-year maturities (the type of mortgages backing the vast majority of MBS) is approximately 12 years. MBS may decrease in value as a result of increases in interest rates and may benefit less than other fixed-income securities from declining interest rates because of the risk of prepayment.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”) and Multiclass Pass-Through Securities. CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. Typically, CMOs are collateralized by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC Certificates, but also may be collateralized by whole loans or private mortgage pass-through securities (“Mortgage Assets”). Multiclass pass-through securities are equity interests held in a trust composed of Mortgage Assets. Payments of principal and of interest on the Mortgage Assets, and any reinvestment income thereon, provide the capital to pay debt service on the CMOs or make scheduled distributions on the multiclass pass-through securities. CMOs may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including depositary institutions, mortgage banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing.
In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs is issued at a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the Mortgage Assets may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates. Interest is paid or accrued on all classes of CMOs on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis. The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of a CMO series in a number of different ways. Generally, the purpose of the allocation of the cash flow of a CMO to the various classes is to obtain a more predictable cash flow to the individual class than exists with the underlying collateral of the CMO. As a general rule, the more predictable the cash flow to a particular CMO the lower the anticipated yield will be on that class at the time of issuance relative to prevailing market yields on MBS.
Certain Portfolios may invest in CMOs, including but not limited to, parallel pay CMOs and Planned Amortization Class CMOs (“PAC Bonds”). Parallel pay CMOs are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PAC Bonds generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PAC Bonds always are parallel pay CMOs with the required principal payment on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes.
Asset-Backed Securities. Certain Portfolios may also invest in ABS, which are securities that represent an interest in a pool of assets. These include secured debt instruments collateralized by aircraft leases, automobile loans, credit card loans, home equity loans, manufactured housing loans, syndicated bank loans, and other types of debt providing the source of both principal and interest. On occasion, the pool of assets may also include a swap obligation, which is used to change the cash flows on the underlying assets. As an example, a swap may be used to allow floating rate assets to back a fixed rate obligation. The credit quality of ABS depends primarily on the quality of the underlying assets, the level of credit support, if any, provided by the issuer, and the credit quality of the swap counterparty, if any. ABS are subject to risks similar to those discussed above with respect to MBS.
Automobile Receivable Securities. ABS may be backed by receivables from motor vehicle installment sales contracts or installment loans secured by motor vehicles (“Automobile Receivable Securities”). Since installment sales contracts for motor vehicles or
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installment loans related thereto (“Automobile Contracts”) typically have shorter durations and lower incidences of prepayment, Automobile Receivable Securities generally will exhibit a shorter average life and are less susceptible to prepayment risk.
Most entities that issue Automobile Receivable Securities create an enforceable interest in their respective Automobile Contracts only by filing a financing statement and by having the servicer of the Automobile Contracts, which is usually the originator of the Automobile Contracts, take custody thereof. In such circumstances, if the servicer of the Automobile Contracts were to sell the same Automobile Contracts to another party, in violation of its obligation not to do so, there is a risk that such party could acquire an interest in the Automobile Contracts superior to that of the holders of Automobile Receivable Securities. Although most Automobile Contracts grant a security interest in the motor vehicle being financed, in most states the security interest in a motor vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title to create an enforceable security interest against competing claims of other parties. Due to the large number of vehicles involved, however, the certificate of title to each vehicle financed, pursuant to the Automobile Contracts underlying the Automobile Receivable Security, usually is not amended to reflect the assignment of the seller’s security interest for the benefit of the holders of the Automobile Receivable Securities. Therefore, there is the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on the securities. In addition, various state and federal securities laws give the motor vehicle owner the right to assert against the holder of the owner’s Automobile Contract certain defenses such owner would have against the seller of the motor vehicle. The assertion of such defenses could reduce payments on the Automobile Receivable Securities.
Credit Card Receivable Securities. ABS may be backed by receivables from revolving credit card agreements (“Credit Card Receivable Securities”). Credit balances on revolving credit card agreements (“Accounts”) are generally paid down more rapidly than are Automobile Contracts. Most of the Credit Card Receivable Securities issued publicly to date have been pass-through certificates. In order to lengthen the maturity of Credit Card Receivable Securities, most such securities provide for a fixed period during which only interest payments on the underlying Accounts are passed through to the security holder, and principal payments received on such Accounts are used to fund the transfer to the pool of assets supporting the related Credit Card Receivable Securities of additional credit card charges made on an Account. The initial fixed period usually may be shortened upon the occurrence of specified events which signal a potential deterioration in the quality of the assets backing the security, such as the imposition of a cap on interest rates. The ability of the issuer to extend the life of an issue of Credit Card Receivable Securities thus depends upon the continued generation of additional principal amounts in the underlying accounts during the initial period and the non-occurrence of specified events. An acceleration in cardholders’ payment rates or any other event that shortens the period during which additional credit card charges on an Account may be transferred to the pool of assets supporting the related Credit Card Receivable Security could shorten the weighted average life and yield of the Credit Card Receivable Security.
Credit cardholders are entitled to the protection of many state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such holders the right to set off certain amounts against balances owed on the credit card, thereby reducing amounts paid on Accounts. In addition, unlike most other ABS, Accounts are unsecured obligations of the cardholder.
Methods of Allocating Cash Flows. While many ABS are issued with only one class of security, many ABS are issued in more than one class, each with different payment terms. Multiple class ABS are issued for two main reasons. First, multiple classes may be used as a method of providing credit support. This is accomplished typically through creation of one or more classes whose right to payments on the ABS is made subordinate to the right to such payments of the remaining class or classes (See “Types of Credit Support”). Second, multiple classes may permit the issuance of securities with payment terms, interest rates or other characteristics differing both from those of each other and from those of the underlying assets. Examples include so-called “strips” (ABS entitling the holder to disproportionate interests with respect to the allocation of interest and principal of the assets backing the security) and securities with a class or classes having characteristics which mimic the characteristics of non-ABS, such as floating interest rates (i.e., interest rates which adjust as a specified benchmark changes) or scheduled amortization of principal.
ABS in which the payment streams on the underlying assets are allocated in a manner different than those described above may be issued in the future.
Types of Credit Support. ABS are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, such securities may contain elements of credit support. Such credit support falls into two classes: liquidity protection and protection against ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that scheduled payments on the underlying pool are made in a timely fashion. Protection against ultimate default ensures ultimate payment of the obligations on at least a portion of the assets in the pool. Such protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction or through a combination of such approaches. Examples of ABS with credit support arising out of the structure of the transaction include “senior-subordinated securities” (multiple class ABS with certain classes subordinate to other classes as to the payment of principal thereon, with the result that defaults on the underlying assets are borne first by the holders of the subordinated class) and ABS that have “reserve portfolios” (where cash or investments, sometimes funded from a portion of the initial payments on the underlying assets, are held in reserve against future losses) or that have been “over collateralized” (where the scheduled payments on, or the principal amount of, the underlying assets substantially exceeds that required to make payment of the ABS and pay any servicing or other fees). The degree of credit support provided on each issue is based generally on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with
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such payments. Delinquency or loss in excess of that anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in an ABS. Additionally, if the letter of credit is exhausted, holders of ABS may also experience delays in payments or losses if the full amounts due on underlying sales contracts are not realized.
Structured Notes. Certain Portfolios may invest in structured notes. Structured notes are debt obligations that also contain an embedded derivative component with characteristics that adjust the obligation’s risk/return profile. Generally, the performance of a structured note will track that of the underlying debt obligation and the derivative embedded within it. A Portfolio has the right to receive periodic interest payments from the issuer of the structured notes at an agreed-upon interest rate and a return of the principal at the maturity date. Structured notes are typically privately negotiated transactions between two or more parties. A Portfolio bears the risk that the issuer of the structured note would default or become bankrupt which may result in the loss of principal investment and periodic interest payments expected to be received for the duration of its investment in the structured notes. If one of the underlying corporate credit instruments defaults, a Portfolio may receive the security or credit instrument that has defaulted, or alternatively a cash settlement may occur, and the Portfolio’s principal investment in the structured note would be reduced by the corresponding face value of the defaulted security. The market for structured notes may be, or suddenly can become, illiquid. The other parties to the transaction may be the only investors with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in bidding for it. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid, and unpredictable changes in the prices for structured notes. In certain cases, a market price for a credit-linked security may not be available.
Credit-Linked Notes. Certain Portfolios may invest in credit-linked notes. Credit-linked notes are a type of structured note. The difference between a credit default swap and a credit-linked note is that the seller of a credit-linked note receives the principal payment from the buyer at the time the contract is originated. Through the purchase of a credit-linked note, the buyer assumes the risk of the reference asset and funds this exposure through the purchase of the note. The buyer takes on the exposure to the seller to the full amount of the funding it has provided. The seller has hedged its risk on the reference asset without acquiring any additional credit exposure. A Portfolio has the right to receive periodic interest payments from the issuer of the credit-linked note at an agreed-upon interest rate and a return of principal at the maturity date.
Credit-linked notes are subject to the credit risk of the corporate credits referenced by the note. If one of the underlying corporate credits defaults, a Portfolio may receive the security that has defaulted, and the Portfolio’s principal investment would be reduced by the difference between the original face value of the reference security and the current value of the defaulted security. Credit-linked notes are typically privately negotiated transactions between two or more parties. A Portfolio bears the risk that the issuer of the credit-linked note will default or become bankrupt. A Portfolio bears the risk of loss of its principal investment, and the periodic interest payments expected to be received for the duration of its investment in the credit-linked note.
Collateralized Debt Obligations (“CDOs”). Certain Portfolios may invest in CDOs. A CDO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is typically a portfolio of bonds, bank loans, other structured finance securities and/or synthetic instruments. Where the underlying collateral is a portfolio of bonds, a CDO is referred to as a collateralized bond obligation (“CBO”). Where the underlying collateral is a portfolio of bank loans, a CDO is referred to as a collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”). Investors in CDOs bear the credit risk of the underlying collateral. Multiple tranches of securities are issued by the CDO, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine, and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of risk. If there are defaults or the CDO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. CDOs are subject to the same risk of prepayment described with respect to certain mortgage-related securities and ABS. The value of CDOs may be affected by changes in the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the pool or the originator.
A CLO is a trust or other special purpose entity that is comprised of or collateralized by a pool of loans, including domestic and non-U.S. senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The loans generate cash flow that is allocated among one or more classes of securities (“tranches”) that vary in risk and yield. The most senior tranche has the best credit quality and the lowest yield compared to the other tranches. The equity tranche has the highest potential yield but also has the greatest risk, as it bears the bulk of defaults from the underlying loans and helps to protect the more senior tranches from risk of these defaults. However, despite the protection from the equity and other more junior tranches, more senior tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults and decreased market value due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CLO securities as a class.
Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold and are not registered under state or federal securities laws. Therefore, investments in CLOs may be characterized as illiquid securities; however, an active dealer market may exist for CLOs allowing a CLO to qualify for transactions pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. CLOs normally charge management fees and administrative expenses, which are in addition to those of the Portfolio.
The riskiness of investing in CLOs depends largely on the quality and type of the collateral loans and the tranche of the CLO in which the Portfolio invests. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities (such as interest rate risk and credit risk), CLOs carry risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from the collateral will not be adequate to make
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interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Portfolio may invest in CLO tranches that are subordinate to other tranches; and (iv) the complex structure of the CLO may not be fully understood at the time of investment or may result in the quality of the underlying collateral not being fully understood and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results. In addition, interest on certain tranches of a CLO may be paid in-kind (meaning that unpaid interest is effectively added to principal), which involves continued exposure to default risk with respect to such payments. Certain CLOs may receive credit enhancement in the form of a senior-subordinate structure, over-collateralization or bond insurance, but such enhancement may not always be present and may fail to protect the Portfolio against the risk of loss due to defaults on the collateral. Certain CLOs may not hold loans directly, but rather, use derivatives such as swaps to create “synthetic” exposure to the collateral pool of loans. Such CLOs entail the risks of derivative instruments.
Corporate Bonds. Certain Portfolios may invest in corporate bonds. Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations and other business entities. Corporate bonds may be either secured or unsecured. Collateral used for secured debt includes real property, machinery, equipment, accounts receivable, stocks, bonds or notes. If a bond is unsecured, it is known as a debenture. Bondholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable to the bondholder. Corporate bonds contain elements of both interest-rate risk and credit risk. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Corporate bonds usually yield more than government or agency bonds due to the presence of credit risk.
The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by factors directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial performance, perceptions of the issuer in the market place, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to adverse issuer-specific developments.
Distressed Company Risk. Certain Portfolios may invest in securities of distressed companies that may be subject to greater levels of credit, issuer and liquidity risk than a portfolio that does not invest in such securities. Debt securities of distressed companies are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers’ continuing ability to make principal and interest payments. Issuers of distressed company securities may also be involved in restructurings or bankruptcy proceedings that may not be successful. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for these securities and reduce a Portfolio’s ability to sell these securities (liquidity risk). If the issuer of a debt security is in default with respect to interest or principal payments, it may lose its entire investment.
U.S. Government Obligations. Each Portfolio may invest in U.S. government obligations. U.S. government obligations are direct obligations of the U.S. government and are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. U.S. government agency securities are issued or guaranteed by U.S. government-sponsored enterprises and federal agencies. Some of these securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government; others are backed by the agency’s right to borrow a specified amount from the U.S. Treasury; and still others, while not guaranteed directly or indirectly by the U.S. government, are backed with collateral in the form of cash, Treasury securities or debt instruments that the lending institution has acquired through its lending activities. Examples of the types of U.S. government obligations which a Portfolio may hold include U.S. Treasury bills, Treasury instruments and Treasury bonds and the obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, the Farmers Home Administration, the Export- Import Bank of the United States, the Small Business Administration, FNMA, GNMA, the General Services Administration, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the Central Bank for Cooperatives, FHLMC, the Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Maritime Administration, the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (the “World Bank”), the Asian-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Short-Term Instruments. When a Portfolio experiences large cash inflows through the sale of securities and desirable equity securities that are consistent with the Portfolio’s investment objectives are unavailable in sufficient quantities or at attractive prices, the Portfolio may hold short-term investments for a limited time at the discretion of the Subadvisers. Short-term instruments consist of: (1) short-term obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or by any of the states; (2) other short-term debt securities; (3) commercial paper; (4) bank obligations, including negotiable certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances; and (5) repurchase agreements.
Supranational Organization Obligations. Certain Portfolios may purchase debt securities of supranational organizations such as the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and the World Bank, which are chartered to promote economic development.
Municipal Securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in municipal securities issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the U.S. and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, the payments from which, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, are excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes (“Municipal Bonds”).
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Certain Portfolios may also invest in Municipal Bonds that pay interest excludable from gross income for purposes of state and local income taxes of the designated state and/or allow a portion of a Portfolio’s distributions to be exempt from state and local taxes of the designated state. Certain Portfolios may also invest in securities not issued by or on behalf of a state or territory or by an agency or instrumentality thereof that a Portfolio’s Subadviser believes such securities to pay interest excludable from gross income for purposes of federal income tax and state and local income taxes of the designated state and/or state and local personal property taxes of the designated state (“Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities”). Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities could include trust certificates or other instruments evidencing interest in one or more long term municipal securities. Non-Municipal Tax- Exempt Securities also may include securities issued by other investment companies that invest in Municipal Bonds, to the extent such investments are permitted by applicable law. Because each Portfolio expects to invest less than 50% of its total assets in tax-exempt municipal securities, the Portfolios do not expect to be eligible to pay “exempt-interest dividends” to shareholders and interest on municipal securities will be taxable for federal income tax purposes to shareholders when received as a distribution from the Portfolio.
A Portfolio cannot guarantee the accuracy of any opinion issued by bond counsel regarding the tax-exempt status of a Municipal Bond. Furthermore, there can be no guarantee that the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) will agree with such counsel’s opinion. The value of Municipal Bonds may also be affected by uncertainties in the municipal market related to legislation or litigation involving the taxation of Municipal Bonds or the rights of Municipal Bond holders in the event of a bankruptcy. From time to time, Congress has introduced proposals to restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption for interest on Municipal Bonds. State legislatures may also introduce proposals that would affect the state tax treatment of a Portfolio’s distributions. If such proposals were enacted, the availability of Municipal Bonds and the value of a Portfolio’s holdings would be affected, and the investment objectives and policies of a Portfolio would likely be re-evaluated.
Investments in Municipal Bonds present certain risks, including credit, interest rate, liquidity, and prepayment risks. Municipal Bonds may also be affected by local, state, and regional factors, including erosion of the tax base and changes in the economic climate. In addition, municipalities and municipal projects that rely directly or indirectly on federal funding mechanisms may be negatively affected by actions of the federal government including reductions in federal spending, increases in federal tax rates, or changes in fiscal policy.
The marketability, valuation or liquidity of Municipal Bonds may be negatively affected in the event that states, localities or their authorities default on their debt obligations or other market events arise, which in turn may negatively affect a Portfolio’s performance, sometimes substantially. A credit rating downgrade relating to, default by, or insolvency or bankruptcy of, one or several municipal issuers in a particular state, territory, or possession could affect the market value or marketability of Municipal Bonds from any one or all such states, territories, or possessions.
The value of Municipal Bonds may also be affected by uncertainties with respect to the rights of holders of Municipal Bonds in the event of bankruptcy. Municipal bankruptcies have in the past been relatively rare, and certain provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code governing such bankruptcies are unclear and remain untested. Further, the application of state law to municipal issuers could produce varying results among the states or among Municipal Bond issuers within a state. These legal uncertainties could affect the Municipal Bond market generally, certain specific segments of the market, or the relative credit quality of particular securities. Any of these effects could have a significant impact on the prices of some or all of the Municipal Bonds held by a Portfolio.
Certain Portfolios may also invest in taxable municipal bonds that do not qualify for federal support. Taxable municipal bonds are municipal bonds in which interest paid to the bondholder does not qualify as tax-exempt for federal income tax purposes because of the use to which the bond proceeds are put by the municipal borrower. Although taxable municipal bonds are subject to federal taxation, they may not be subject to taxation by the state in which the municipal issuer is located.
Municipal Bond Insurance. Certain Portfolios may purchase a Municipal Bond that is covered by insurance that guarantees the bond’s scheduled payment of interest and repayment of principal. This type of insurance may be obtained by either: (i) the issuer at the time the Municipal Bond is issued (primary market insurance); or (ii) another party after the bond has been issued (secondary market insurance). Both of these types of insurance seek to guarantee the timely and scheduled repayment of all principal and payment of all interest on a Municipal Bond in the event of default by the issuer, and cover a Municipal Bond to its maturity, typically enhancing its credit quality and value.
Even if a Municipal Bond is insured, it is still subject to market fluctuations, which can result in fluctuations in a Portfolio’s share price. In addition, a Municipal Bond insurance policy will not cover: (i) repayment of a Municipal Bond before maturity (redemption); (ii) prepayment or payment of an acceleration premium (except for a mandatory sinking fund redemption) or any other provision of a bond indenture that advances the maturity of the bond; or (iii) nonpayment of principal or interest caused by negligence or bankruptcy of the paying agent. A mandatory sinking fund redemption may be a provision of a Municipal Bond issue whereby part of the Municipal Bond issue may be retired before maturity.
Some of the Municipal Bonds outstanding are insured by a small number of insurance companies, not all of which have the highest credit rating. As a result, an event involving one or more of these insurance companies could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by that insurance company and on the municipal markets as a whole. If the Municipal Bond is not otherwise rated, the ratings of insured bonds reflect the credit rating of the insurer, based on the rating agency’s assessment of the creditworthiness of the insurer and its ability to pay claims on its insurance policies at the time of the assessment. While the obligation
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of a Municipal Bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of an insured bond, there is no assurance that Municipal Bond insurers will meet their claims. A higher-than-anticipated default rate on Municipal Bonds (or other insurance the insurer provides) could strain the insurer’s loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims to bondholders.
Put Bonds. A put bond (also referred to as a tender option or third party bond) is a bond created by coupling an intermediate or long-term fixed rate bond with an agreement giving the holder the option of tendering the bond to receive its par value. As consideration for providing this tender option, the sponsor of the bond (usually a bank, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary) receives periodic fees that equal the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate (determined by a remarketing or similar agent) that would cause the bond, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par. By paying the tender offer fees, a Portfolio in effect holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term rate. In selecting put bonds, the Subadvisers, as applicable, take into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments or the bond’s rating is downgraded.
Put bonds often pay a variable or floating rate of interest and therefore are subject to many of the same risks associated with investing in floating rate instruments, as described below under “Variable and Floating Rate Instruments.”
Real Estate Securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in equity securities of real estate companies and companies related to the real estate industry, including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and companies with substantial real estate investments, and therefore, a Portfolio may be subject to certain risks associated with direct ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include, among others: possible declines in the value of real estate; declines in rental income; possible lack of availability of mortgage funds; extended vacancies of properties; risks related to national, state and local economic conditions (such as the turmoil experienced during 2007 through 2009 in the residential and commercial real estate market); overbuilding; increases in competition, property taxes and operating expenses; changes in building, environmental, zoning and other laws; costs resulting from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties for damages resulting from, environmental problems; casualty or condemnation losses; uninsured damages from floods, earthquakes, terrorist acts or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents; and changes in interest rates. The value of real estate securities is also subject to the management skill, insurance coverage, and creditworthiness of their issuer. Because many real estate projects are dependent upon financing, rising interest rates, which increase the costs of obtaining financing, may cause the value of real estate securities to decline. Real estate income and values may be greatly affected by demographic trends, such as population shirts or changing tastes and values.
The prices of real estate company securities may drop because of the failure of borrowers to repay their loans, poor management, and the inability to obtain financing either on favorable terms or at all. If the properties do not generate sufficient income to meet operating expenses, including, where applicable, debt service, ground lease payments, tenant improvements, third-party leasing commissions and other capital expenditures, the income and ability of the real estate company to make payments of interest and principal on their loans will be adversely affected. Many real estate companies utilize leverage, which increases investment risk and could adversely affect a company’s operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.
REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both direct ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.
In addition to the risks affecting real estate securities generally, REITs are also subject to additional risks. REITs may invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area or a single type of property, which may increase the risk that a Portfolio could be adversely affected by the poor performance of a single investment or type of investment. REITs have their own expenses, and as a result, a Portfolio and its shareholders will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses paid by each REIT in which it invests. Finally, certain REITs may be self-liquidating in that a specific term of existence is provided for in the trust document. Such trusts run the risk of liquidating at an economically inopportune time.
REITs are also subject to unique federal income tax requirements. A REIT that fails to comply with federal income tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, which may affect the value of the REIT and the characterization of the REIT’s distributions, and a REIT that fails to comply with the federal income tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. The failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for a Portfolio, including significantly reducing return to the Portfolio on its investment in such company. In the event of a default of an underlying borrower or lessee, a REIT could experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Portfolio to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Portfolio may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Portfolio’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in the Portfolio’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Portfolio distributes such amounts, such distribution could
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constitute a return of capital to Portfolio shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by a Portfolio from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income. REITs often do not provide complete tax information to a Portfolio until after the calendar year-end. Consequently, because of the delay, it may be necessary for a Portfolio to request permission to extend the deadline for issuance of Forms 1099-DIV.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Portfolio Shares. From time to time, shareholders of a Portfolio (which for all Portfolios except the Wilshire 5000 IndexSM Fund may include affiliated registered investment companies that invest in a Portfolio) may make relatively large redemptions or purchases of Portfolio shares. These transactions may cause a Portfolio to have to sell securities or invest additional cash, as the case may be. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on a Portfolio’s performance to the extent that the Portfolio may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do so. These transactions could also accelerate the recognition of taxable income if sales of securities resulted in capital gains or other income and could also increase transaction costs, which may impact a Portfolio’s expense ratio and adversely affect a Portfolio’s performance.
Short Sales. Certain Portfolios may make short sales “against the box,” in which a Portfolio enters into a short sale of a security it owns or has the right to obtain at no additional cost. Certain Portfolios may also make short sales of securities the Portfolio does not own. If a Portfolio makes a short sale, a Portfolio does not immediately deliver from its own account the securities sold and does not receive the proceeds from the sale. To complete the sale, a Portfolio must borrow the security (generally from the broker through which the short sale is made) to make delivery to the buyer. A Portfolios must replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement or delivering the security from its own portfolio. A Portfolio is said to have a “short position” in securities sold until it delivers them to the broker at which time it receives the proceeds of the sale.
Certain Portfolios may make short sales that are not “against the box.” Short sales by a Portfolio that are not made “against the box” create opportunities to increase the Portfolio’s return but, at the same time, involve specific risk considerations and may be considered a speculative technique. Since a Portfolio in effect profits from a decline in the price of the securities sold short without the need to invest the full purchase price of the securities on the date of the short sale, the Portfolio’s NAV per share tends to increase more when the securities it has sold short decrease in value, and to decrease more when the securities it has sold short increase in value, than would otherwise be the case if it had not engaged in such short sales. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium, dividends or interest a Portfolio may be required to pay in connection with the short sale. Short sales theoretically involve unlimited loss potential, as the market price of securities sold short may continually increase, although a Portfolio may mitigate such losses by replacing the securities sold short before the market price has increased significantly. Under adverse market conditions a Portfolio might have difficulty purchasing securities to meet its short sale delivery obligations and might have to sell portfolio securities to raise the capital necessary to meet its short sale obligations at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales.
A Portfolio’s decision to make a short sale “against the box” may be a technique to hedge against market risks when the Subadvisers believe that the price of a security may decline, causing a decline in the value of a security owned by a Portfolio or a security convertible into or exchangeable for such security. In such case, any future losses in a Portfolio’s long position would be reduced by a gain in the short position. The extent to which such gains or losses in the long position are reduced will depend upon the amount of securities sold short relative to the amount of the securities a Portfolio owns, either directly or indirectly, and, in the case where the Portfolio owns convertible securities, changes in the investment values or conversion premiums of such securities. A Portfolio can close out its short position by purchasing and delivering an equal amount of the securities sold short, rather than by delivering securities already held by the Portfolio, because the Portfolio might want to continue to receive interest and dividend payments on securities in its portfolio that are convertible into the securities sold short.
While the short sale is outstanding, a Portfolio will be required to pledge a portion of its assets to the broker as collateral for the obligation to deliver the security to the broker at the close of the transaction. The broker will also hold the proceeds of the short sale until the close of the transaction. A Portfolio is often obligated to pay over interest and dividends on the borrowed security to the broker.
In the view of the SEC, a short sale involves the creation of a “senior security” as such term is defined in the 1940 Act unless the sale is “against the box” and the securities sold short (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for such securities) are segregated or unless a Portfolio’s obligation to deliver the securities sold short is “covered” by earmarking or segregating cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid assets in an amount equal to the difference between the market value of the securities sold short and any collateral required to be deposited with a broker in connection with the sale (not including the proceeds from the short sale), which difference is adjusted daily for changes in the value of the securities sold short. The total value of the short sale proceeds, cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid assets deposited with the broker and earmarked or segregated on its books or with a Portfolio’s custodian may not at any time be less than the market value of the securities sold short. The Portfolios will comply with these requirements. The Portfolios will incur transaction costs, including interest expense, in connection with opening, maintaining and closing short sales.
Commercial Paper. The Income Fund may purchase commercial paper rated (at the time of purchase) A-1 by S&P or Prime-1 by Moody’s or, when deemed advisable by the Income Fund’s Adviser or Subadviser, “high quality” issues rated A-2 or Prime-2 by S&P
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or Moody’s, respectively. These ratings are described in Appendix B. The Income Fund may also purchase lower-rated, or unrated, commercial paper.
Commercial paper purchasable by the Income Fund includes “Section 4(2) paper,” a term that includes debt obligations issued in reliance on the “private placement” exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act. Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws, and is frequently sold (and resold) to institutional investors such as the Income Fund through or with the assistance of investment dealers who make a market in the Section 4(2) paper, thereby providing liquidity. Certain transactions in Section 4(2) paper may qualify for the registration exemption provided in Rule 144A under the 1933 Act.
Commercial Paper and Other Short-term Corporate Obligations. Each Portfolio, except for the Income Fund which is described above, may invest in commercial paper and other short-term corporate obligations. Commercial paper is a short-term, unsecured promissory note issued to finance short-term credit needs. The commercial paper purchased by a Portfolio will consist only of direct obligations which, at the time of their purchase, are: (a) rated at least Prime-1 by Moody’s, A-1 by S&P or F-1 by Fitch; (b) issued by companies having an outstanding unsecured debt issue rated at least Aa3 by Moody’s or AA- by S&P or Fitch; or (c) if unrated, determined by Wilshire or the Subadvisers to be of comparable quality.
These instruments include variable amount master demand notes, which are obligations that permit a Portfolio to invest at varying rates of interest pursuant to direct arrangements between a Portfolio, as lender, and the borrower. These notes permit daily changes in the amounts borrowed. Because they are direct lending arrangements between the lender and borrower, such instruments generally will not be traded, and there generally is no established secondary market for these obligations, although they are redeemable at face value, plus accrued interest, at any time. If these obligations are not secured by letters of credit or other credit support arrangements, a Portfolio’s right to redeem its investment depends on the ability of the borrower to pay principal and interest on demand. In connection with floating and variable rate demand obligations, Wilshire and the Subadvisers will consider, on an ongoing basis, earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the borrower, and the borrower’s ability to pay principal and interest on demand. Such obligations frequently are not rated by credit rating agencies, and a Portfolio may invest in them only if at the time of an investment the borrower meets the criteria set forth above for other commercial paper issuers.
Asset-Backed Commercial Paper. Certain Portfolios may purchase asset-backed commercial paper. Asset-backed commercial paper is commercial paper collateralized by other financial assets. These securities are exposed not only to the risks relating to commercial paper, but also the risks relating to the collateral.
Investment Grade Debt Obligations. Certain Portfolios may invest in “investment grade securities,” which are securities rated in the four highest rating categories of an NRSRO. It should be noted that debt obligations rated in the lowest of the top four ratings (i.e., Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P) are considered to have some speculative characteristics and are more sensitive to economic change than higher rated securities. See Appendix B to this SAI for a description of applicable securities ratings.
When-Issued Purchase and Forward Commitments. Certain Portfolios may enter into “when-issued” and “forward” commitments, including TBA purchase commitments, to purchase or sell securities at a fixed price at a future date. When a Portfolio agrees to purchase securities on this basis, liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment will be set aside in a separate account. Normally a Portfolio’s securities to satisfy a purchase commitment will be set aside, and in such a case the Portfolio, may be required subsequently to place additional assets in the separate account to ensure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of the Portfolio’s commitments. It may be expected that the market value of a Portfolio’s net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside fund securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash.
If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, a Portfolio may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it has been entered into and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the fund on the settlement date. In these cases, a fund may recognize a taxable capital gain or loss. When a Portfolio engages in when-issued, TBA or forward commitment transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in a fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous. The market value of the securities underlying a commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value, is taken into account when determining the market value of a Portfolio starting on the day a Portfolio agrees to purchase the securities. A Portfolio does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
Investment Companies. Each Portfolio may invest in shares of other investment companies including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), money market funds and other mutual funds, in pursuit of its investment objective, subject to the limitations set forth in the 1940 Act. Each Fund may invest in money market mutual funds in connection with its management of daily cash positions and for temporary defensive purposes. In addition to the advisory and operational fees each Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Funds would also bear their pro rata portion of each of the other investment company’s advisory and operational expenses. Any investment by a Portfolio in shares of other investment companies is subject to the 1940 Act and related rules thereunder.
Rule 12d1-1, under the 1940 Act, permits a fund to invest in a money market fund in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1). As a shareholder in an investment company, a Portfolio, would bear its pro rata portion of the investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.
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Rule 12d1-4 permits additional types of fund of fund arrangements without an exemptive order. The rule imposes certain conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures.
Shares of Other Investment Vehicles. Subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act and a Portfolio’s investment limitations, the Portfolio may invest in shares of other investment companies or other investment vehicles, which may include, without limitation, among others, mutual funds, closed-end funds and ETFs such as index-based investments and private or foreign investment funds. A Portfolio may also invest in investment vehicles that are not subject to regulation as registered investment companies. Additionally, such other investment companies or other investment vehicles may be managed by a Subadviser or its affiliate.
The main risk of investing in index-based investment companies is the same as investing in a portfolio of securities comprising the index. The market prices of index-based investments will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the market value of their underlying portfolio securities and due to supply and demand for the instruments on the exchanges on which they are traded. Index-based investments may not replicate exactly the performance of their specified index because of transaction costs and because of the temporary unavailability of certain component securities of the index.
To the extent a Portfolio invests in other investment companies, or other investment vehicles, it will incur its pro rata share of the underlying investment companies’ expenses (including, for example, investment advisory and other management fees). In addition, a Portfolio will be subject to the effects of business and regulatory developments that affect an underlying investment company or the investment company industry generally.
Loans Generally. Certain Portfolios may invest in fixed and floating rate loans. Loans may include syndicated bank loans, senior floating rate loans (“senior loans”), secured and unsecured loans, second lien or more junior loans (“junior loans”), bridge loans, unfunded commitments, payment-in-kind (“PIK”) and toggle loans, and other floating rate loans. Loans are typically arranged through private negotiations between borrowers in the U.S. or in foreign or emerging markets which may be corporate issuers or issuers of sovereign debt obligations (“borrowers”) and one or more financial institutions and other lenders (“lenders”). A loan in which a Portfolio may invest typically is structured by an agent bank acting on behalf of a group of lenders to whom the loan will be syndicated. The syndicate of lenders often consists of commercial and investment banks, thrift institutions, insurance companies, finance companies, mutual funds and other institutional investment vehicles or other financial institutions. Typically, the agent bank administers the loan on behalf of all the lenders.
This lender is referred to as the agent bank. The agent bank is primarily responsible for negotiating on behalf of the original lenders the loan agreement which establishes the terms and conditions of the syndicated bank loan and the rights of the borrower and the lenders. The agent bank also is responsible for monitoring collateral, distributing required reporting, and for exercising remedies available to the lenders such as foreclosure upon collateral. In addition, an institution, typically, but not always the agent bank, holds any collateral on behalf of the lenders.
Generally, a Portfolio may invest in a loan in one of two ways. It may purchase a participation interest, or it may purchase an assignment. Participation interests are interests issued by a lender, which represent a fractional interest in a loan. A Portfolio may acquire participation interests from a lender or other holders of participation interests. An assignment represents a portion of a loan previously attributable to a different lender. Unlike a participation interest, a Portfolio will generally become a lender for the purposes of the relevant loan agreement by purchasing an assignment. If a Portfolio purchases an assignment from a lender, the Portfolio will generally have direct contractual rights against the borrower in favor of the lenders. On the other hand, if a Portfolio purchases a participation interest either from a lender or a participant, the Portfolio typically will have established a direct contractual relationship with the seller/issuer of the participation interest, but not with the borrower. Consequently, the Portfolio is subject to the credit risk of the lender or participant who sold the participation interest to the Portfolio, in addition to the usual credit risk of the borrower. Therefore, when a Portfolio invests in syndicated bank loans through the purchase of participation interests, the Subadviser must consider the creditworthiness of the agent bank and any lenders and participants interposed between the Portfolio and a borrower.
Purchases of syndicated bank loans in the market may take place at, above, or below the par value of a syndicated bank loan. Purchases above par will effectively reduce the amount of interest being received by a Portfolio through the amortization of the purchase price premium, whereas purchases below par will effectively increase the amount of interest being received by the Portfolio through the amortization of the purchase price discount. A Portfolio may be able to invest in syndicated bank loans only through participation interests or assignments at certain times when reduced direct investment opportunities in syndicated bank loans may exist.
A loan may be secured by collateral that, at the time of origination, has a fair market value at least equal to the amount of such loan. The Subadviser generally will determine the value of the collateral by customary valuation techniques that it considers appropriate. However, the value of the collateral may decline following a Portfolio’s investment. Also, collateral may be difficult to sell, and there are other risks which may cause the collateral to be insufficient in the event of a default. Consequently, a Portfolio might not receive payments to which it is entitled. The collateral may consist of various types of assets or interests including working capital assets or intangible assets. The borrower’s owners may provide additional collateral, typically by pledging their ownership interest in the borrower as collateral for the loan.
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In the process of buying, selling and holding loans, a Portfolio may receive and/or pay certain fees. These fees are in addition to the interest payments received and may include facility fees, commitment fees and commissions. When a Portfolio buys or sells a loan it may pay a fee.
Loans are subject to the risks associated with other debt obligations, including: interest rate risk, credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, counterparty risk and risks associated with high yield securities. Many loans in which a Portfolio may invest may not be rated by a rating agency, will not be registered with the SEC or any state securities commission, and will not be listed on any national securities exchange. The amount of public information with respect to loans will generally be less extensive than that available for registered or exchange-listed securities. A Portfolio will make an investment in a loan only after the Subadviser determines that the investment is suitable for the Portfolio based on an independent credit analysis. Generally, this means that the Subadviser has determined that the likelihood that the borrower will meet its obligations is acceptable.
Additional Information About Senior Bank Loans (“Senior Loans”). Certain Portfolios may invest in Senior Loans. The risks associated with Senior Loans of below-investment grade quality are similar to the risks of other lower grade income securities, although Senior Loans are typically senior and secured in contrast to subordinated and unsecured income securities. Senior Loans’ higher standing has historically resulted in generally higher recoveries in the event of a corporate reorganization. In addition, because their interest payments are adjusted for changes in short-term interest rates, investments in Senior Loans generally have less interest rate risk than other lower grade income securities, which may have fixed interest rates.
Economic and other events (whether real or perceived) can reduce the demand for certain Senior Loans or Senior Loans generally, which may reduce market prices and cause a Portfolio’s NAV per share to fall. The frequency and magnitude of such changes cannot be predicted.
Loans and other debt instruments are also subject to the risk of price declines due to increases in prevailing interest rates, although floating-rate debt instruments are substantially less exposed to this risk than fixed-rate debt instruments. Interest rate changes may also increase prepayments of debt obligations and require a Portfolio to invest assets at lower yields. No active trading market may exist for certain Senior Loans, which may impair the ability of a Portfolio to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets. Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded Senior Loans.
Additional Information About Second Lien Loans. Certain Portfolios may invest in second lien loans. Second lien loans are subject to the same risks associated with investment in Senior Loans and other lower grade Income Securities. However, second lien loans are second in right of payment to Senior Loans and therefore are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and any property securing the loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. Second lien loans are expected to have greater price volatility and exposure to losses upon default than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in second lien loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure.
Additional Information About Subordinated Secured Loans. Certain Portfolios may invest in subordinated secured loans. Subordinated secured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and below investment grade securities. However, such loans may rank lower in right of payment than any outstanding Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans or other debt instruments with higher priority of the borrower and therefore are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and any property securing the loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal in the event of default or bankruptcy after giving effect to the higher ranking secured obligations of the borrower. Subordinated secured loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans and second lien loans and may be less liquid.
Additional Information About Unsecured Loans. Certain Portfolios may invest in unsecured loans. Unsecured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investment in Senior Loans, second lien loans, subordinated secured loans and below investment grade securities. However, because unsecured loans have lower priority in right of payment to any higher-ranking obligations of the borrower and are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral, they are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and available assets may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal after giving effect to any higher ranking obligations of the borrower. Unsecured loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans, second lien loans and subordinated secured loans and may be less liquid.
Debtor-in-Possession (“DIP”) Loan Risks. DIP financings are subject to additional risks. DIP financings are arranged when an entity seeks the protections of the bankruptcy court under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and must be approved by the bankruptcy court. These financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11. DIP financings are typically fully secured by a lien on the debtor’s otherwise unencumbered assets or secured by a junior lien on the debtor’s encumbered assets (so long as the loan is fully secured based on the most recent current valuation or appraisal report of the debtor). DIP financings are often required to close with certainty and in a rapid manner in order to satisfy existing creditors and to enable the issuer to emerge from bankruptcy or to avoid a bankruptcy proceeding. There is a risk that the borrower will not emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and be forced to liquidate its assets under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In the event of liquidation, a Portfolio’s only recourse will be against the property securing the DIP financing.
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Mortgage Backed Securities Risks. Certain Portfolios may invest in MBS. MBS represent an interest in a pool of mortgages. MBS are subject to certain risks: credit risk associated with the performance of the underlying mortgage properties and of the borrowers owning these properties; risks associated with their structure and execution (including the collateral, the process by which principal and interest payments are allocated and distributed to investors and how credit losses affect the return to investors in such MBS); risks associated with the servicer of the underlying mortgages; adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, which are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on certain types of commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties; prepayment risk, which can lead to significant fluctuations in the value of the MBS; loss of all or part of the premium, if any, paid; and decline in the market value of the security, whether resulting from changes in interest rates, prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral or perceptions of the credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage collateral. In addition, a Portfolio’s level of investment in MBS of a particular type or in MBS issued or guaranteed by affiliated obligors, serviced by the same servicer or backed by underlying collateral located in a specific geographic region, may subject the Portfolio to additional risk.
When market interest rates decline, more mortgages are refinanced and the securities are paid off earlier than expected. Prepayments may also occur on a scheduled basis or due to foreclosure. When market interest rates increase, the market values of MBS decline. At the same time, however, mortgage refinancings, and prepayments slow, which lengthens the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of MBS is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of debt securities. Certain Portfolios may invest in sub-prime mortgages or MBS that are backed by sub-prime mortgages. Moreover, the relationship between prepayments and interest rates may give some high-yielding MBS less potential for growth in value than conventional bonds with comparable maturities. During periods of falling interest rates, the reinvestment of prepayment proceeds by a Portfolio will generally be at lower rates than the rates that were carried by the obligations that have been prepaid. Because of these and other reasons, MBS’s total return and maturity may be difficult to predict precisely. To the extent that a Portfolio purchases MBS at a premium, prepayments (which may be made without penalty) may result in loss of the Portfolio’s principal investment to the extent of premium paid. MBS generally are classified as either commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) or residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), each of which are subject to certain specific risks.
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. The market for CMBS developed more recently and, in terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues, is relatively small compared to the market for residential single family MBS. CMBS are subject to particular risks. CMBS lack of standardized terms, have shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and provide for payment of all or substantially all of the principal only at maturity rather than regular amortization of principal. In addition, commercial lending generally is viewed as exposing the lender to a greater risk of loss than residential lending. Commercial lending typically involves larger loans to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers than residential mortgage loans. In addition, the repayment of loans secured by income producing properties typically is dependent upon the successful operation of the related real estate project and the cash flow generated therefrom. Net operating income of an income-producing property can be affected by, among other things: tenant mix, success of tenant businesses, property management decisions, property location and condition, competition from comparable types of properties, changes in laws that increase operating expense or limit rents that may be charged, any need to address environmental contamination at the property, the occurrence of any uninsured casualty at the property, changes in national, regional or local economic conditions and/or specific industry segments, declines in regional or local real estate values, declines in regional or local rental or occupancy rates, increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates and other operating expenses, change in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies, including environmental legislation, acts of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances. Consequently, adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties. Additional risks may be presented by the type and use of a particular commercial property. Special risks are presented by hospitals, nursing homes, hospitality properties and certain other property types. Commercial property values and net operating income are subject to volatility, which may result in net operating income becoming insufficient to cover debt service on the related mortgage loan. The exercise of remedies and successful realization of liquidation proceeds relating to CMBS may be highly dependent on the performance of the servicer or special servicer. There may be a limited number of special servicers available, particularly those that do not have conflicts of interest.
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Credit-related risk on RMBS arises from losses due to delinquencies and defaults by the borrowers in payments on the underlying mortgage loans and breaches by originators and servicers of their obligations under the underlying documentation pursuant to which the RMBS are issued. The rate of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans and the aggregate amount of the resulting losses will be affected by a number of factors, including general economic conditions, particularly those in the area where the related mortgaged property is located, the level of the borrower’s equity in the mortgaged property and the individual financial circumstances of the borrower. If a residential mortgage loan is in default, foreclosure on the related residential property may be a lengthy and difficult process involving significant legal and other expenses. The net proceeds obtained by the holder on a residential mortgage loan following the foreclosure on the related property may be less than the total amount that remains due on the loan. The prospect of incurring a loss upon the foreclosure of the related property may lead the holder of the residential mortgage loan to restructure the residential mortgage loan or otherwise delay the foreclosure process.
Stripped MBS Risk. Stripped MBS may be subject to additional risks. One type of stripped MBS pays to one class all of the interest from the mortgage assets (the interest only or IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal only or PO class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Portfolio’s yield to
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maturity from these securities. If the assets underlying the IO class experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Portfolio may fail to recoup fully, or at all, its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, PO class securities tend to decline in value if prepayments are slower than anticipated.
Sub-Prime Mortgage Market Risk. The residential mortgage market in the United States has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain mortgages and MBS. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and MBS and increased investor yield requirements can limit liquidity in the secondary market for certain MBS, which can adversely affect the market value of MBS.
A rise in interest rates will generally cause the value of debt securities to decrease. Actions by governments and central banking authorities may result in increases in interest rates. Conversely, a decrease in interest rates will generally cause the value of debt securities to increase. Interest rate declines may also increase prepayments of debt obligations. Consequently, changes in interest rates may have a significant effect on a Portfolio, especially if the Portfolio is holding a significant portion of its assets in debt securities that are particularly sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, such as debt securities with longer maturities, zero coupon bonds, and debentures. A Portfolio may be subject to greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low interest rates. Interest rate changes may have different effects on the values of mortgage-related securities held by a Portfolio because of prepayment and extension risks.
Moreover, with respect to hybrid mortgage loans after their initial fixed rate period, interest-only products or products having a lower rate, and with respect to mortgage loans with a negative amortization feature which reach their negative amortization cap, borrowers may experience a substantial increase in their monthly payment even without an increase in prevailing market interest rates. Increases in payments for borrowers may result in increased rates of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans underlying the RMBS.
Cyber Security Risk. Investment companies such as each Portfolio and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber security attacks affecting a Portfolio or its Adviser, Subadvisers, custodian, transfer agent and other third party service providers may adversely impact a Portfolio. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Portfolio’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject the Portfolio to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. A Portfolio may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Portfolio may invest, which could result in materials adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Portfolio’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value.
Legislation and Regulation Risk. As a result of the dislocation of the credit markets during the 2008 recession, the securitization industry has become subject to additional and changing regulation. For example, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, which went into effect on July 21, 2010, various federal agencies have promulgated, or are in the process of promulgating, regulations, and rules on various issues that affect securitizations, including: rule requiring that sponsors in securitizations retain 5% of the credit risk associated with securities they issue; requirements for additional disclosure; requirements for additional review and reporting; rules for swaps (including those used by securitizations); and certain restrictions designed to prohibit conflicts of interest. Other regulations have been and may ultimately be adopted. The risk retention rule (as it relates to CMBS) took effect in December 2016 and requires retention of at least 5% of the fair value of all securities issued in connection with a securitization. The risk (with respect to CMBS) must be retained by a sponsor (generally an issuer or certain mortgage loan originators) or, upon satisfaction of certain requirements, up to two third-party purchasers of interests in the securitization. The risk retention rules and other rules and regulations that have been adopted or may be adopted may alter the structure of securitizations, reduce or eliminate economic benefits of participation in securitizations, and could discourage traditional issuers, underwriters or other participants from participating in future securitization. Any of these outcomes could reduce the market for CMBS in which a Portfolio seeks suitable investments or otherwise adversely affect a Portfolio’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Zero Coupon and Payment-In-Kind Securities. Each Portfolio, except the Index Fund, may invest in zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities. Each such Portfolio also may invest in zero coupon securities issued by corporations and financial institutions which constitute a proportionate ownership of the issuer’s pool of underlying U.S. Treasury securities. Zero coupon securities pay no interest to holders prior to maturity, and payment-in-kind securities pay interest in the form of additional securities. The market value of a zero-coupon or payment-in-kind security, which usually trades at a deep discount from its face or par value, is generally more volatile than the market value of, and is more sensitive to changes in interest rates and credit quality than, other fixed income securities with similar maturities and credit quality that pay interest in cash periodically. Zero coupon and payment-in-kind securities also may be less liquid than other fixed-income securities with similar maturities and credit quality that pay interest in cash periodically. In addition, zero coupon and payment-in-kind securities may be more difficult to value than other fixed income securities with similar maturities and credit quality that pay interest in cash periodically.
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When held to maturity, the entire income from zero coupon securities, which consists of accretion of discount, comes from the difference between the issue price and their value at maturity. Zero coupon securities, which are convertible into common stock, offer the opportunity for capital appreciation as increases (or decreases) in market value of such securities closely follows the movements in the market value of the underlying common stock. Zero coupon convertible securities generally are expected to be less volatile than the underlying common stocks, as they usually are issued with maturities of 15 years or less and are issued with options and/or redemption features exercisable by the holder of the obligation entitling the holder to redeem the obligation and receive a defined cash payment.
Zero coupon securities include securities issued directly by the U.S. Treasury and U.S. Treasury bonds or notes and their un-accrued interest coupons and receipts for their underlying principal (“coupons”) which have been separated by their holder, typically a custodian bank or investment brokerage firm. A holder will separate the interest coupons from the underlying principal (the “corpus”) of the U.S. Treasury security. A number of securities firms and banks have stripped the interest coupons and receipts and then resold them in custodial receipt programs with a number of different names, including “Treasury Income Growth Receipts” (TIGRSTM) and Certificate of Accrual on Treasuries (CATSTM). The underlying U.S. Treasury bonds and notes themselves are held in book-entry form at the Federal Reserve Bank or, in the case of bearer securities (i.e., unregistered securities which are owned ostensibly by the bearer or holder thereof), in trust on behalf of the owners thereof. Counsel to the underwriters of these certificates or other evidences of ownership of the U.S. Treasury securities have stated that, for federal tax and securities purposes, in their opinion purchasers of such certificates, such as a Portfolio, most likely will be deemed the beneficial holder of the underlying U.S. government securities.
The U.S. Treasury has facilitated transfers of ownership of zero coupon securities by accounting separately for the beneficial ownership of particular interest coupon and corpus payments on Treasury securities through the Federal Reserve book-entry recordkeeping system. The Federal Reserve program as established by the Treasury Department is known as “STRIPS” or “Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities.” Under the STRIPS program, a Portfolio will be able to have its beneficial ownership of zero coupon securities recorded directly in the book-entry recordkeeping system in lieu of having to hold certificates or other evidences of ownership of the underlying U.S. Treasury securities. When U.S. Treasury obligations have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons by the holder, the principal or corpus is sold at a deep discount because the buyer receives only the right to receive a future fixed payment in the security and does not receive any rights to periodic interest (cash) payments. Once stripped or separated, the corpus and coupons may be sold separately. Typically, the coupons are sold separately or grouped with other coupons with like maturity dates and sold bundled in such form. Purchasers of stripped obligations acquire, in effect, discount obligations that are economically identical to the zero-coupon securities that the U.S. Treasury sells itself.
A portion of the original issue discount on zero coupon securities and the “interest” on payment-in-kind securities will be included in a Portfolio’s income. Accordingly, for a Portfolio to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a regulated investment company and to avoid certain taxes, the Portfolio will generally be required to distribute to its shareholders an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash it actually receives with respect to these securities. These distributions must be made from a Portfolio’s cash assets or, if necessary, from the proceeds of sales of portfolio securities. A Portfolio will not be able to purchase additional income-producing securities with cash used to make any such distributions, and its current income ultimately may be reduced as a result.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
A Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of long-term purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Portfolio during the fiscal year. Although a Portfolio’s annual portfolio turnover rate cannot be accurately predicted, the Adviser anticipates that each Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate normally will be below 100%. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all of the Portfolio’s portfolio securities were replaced once within a one year period. High turnover involves correspondingly greater commission expenses and transaction costs, which will be borne directly by a Portfolio, and may result in the Portfolio recognizing greater amounts of income and capital gains, which would increase the amount of income and capital gains which the Portfolio must distribute to shareholders to maintain its status as a regulated investment company and to avoid the imposition of federal income or excise taxes (see “Dividends, Distributions and Federal Income Taxes”).
The Portfolios do not intend to use short-term trading as a primary means of achieving their respective investment objectives. Generally, the Portfolios intend to invest for long-term purposes. However, the rate of portfolio turnover will depend upon market and other conditions, and it will not be a limiting factor when the Adviser or Subadvisers believe that portfolio changes are appropriate.
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The portfolio turnover rates for the Portfolios for the two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, are detailed in the table below.
Name of Portfolio
2023 2022
Large Company Growth Portfolio 66% 75%
Large Company Value Portfolio 50% 38%
Small Company Growth Portfolio 81% 57%
Small Company Value Portfolio 65% 52%
Index Fund 5% 21%
International Fund 55% 48%
Income Fund 66% 78%
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Board has adopted a Dissemination of Portfolio Information Policy (the “Policy”) regarding the disclosure by Wilshire and the Subadvisers of information about the portfolio holdings and characteristics of each Portfolio. Pursuant to the Policy, such information may be made available to the general public by posting on the Company’s website on the first business day following the 20th calendar day after each month end. Other than such disclosure, no portfolio holdings information may be disclosed to any third party except for the following disclosures: (a) to the Company’s administrator, custodian, legal counsel, independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers to enable them to fulfill their responsibilities to the Company; (b) to the Board; (c) to third parties (e.g., broker-dealers) for the purpose of analyzing or trading portfolio securities; (d) to rating agencies and companies that collect and maintain information about mutual funds, subject to confidentiality requirements; (e) as required by law, including in regulatory filings with the SEC; (f) to shareholders of the Company and others, provided such information is publicly available (e.g., posted on the Company’s internet website or included in a regulatory filing); (g) to third parties for purposes of effecting in-kind redemptions of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of Portfolio assets and to minimize impact on remaining Portfolio shareholders; or (h) as approved by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Company (the “CCO”). Any disclosure made pursuant to item (h) above will be reported to the Board at its next quarterly meeting.
The Company, Wilshire and/or the Subadvisers have ongoing business arrangements with the following entities which involve making portfolio holdings information available to such entities as an incidental part of the services they provide to the Company: (i) the Company’s administrator and custodian pursuant to fund accounting and custody agreements, respectively, under which the Company’s portfolio holdings information is provided daily on a real-time basis; (ii) MSCI Institutional Shareholder Services and Investor Responsibility Research Center, Inc., pursuant to proxy voting agreements under which the portfolio holdings information of certain Portfolios is provided daily, on a real-time basis; and (iii) the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and legal counsel to whom the Company provides portfolio holdings information as needed with no lag time.
The release of information is subject to confidentiality requirements. None of the Company, Wilshire, the Subadvisers or any other person receives compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements (other than the compensation paid by the Company to such entities for the services provided by them to the Company). In the event of a conflict between the interests of Portfolio shareholders and those of the Company, Wilshire, the Company’s principal underwriter, or any of their affiliated persons, the CCO will determine in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders, and will report such determination to the Board at the end of the quarter in which such determination was made.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment restrictions described below are fundamental policies of each of the Large Company Value Portfolio, the Small Company Growth Portfolio, the Small Company Value Portfolio, the International Fund, and the Index Fund and cannot be changed without the approval of a majority of the Portfolio’s outstanding voting shares (as defined by the 1940 Act). In addition the investment objectives of the International Fund and Index Fund are fundamental policies and cannot be changed without the approval of a majority of the Portfolio’s outstanding voting shares (as defined by the 1940 Act). All percentage limitations apply only at the time of the transaction. Subsequent changes in value or in a Portfolio’s total assets will not result in a violation of the percentage limitations, except for the limitation on borrowing. The Large Company Value Portfolio, the Small Company Growth Portfolio, the Small Company Value Portfolio, the International Fund, and the Index Fund may not:
1.Invest in commodities, except that a Portfolio may purchase and sell options, forward contracts, and futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
2.Purchase, hold or deal in real estate or oil, gas or other mineral leases or exploration or development programs, but a Portfolio may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or issued by companies that invest or deal in real estate.
3.Borrow money, except for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes in an amount up to 33⅓% of the value of a Portfolio’s total assets (including the amount borrowed) based on the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including
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the amount borrowed) at the time the borrowing is made. When borrowings exceed 5% of the value of a Portfolio’s total assets, the Portfolio will not make any additional investments. For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry into options, forward contracts, or futures contracts, including those relating to indices and options on futures contracts or indices, will not constitute borrowing.
4.Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt obligations and entry into repurchase agreements. However, each Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33⅓% of the value of its total assets, including collateral received for such loans. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made according to guidelines established by the SEC and the Board.
5.Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent a Portfolio may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities.
6.Invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in any single industry, provided there will be no limitation on the purchase of obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
7.Invest more than 5% of its assets in the obligations of any single issuer, except that up to 25% of the value of a Portfolio’s total assets may be invested, and securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities may be purchased, without regard to any such limitation.
8.With respect to 75% of a Portfolio’s assets, hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any single issuer.
9.Issue any senior security (as defined in Section 18(f) of the 1940 Act), except to the extent that the activities permitted in investment restrictions No. 1 and 3 may be deemed to give rise to a senior security.
With respect to the investment restriction on borrowing, in the event that asset coverage falls below 33⅓% of its total assets, a Portfolio, except for the Income Fund, shall, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowings shall be at least 33⅓% of its total assets.
All swap agreements and other derivative instruments that were not classified as commodities or commodity contracts prior to July 21, 2010 are not deemed to be commodities or commodity contracts for purposes of restriction No. 1 above.
The following investment restrictions are non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of a majority of the Company’s Board. Each of the Large Company Growth Portfolio, the Large Company Value Portfolio, the Small Company Growth Portfolio, the Small Company Value Portfolio, the International Fund, and the Index Fund may not:
1.Invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of exercising management or control, but a Portfolio will vote the securities it owns in its portfolio as a shareholder in accordance with its views.
2.Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid, if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of the value of a Portfolio’s net assets would be so invested.
3.Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act or those received as part of a merger or consolidation.
In addition, as a non-fundamental policy of each Portfolio, a Portfolio may not invest in the securities of other registered open-end investment companies or in registered trusts in reliance on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act but may otherwise invest in the securities of other investment companies to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder or by guidance regarding, interpretations of, or exemptive orders under, the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder published by appropriate regulatory authorities.
The investment restrictions described below are fundamental policies of the Income Fund and cannot be changed without the approval of a majority of the Income Fund’s outstanding voting shares (as defined by the 1940 Act). All percentage limitations apply only at the time of the transaction. Subsequent changes in value or in the Income Fund’s total assets will not result in a violation of the percentage limitations, except for the limitation on borrowing. The Income Fund:
1.may not purchase securities other than the securities in which the Income Fund is authorized to invest;
2.may issue senior securities to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;
3.may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;
4.may not “concentrate” its investments in a particular industry, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;
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5.may purchase real estate or any interest therein (such as securities or instruments backed by or related to real estate) to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;
6.may purchase or sell commodities, including physical commodities, or contracts, instruments and interests relating to commodities to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;
7.may make loans to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;
8.may not act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent it could be considered an underwriter in the acquisition and disposition of restricted securities; and
9.shall be a “diversified company,” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.
The investment restrictions described below are fundamental policies of the Large Company Growth Portfolio and cannot be changed without the approval of a majority of the Large Company Growth Portfolio’s outstanding voting shares (as defined by the 1940 Act). All percentage limitations apply only at the time of the transaction. Subsequent changes in value or in the Large Company Growth Portfolio’s total assets will not result in a violation of the percentage limitations, except for the limitation on borrowing. The Large Company Growth Portfolio may not:
1.Invest in commodities, except that a Portfolio may purchase and sell options, forward contracts, and futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
2.Purchase, hold or deal in real estate or oil, gas or other mineral leases or exploration or development programs, but a Portfolio may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or issued by companies that invest or deal in real estate.
3.Borrow money, except for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes in an amount up to 33⅓% of the value of a Portfolio’s total assets (including the amount borrowed) based on the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the borrowing is made. When borrowings exceed 5% of the value of a Portfolio’s total assets, the Portfolio will not make any additional investments. For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry into options, forward contracts, or futures contracts, including those relating to indices and options on futures contracts or indices, will not constitute borrowing.
4.Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt obligations and entry into repurchase agreements. However, each Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33⅓% of the value of its total assets, including collateral received for such loans. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made according to guidelines established by the SEC and the Board.
5.Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent a Portfolio may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities.
6.Invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in any single industry, provided there will be no limitation on the purchase of obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
7.Issue any senior security (as defined in Section 18(f) of the 1940 Act), except to the extent that the activities permitted in investment restrictions No. 1 and 3 may be deemed to give rise to a senior security.
8.The Large Company Growth Portfolio shall be a “diversified company,” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, as interpreted, modified, or applied by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.
Each Portfolio may borrow from a line of credit to meet redemption requests or for other temporary purposes. The use of borrowing a Portfolio involves special risk considerations that may not be associated with other funds having similar policies. The interest which a Portfolio must pay on borrowed money, together with any additional fees to maintain a line of credit or any minimum average balances required to be maintained, are additional costs which will reduce or eliminate any net investment income and may also offset any potential capital gains.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The Board of Directors, four of whom are not considered “interested persons” of the Company within the meaning of the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), has responsibility for the overall management and operations of the Company. The Board establishes the Company’s policies and meets regularly to review the activities of the officers, who are responsible for day-to-day operations of the Company.
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Set forth below are the names of the Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses, positions and terms of office, their principal occupations during the past five years, and other directorships held by them, including directorships in public companies. The address of each Director and officer is 1299 Ocean Avenue, Suite 600, Santa Monica, CA 90401.
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Name and Age
as of
April 30, 2023
Position Held with the Company
Term of Office(1) and Length of Time Served
Principal Occupations During the Past Five Years
Number of Funds/ Funds in Complex Overseen by Director
Other Directorships Held by Director Over the Past Five Years
NON-INTERESTED DIRECTORS
Matt Forstenhausler, 65 Director Since 2023 Retired; formerly Partner, Ernst Young LLP (1981 to 2019) 8
Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust
(1 Fund); Sierra Income Fund (2020-2022)
Edward Gubman,
74
Director
Since 2011
Retired; formerly Founder and Principal, Strategic Talent Solutions (2004 to 2009); Consultant, Gubman Consulting (2001 to 2003); Account Manager and Global Practice Leader, Hewitt Associates (1983 to 2000)
8
Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust
(1 Fund)
Elizabeth A. Levy-Navarro, 61
Director
Since 2019
Independent Corporate Advisor, Summit Strategy (2018 to 2023); Chief Executive Officer, Orrington Strategies (2002 to 2017); Partner, Practice Leader, and Operating Committee Member for a division of Nielsen Holdings (1993 to 2002).
8
Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust
(1 Fund)
George J. Zock,
74
Director, Chairperson of the Board
Since 2006
Independent Consultant; Consultant, Horace Mann Service Corporation (2004 to 2005); Executive Vice President, Horace Mann Life Insurance Company and Horace Mann Service Corporation (1997 to 2003)
8
Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust
(1 Fund);
Armed Forces Insurance Exchange
INTERESTED DIRECTOR and PRESIDENT
Jason Schwarz,(2) 50
Director and President
Director since 2018/
President since 2012
President, Wilshire Advisors LLC (since 2021); Chief Operating Officer, Wilshire Advisors LLC (2020 to March 2022); President, Wilshire Funds Management (2014 to 2020); President, Wilshire Analytics (2017 to 2020); Managing Director, Head of Wilshire Funds Management’s Client Service, Sales, Marketing and Distribution functions (2005 to 2014)
8
Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust
(1 Fund)
OFFICERS
Sandy Choi,
50
Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary
Since 2023
General Counsel and Head of Compliance, Wilshire Advisors LLC (Since 2023); General Counsel, Cercano Management LLC (2022 to
2023); Sr. Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments
(2013 to 2022)
N/A
N/A
Nathan R. Palmer,
48
Vice President
Since 2011
Managing Director, Wilshire Advisors LLC (since 2011); Senior Investment Management Associate, Convergent Wealth Advisors (2009 to 2010); Director of Public Markets, Investment Office, California Institute of Technology (2008 to 2009). Treasury Manager, Retirement Investments, Intel Corporation (2004 to 2008)
N/A
N/A
Michael Wauters,
58
Treasurer
Since 2009
Managing Director - Finance, Wilshire Advisors LLC (since 2021); Chief Financial Officer (2013 to 2021), Controller, (2009 to 2012)
N/A
N/A
Josh Emanuel,
44
Vice President
Since 2015
Managing Director, Wilshire Advisors LLC (since 2015); Chief Investment Officer, Wilshire Advisors LLC (since 2015); Chief Investment Officer, The Elements Financial Group, LLC (2010 to 2015)
N/A
N/A
Suehyun Kim,
47
Vice President
Since 2018
Senior Vice President, Wilshire Advisors LLC (since 2023); Vice President, Wilshire Advisors LLC (2018 to 2022); Director, Cetera Financial Group (2011 to 2018)
N/A
N/A
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(1)Each Director serves until the next shareholders’ meeting (and until the election and qualification of a successor), or until death, resignation, removal or retirement which takes effect no later than May 1 following his or her 75th birthday. Officers are elected by the Board on an annual basis to serve until their successors have been elected and qualified.
(2)Mr. Schwarz is considered an Interested Director because he is an officer of Wilshire.
Board of Directors
Under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and the laws of the State of Maryland, the Board is responsible for overseeing the Company’s business and affairs. The Board is currently comprised of five Directors, four of whom are classified under the 1940 Act as “non-interested” persons of the Company and are often referred to as “independent directors.”
Qualifications and Experience
The following is a summary of the experience, qualifications, attributes and skills of each Director that support the conclusion, as of the date of this SAI, that each Director should serve as a Director in light of the Company’s business and structure. Each Director also has considerable familiarity with the Wilshire family of investment companies (by service on the Board of the Company and Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust (the “Trust”)), the Adviser and distributor, and their operations, as well as the special regulatory requirements governing regulated investment companies and the special responsibilities of investment company directors as a result of his or her substantial prior service as a Director of the Company. References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of Directors are pursuant to requirements of the SEC, do not constitute holding out of the Board or any Director as having any special expertise and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
Edward Gubman, PhD. Mr. Gubman has served as a Director of the Company since 2011 and chairperson of the Investment Committee since 2020. He has also served as a board member of other funds in the Wilshire funds complex since 2011. Mr. Gubman was a founding partner of Strategic Talent Solutions, a consulting firm that helps executives with leadership development, talent management and employee engagement, and he was a principal of that firm from 2004 to 2009. Prior to founding Strategic Talent Solutions in 2004, Mr. Gubman served as a consultant with his own firm, Gubman Consulting, from 2001 to 2003 where he consulted with clients on leadership and talent management. Mr. Gubman worked at Hewitt Associates from 1983 to 2000 in Account Management and as Global Practice Leader where he specialized in talent management and organizational effectiveness. Mr. Gubman is the author of The Talent Solution: Aligning Strategy and People to Create Extraordinary Business Results and The Engaging Leader: Winning with Today’s “Free Agent” Workforce. He is also the Executive Editor of People & Strategy, The Journal of the Human Resource Planning Society since 2008 and is a lecturer in executive education, MBA, MILR and physician leadership programs at The University of Chicago, Cornell University, The University of Dayton, Indiana University, Northwestern University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin. From 2009 to the present, Mr. Gubman has served as a Board member, Assistant Treasurer and Chair of the Personnel Committee of the Jewish Family Service of the Desert, and in 2008 served as Advisor to the Presidential Transition Team on the Social Security Administration and as a committee member, National Policy Committee on Retirement Security from 2007 to 2008. Mr. Gubman has served as Chair of the Publications Committee, of The Human Resource Planning Society since 2008, and as a Board member of The Human Resource Planning Society from 2005 to 2008.
Elizabeth A. Levy-Navarro. Ms. Levy-Navarro has served as Director of the Company since 2019 and chairperson of the Valuation Committee since 2020. She has also served as a board member of other funds in the Wilshire Funds complex since 2019 and was on the board of Eastside Distilling Company. Ms. Levy-Navarro co-founded and was Chief Executive Officer of Orrington Strategies, a management consulting firm, helping investment management, insurance, and consumer products executives grow their businesses and brands, from 2002 to 2017. From 2018 to 2023, she has been a corporate advisor with Summit Strategy Advisors. Ms. Levy-Navarro was a fiduciary for Orrington Strategies’ 401k, profit sharing, and defined benefits plans. From 1993 to 2002, Ms. Levy-Navarro served as Practice Leader and Operating Committee Member for The Cambridge Group. Ms. Levy-Navarro led her practice helping corporate executives develop and implement demand-driven business strategies. Ms. Levy-Navarro serves on two privately-held company boards. Ms. Levy-Navarro earned her MBA in finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and holds a BBA in marketing from University of Michigan.
Matt Forestenhausler. Mr. Forstenhausler has served as Director of the Company since March 2023 and is chairperson of the Audit Committee. He has also served as a board member of the other funds in the Wilshire funds complex since 2023. Mr. Forstenhausler served as a director of the Sierra Income Fund from 2020 to 2022. Mr. Forstenhausler spent his career at Ernst & Young LLP from July 1981 to July 2019, retiring as a partner and the Americas Leader of its Registered Funds Practice. Mr. Forstenhausler has also served on the boards of a number of charitable, religious and social organizations. The Board has determined that Mr. Forstenhausler is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the SEC.
Jason Schwarz. Mr. Schwarz has served as Director of the Company since 2018. He has served as President of the Company since 2012. Mr. Schwarz is the President of Wilshire Advisors LLC and was formerly the Chief Operating Officer of Wilshire Advisors LLC. Mr. Schwarz joined Wilshire in 2005 and has served as President of the firm’s investment and analytics business practices. Mr. Schwarz earned his AB in government from Hamilton College and holds an MBA from the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.
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George J. Zock. Mr. Zock has served as Director of the Company and chairperson of the Board since 2006. He is chairperson of the Nominating Committee. Mr. Zock also has served as a board member of other funds in the Wilshire funds complex since 1996 and was a board member of the predecessor funds to those funds from 1995 to 1996. Mr. Zock, a certified public accountant, is currently an independent consultant and is a member of the Illinois CPA Society. Mr. Zock has held senior executive positions with the Horace Mann Life Insurance Company and Horace Mann Service Corporation, serving as Executive Vice President from 1997 to 2003. Mr. Zock has served as a Director for Armed Forces Insurance Exchange from 2013 to present.
Leadership Structure
The Company’s Board manages the business affairs of the Company. The Directors establish policies and review and approve contracts and their continuance. The Directors regularly request and/or receive reports from the Adviser, the Company’s other service providers and the Company’s CCO. The Board is comprised of five Directors, four of whom (including the chairperson) are independent Directors. The independent chairperson, who serves as a spokesperson for the Board, is primarily responsible for facilitating communication among the Directors and between the Board and the officers and service providers of the Company and presides at meetings of the Board. In conjunction with the officers and legal counsel, the independent chairperson develops agendas for Board meetings that are designed to be relevant, prioritized, and responsive to Board concerns. The Board has four standing committees - an Audit Committee, a Nominating Committee, an Investment Committee, and a Valuation Committee. The Audit Committee is responsible for monitoring the Portfolio’s accounting policies, financial reporting and internal control system; monitoring the work of the Portfolio’s independent accountants and providing an open avenue of communication among the independent accountants, management and the Board. The Nominating Committee is primarily responsible for the identification and recommendation of individuals for Board membership and for overseeing the administration of the Company’s Governance Guidelines and Procedures. The Valuation Committee oversees the activities of the Adviser in the Adviser’s capacity as the Company’s Valuation Designee. The Investment Committee monitors performance of the Portfolios and the performance of the Adviser and Subadvisers. The Company’s day-to-day operations are managed by the Adviser and other service providers. The Board and the committees meet periodically throughout the year to review the Company’s activities, including, among others, Portfolio performance, valuation matters and compliance with regulatory requirements, and to review contractual arrangements with service providers. The Board has determined that the Company’s leadership structure is appropriate given the number, size and nature of the Portfolios in the fund complex.
Risk Oversight
Consistent with its responsibility for oversight of the Company and its Portfolios, the Board, among other things, oversees risk management of each Portfolio’s investment program and business affairs directly and through the committee structure that it has established. Risks to the Portfolios include, among others, investment risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk and operational risk, as well as the overall business risk relating to the Portfolios. The Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, policies and procedures designed to address these risks. Under the overall supervision of the Board, the Adviser and other services providers to the Portfolios also have implemented a variety of processes, procedures and controls to address these risks. Different processes, procedures and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks. These processes include those that are embedded in the conduct of regular business by the Board and in the responsibilities of officers of the Company and other service providers.
The Board requires senior officers of the Company, including the President, Treasurer and CCO, to report to the full Board on a variety of matters at regular and special meetings of the Board and its committees, as applicable, including matters relating to risk management. The Treasurer also reports regularly to the Audit Committee on the Company’s internal controls and accounting and financial reporting policies and practices. The Audit Committee also receives reports from the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm on internal control and financial reporting matters. On at least a quarterly basis, the Board meets with the Company’s CCO, including separate meetings with the independent Directors in executive session, to discuss issues related to portfolio compliance and, on at least an annual basis, receives a report from the CCO regarding the effectiveness of the Company’s compliance program. In addition, the Investment Committee receives reports from the Adviser on the performance of the Portfolios and the Valuation Committee receives valuation reports from the Adviser as the Company’s Valuation Designee. The Board also receives reports from the Company’s primary service providers on a periodic or regular basis, including the Adviser and Subadvisers to the Portfolios as well as the Company’s custodian, administrator/fund accounting agent, distributor and transfer agent. The Board also requires the Adviser to report to the Board on other matters relating to risk management on a regular and as-needed basis.
Committees
The Audit Committee held two meetings in 2023. The current members of the Audit Committee, all of whom are Independent Directors, include Messrs. Forstenhausler (chairperson), Gubman, and Zock and Ms. Levy-Navarro.
The Nominating Committee held four meetings in 2023. The current members of the Nominating Committee, all of whom are Independent Directors, include Messrs. Zock (chairperson), Gubman, and Forstenhausler and Ms. Levy-Navarro. Pursuant to the Company’s Governance Procedures, shareholders may submit suggestions for Board candidates to the Nominating Committee, which will evaluate candidates for Board membership by forwarding their correspondence by U.S. mail or courier service to the Company’s Secretary for the attention of the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee.
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The Investment Committee held four meetings in 2023. The current members of the Investment Committee, all of whom are Independent Directors, include Messrs. Gubman (chairperson), Forstenhausler, and Zock and Ms. Levy-Navarro.
The Valuation Committee held four meetings in 2023. The current members of the Valuation Committee, one of whom is an interested Director, include Ms. Levy-Navarro (chairperson) and Messrs. Gubman, Forstenhausler, Schwarz, and Zock.
Directors’ Holdings of Portfolio Shares
The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in each Portfolio as of December 31, 2023, as well as the aggregate dollar range in all registered investment companies overseen by the Director within the family of investment companies.
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in
Name of Director Large Company Growth Portfolio Large Company Value Portfolio Small Company Growth Portfolio Small Company Value Portfolio Index Fund International Fund Income Fund
All Portfolios Overseen by Director within Fund Complex(1)
Independent Directors
Matt Forstenhausler None None None None $10,001 - $50,000 None None $10,001 - $50,000
Edward Gubman None None None None None None None None
Elizabeth A. Levy-Navarro None None None None None None None None
George J. Zock None None None None None None None None
Interested Director
Jason Schwarz None None None None None None None None
(1)“Fund Complex” means two or more registered investment companies that hold themselves out as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services, or have a common investment adviser or are advised by affiliated investment advisers. The Fund Complex includes the Portfolios and the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust.
As of April 1, 2024, the Directors and officers of the Company did not hold in the aggregate, directly and beneficially, more than 1% of the outstanding shares of any class of any Portfolio.
As of April 1, 2024, the Independent Directors did not have any ownership of the Adviser or the Distributor.
Compensation
The Company and the Trust together pay each Independent Director an annual retainer of $56,000, pay to the Independent Board Chair an annual additional retainer of $12,000 and pay to each Committee Chair an annual additional retainer of $12,000. In addition, each Independent Director is compensated for Board and Committee meeting attendance in accordance with the following schedule: a quarterly Board or special in-person meeting fee of $6,000 for Independent Directors and $7,000 for the Board Chair, a virtual special Board meeting fee of $3,000 for Independent Directors and $3,500 for the Board Chair, and a virtual Committee meeting fee of $1,500.
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The table below sets forth the compensation paid to the Independent Directors of the Company for the 12 months ended December 31, 2023. The Company does not compensate any of the officers. The Company does not have any pension or retirement plans for the Directors.
Director
Aggregate Compensation From the Company(1)
Pension Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Company Expenses Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement
Total Compensation from the Company and the Fund Complex(2)
Matt Forstenhausler $60,806 N/A N/A $86,000
Edward Gubman $69,295
N/A
N/A
$98,000
Elizabeth A. Levy-Navarro $69,295
N/A
N/A
$98,000
George J. Zock $81,316
N/A
N/A
$115,000
(1)    The allocation of aggregate compensation paid from the Company for each Director is estimated based upon the Company’s ratio of average net assets for the year ended December 31, 2023. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company paid total Director compensation for retainers and meeting fees in the amount of $350,007 (of this amount the Large Company Growth Portfolio paid $70,009, the Large Company Value Portfolio paid $52,986, the Small Company Growth Portfolio paid $8,406, the Small Company Value Portfolio paid $8,406, the Index Fund paid $28,250, the International Fund paid $28,945, and the Income Fund paid $69,347).
(2)    This is the total amount compensated to the Director for his or her service on the Board and the board of any other investment company in the fund complex. The Fund Complex includes the Portfolios and the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust.
PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Listed below are the names and addresses of those shareholders who owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the outstanding Investment Class Shares or Institutional Class Shares of a Portfolio as of April 1, 2024 (a “Principal Shareholder”). Shareholders who have the power to vote a large percentage of shares of a particular Portfolio may be in a position to control a Portfolio and determine the outcome of a shareholder meeting. A shareholder who owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of a Portfolio’s voting securities may be deemed to be a “control person,” as defined by the 1940 Act.
The following table lists the Principal Shareholders of each Class:
Portfolio/Class
Shareholders
Percentage Owned
Large Company Growth Portfolio – Investment Class
Charles Schwab & Co.
Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94101-4151
71.39%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
11.30%
Large Company Growth Portfolio – Institutional Class
Capinco c/o US Bank, NA
1555 N Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
44.30%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
20.08%
Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002
17.97%
Charles Schwab & Co.
Mutual Funds Dept.
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
8.54%
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Portfolio/Class
Shareholders
Percentage Owned
Large Company Value Portfolio – Investment Class
Charles Schwab & Co.
Mutual Funds Dept.
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
25.50%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
10.84%
Jonathan C. Gaffney
150 Powers Road
Binghamton, NY 13903-6504
10.37%
Ameriprise Financial Services Inc.
Attn: RPCS
70911 Ameriprise Financial Center
Minneapolis, MN 55474-0001
10.32%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
201 Plaza Two Fl 3
Jersey City, NJ 07311-0000
7.66%
US Bank NA Custody
A/C Francis G. Chase SEP IRA
16 Cordis Street
Wakefield, MA 01880-1710
6.26%
Large Company Value Portfolio – Institutional Class
Capinco c/o US Bank, NA
1555 N Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
48.53%
Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002
18.03%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
17.52%
Charles Schwab & Co.
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
12.33%
Small Company Growth Portfolio – Investment Class
Charles Schwab & Co.
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
28.64%
Steven S. Andrews
1020 NE 90th Street
Seattle, WA 98115-3025
17.63%
Patrick B. Moran
8585 Via Mallorca Unit 34
La Jolla, CA 92037-2592
13.04%
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Portfolio/Class
Shareholders
Percentage Owned
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
8.60%
Small Company Growth Portfolio – Institutional Class
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
38.48%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
22.53%
Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002
22.31%
Charles Schwab & Company Inc.
Attn Mutual Funds SF215FMT-05
211 Main Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1901
13.16%
Small Company Value Portfolio – Investment Class
Charles Schwab & Co.
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
61.86%
Rachel K. Sion
17 Brampton Lane
Great Neck, NY 11023-1303
6.86%
Peter James Reynolds
1024 Edinborough Drive
Durham, NC 27703-8489
5.66%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
5.65%
Small Company Value Portfolio – Institutional Class
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
36.76%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
24.08%
Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002
21.46%
Charles Schwab & Co.
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
13.68%
Wilshire 5000 IndexSM Fund – Investment Class
41


Portfolio/Class
Shareholders
Percentage Owned
Charles Schwab & Co.
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
40.74%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
21.73%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
201 Plaza Two Fl 3
Jersey City, NJ 07311-0000
8.75%
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC
1 North Jefferson Avenue MSC MO3970
St. Louis, MO 63103-2254
5.54%
Wilshire 5000 IndexSM Fund – Institutional Class
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
58.92%
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
Special Custody A/C FBO Customers
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
22.06%
Vanguard Brokerage Services
PO Box 1170
Valley Forge, PA 19482-1170
7.42%
Wilshire International Equity Fund – Investment Class
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
47.79%
Charles Schwab & Co.
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
25.39%
US Bank, N.A.
Francis G. Chase Roth IRA
16 Cordis Street
Wakefield, MA 01880-1710
11.20%
Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002
7.65%
Wilshire International Equity Fund – Institutional Class
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 N Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
51.26%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
19.03%
42


Portfolio/Class
Shareholders
Percentage Owned
Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002
16.03%
Charles Schwab & Co.
Attn Mutual Funds
Reinvest Account
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
10.71%
Wilshire Income Opportunities Fund – Investment Class
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
62.17%
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
Special Custody A/C FBO Customers
211 Main Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1901
28.85%
US Bank, N.A.
Sidney Krimson Mason Roth IRA
4801 Eagleroost Court
Wake Forest , NC 27587-9653
6.11%
Wilshire Income Opportunities Fund – Institutional Class
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 N Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
49.58%
Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002
18.74%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
16.61%
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
Attn Mutual Fund OPS
211 Main Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1901
11.88%
The following table lists the control persons of each Portfolio:
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Portfolio
Shareholders
Percentage Owned
Large Company Growth Portfolio

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
Special Custody A/C FBO Customers
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
25.71%
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
30.33%
Large Company Value Portfolio
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
47.40%
Small Company Growth Portfolio
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
28.35%
Small Company Value Portfolio
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
28.78%
Wilshire 5000 IndexSM Fund
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
Special Custody A/C FBO Customers
Attn: Mutual Funds
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4151
36.89%
National Financial Services, LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
29.38%
Wilshire International Equity Fund
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
51.11%
Wilshire Income Opportunities Fund
Capinco c/o US Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958
49.53%
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INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment Adviser and Subadvisers
Wilshire Advisors LLC (“Wilshire”) is the investment adviser to the Portfolios pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement dated January 8, 2021 (the “Advisory Agreement”). Wilshire is owned by Monica HoldCo (US), Inc. Monica HoldCo (US), Inc. is controlled by CC Capital Partners, LLC and Motive Capital Management, LLC. Wilshire manages the portion of each of the Large Company Growth Portfolio, Large Company Value Portfolio, and the Wilshire International Equity Fund (the “International Fund”) that is invested in the Swaps Strategy (as defined in each Portfolio’s prospectus).
Pursuant to subadvisory agreements with Wilshire, each dated as indicated below, the following subadvisers each manage a portion of the Portfolio(s) as indicated:
Subadviser Portfolio(s) Agreement Date
Alger Management Large Company Growth Portfolio 1/8/2021 as amended 5/13/2021
AllianceBernstein Large Company Growth Portfolio 12/1/2021
Diamond Hill Small Company Value Portfolio 1/8/2021
DoubleLine Income Fund 1/8/2021
Granahan Small Company Growth Portfolio 11/3/2021
Hotchkis & Wiley Large Company Value Portfolio 1/3/2021 as amended 11/3/2021
Small Company Value Portfolio 1/3/2021 as amended 11/3/2021
Lazard International Fund 1/8/2021
Los Angeles Capital Large Company Growth Portfolio 1/8/2021
Large Company Value Portfolio 1/8/2021
Small Company Growth Portfolio 1/8/2021
Small Company Value Portfolio 1/8/2021
Index Fund 1/8/2021
International Fund 1/8/2021
Manulife Income Fund 1/8/2021
MFS Large Company Value Portfolio 1/20/2021
Pzena International Fund 1/8/2021
Ranger Small Company Growth Portfolio 1/8/2021
Voya Large Company Growth Portfolio 1/8/2021
Large Company Value Portfolio 1/8/2021
International Fund 1/8/2021
Income Fund 1/8/2021
WCM International Fund 1/8/2021
45


Investment Advisory Agreements and Fees
For the three most recent fiscal years ended December 31, the advisory fees for each Portfolio payable to Wilshire, the reductions attributable to fee waivers, the net fees paid with respect to the Portfolios, and the corresponding percentages of average net assets (net of waivers), were as follows:
Portfolio
Advisory Fee Expense Reduction in Fee Recouped Fees Net Fee Paid % of Average Net Assets
Large Company Growth Portfolio
2021 $2,109,576 $1,620 $5,090 $2,113,046 0.75%
2022 $1,740,703 $10,446 $2,542 $1,732,799 0.75%
2023 $1,647,717 $37,477 $5,724 $1,615,964 0.74%
Large Company Value Portfolio
2021 $1,673,301 $0 $0 $1,673,301 0.75%
2022 $1,415,178 $30,491 $0 $1,384,687 0.73%
2023 $1,220,041 $78,058 $0 $1,141,983 0.70%
Small Company Growth Portfolio
2021 $353,298 $112,600 $0 $240,698 0.58%
2022 $235,093 $154,221 $0 $80,872 0.29%
2023 $221,387 $134,112 $8,749 $96,024 0.37%
Small Company Value Portfolio
2021 $314,627 $133,921 $0 $180,706 0.49%
2022 $248,526 $148,103 $0 $100,423 0.34%
2023 $220,418 $159,538 $0 $60,880 0.23%
Index Fund
2021 $238,721 $0 $0 $238,721 0.10%
2022 $225,120 $0 $0 $225,120 0.10%
2023 $220,016 $0 $0 $220,016 0.10%
International Fund
2021 $3,067,786 $372,589 $0 $2,695,197 0.88%
2022 $2,422,095 $359,553 $0 $2,062,542 0.85%
2023 $2,202,717 $381,711 $0 $1,821,006 0.83%
Income Fund
2021 $1,822,226 $77,038 $0 $1,745,188 0.57%
2022 $1,570,012 $159,407 $0 $1,410,605 0.54%
2023 $1,254,940 $307,680 $0 $947,260 0.45%
Wilshire has entered into contractual expense limitation agreements to waive a portion of its management fee or reimburse expenses to limit expenses of the Large Company Growth Portfolio and Large Company Value Portfolio (excluding taxes, brokerage expenses, dividend expenses on short securities, and extraordinary expenses) to 1.30% and 1.00% of average daily net assets for Investment Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares, respectively.
Wilshire has entered into a contractual expense limitation agreement to waive a portion of its management fee or reimburse expenses to limit expenses of the Small Company Growth Portfolio and Small Company Value Portfolio (excluding taxes, brokerage expenses, dividend expenses on short securities, and extraordinary expenses) to 1.35% and 1.10% of average daily net assets for Investment Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares, respectively.
Wilshire has entered into a contractual expense limitation agreement to waive a portion of its management fee or reimburse expenses to limit expenses of the International Fund (excluding taxes, brokerage expenses, dividend expenses on short securities, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses) to 1.50% and 1.25% of average daily net assets for Investment Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares, respectively.
Wilshire has entered into a contractual expense limitation agreement with the Company, on behalf of the Income Fund, to waive a portion of its management fee or reimburse expenses to limit expenses of the Income Fund (excluding taxes, brokerage expenses, dividend expenses on short securities, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses) to 1.15% and 0.90% of average daily net assets for Investment Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares, respectively.
46


These agreements to limit expenses continue through at least April 30, 2025 or upon the termination of the Advisory Agreement. To the extent that a Portfolio’s expenses are less than the expense limitation, Wilshire may recoup the amount of any management fee waived or expenses reimbursed within three years after the date on which Wilshire incurred the expense, if the recoupment does not exceed the existing expense limitation as well as the expense limitation that was in place at the time of the fee waiver or expense reimbursement.
The Advisory Agreement provides that Wilshire will act as the investment adviser to each Portfolio, and may recommend to the Board one or more subadvisers to manage one or more Portfolios or portions thereof. Upon appointment of a subadviser, Wilshire will review, monitor and report to the Board regarding the performance and investment procedures of the subadviser, and assist and consult the subadviser in connection with the investment program of the relevant Portfolio.
The Advisory Agreement provides that Wilshire shall exercise its best judgment in rendering the services to be provided to the Portfolios under the Advisory Agreement. Wilshire is not liable under the Advisory Agreement for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Portfolios. Wilshire is not protected, however, against any liability to the Portfolios or its shareholders to which Wilshire would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties under the Advisory Agreement, or by reason of Wilshire’s reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.
The Advisory Agreement will continue in force unless sooner terminated as provided in certain provisions contained in the Advisory Agreement. It is terminable with respect to any Portfolio without penalty on 60 days’ notice by the Board, by vote of a majority of a Portfolio’s outstanding shares (as defined in the 1940 Act), or on at least 90 days’ notice by Wilshire. The Advisory Agreement terminates in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Investment Subadvisory Agreements and Fees
Pursuant to the subadvisory agreements with each of the Subadvisers (the “Subadvisory Agreements”), the fees payable to a Subadviser with respect to a Portfolio are paid exclusively by Wilshire and not directly by the stockholders of the Portfolio. The Subadvisers are independent contractors, and may act as investment advisers to other clients. Wilshire may retain one or more other Subadvisers with respect to any portion of the assets of any Portfolio other than the portions to be managed by the respective Subadvisers.
No Subadviser will be liable to Wilshire, the Company or any stockholder of the Company for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or loss arising out of any investment, or for any other act or omission in the performance by the Subadviser of its duties, except for liability resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence (gross negligence, in the case of DoubleLine, MFS, and Pzena) or reckless disregard of its obligations. Each Subadviser will indemnify and defend Wilshire, the Company, and their representative officers, directors, employees and any person who controls Wilshire for any loss or expense arising out of or in connection with any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding relating to any material misstatement or omission in the Company’s registration statement, any proxy statement, or any communication to current or prospective investors in any Portfolio, if such misstatement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by the Subadviser to Wilshire or the Portfolios.
Following an initial two-year period, each Subadvisory Agreement will continue in force from year to year with respect to a Portfolio so long as it is specifically approved for a Portfolio at least annually in the manner required by the 1940 Act. The Subadvisory Agreements with each Subadviser were approved for the period ending August 31, 2024.
47


For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021, 2022, and 2023, the aggregate subadvisory fees paid by Wilshire with respect to each Portfolio, and the corresponding percentage of net average assets, were as follows:
Portfolio
Aggregate Subadvisory Fees Paid % of Average
Net Assets
Large Company Growth Portfolio
2021(1)
$725,046 0.26%
2022 $548,207 0.24%
2023 $508,509 0.23%
Large Company Value Portfolio
2021(2)
$562,001 0.25%
2022 $400,044 0.21%
2023 $343,481 0.21%
Small Company Growth Portfolio
2021
$171,379 0.41%
2022 $118,428 0.43%
2023 $111,701 0.43%
Small Company Value Portfolio
2021
$145,784 0.39%
2022 $116,791 0.40%
2023 $101,815 0.39%
Index Fund
2021
$95,488 0.04%
2022 $90,048 0.04%
2023 $88,006 0.04%
International Fund
2021
$1,125,460 0.37%
2022 $908,540 0.37%
2023 $799,450 0.36%
Income Fund
2021
$1,035,387 0.34%
2022 $888,205 0.34%
2023 $711,309 0.34%
(1)Prior to December 14, 2021, Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. served as sub-adviser to the Portfolio. Amounts paid include fees paid to the Portfolio’s previous sub-adviser.
(2)Prior to December 17, 2021, Pzena Investment Management, LLC served as sub-adviser to the Portfolio. Amounts paid include fees paid to the Portfolio’s previous sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The following paragraphs provide certain information with respect to the portfolio managers of each Portfolio as identified in the prospectus and the material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with their management of the investments of a Portfolio, on the one hand, and the investments of other client accounts for which they may have primary responsibility. Certain other potential conflicts of interest with respect to use of affiliated brokers, personal trading and proxy voting are discussed below under “Portfolio Transactions,” “Code of Ethics” and “Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.”
48


Alger Management
Ankur Crawford and Patrick Kelly manage Alger Management’s portion of the Large Company Growth Portfolio. The table below includes details regarding the number of registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by each of the portfolio managers, as well as total assets under management for each type of account, and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of December 31, 2023.
Type of Account Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (billions) # of Accounts Managed with Performance-Based Advisory Fee Total Assets with Performance-Based Advisory Fee (millions)
Ankur Crawford, Ph.D. and Patrick Kelly, CFA
Registered Investment Companies 6 $8.6 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 7 $1.2 0 $0
Other Accounts 42 $2.4 1 $262.6
Conflicts of Interest
Summary
Alger Management and Fred Alger & Company, LLC (“Alger LLC”), an affiliated registered broker-dealer and a member of the New York Stock Exchange, are owned by Alger Group Holdings, LLC, which is wholly-owned by Alger Associates, Inc. (“Alger Associates”). Additionally, Alger Management is under common ownership with Weatherbie Capital, LLC, a registered investment adviser based in Boston, Massachusetts. Alger LLC serves as a broker-dealer for securities trades placed on behalf of Alger Management clients and accounts. Alger LLC does not conduct public brokerage business and substantially all of its transactions are for clients of Alger Management if their investment guidelines and relevant regulations that govern their accounts allow it. Neither Alger Management nor any of its management personnel is registered or plans to register as a futures commission merchant, commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor, or an associated person of these entities. From time to time, Alger LLC, Alger Management, Alger Group Holdings, LLC, or Alger Associates, or other affiliated persons (“Alger Affiliates”) may hold controlling positions in certain pooled investment vehicles, such that they are considered affiliates.
In addition to serving as a subadviser to the Large Company Growth Portfolio, Alger Management serves as the investment adviser of the mutual funds in the Alger Family of Funds and the investment adviser to Alger Dynamic Return Fund LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as well as to Alger SICAV, a publicly offered pooled investment vehicle registered in Luxembourg. Alger Management also serves as a sub-adviser to third-party registered investment companies, as well as bank collective investment trusts. From time to time, Alger Affiliates may own significant stakes in one or more of the above.
Alger Management may recommend to clients that they purchase interests in investment partnerships or funds for which Alger Management serves as investment adviser or sub-adviser and in which Alger Management and related persons have a financial interest. Alger Management and such related persons will fully disclose such financial interests to all clients to which such recommendations are given.
Alger Affiliates also have other direct and indirect interests in the equity markets, directly or through investments in pooled products, in which the Portfolio directly and indirectly invests. Investors should be aware that this may cause Alger Affiliates to have conflicts that could disadvantage the Portfolio.
As a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, Alger Management is required to file and maintain a registration statement on Form ADV with the SEC. Form ADV contains information about assets under management, types of fee arrangements, types of investments, conflicts and potential conflicts of interest, and other relevant information regarding Alger Management.
Conflicts as a Result of Alger Management’s Other Affiliates
Selection of Administrative and Other Service Providers. Alger Management may choose to (and currently does) have Alger Affiliates provide administrative services, shareholder services, brokerage and other account services to the funds it manages. While any such engagement would be on market terms, it will nevertheless result in greater benefit to Alger Management than hiring a similarly qualified unaffiliated service provider.
In connection with these services and subject to applicable law, Alger Affiliates, including the Alger Management, may from time to time, and without notice to investors or clients, in-source or outsource certain processes or functions that it provides in its administrative or other capacities. Such in-sourcing or outsourcing may give rise to additional conflicts of interest, including which processes or functions to in-source or outsource, which entity to outsource to, and the fees charged by the Alger Affiliates or the third party. Alger Management maintains policies designed to mitigate the conflicts described herein; however, such policies may not fully address situations described above.
49


Information the Investment Adviser May Receive. Alger Management and its affiliates may have or be deemed to have access to the current status of certain markets, investments and funds because of Alger Affiliates’ brokerage and other activities. Alger Affiliates may therefore possess information which, if known to Alger Management, might cause Alger Management to seek to dispose of, retain or increase interests in investments held by the Large Company Growth Portfolio, or acquire certain positions on behalf of the portion of the Portfolio it manages. Moreover, Alger Management and its affiliates may come into possession of material, non-public information that would prohibit or otherwise limit its ability to trade on behalf of the Portfolio. A fund not subadvised by Alger Management would not be subject to these restrictions. Alger Management maintains policies designed to prevent the disclosure of such information; however, such policies may not fully address situations described above.
Allocation Issues
As Alger Management manages multiple accounts or funds managed, advised, or subadvised by Alger Affiliates (including Alger Management) or in which Alger Affiliates (including Alger Management) or its personnel have interests (collectively, the “client/Alger Affiliates accounts”), issues can and do arise as a result of how Alger Management allocates investment opportunities. In an effort to treat all clients/Alger Affiliates reasonably in light of all factors relevant to managing an account, aggregated trades will generally be allocated pro rata among the Portfolio and client/Alger Affiliates accounts whenever possible. There are exceptions to this practice, however, as described below:
Unusual Market Conditions. During periods of unusual market conditions, Alger Management may deviate from its normal trade allocation practices. During such periods, Alger Management will seek to exercise a disciplined process for determining its actions to appropriately balance the interests of all accounts, including the Portfolio, as it determines in its sole discretion.
Availability of Investments. The availability of certain investments such as initial public offerings or private placements may be limited. In such cases, all client/Alger Affiliates accounts (including the Large Company Growth Portfolio) may not receive an allocation. As a result, the amount, timing, structuring or terms of an investment by the Portfolio may differ from, and performance may be lower than, investments and performance of other client/Alger Affiliates accounts.
Alger Management, as a general practice, allocates initial public offering shares and other limited availability investments pro rata among the eligible client/Alger Affiliates accounts (including the Portfolio) where the portfolio manager seeks allocation. An account or accounts may not receive an allocation because it lacks available cash, is restricted from making certain investments, the account pays a performance fee, the account is so large that the allocation is determined to be de minimis, or due to co-investment by Alger Affiliates. When a pro rata allocation of limited availability investments is not possible or is not appropriate, Alger Management considers numerous other factors to determine an appropriate allocation. These factors include (i) Alger Management’s good faith assessment of the best use of such limited opportunities relative to the account’s investment objectives, investment limitations and requirements of the accounts; (ii) suitability requirements and the nature of the investment opportunity, including relative attractiveness of a security to different accounts; (iii) relative size of applicable accounts; (iv) impact on overall performance and allocation of such securities may have on accounts; (v) cash and liquidity considerations, including without limitation, availability of cash for investment; (vi) minimum denomination, minimum increments, de minimus threshold and round lot consideration; (vii) account investment horizons, investment objectives and guidelines; (viii) an account’s risk tolerance and/or risk parameters; (ix) tax sensitivity of accounts; (x) concentration of positions in an account; (xi) appropriateness of a security for the account given the benchmark and benchmark sensitivity of an account; (xii) use of the opportunity as a replacement for another security Alger Management believes to be attractive for an account of the availability of other appropriate investment opportunities; (xiii) considerations related to giving a subset of accounts exposure to an industry; and/or (xiv) account turnover guidelines.
In some circumstances, it is possible that the application of these factors may result in certain client/Alger Affiliates accounts receiving an allocation when other accounts do not. Moreover, Alger Affiliates, or accounts in which Alger Affiliates and/or employees have interests, may receive an allocation or an opportunity not allocated to other accounts or the Portfolio.
Portfolio managers who manage multiple strategies exercise investment discretion over each strategy on an individualized basis and therefore may allocate investments (including IPOs and secondary offerings) in a different manner for each strategy. Considerations for such different allocations, include, but are not limited to, when an allocation to a particular strategy results in a de minimis investment, different investment policies and objectives of one strategy versus another; as well as the implementation of strategy objectives such as sector or industry weightings. As a result of such allocations, there will be instances when funds within a strategy managed by the same portfolio manager do not participate in an investment that is allocated among funds invested in another strategy managed by the same portfolio manager. For example, it is generally the case that investment strategies with larger AUM do not participate in allocations of IPOs and secondary offerings as the allocation of limited shares will result in the strategy receiving de minimis amounts of shares to allocate across strategies. Such investment decisions may result in a loss of investment opportunity for funds that may otherwise have been suited to invest in such offerings.
Differing Guidelines, Objectives and Time Horizons. Because client/Alger Affiliates accounts (including the Portfolio) are managed according to different strategies and individual client guidelines, certain accounts may not be able to participate in a transaction or strategy employed by Alger Management.
50


Actions taken by one account could affect others. For example, in the event that withdrawals of capital result in one account selling securities, this could result in securities of the same issuer falling in value, which could have a material adverse effect on the performance of other accounts (including the Portfolio) that do not sell such positions.
Alger Affiliates may also develop and implement new strategies, which may not be employed in all accounts or pro rata among the accounts where they are employed, even if the strategy is consistent with the objectives of all accounts. Alger Affiliates may make decisions based on such factors as strategic fit and other portfolio management considerations, including an account’s capacity for such strategy, the liquidity of the strategy and its underlying instruments, the account’s liquidity, the business risk of the strategy relative to the account’s overall portfolio make-up, the lack of efficacy of, or return expectations from, the strategy for the account, and any such other factors as Alger Affiliates deem relevant in their sole discretion. For example, such a determination may, but will not necessarily, include consideration of the fact that a particular strategy will not have a meaningful impact on an account given the overall size of the account, the limited availability of opportunities in the strategy and the availability of other strategies for the account.
Investing in Different Classes of the Same Issuer. Conflicts also arise when one or more client/Alger Affiliates accounts (including the Portfolio) invests in different classes of securities of the same issuer. As a result, one or more client/Alger Affiliates accounts may pursue or enforce rights with respect to a particular issuer in which the Portfolio has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Portfolio. For example, if a client/Alger Affiliates account holds debt securities of an issuer and the Portfolio holds equity securities of the same issuer, if the issuer experiences financial or operational challenges, the client/Alger Affiliates account which holds the debt securities may seek a liquidation of the issuer, whereas the Portfolio which holds the equity securities may prefer a reorganization of the issuer. In addition, Alger Management may also, in certain circumstances, pursue or enforce rights with respect to a particular issuer jointly on behalf of one or more client/Alger Affiliates accounts, the Portfolio, or Alger Affiliates. The Portfolio may be negatively impacted by Alger Affiliates’ and other client/Alger Affiliates accounts’ activities, and transactions for the Portfolio may be impaired or effected at prices or terms that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case had Alger Affiliates and other client/Alger Affiliates accounts not pursued a particular course of action with respect to the issuer of the securities.
Conflicts Related to Timing of Transactions. When Alger or a client/Alger Affiliates account implements a portfolio decision or strategy ahead of, or contemporaneously with, similar portfolio decisions or strategies for the Portfolio (whether or not the portfolio decisions emanate from the same research analysis or other information), market impact, liquidity constraints, or other factors could result in the Portfolio receiving less favorable trading results. In addition, the costs of implementing such portfolio decisions or strategies could be increased or the Portfolio could otherwise be disadvantaged. Alger Affiliates may, in certain cases, implement internal policies and procedures designed to limit such consequences to client/Alger Affiliates accounts, which may cause the Portfolio to be unable to engage in certain activities, including purchasing or disposing of securities, when it might otherwise be desirable for it to do so.
Moreover, each client/Alger Affiliates account is managed independently of other accounts. Given the independence in the implementation of advice to these accounts, there can be no warranty that such investment advice will be implemented simultaneously. Neither Alger Management nor its affiliates will always know when advice issued has been executed and, if so, to what extent. Alger Management and its affiliates will use reasonable efforts to procure timely execution. It is possible that prior execution for or on behalf of an account could adversely affect the prices and availability of the securities and instruments in which the Portfolio invests. In other words, an account, by trading first, may increase the price or decrease the availability of a security to the Portfolio.
In some instances, Alger Management is retained through programs sponsored by unaffiliated financial intermediaries, advisers or planners in which Alger Management serves as an investment adviser (“wrap programs”). Alger Management offers advisory services through single contract programs, dual contract programs and model portfolio programs. Given the structure of the wrap programs and the fact that payments to Alger Management are paid directly by the wrap sponsor, Alger Management does not believe it receives any direct compensation from clients who participate in the wrap programs. Because wrap clients generally pay the wrap sponsor to effect transactions for their accounts, Alger Management does not aggregate transactions on behalf of wrap program accounts with other accounts or funds it advises. Because of the distinct trading process Alger Management follows for wrap accounts and the portfolio limitations of the wrap programs, the timing of trades for wrap accounts may differ from other accounts and will generally be made later in time than for other accounts managed by Alger Management.
In some instances, internal policies designed to facilitate trade aggregation may result in delays in placing trades, which may adversely affect trade execution. For example, a purchase for a particular account may be held while other portfolio managers are considering whether to make the same transaction for other accounts. Differences in allocations will affect the performance of the Portfolio.
Cross Transactions. From time to time and for a variety of reasons, certain client/Alger Affiliates accounts may buy or sell positions in a particular security while the Portfolio is undertaking the opposite strategy. Trading in the opposite manner could disadvantage the Portfolio. Moreover, Alger Affiliates may have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to both parties in such a case. For example, Alger Management will represent both the Portfolio on one side of a transaction and another account on the other side of the trade (including an account in which Alger Affiliates may have a proprietary interest) in connection with the purchase of a security by such Portfolio. In an effort to reduce this negative impact, and when permitted by applicable law, the accounts may enter into “cross transactions.”
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A cross transaction, or cross trade, occurs when Alger Management causes the Portfolio to buy securities from, or sell a security to, another client of Alger Management or Alger Affiliates. Alger Management will ensure that any such cross transactions are effected on commercially reasonable market terms and in accordance with applicable law, including but not limited to Alger Management’s fiduciary duties to all accounts.
Valuation of Assets. Alger Affiliates may have a conflict of interest in valuing the securities and other assets in which the Portfolio may invest. Alger Management is generally paid an advisory fee based on the value of the assets under management, so more valuable securities will result in a higher advisory fee. Alger Management may also benefit from showing better performance or higher account values on periodic statements.
Certain securities and other assets in which the Portfolio may invest may not have a readily ascertainable market value and will be valued by Alger Management in accordance with the valuation guidelines described in the valuation procedures adopted by the Portfolio. Such securities and other assets may constitute a substantial portion of the Portfolio’s investments. Alger Management’s risk of misstating the value of securities is greater with respect to illiquid securities like those just described.
Alger Affiliates may hold proprietary positions in the Portfolio. One consequence of such proprietary positions is that Alger Management may be incented to misstate the value of illiquid securities.
Regulatory Conflicts. From time to time, the activities of the Portfolio may be restricted because of regulatory or other requirements applicable to Alger Affiliates and/or their internal policies designed to comply with, limit the applicability of, or otherwise relate to such requirements. As a result, Alger Affiliates may implement internal restrictions that delay or prevent trades for the Portfolio, which could result in less favorable execution of trades and may impact the performance of the Portfolio.
Certain activities and actions may be considered to result in reputational risk or disadvantage for the management of the Portfolio and Alger Management as well as for other Alger Affiliates. Such situations could arise if Alger Affiliates serve as directors of companies the securities of which the Portfolio wishes to purchase or sell or is representing or providing financing to another potential purchaser. The larger Alger Management’s investment advisory business and Alger Affiliates’ businesses, the larger the potential that these restricted list policies will impact the performance of the Portfolio.
Other Potential Conflicts Relating to the Management of the Large Company Growth Portfolio by Alger Management
Potential Conflicts Relating to Alger Affiliates’ Proprietary Activities and Activities On Behalf of Other Accounts. Alger Management may purchase or sell, for itself or Alger Affiliates, mutual funds or other pooled investment vehicles, commercial paper or fixed-income securities that it recommends to its clients. The results achieved by Alger Affiliates proprietary accounts may differ from those achieved for other accounts. Alger Management will manage the Portfolio and its other client/Alger Affiliates accounts in accordance with their respective investment objectives and guidelines. However, Alger Management may give advice, and take action, with respect to any current or future client/Alger Affiliates accounts that may compete or conflict with the advice Alger Management may give to the Portfolio including with respect to the return of the investment, the timing or nature of action relating to the investment or method of exiting the investment.
The directors, officers and employees of Alger Affiliates, including Alger Management, may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts (including through investment funds managed by Alger Affiliates, including Alger Management). As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints, positions may be taken by directors, officers and employees that are the same, different from or made at different times than positions taken for the Portfolio. To reduce the possibility that the Portfolio will be materially adversely affected by the personal trading described above, Alger Management has established policies and procedures that restrict securities trading in the personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of information regarding the Portfolio’s portfolio transactions. Alger Management has adopted a code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) and monitoring procedures relating to certain personal securities transactions by personnel of Alger Management which Alger Management deems to involve potential conflicts involving such personnel, client/Alger Affiliates accounts managed by Alger Management and the Portfolio. The Code of Ethics requires that personnel of Alger Management comply with all applicable federal securities laws and with the fiduciary duties and anti-fraud rules to which Alger Management is subject.
Potential Conflicts in Connection With Proxy Voting
Alger Management has adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of clients, including the Portfolio, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with Alger Management’s fiduciary obligations to its clients. Notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of Alger Management may have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or Alger Affiliates provided that Alger Management believes such voting decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations. In other words, regardless of what Alger Management’s conflict of interest is, the importance placed on exercising a client’s right to vote dictates that Alger Management will cast the vote in accordance with its voting guidelines even if Alger Management, its affiliate, or its client, somehow, indirectly, benefits from that vote. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see “Appendix A – Proxy Voting Policies” to the SAI.
Potential Conflicts in Connection with Brokerage Transactions
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Trade Aggregation. If Alger Management believes that the purchase or sale of a security is in the best interest of more than one client/Alger Affiliates account (including the Portfolio), it may (but is not obligated to) aggregate the orders to be sold or purchased to seek favorable execution or lower brokerage commissions, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations. As a general practice, Alger Management may delay an order for one account to allow portfolio managers of other strategies to participate in the same trade being recommended by a portfolio manager who also serves as an analyst to a specific sector or industry (e.g. health care). Aggregation of trades under this circumstance may, on average, decrease the costs of execution. In the event Alger Management aggregates a trade for participating accounts, the method of allocation will generally be determined prior to the trade execution. Although no specific method of allocation of trades is expected to be used, allocations are generally pro rata and if not, will be designed so as not to systematically and consciously favor or disfavor any account in the allocation of investment opportunities. The accounts aggregated may include registered and unregistered investment companies, Alger Affiliates Accounts (including the Portfolio), and separate accounts. Transaction costs will be shared by participants on a pro-rata basis according to their allocations.
When orders are aggregated for execution, it is possible that Alger Affiliates will benefit from such trades, even in limited capacity situations. Alger Management maintains policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to deal equitably with conflicts of interest that may arise when purchase or sale orders for an account are aggregated for execution with orders for Alger Affiliates Accounts. For example, Alger Management may aggregate trades for its clients and affiliates in private placements pursuant to internally developed procedures. In such cases, Alger Management will only negotiate the price of such investments, and no other material terms of the offering, and will prepare a written allocation statement reflecting the allocation of the securities.
Orders to purchase or sell the same security need not be aggregated if there is a reasonable distinction between or among the orders. For example, orders that are not price specific need not be aggregated with orders that are to be executed at a specific price. Also, certain short sale trades may not be aggregated due to settlement issues and may not trade sequentially in order to maintain the average trade price.
Alger Management is not required to bunch or aggregate trades if portfolio management decisions for different accounts are made separately, or if it determines that bunching or aggregating is not practicable, or with respect to client directed accounts.
Even when trades are aggregated, prevailing trading activity frequently may make impossible the receipt of the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold. When this occurs, the various prices may be averaged, and the Portfolio will be charged or credited with the average price. Thus, the effect of the aggregation may operate on some occasions to the disadvantage of the Portfolio.
Soft Dollars. Alger Management relies primarily on its own internal research to provide primary research in connection with buy and sell recommendations. However, Alger Management does acquire research services provided by a third party vendor, which is pays for with brokerage fees and commissions, sometimes referred to as “soft dollars.” The services that Alger Management may receive include: management meetings; conferences; research on specific industries; research on specific companies; macroeconomic analyses; analyses of national and international events and trends; evaluations of thinly traded securities; computerized trading screening techniques and securities ranking services; general research services (i.e., Bloomberg, FactSet).
Alger Management may pay higher commissions for receipt of brokerage and research services in connection with securities trades that are consistent with the “safe harbor” provisions of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Securities Exchange Act”). This benefits Alger Management because it does not have to pay for the research, products, or services. Such benefit gives Alger Management an incentive to select a broker-dealer based on its interest in receiving the research, products, or services rather than on its clients’ interest in receiving the most favorable execution.
Research or other services obtained in this manner may be used in servicing any or all of the Portfolio and other client/Alger Affiliates accounts. This includes accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker providing soft dollar benefits. Therefore, such products and services may disproportionately benefit certain client/Alger Affiliates accounts, including the Portfolio, to the extent that the commissions from such accounts are not used to purchase such services.
Neither the research services nor the amount of brokerage given to a particular broker-dealer are made through an arrangement or commitment that obligates Alger Management to pay selected broker-dealers for the services provided.
Alger Management has entered into certain commission sharing arrangements. A commission sharing arrangement allows Alger Management to aggregate commissions at a particular broker-dealer and to direct that particular broker-dealer to pay various other broker-dealers from this pool of aggregate commissions for research and research services the broker-dealers have provided to Alger Management. These arrangements allow Alger Management to limit the broker-dealers it trades with, while maintaining valuable research relationships.
Additionally, Alger Management receives a credit for routing orders through a fixed connection with a national securities exchange, which is applied to the costs of research services.
In certain cases, a research service may serve additional functions that are not related to the making of investment decisions (such as accounting, record keeping or other administrative matters). Where a product obtained with commissions has such a mixed use, Alger
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Management will make a good faith allocation of the cost of the product according to its use. Alger Management will not use soft dollars to pay for services that provide only administrative or other non-research assistance.
Compensation
An Alger Management portfolio manager’s compensation generally consists of salary and an annual bonus. In addition, portfolio managers are eligible for health and retirement benefits available to all Alger Management employees, including a 401(k) plan sponsored by Alger Management. A portfolio manager’s base salary is typically a function of the portfolio manager’s experience (with consideration given to type, investment style and size of investment portfolios previously managed), performance of his or her job responsibilities, and financial services industry peer comparisons. Base salary is generally a fixed amount that is subject to an annual review. The annual bonus is variable from year to year, and considers various factors, including:
the firm’s overall financial results and profitability;
the firm’s overall investment management performance;
current year’s and prior years’ pre-tax investment performance (both relative and absolute) of the portfolios for which the individual is responsible, based on the benchmark of each such portfolio;
qualitative assessment of an individual’s performance with respect to the firm’s investment process and standards; and
the individual’s leadership contribution within the firm.
While the benchmarks and peer groups used in determining a portfolio manager’s compensation may change from time to time, Alger Management may refer to benchmarks, such as those provided by Russell Investments and S&P’s Global Ratings, and peer groups, such as those provided by Lipper Inc. and Morningstar Inc., that are widely-recognized by the investment industry. Alger Management has implemented a long-term deferred compensation program (“LTDC”) which gives key personnel the opportunity to have equity-like participation in the long-term growth and profitability of the firm. There is broad participation in the LTDC program amongst the investment professionals. The LTDC reinforces the portfolio managers’ commitment to generating superior investment performance for the firm’s clients.
The awards are invested in Alger mutual funds and have a four year vesting schedule. The total award earned can increase or decrease with the firm’s investment and earnings results over the four year period.
Additionally, the Alger Partners Plan provides key investment executives with phantom equity that allows participants pro-rata rights to growth in the firm’s book value, dividend payments and participation in any significant corporate transactions (e.g., partial sale, initial public offering, merger, etc.). The firm does not have a limit on the overall percentage of the firm’s value it will convey through this program. Further, participation in this program will be determined annually.
As of December 31, 2023, the Dr. Crawford and Mr. Kelly did not own any shares of the Large Company Growth Portfolio.
AllianceBernstein
John H. Fogarty, CFA and Vinay Thapar, CFA manage AllianceBernstein’s portion of the Large Company Growth Portfolio. In addition to their portion of the Portfolio, the portfolio managers managed the following other accounts as of December 31, 2023, none of which were subject to a performance-based fee.
Type of Account Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (billions)
John H. Fogarty, CFA
Registered Investment Companies 15 $32.8
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 6 $42.2
Other Accounts 3,032 $10.9
Vinay Thapar, CFA
Registered Investment Companies 14 $32.8
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 26 $42.2
Other Accounts 3,032 $10.9


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Conflicts of Interest
As an investment adviser and fiduciary, AllianceBernstein owes its clients and shareholders an undivided duty of loyalty. AllianceBernstein recognizes that conflicts of interest are inherent in its business and accordingly has developed policies and procedures (including oversight monitoring) reasonably designed to detect, manage and mitigate the effects of actual or potential conflicts of interest in the area of employee personal trading, managing multiple accounts for multiple clients, and allocating investment opportunities. Investment professionals, including portfolio managers and research analysts, are subject to the above-mentioned policies and oversight monitoring to ensure that all clients are treated equitably. AllianceBernstein places the interests of its clients first and expects all of its employees to meet their fiduciary duties.
Employee Personal Trading
AllianceBernstein has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that is designed to detect and prevent conflicts of interest when investment professionals and other personnel of AllianceBernstein own, buy or sell securities which may be owned by, or bought or sold for, clients. Personal securities transactions by an employee may raise a potential conflict of interest when an employee owns or trades in a security that is owned or considered for purchase or sale by a client, or recommended for purchase or sale by an employee to a client. Subject to the reporting requirements and other limitations of its Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, AllianceBernstein permits its employees to engage in personal securities transactions, and also allows them to acquire investments in the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds. AllianceBernstein’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics requires disclosure of all personal accounts and maintenance of brokerage accounts with designated broker-dealers approved by AllianceBernstein. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics also requires preclearance of all securities transactions (except transactions in U.S. Treasuries and open-end mutual funds) and imposes a 60-day holding period for securities purchased by employees to discourage short-term trading.
Managing Multiple Accounts for Multiple Clients
AllianceBernstein has compliance policies and oversight monitoring in place to address conflicts of interest relating to the management of multiple accounts for multiple clients. Conflicts of interest may arise when an investment professional has responsibilities for the investments of more than one account because the investment professional may be unable to devote equal time and attention to each account. The investment professional or investment professional teams for each client may have responsibilities for managing all or a portion of the investments of multiple accounts with a common investment strategy, including other registered investment companies, unregistered investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, pension plans, separate accounts, collective trusts and charitable foundations. Among other things, AllianceBernstein’s policies and procedures provide for the prompt dissemination to investment professionals of initial or changed investment recommendations by analysts so that investment professionals are better able to develop investment strategies for all accounts they manage. In addition, investment decisions by investment professionals are reviewed for the purpose of maintaining uniformity among similar accounts and ensuring that accounts are treated equitably. Investment professional compensation reflects a broad contribution in multiple dimensions to long-term investment success for our clients and is generally not tied specifically to the performance of any particular client’s account, nor is it generally tied directly to the level or change in level of assets under management.
Allocating Investment Opportunities
The investment professionals at AllianceBernstein routinely are required to select and allocate investment opportunities among accounts. AllianceBernstein has policies and procedures intended to address conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that information relevant to investment decisions is disseminated promptly within its portfolio management teams and investment opportunities are allocated equitably among different clients. AllianceBernstein’s policies and procedures require, among other things, objective allocation for limited investment opportunities (e.g., on a rotational basis) and documentation and review of justifications for any decisions to make investments only for select accounts or in a manner disproportionate to the size of the account. Portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar accounts which minimizes the potential for conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities. Nevertheless, access to portfolio funds or other investment opportunities may be allocated differently among accounts due to the particular characteristics of an account, such as size of the account, cash position, tax status, risk tolerance and investment restrictions or for other reasons.
AllianceBernstein’s procedures are also designed to address potential conflicts of interest that may arise when AllianceBernstein has a particular financial incentive, such as a performance-based management fee, relating to an account. An investment professional may perceive that he or she has an incentive to devote more time to developing and analyzing investment strategies and opportunities or allocating securities preferentially to accounts for which AllianceBernstein could share in investment gains.
Compensation
AllianceBernstein’s compensation program for portfolio managers, analysts and traders is designed attract and retain the highest-caliber employees. We incorporate multiple sources of industry benchmarking data to ensure our compensation is highly competitive and fully reflects the individual’s contributions in achieving client objectives.
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Incentive Compensation Significant Component: Portfolio managers, analysts and traders receive base compensation, incentive compensation and retirement contributions. While both overall compensation levels and the splits between base and incentive compensation vary from year to year, incentive compensation is a significant part of overall compensation. For example, for our portfolio managers, the bonus component for portfolio managers averages approximately 60-80% of their total compensation each year. Part of each professional’s annual incentive compensation across all asset classes is normally paid through an award under the firm’s Incentive Compensation Award Plan (ICAP). The ICAP awards vest over a four-year period. We believe this helps our investment professionals focus appropriately on long-term client objectives and results.
Determined by Both Quantitative and Qualitative Factors: Total compensation for our investment professionals is determined by quantitative and qualitative factors. For portfolio managers, the most significant quantitative component focuses on measures of absolute and relative investment performance in client portfolios. Relative returns are evaluated using both the Strategy’s primary benchmark and peers over one-, three- and five-year periods, with more weight given to longer time periods. We also assess the risk pattern of performance, both absolute and relative to peers. The qualitative component for portfolio managers incorporates the manager’s broader contributions to overall investment processes and our clients’ success. Among the important aspects are: thought leadership, collaboration with other investment professionals at the firm, contributions to risk-adjusted returns in other portfolios, building a strong talent pool, mentoring newer investment professionals, being a good corporate citizen, and achievement of personal goals. Personal goals include objectives related to ESG and Diversity and Inclusion. Other factors that can play a part in determining portfolio managers’ compensation include complexity of investment strategies managed.
Research Analysts: Research professionals have compensation and career opportunities that reflect a stature equivalent to their portfolio manager peers. Compensation for our research analysts is also heavily incentive-based and aligned with results generated for client portfolios. Criteria used include how well the analyst’s research recommendations performed, the breadth and depth of his or her research knowledge, the level of attentiveness to forecasts and market movements, and the analyst’s willingness to collaborate and contribute to the overall intellectual capital of the firm.
Traders: Traders are critically important to generating results in client accounts. As such, compensation for our traders is highly competitive and heavily incentive-based. Our portfolio managers and Heads of Trading evaluate traders on their ability to achieve best execution and add value to client portfolios through trading. We also incentivize our fixed income traders to continually innovate for clients, encouraging them to continue developing and refining new trading technologies to enable AllianceBernstein to effectively address liquidity conditions in the fixed income markets for our clients.
Assessments of all investment professionals are formalized in a year-end review process that includes 360-degree feedback from other professionals from across the investment teams and firm.
As of December 31, 2023, Mr. Fogarty and Mr. Thapar did not own any shares of the Large Company Growth Portfolio.
Diamond Hill
Aaron Monroe manages Diamond Hill’s portion of the Small Company Value Portfolio. The table below includes details regarding the number of registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, as well as total assets under management for each type of account, and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of December 31, 2023.
Type of Account Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (millions) # of Accounts Managed with Performance-Based Advisory Fee Total Assets with Performance-Based Advisory Fee (millions)
Aaron Monroe, CFA
Registered Investment Companies 1 $230 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 2 $25 1 $20
Other Accounts 1 $10 0 $0
Conflicts of Interest
Aaron Monroe (a “Portfolio Manager”) is also responsible for managing other account portfolios in addition to the portion of the Small Company Value Portfolio (the “Portfolio”) which he manages. Management of other accounts, in addition to the Portfolio, can present certain conflicts of interest, including those associated with different fee structures, various trading practices, and the amount of time a Portfolio Manager may spend on other accounts versus the respective funds he manages. Diamond Hill has implemented specific policies and procedures to address any potential conflicts. Below are material conflicts of interest that have been identified and mitigated when managing other account portfolios as well as the Portfolio.
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Performance Based Fees
Diamond Hill manages certain accounts for which part of its fee is based on the performance of the account (“Performance Fee Accounts”). As a result of the performance-based fee component, Diamond Hill may receive additional revenue related to the Performance Fee Accounts. None of the Portfolio Managers receive any direct incentive compensation related to their management of the Performance Fee Accounts; however, revenues from Performance Fee Accounts management will impact the resources available to compensate Portfolio Managers and all staff.
Trade Allocation
Diamond Hill manages numerous accounts in addition to the portion of the Portfolio it manages. When the Portfolio and another of Diamond Hill’s clients seek to purchase or sell the same security at or about the same time, Diamond Hill may execute the transactions with the same broker on a combined or “blocked” basis. Blocked transactions can produce better execution for a fund because of increased volume of the transaction. However, when another of Diamond Hill’s clients specifies that trades be executed with a specific broker (“Directed Brokerage Accounts”), a potential conflict of interest exists related to the order in which those trades are executed and allocated. As a result, Diamond Hill has adopted a trade allocation policy in which all trade orders occurring simultaneously among the Portfolio and one or more other accounts where Diamond Hill has the discretion to choose the execution broker are blocked and executed first. After the blocked trades have been completed, the remaining trades for the Directed Brokerage Accounts are then executed in random order, through Diamond Hill’s portfolio management software. When a trade is partially filled, the number of filled shares is allocated on a pro-rata basis to the appropriate client accounts. Trades are not segmented by investment product.
Personal Security Trading by the Portfolio Managers
Diamond Hill has adopted a Code of Ethics designed to: (1) demonstrate Diamond Hill’s duty at all times to place the interest of clients first; (2) align the interests of the Portfolio Managers with clients, and (3) mitigate inherent conflicts of interest associated with personal securities transactions. The Code of Ethics prohibits all employees of Diamond Hill, including the Portfolio Managers, from purchasing any individual equity or fixed income securities that are eligible to be purchased in a client account. The Code of Ethics also prohibits the purchase of third party mutual funds in the primary Morningstar categories with which Diamond Hill competes. As a result, each of the Portfolio Managers are significant owners in the Diamond Hill strategies, thus aligning their interest with clients.
Best Execution and Research Services
Diamond Hill has controls in place for monitoring trade execution in client accounts, including reviewing trades for best execution. Certain broker-dealers that Diamond Hill uses to execute client trades are also clients of Diamond Hill and/or refer clients to Diamond Hill creating a conflict of interest. To mitigate this conflict, Diamond Hill adopted a policy that prohibits considering any factor other than best execution when a client trade is placed with a broker-dealer.
Receipt of research from brokers who execute client trades involves conflicts of interest. Since Diamond Hill uses client brokerage commissions to obtain research, it receives a benefit because it does not have to produce or pay for the research, products, or services itself. Consequently, Diamond Hill has an incentive to select or recommend a broker based on its desire to receive research, products, or services rather than a desire to obtain the most favorable execution. Diamond Hill attempts to mitigate these potential conflicts through oversight of the use of commissions by its Best Execution Committee.
Compensation
Aaron Monroe is paid by Diamond Hill a competitive base salary based on experience, external market comparisons to similar positions, and other business factors. To align their interests with those of shareholders, all portfolio managers also participate in an annual cash and equity incentive compensation program that is based on:
The long-term pre-tax investment performance of the Fund(s) that they manage,
The Adviser’s assessment of the investment contribution they make to Funds they do not manage,
The Adviser’s assessment of each portfolio manager’s overall contribution to the development of the investment team through ongoing discussion, interaction, feedback and collaboration, and
The Adviser’s assessment of each portfolio manager’s contribution to client service, marketing to prospective clients and investment communication activities.
Long-term performance is defined as the trailing five years (performance of less than five years is judged on a subjective basis). Incentive compensation is paid annually from an incentive pool that is determined based on several factors including investment results in client portfolios, revenues, employee performance, and industry operating margins. Portfolio Manager compensation is not directly tied to product asset growth or revenue, however, both of these factors influence the size of the incentive pool and therefore indirectly contribute to portfolio manager compensation. Incentive compensation is subject to review and oversight by the compensation committee of the Adviser’s parent firm, Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. The compensation committee is comprised of independent outside members of the board of directors. The portfolio managers are also eligible to participate in the Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. 401(k) plan and related company match. The Adviser also offers a Deferred Compensation Plan,
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whereby each portfolio manager may voluntarily elect to defer a portion of their incentive compensation. Any deferral of incentive compensation must be invested in Diamond Hill Funds for the entire duration of the deferral.
As of December 31, 2023, Mr. Monroe did not own any shares of the Small Company Value Portfolio.
DoubleLine
Jeffrey E. Gundlach, Chief Executive Officer, and Jeffrey Sherman are the portfolio managers for the Income Fund. The table below includes details regarding the number of registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts managed by Messrs. Gundach and Sherman, total assets under management for each type of account, and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of December 31, 2023.
Type of Accounts Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (billions) # of Accounts Managed With Performance Based Advisory Fee Total Assets With Performance-Based Advisory Fee (billions)
Jeffrey E. Gundlach
Registered Investment Companies
31 $67.3 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
21 $6.8 2 $908 million
Other Accounts
72 $45.6 3 $1.3
Jeffrey Sherman
Registered Investment Companies
23 $34.0 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
13 $3.0 0 $0
Other Accounts
19 $3.9 0 $0
Conflicts of Interest
From time to time, potential and actual conflicts of interest may arise between the portfolio manager’s management of the investments of the Income Fund, on the one hand, and the management of other accounts, on the other. Potential and actual conflicts of interest also may result because of DoubleLine’s other business activities. Other accounts managed by the portfolio manager might have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Income Fund, be managed (benchmarked) against the same index the Income Fund tracks, or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by the Income Fund. The other accounts might also have different investment objectives or strategies than the Income Fund.
Knowledge and Timing of Fund Trades. A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager’s management of the Income Fund. Because of his position as portfolio manager, the portfolio manager knows the size, timing and possible market impact of the Income Fund’s trades. It is theoretically possible that the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts under management, and also theoretically possible that actions could be taken (or not taken) to the detriment of the Income Fund.
Investment Opportunities. A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager’s management of a number of accounts with varying investment guidelines. Often, an investment opportunity may be suitable for both the Income Fund and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, but securities may not be available in sufficient quantities for both the Income Fund and the other accounts to participate fully. Similarly, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held by the Income Fund and another account. DoubleLine has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities on a fair and equitable basis over time.
Under DoubleLine’s allocation procedures, investment opportunities are allocated among various investment strategies based on individual account investment guidelines, DoubleLine’s investment outlook, cash availability and a series of other factors. DoubleLine has also adopted additional internal practices to complement the general trade allocation policy that are designed to address potential conflicts of interest due to the side-by-side management of the Income Fund and certain pooled investment vehicles, including investment opportunity allocation issues.
Conflicts potentially limiting the Income Fund’s investment opportunities may also arise when the Income Fund and other clients of DoubleLine invest in, or even conduct research relating to, different parts of an issuer’s capital structure, such as when the Income Fund owns senior debt obligations of an issuer and other clients own junior tranches of the same issuer. In such circumstances, decisions over whether to trigger an event of default, over the terms of any workout, or how to exit an investment may result in conflicts of interest. In order to minimize such conflicts, the portfolio manager may avoid certain investment opportunities that would potentially give rise to conflicts with other clients of DoubleLine or result in DoubleLine receiving material, non-public information, or DoubleLine may enact internal procedures designed to minimize such conflicts, which could have the effect of limiting the Income Fund’s investment opportunities. Additionally, if DoubleLine acquires material non-public confidential information in connection with its business activities for other clients, the portfolio manager or other investment personnel may be restricted from purchasing
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securities or selling certain securities for the Fund or other clients. When making investment decisions where a conflict of interest may arise, DoubleLine will endeavor to act in a fair and equitable manner between the Income Fund and other clients; however, in certain instances the resolution of the conflict may result in DoubleLine acting on behalf of another client in a manner that may not be in the best interest, or may be opposed to the best interest, of the Income Fund.
Investors in the Income Fund may also be advisory clients of DoubleLine or the Fund may invest in a product managed or sponsored or otherwise affiliated with DoubleLine. Accordingly, DoubleLine may in the course of its business provide advice to advisory clients whose interests may conflict with those of the Income Fund, may render advice to the Income Fund that provides a direct or indirect benefit to DoubleLine an affiliate of DoubleLine or may manage or advise a product in which the Fund is invested in such a way that would not be beneficial to the Income Fund. For example, DoubleLine may advise a client who has invested in the Income Fund to redeem its investment in the Fund, which may cause the Fund to incur transaction costs and/or have to sell assets at a time when it would not otherwise do so.
DoubleLine could also, for example, make decisions with respect to a structured product managed or sponsored by DoubleLine in a manner that could have adverse effects on investors in the product, including, potentially, the Income Fund. DoubleLine currently provides asset allocation investment advice, including recommending the purchase and/or sale of shares of the Income Fund, to another investment advisor which itself makes that advice available to a number of unaffiliated registered representatives, who then may provide identical or similar recommendations to their clients.
Affiliates of DoubleLine may invest in the Income Fund. DoubleLine could face a conflict if an account it advises is invested in the Income Fund and that account’s interests diverge from those of the Income Fund. The timing of a redemption by an affiliate could benefit the affiliate. For example, the affiliate may choose to redeem its shares at a time when the Income Fund’s portfolio is more liquid than at times when other investors may wish to redeem all or part of their interests. In addition, a consequence of any redemption of a significant amount, including by an affiliate, is that investors remaining in the Income Fund will bear a proportionately higher share of Fund expenses following the redemption.
Broad and Wide-Ranging Activities. The portfolio manager, DoubleLine and its affiliates engage in a broad spectrum of activities. In the ordinary course of their business activities, the portfolio manager, DoubleLine and its affiliates may engage in activities where the interests of certain divisions of DoubleLine and its affiliates or the interests of their clients may conflict with the interests of the shareholders of the Income Fund.
Possible Future Activities. DoubleLine and its affiliates may expand the range of services that it provides over time. Except as provided herein, DoubleLine and its affiliates will not be restricted in the scope of its business or in the performance of any such services (whether now offered or undertaken in the future) even if such activities could give rise to conflicts of interest, and whether or not such conflicts are described herein. DoubleLine and its affiliates have, and will continue to develop, relationships with a significant number of companies, financial sponsors and their senior managers, including relationships with clients who may hold or may have held investments similar to those intended to be made by the Income Fund. These clients may themselves represent appropriate investment opportunities for the Income Fund or may compete with the Income Fund for investment opportunities.
Performance Fees and Personal Investments. The portfolio manager may advise certain accounts with respect to which the advisory fee is based entirely or partially on performance or in respect of which the portfolio manager may have made a significant personal investment. Such circumstances may create a conflict of interest for the portfolio manager in that the portfolio manager may have an incentive to allocate the investment opportunities that he believes might be the most profitable to such other accounts instead of allocating them to the Income Fund. DoubleLine has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities between the Income Fund and performance fee based accounts on a fair and equitable basis over time.
Compensation
The overall objective of the compensation program for the portfolio managers employed by DoubleLine is for DoubleLine to attract competent and expert investment professionals and to retain them over the long-term. Compensation is comprised of several components which, in the aggregate, are designed to achieve these objectives and to reward DoubleLine’s portfolio managers for their contribution to the success of the clients and DoubleLine. The DoubleLine portfolio managers are compensated through a combination of base salary, discretionary bonus and, in some cases, equity participation in DoubleLine.
Salary. Salary is agreed to with managers at time of employment and is reviewed from time to time. It does not change significantly and often does not constitute a significant part of a portfolio managers’ compensation.
Discretionary Bonus/Guaranteed Minimums. Portfolio managers receive discretionary bonuses. However, in some cases, pursuant to contractual arrangements, some portfolio managers may be entitled to a mandatory minimum bonus if the sum of their salary and profit sharing does not reach certain levels.
Equity Incentives. Some portfolio managers participate in equity incentives based on overall firm performance of DoubleLine, through direct ownership interests in DoubleLine. These ownership interests or participation interests provide eligible portfolio managers the opportunity to participate in the financial performance of DoubleLine. Participation is generally determined in the discretion of DoubleLine, taking into account factors relevant to the portfolio manager’s contribution to the success of DoubleLine.
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Other Plans and Compensation Vehicles. Portfolio managers may elect to participate in DoubleLine’s 401(k) plan, to which they may contribute a portion of their pre- and post-tax compensation to the plan for investment on a tax-deferred basis. DoubleLine may also choose, from time to time, to offer certain other compensation plans and vehicles, such as a deferred compensation plan, to portfolio managers.
Summary. As described above, an investment professional’s total compensation is determined through a subjective process that evaluates numerous quantitative and qualitative factors, including the contribution made to the overall investment process. Not all factors apply to each employee and there is no particular weighting or formula for considering certain factors. Among the factors considered are: relative investment performance of portfolios (although there are no specific benchmarks or periods of time used in measuring performance); complexity of investment strategies; participation in the investment team’s dialogue; contribution to business results and overall business strategy; success of marketing/business development efforts and client servicing; seniority/length of service with the firm; management and supervisory responsibilities; and fulfillment of DoubleLine’s leadership criteria.
As of December 31, 2023, Messrs. Gundlach and Sherman did not own any shares of the Income Fund.
Granahan
Jeffrey Harrison manages Granahan’s portion of the Small Company Growth Portfolio. In addition to Granahan’s portion of the Portfolio, the portfolio managers managed the following other accounts as of December 31, 2023, none of which were subject to a performance-based fee.
Type of Account Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (millions)
Jeffrey Harrison
Registered Investment Companies 4 $503.7
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 3 $453
Other Accounts 16 $585.5
Conflicts of Interest
The portfolio management team responsible for managing the Fund has similar responsibilities to other clients of Granahan. The firm has established policies and procedures to address the potential conflicts of interest inherent in managing portfolios for multiple clients. These policies and procedures are designed to prevent and detect favorable treatment of one account over another, and include policies for allocating trades equitably across multiple accounts, monitoring the composition of client portfolios to ensure that each reflects the investment profile of that client, and reviewing the performance of accounts of similar styles. Additionally, each employee of Granahan is bound by its Code of Ethics, which establishes policies and procedures designed to ensure that clients’ interests are placed before those of an individual or the firm.
Compensation
Mr. Harrison is compensated with a base salary plus an annual bonus and profit sharing. Bonuses are based on an objective formula and have the potential to double, or more, a portfolio manager’s salary. The bonus formula accounts for individual contribution, with emphasis on three-year rolling performance against the applicable benchmark(s). Granahan believes that the formula promotes accountability and teamwork and aligns Granahan employees’ interests with those of its clients. Other things that are considered when determining total compensation is a portfolio manager’s overall responsibilities, experience level, and tenure at Granahan. The compensation of Mr. Harrison is not directly based upon the performance of the Small Company Growth Portfolio or other accounts that the portfolio manager manages. Employee shareholders of Granahan are also compensated through their equity in the firm, in the form of dividends.
As of December 31, 2023, Mr. Harrison did not own any shares of the Small Company Growth Portfolio.
Hotchkis & Wiley
George Davis, Jr., Scott McBride, and Judd Peters manage Hotchkis & Wiley’s portion of the Large Company Value Portfolio. Judd Peters and Ryan Thomes manage Hotchkis & Wiley’s portion of the Small Company Value Portfolio.
The table below includes details regarding the number of registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by each of the portfolio managers, as well as total assets under management for each type of account, and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of December 31, 2023.
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Type of Account Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (billions) # of Accounts Managed with Performance-Based Advisory Fee Total Assets with Performance-Based Advisory Fee
George Davis, Jr., Scott McBride, CFA, Judd Peters, CFA, and Ryan Thomes
Registered Investment Companies 24* $21.3 1 $12.4B
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 11 $2.3 1 $46.2M
Other Accounts 52 $6.3 4 $791M
*Excludes Wilshire Large Company Value Portfolio
Type of Account Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (billions) # of Accounts Managed with Performance-Based Advisory Fee Total Assets with Performance-Based Advisory Fee
Judd Peters, CFA
Registered Investment Companies 23* $21.3 1 $12.4B
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 11 $2.3 1 $46.2M
Other Accounts 52 $6.3 4 $791M
*Excludes Wilshire Small Company Value Portfolio & Wilshire Large Company Value Portfolio
Type of Account Total # of Accounts Managed Total Assets (billions) # of Accounts Managed with Performance-Based Advisory Fee Total Assets with Performance-Based Advisory Fee
Ryan Thomes
Registered Investment Companies 24* $21.4 1 $12.4B
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 11 $2.3 1 $46.2M
Other Accounts 52 $6.3 4 $791M
*Excludes Wilshire Large Company Value Portfolio
Conflicts of Interest
Portions of the Large Company Value Portfolio and Small Company Value Portfolio are managed by Hotchkis & Wiley’s investment team (Investment Team). The Investment Team also manages institutional accounts and other mutual funds in several different investment strategies. The portfolios within an investment strategy are managed using a target portfolio; however, each portfolio may have different restrictions, cash flows, tax and other relevant considerations which may preclude a portfolio from participating in certain transactions for that investment strategy. Consequently, the performance of portfolios may vary due to these different considerations. The Investment Team may place transactions for one investment strategy that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of another investment strategy. Hotchkis & Wiley also provides model portfolio investment recommendations to sponsors without execution or additional services. The recommendations are provided either contemporaneously with the communication to its trading desk for discretionary client accounts or after Hotchkis & Wiley completes all corresponding trades for discretionary client accounts based on each contractual arrangement.
Hotchkis & Wiley may be restricted from purchasing more than a limited percentage of the outstanding shares of a company or otherwise restricted from trading in a company’s securities due to other regulatory limitations. If a company is a viable investment for more than one investment strategy, Hotchkis & Wiley has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that all of its clients are treated fairly and equitably. Additionally, potential and actual conflicts of interest may also arise as a result of Hotchkis & Wiley’s other business activities and Hotchkis & Wiley’s possession of material non-public information about an issuer, which may have an adverse impact on one group of clients while benefiting another group. In certain situations, Hotchkis & Wiley will purchase different classes of securities of the same company (e.g. senior debt, subordinated debt, and or equity) in different investment strategies which can give rise to conflicts where Hotchkis & Wiley may advocate for the benefit of one class of security which may be adverse to another security that is held by clients of a different strategy. Hotchkis & Wiley seeks to mitigate the impact of these conflicts on a case by case basis.
Hotchkis & Wiley utilizes soft dollars to obtain brokerage and research services, which may create a conflict of interest in allocating clients’ brokerage business. Research services may benefit certain accounts more than others. Certain accounts may also pay a less proportionate amount of commissions for research services. If a research product provides both a research and a non- research function, Hotchkis & Wiley will make a reasonable allocation of the use and pay for the non-research portion with hard dollars. Hotchkis & Wiley will make decisions involving soft dollars in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
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Different types of accounts and investment strategies may have different fee structures. Additionally, certain accounts pay Hotchkis & Wiley performance-based fees, which may vary depending on how well the account performs compared to a benchmark. Because such fee arrangements have the potential to create an incentive for Hotchkis & Wiley to favor such accounts in making investment decisions and allocations, Hotchkis & Wiley has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that all of its clients are treated fairly and equitably, including in respect of allocation decisions, such as initial public offerings.
Since accounts are managed to a target portfolio by the Investment Team, adequate time and resources are consistently applied to all accounts in the same investment strategy. Investment personnel of the firm or its affiliates may be permitted to be commercially or professionally involved with an issuer of securities. Any potential conflicts of interest from such involvement would be monitored for compliance with the firm’s Code of Conduct.
Compensation
The Investment Team, including portfolio managers, is compensated in various forms, which may include one or more of the following: (i) a base salary, (ii) bonus, (iii) profit sharing and (iv) equity ownership. Compensation is used to reward, attract and retain high quality investment professionals.
The Investment Team is evaluated and accountable at three levels. The first level is individual contribution to the research and decision-making process, including the quality and quantity of work achieved. The second level is teamwork, generally evaluated through contribution within sector teams. The third level pertains to overall portfolio and firm performance.
Fixed salaries and discretionary bonuses for investment professionals are determined by the Chief Executive Officer of Hotchkis & Wiley using tools which may include annual evaluations, compensation surveys, feedback from other employees and advice from members of the firm’s Executive and Compensation Committees. The amount of the bonus is determined by the total amount of the firm’s bonus pool available for the year, which is generally a function of revenues. No investment professional receives a bonus that is a pre-determined percentage of revenues or net income. Compensation is thus subjective rather than formulaic.
Messrs. Peters, McBride, Davis, and Thomes own equity in Hotchkis & Wiley. Hotchkis & Wiley believes that the employee ownership structure of the firm will be a significant factor in ensuring a motivated and stable employee base going forward. Hotchkis & Wiley believes that the combination of competitive compensation levels and equity ownership provides Hotchkis & Wiley with a demonstrable advantage in the retention and motivation of employees. Portfolio managers who own equity in Hotchkis & Wiley receive their pro rata share of Hotchkis & Wiley’s profits. Investment professionals may also receive contributions under Hotchkis & Wiley’s profit sharing/401(k) plan.
Hotchkis & Wiley maintains a bank of unallocated equity to be used for those individuals whose contributions to the firm grow over time. If any owner should retire or leave the firm, Hotchkis & Wiley has the right to repurchase their ownership thereby increasing the equity bank. This should provide for smooth succession through the gradual rotation of the firm’s ownership from one generation to the next.
Hotchkis & Wiley believes that its compensation structure/levels are more attractive than the industry norm, which is illustrated by the firm’s lower-than-industry-norm investment personnel turnover.
As of December 31, 2023, Mr. Peters and Mr. Thomes did not own any shares of the Small Company Value Portfolio and Mr. Davis, Mr. McBride, and Mr. Peters did not own any shares of the Large Company Value Portfolio.
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Lazard
Paul Moghtader, Taras Ivanenko, Alex Lai, Kurt Livermore, Ciprian Marin, Craig Scholl, Peter Kashanek, and Susanne Willumsen manage Lazard’s portion of the International Fund. The table below includes details regarding the number of registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by each of the portfolio managers, as well as total assets under management for each type of account, and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of December 31, 2023.