Lord Abbett Research Fund

 

PROSPECTUS

 

APRIL 1, 2022

                       
                       
     

CLASS

TICKER

 

CLASS

TICKER

 

CLASS

TICKER

 
 

LORD ABBETT

 

A 

LAMAX

 

I 

LAMYX

 

R4 

LAMSX

 
 

DIVIDEND

 

C 

LAMCX

 

P 

LAMPX

 

R5 

LAMTX

 
 

GROWTH FUND

 

F 

LAMFX

 

R2 

LAMQX

 

R6 

LAMHX

 
     

F3 

LRMAX

 

R3 

LAMRX

       
                       
                       
 

LORD ABBETT

 

A 

LMGAX

 

I 

LMGYX

 

R4 

LGOSX

 
 

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

 

C 

LMGCX

 

P 

LGOPX

 

R5 

LGOTX

 
 

FUND

 

F 

LGOFX

 

R2 

LGOQX

 

R6 

LGOVX

 
     

F3 

LOMGX

 

R3 

LGORX

       
                       
 

LORD ABBETT

 

A 

LRSCX

 

I 

LRSYX

 

R4 

LRSSX

 
 

SMALL CAP VALUE FUND

 

C 

LSRCX

 

P 

LRSPX

 

R5 

LRSTX

 
     

F 

LRSFX

 

R2 

LRSQX

 

R6 

LRSVX

 
     

F3 

LRSOX

 

R3 

LRSRX

       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
 

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or determined whether this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 
                       
 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED–NO BANK GUARANTEE–MAY LOSE VALUE

 
         

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

FUND SUMMARY

   

Dividend Growth Fund

2

Growth Opportunities Fund

11

Small Cap Value Fund

20

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

28

Tax Information

28

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

28

 

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS

   

Investment Objectives

30

Principal Investment Strategies

30

Principal Risks

35

Additional Operational Risks

43

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

47

Management and Organization of the Funds

47

 

INFORMATION FOR MANAGING YOUR FUND ACCOUNT

   

Choosing a Share Class

50

Sales Charges

58

Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers

59

Financial Intermediary Compensation

64

Purchases

69

Exchanges

71

Redemptions

72

Account Services and Policies

74

Distributions and Taxes

82

 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

   

Dividend Growth Fund

85

Growth Opportunities Fund

89

Small Cap Value Fund

94

 

APPENDIX A

     

Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge
Reductions and Waivers

A-

1


 

FUND SUMMARY

Dividend Growth Fund

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek current income and capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and certain members of your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Lord Abbett Family of Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 59 of the prospectus, Appendix A to the prospectus, titled “Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers,” and “Purchases, Redemptions, Pricing, and Payments to Dealers” on page 9-1 of Part II of the statement of additional information (“SAI”).

           

Shareholder Fees(1) 

(Fees paid directly from your investment)

 

Class

 

A

C

F, F3, I, P, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6

 

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price)

5.75%

None

None

 

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of offering price or redemption
proceeds, whichever is lower)

None(2)

1.00%(3)

None

 

               

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Class

A

 C

F

F3

 I

 P

 

Management Fees

0.53%

0.53%

0.53%

0.53%

0.53%

0.53%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

0.25%

1.00%

0.10%

None

None

0.45%

 

Other Expenses

0.13%

0.13%

0.13%

0.06%

0.13%

0.13%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.91%

1.66%

0.76%

0.59%

0.66%

1.11%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

None

None

(0.10)%(4)

None

None

None

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

0.91%

1.66%

0.66%

0.59%

0.66%

1.11%

 

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

2


             

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (continued)

 

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Class

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

 

Management Fees

0.53%

0.53%

0.53%

0.53%

0.53%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

0.60%

0.50%

0.25%

None

None

 

Other Expenses

0.13%

0.13%

0.13%

0.13%

0.06%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

1.26%

1.16%

0.91%

0.66%

0.59%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

None

None

None

None

None

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

1.26%

1.16%

0.91%

0.66%

0.59%

 

   

(1)

A shareholder transacting in share classes without a front-end sales charge may be required to pay a commission to its financial intermediary. Please contact your financial intermediary for more information about whether such a commission may apply to your transaction.

(2)

A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% may be assessed on certain Class A shares purchased or acquired without a sales charge if they are redeemed before the first day of the month in which the one-year anniversary of the purchase falls.

(3)

A CDSC of 1.00% may be assessed on Class C shares if they are redeemed before the first anniversary of their purchase.

(4)

For the period from April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023, Lord Abbett Distributor LLC (“Lord Abbett Distributor”) has contractually agreed to waive the Fund's 0.10% Rule 12b-1 fee for Class F shares. This agreement may be terminated only by the Fund's Board of Directors.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the fee waiver and expense reimbursement arrangement described above. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after eight years. The expense example for Class C shares for the ten-year period reflects the conversion to Class A shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

3


                                   

Class

If Shares Are Redeemed

If Shares Are Not Redeemed

 

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

 

Class A Shares

$

663

$

848

$

1,050

$

1,630

$

663

$

848

$

1,050

$

1,630

 

Class C Shares

$

269

$

523

$

902

$

1,766

$

169

$

523

$

902

$

1,766

 

Class F Shares

$

67

$

233

$

413

$

933

$

67

$

233

$

413

$

933

 

Class F3 Shares

$

60

$

189

$

329

$

738

$

60

$

189

$

329

$

738

 

Class I Shares

$

67

$

211

$

368

$

822

$

67

$

211

$

368

$

822

 

Class P Shares

$

113

$

353

$

612

$

1,352

$

113

$

353

$

612

$

1,352

 

Class R2 Shares

$

128

$

400

$

692

$

1,523

$

128

$

400

$

692

$

1,523

 

Class R3 Shares

$

118

$

368

$

638

$

1,409

$

118

$

368

$

638

$

1,409

 

Class R4 Shares

$

93

$

290

$

504

$

1,120

$

93

$

290

$

504

$

1,120

 

Class R5 Shares

$

67

$

211

$

368

$

822

$

67

$

211

$

368

$

822

 

Class R6 Shares

$

60

$

189

$

329

$

738

$

60

$

189

$

329

$

738

 

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

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests in equity securities of large and mid-sized companies that the Fund’s portfolio management team believes have potential for long-term total return and consistent increases in their dividends over time resulting from their earnings growth. In particular, the Fund focuses on large and mid-sized companies that have a ten-year history of dividend issuance and growth, which represents a narrow investable universe. The Fund may invest in companies of any size, but expects to invest in companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase of at least $500 million.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts and privately offered trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and vehicles with similar legal structures, other instruments convertible or exercisable into the foregoing, and other investments with similar economic characteristics.

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies, including emerging market companies, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), and other similar depositary receipts. In addition to ADRs, the Fund generally defines foreign companies as those whose securities are traded primarily on non-U.S. securities exchanges.

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

4


The investment team may also consider the risks and return potential presented by environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors in investment decisions. The Fund may sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, or shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, among other reasons. The Fund may deviate from the investment strategy described above for temporary defensive purposes. The Fund may miss certain investment opportunities if defensive strategies are used and thus may not achieve its investment objective.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:

· Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and investments selected by the Fund’s portfolio management team fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a favorable market.

· Investment Strategy Risk: If the Fund’s fundamental research and quantitative analysis fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform its benchmark index or other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a favorable market. In addition, the Fund’s strategy of focusing on dividend-paying companies means the Fund will be more exposed to risks associated with that particular market segment than a fund that invests more widely.

· Market Risk: The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt securities.

· Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities, as well as equity-like securities such as convertible debt securities, may experience significant volatility. Such securities may fall sharply in response to adverse events affecting overall markets, a particular industry or sector, or an individual company’s financial condition.

· Dividend Risk: Securities of dividend-paying companies that meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available, limiting the Fund’s ability to produce current income and increasing the volatility of the Fund’s returns. At times, the performance of dividend-paying companies may lag the performance of other companies or the broader market as a whole. In addition, the dividend

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

5


payments of the Fund’s portfolio companies may vary over time, and there is no guarantee that a company will pay a dividend at all.

· Industry and Sector Risk: Although the Fund does not employ an industry or sector focus, its exposure to specific industries or sectors will increase from time to time based on the portfolio management team’s perception of investment opportunities. If the Fund overweights a single industry or sector relative to its benchmark index, the Fund will face an increased risk that the value of its portfolio will decrease because of events disproportionately affecting that industry or sector. Furthermore, investments in particular industries or sectors may be more volatile than the broader market as a whole.

· Large Company Risk: Larger, more established companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments. In addition, larger companies may have slower rates of growth as compared to successful, but less well-established, smaller companies, especially during market cycles corresponding to periods of economic expansion.

· Mid-Sized Company Risk: Investments in mid-sized companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. As compared to larger companies, mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital needed for growth, and limited products or services, or operate in less established markets. Accordingly, securities of mid-sized companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic, market, and industry conditions and tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies, especially over the short term. The securities of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the ability to sell these securities in the future.

· Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth. Value investing also is subject to the risk that a company judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or even overpriced.

· Growth Investing Risk: Growth stocks typically trade at higher multiples of current earnings than other stocks. Growth stocks often are more sensitive to market fluctuations than other securities because their market prices are highly sensitive to future earnings expectations. At times when it appears that these expectations may not be met, prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks may be more volatile than securities of slower-growing issuers.

· Foreign and Emerging Market Company Risk: Investments in foreign companies and in U.S. companies with economic ties to foreign markets generally involve special risks that can increase the likelihood that the Fund will lose money. For example, as compared with companies organized and operated in the U.S., these companies may be more vulnerable to economic, political, and

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

6


social instability and subject to less government supervision, lack of transparency, inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, and foreign taxes. In addition, the securities of foreign companies also may be subject to inadequate exchange control regulations, the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions, higher transaction and other costs, reduced liquidity, and delays in settlement to the extent they are traded on non-U.S. exchanges or markets. Foreign company securities also include ADRs. ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Foreign securities also may subject the Fund’s investments to changes in currency exchange rates. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative and generally are riskier than investments in more developed markets because such markets tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations. Securities of emerging market companies may have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than securities of issuers in developed markets. Companies with economic ties to emerging markets may be susceptible to the same risks as companies organized in emerging markets.

· Foreign Currency Risk: Investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedged positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Foreign currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.

· Liquidity/Redemption Risk: The Fund may lose money when selling securities at inopportune times to fulfill shareholder redemption requests. The risk of loss may increase depending on the size and frequency of redemption requests, whether the redemption requests occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining prices, and whether the securities the Fund intends to sell have decreased in value or are illiquid. The Fund may be less able to sell illiquid securities at its desired time or price. It may be more difficult for the Fund to value its investments in illiquid securities than more liquid securities.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Funds – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

PERFORMANCE

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

7


The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charge applicable to Class A shares. If the sales charge were reflected, returns would be lower. Performance for the Fund’s other share classes will vary due to the different expenses each class bears. Updated performance information is available at www.lordabbett.com or by calling 888-522-2388.

Effective September 27, 2012, the Fund implemented its present dividend oriented-equity strategy. Performance for earlier periods reflects the Fund’s prior strategy of investing in a mix of equity and fixed income securities.

 

Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class A Shares

PerformanceBarChartData(12:13.05,13:27.96,14:11.56,15:-2.38,16:15.13,17:19.09,18:-4.73,19:26.58,20:15.5,21:25.67)

Best Quarter 2nd Q 2020+19.16%    Worst Quarter1st Q 2020-19.86%

The table below shows how the Fund’s average annual total returns compare to the returns of a securities market index with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Fund’s average annual total returns include applicable sales charges.

The after-tax returns of Class A shares included in the table below are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. In some cases, the return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed the return before taxes due to a tax benefit resulting from realized losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the period that is used to offset other gains. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”). After-tax returns for other share classes are not shown in the table and will vary from those shown for Class A shares.

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

8


               

Average Annual Total Returns

 

(for the periods ended December 31, 2021)

 

Class

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of Class

Inception
Date for
Performance

 

Class A Shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before Taxes

18.44%

14.46%

13.55%

-

 

 

 

After Taxes on Distributions

16.27%

12.53%

11.48%

-

 

 

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

12.35%

11.06%

10.52%

-

 

 

Class C Shares(1)

23.74%

14.96%

13.38%

-

 

 

Class F Shares

26.00%

16.10%

14.45%

-

 

 

Class F3 Shares

26.07%

-

-

16.11%

4/4/2017

 

Class I Shares

25.95%

16.11%

14.51%

-

 

 

Class P Shares

25.46%

15.59%

14.00%

-

 

 

Class R2 Shares

25.21%

15.41%

13.83%

-

 

 

Class R3 Shares

25.31%

15.54%

13.95%

-

 

 

Class R4 Shares

25.80%

15.84%

-

14.42%

6/30/2015

 

Class R5 Shares

26.09%

16.14%

-

14.71%

6/30/2015

 

Class R6 Shares

26.07%

16.20%

-

14.79%

6/30/2015

 

Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

S&P 500® Index

28.71%

18.47%

16.55%

15.94%

6/30/2015

 

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

18.12%

4/4/2017

 

   

(1)

Class C shares convert to Class A shares eight years after purchase. Class C share performance does not reflect the impact of such conversion to Class A shares.

MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser. The Fund’s investment adviser is Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”).

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

9


Portfolio Managers.

   

Portfolio Managers/Title

Member of
the Portfolio
Management
Team Since

Darnell C. Azeez, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager

2019

Marc O. Pavese, Partner and Director of Quantitative Research

2012

Jeffrey Rabinowitz, Portfolio Manager

2020

Servesh Tiwari, Portfolio Manager

2019

Subrata Ghose, Portfolio Manager

2021

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING FUND SHARES

For important information about purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares,” “Tax Information” and “Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” sections of the prospectus.

PROSPECTUS – Dividend Growth Fund

10


 

FUND SUMMARY

Growth Opportunities Fund

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and certain members of your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Lord Abbett Family of Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 59 of the prospectus, Appendix A to the prospectus, titled “Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers,” and “Purchases, Redemptions, Pricing, and Payments to Dealers” on page 9-1 of Part II of the statement of additional information (“SAI”).

           

Shareholder Fees(1) 

(Fees paid directly from your investment)

 

Class

 

A

C

F, F3, I, P, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6

 

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price)

5.75%

None

None

 

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of offering price or redemption
proceeds, whichever is lower)

None(2)

1.00%(3)

None

 

               

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Class

A

 C

F

F3

 I

 P

 

Management Fees

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

0.25%

1.00%

0.10%

None

None

0.45%

 

Other Expenses

0.17%

0.17%

0.17%

0.09%

0.17%

0.17%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

1.17%

1.92%

1.02%

0.84%

0.92%

1.37%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(4)

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(4)

1.06%

1.81%

0.91%

0.73%

0.81%

1.26%

 

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

11


             

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (continued)

 

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Class

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

 

Management Fees

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

0.60%

0.50%

0.25%

None

None

 

Other Expenses

0.17%

0.17%

0.17%

0.17%

0.09%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

1.52%

1.42%

1.17%

0.92%

0.84%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(4)

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

(0.11)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(4)

1.41%

1.31%

1.06%

0.81%

0.73%

 

   

(1)

A shareholder transacting in share classes without a front-end sales charge may be required to pay a commission to its financial intermediary. Please contact your financial intermediary for more information about whether such a commission may apply to your transaction.

(2)

A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% may be assessed on certain Class A shares purchased or acquired without a sales charge if they are redeemed before the first day of the month in which the one-year anniversary of the purchase falls.

(3)

A CDSC of 1.00% may be assessed on Class C shares if they are redeemed before the first anniversary of their purchase.

(4)

For the period from April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023, Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”) has contractually agreed to waive its fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to limit total net annual operating expenses, excluding any applicable 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest-related expenses, taxes, expenses related to litigation and potential litigation, and extraordinary expenses, to an annual rate of 0.73% for each of Class F3 and R6 shares and to an annual rate of 0.81% for each other class. This agreement may be terminated only by the Fund’s Board of Directors.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the fee waiver and expense reimbursement arrangement described above. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after eight years. The expense example for Class C shares for the ten-year period reflects the conversion to Class A shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

12


                                   

Class

If Shares Are Redeemed

If Shares Are Not Redeemed

 

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

 

Class A Shares

$

677

$

915

$

1,172

$

1,904

$

677

$

915

$

1,172

$

1,904

 

Class C Shares

$

284

$

592

$

1,027

$

2,039

$

184

$

592

$

1,027

$

2,039

 

Class F Shares

$

93

$

314

$

553

$

1,238

$

93

$

314

$

553

$

1,238

 

Class F3 Shares

$

75

$

257

$

455

$

1,027

$

75

$

257

$

455

$

1,027

 

Class I Shares

$

83

$

282

$

499

$

1,121

$

83

$

282

$

499

$

1,121

 

Class P Shares

$

128

$

423

$

739

$

1,637

$

128

$

423

$

739

$

1,637

 

Class R2 Shares

$

144

$

469

$

819

$

1,803

$

144

$

469

$

819

$

1,803

 

Class R3 Shares

$

133

$

439

$

766

$

1,692

$

133

$

439

$

766

$

1,692

 

Class R4 Shares

$

108

$

361

$

633

$

1,411

$

108

$

361

$

633

$

1,411

 

Class R5 Shares

$

83

$

282

$

499

$

1,121

$

83

$

282

$

499

$

1,121

 

Class R6 Shares

$

75

$

257

$

455

$

1,027

$

75

$

257

$

455

$

1,027

 

Portfolio Turnover. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 68% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests in equity securities of mid-sized U.S. companies with growth characteristics. Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of mid-sized companies. A mid-sized company is defined as a company having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Index. The portfolio management team follows a growth style of investing and seeks to identify companies with strong relative growth prospects that it believes are well positioned to benefit from the anticipated economic environment.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and privately offered trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and vehicles with similar legal structures, other instruments convertible or exercisable into the foregoing, and other investments with similar economic characteristics.

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies, including emerging market companies, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), and other similar depositary receipts. In addition to ADRs, the Fund generally defines foreign companies as those whose securities are traded primarily on non-U.S. securities exchanges.

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

13


The investment team may also consider the risks and return potential presented by environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors in investment decisions. The Fund may sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, or shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, among other reasons. The Fund may deviate from the investment strategy described above for temporary defensive purposes. The Fund may miss certain investment opportunities if defensive strategies are used and thus may not achieve its investment objective.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:

· Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and investments selected by the Fund’s portfolio management team fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a favorable market.

· Market Risk: The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt securities.

· Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities, as well as equity-like securities such as convertible debt securities, may experience significant volatility. Such securities may fall sharply in response to adverse events affecting overall markets, a particular industry or sector, or an individual company’s financial condition.

· Industry and Sector Risk: Although the Fund does not employ an industry or sector focus, its exposure to specific industries or sectors will increase from time to time based on the portfolio management team’s perception of investment opportunities. If the Fund overweights a single industry or sector relative to its benchmark index, the Fund will face an increased risk that the value of its portfolio will decrease because of events disproportionately affecting that industry or sector. Furthermore, investments in particular industries or sectors may be more volatile than the broader market as a whole.

· Mid-Sized Company Risk: Investments in mid-sized companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. As compared to larger companies, mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

14


needed for growth, and limited products or services, or operate in less established markets. Accordingly, securities of mid-sized companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic, market, and industry conditions and tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies, especially over the short term. The securities of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the ability to sell these securities in the future.

· Growth Investing Risk: Growth stocks typically trade at higher multiples of current earnings than other stocks. Growth stocks often are more sensitive to market fluctuations than other securities because their market prices are highly sensitive to future earnings expectations. At times when it appears that these expectations may not be met, prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks may be more volatile than securities of slower-growing issuers.

· Foreign and Emerging Market Company Risk: Investments in foreign companies and in U.S. companies with economic ties to foreign markets generally involve special risks that can increase the likelihood that the Fund will lose money. For example, as compared with companies organized and operated in the U.S., these companies may be more vulnerable to economic, political, and social instability and subject to less government supervision, lack of transparency, inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, and foreign taxes. In addition, the securities of foreign companies also may be subject to inadequate exchange control regulations, the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions, higher transaction and other costs, reduced liquidity, and delays in settlement to the extent they are traded on non-U.S. exchanges or markets. Foreign company securities also include ADRs. ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Foreign securities also may subject the Fund’s investments to changes in currency exchange rates. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative and generally are riskier than investments in more developed markets because such markets tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations. Securities of emerging market companies may have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than securities of issuers in developed markets. Companies with economic ties to emerging markets may be susceptible to the same risks as companies organized in emerging markets.

· Foreign Currency Risk: Investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedged positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Foreign currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

15


· Real Estate Risk: An investment in a REIT generally is subject to the risks that impact the value of the underlying properties or mortgages of the REIT. These risks include loss to casualty or condemnation, and changes in supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, and operating expenses. Other factors that may adversely affect REITs include poor performance by management of the REIT, changes to the tax laws, or failure by the REIT to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and changes in local, regional, or general economic conditions.

· Liquidity/Redemption Risk: The Fund may lose money when selling securities at inopportune times to fulfill shareholder redemption requests. The risk of loss may increase depending on the size and frequency of redemption requests, whether the redemption requests occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining prices, and whether the securities the Fund intends to sell have decreased in value or are illiquid. The Fund may be less able to sell illiquid securities at its desired time or price. It may be more difficult for the Fund to value its investments in illiquid securities than more liquid securities.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Funds – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

PERFORMANCE

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charge applicable to Class A shares. If the sales charge were reflected, returns would be lower. Performance for the Fund’s other share classes will vary due to the different expenses each class bears. Updated performance information is available at www.lordabbett.com or by calling 888-522-2388.

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

16


 

Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class A Shares

PerformanceBarChartData(12:13.81,13:37.08,14:6.32,15:2.68,16:1.04,17:22.84,18:-3.36,19:36.75,20:40.06,21:6.61)

Best Quarter 2nd Q 2020+31.78%    Worst Quarter1st Q 2020-19.38%

The table below shows how the Fund’s average annual total returns compare to the returns of securities market indices with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Fund’s average annual total returns include applicable sales charges.

The after-tax returns of Class A shares included in the table below are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. In some cases, the return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed the return before taxes due to a tax benefit resulting from realized losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the period that is used to offset other gains. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”). After-tax returns for other share classes are not shown in the table and will vary from those shown for Class A shares.

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

17


               

Average Annual Total Returns

 

(for the periods ended December 31, 2021)

 

Class

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of Class

Inception
Date for
Performance

 

Class A Shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before Taxes

0.47%

17.97%

14.67%

-

 

 

 

After Taxes on Distributions

-3.66%

14.97%

11.80%

-

 

 

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

2.70%

13.89%

11.25%

-

 

 

Class C Shares(1)

5.01%

18.47%

14.52%

-

 

 

Class F Shares

6.74%

19.55%

15.55%

-

 

 

Class F3 Shares

6.94%

-

-

19.42%

4/4/2017

 

Class I Shares

6.85%

19.68%

15.67%

-

 

 

Class P Shares

6.41%

19.14%

15.15%

-

 

 

Class R2 Shares

6.24%

18.96%

14.98%

-

 

 

Class R3 Shares

6.34%

19.08%

15.09%

-

 

 

Class R4 Shares

6.61%

19.37%

-

13.78%

6/30/2015

 

Class R5 Shares

6.84%

19.67%

-

14.07%

6/30/2015

 

Class R6 Shares

6.94%

19.77%

-

14.18%

6/30/2015

 

Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russell Midcap® Growth Index

12.73%

19.83%

16.63%

15.41%

6/30/2015

 

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

19.61%

4/4/2017

 

Russell Midcap® Index

22.58%

15.10%

14.91%

12.81%

6/30/2015

 

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

14.92%

4/4/2017

 

   

(1)

Class C shares convert to Class A shares eight years after purchase. Class C share performance does not reflect the impact of such conversion to Class A shares.

MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser. The Fund’s investment adviser is Lord Abbett.

Portfolio Managers.

   

Portfolio Managers/Title

Member of
the Portfolio
Management
Team Since

Jeffrey Rabinowitz, Portfolio Manager

2017

Heidi A. Lawrence, Portfolio Manager

2021

James B. Sullivan, Portfolio Manager

2021

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

18


OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING FUND SHARES

For important information about purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares,” “Tax Information” and “Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” sections of the prospectus.

PROSPECTUS – Growth Opportunities Fund

19


 

FUND SUMMARY

Small Cap Value Fund

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and certain members of your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Lord Abbett Family of Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers” on page 59 of the prospectus, Appendix A to the prospectus, titled “Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers,” and “Purchases, Redemptions, Pricing, and Payments to Dealers” on page 9-1 of Part II of the statement of additional information (“SAI”).

           

Shareholder Fees(1) 

(Fees paid directly from your investment)

 

Class

 

A

C

F, F3, I, P, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6

 

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price)

5.75%

None

None

 

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of offering price or redemption
proceeds, whichever is lower)

None(2)

1.00%(3)

None

 

               

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Class

A

 C

F

F3

 I

 P

 

Management Fees

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

0.25%

1.00%

0.10%

None

None

0.45%

 

Other Expenses

0.17%

0.17%

0.17%

0.09%

0.17%

0.17%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

1.17%

1.92%

1.02%

0.84%

0.92%

1.37%

 

PROSPECTUS – Small Cap Value Fund

20


             

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (continued)

 

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Class

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

 

Management Fees

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

0.60%

0.50%

0.25%

None

None

 

Other Expenses

0.17%

0.17%

0.17%

0.17%

0.09%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

1.52%

1.42%

1.17%

0.92%

0.84%

 

   

(1)

A shareholder transacting in share classes without a front-end sales charge may be required to pay a commission to its financial intermediary. Please contact your financial intermediary for more information about whether such a commission may apply to your transaction.

(2)

A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% may be assessed on certain Class A shares purchased or acquired without a sales charge if they are redeemed before the first day of the month in which the one-year anniversary of the purchase falls.

(3)

A CDSC of 1.00% may be assessed on Class C shares if they are redeemed before the first anniversary of their purchase.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after eight years. The expense example for Class C shares for the ten-year period reflects the conversion to Class A shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

                                   

Class

If Shares Are Redeemed

If Shares Are Not Redeemed

 

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

 

Class A Shares

$

687

$

925

$

1,182

$

1,914

$

687

$

925

$

1,182

$

1,914

 

Class C Shares

$

295

$

603

$

1,037

$

2,048

$

195

$

603

$

1,037

$

2,048

 

Class F Shares

$

104

$

325

$

563

$

1,248

$

104

$

325

$

563

$

1,248

 

Class F3 Shares

$

86

$

268

$

466

$

1,037

$

86

$

268

$

466

$

1,037

 

Class I Shares

$

94

$

293

$

509

$

1,131

$

94

$

293

$

509

$

1,131

 

Class P Shares

$

139

$

434

$

750

$

1,646

$

139

$

434

$

750

$

1,646

 

Class R2 Shares

$

155

$

480

$

829

$

1,813

$

155

$

480

$

829

$

1,813

 

Class R3 Shares

$

145

$

449

$

776

$

1,702

$

145

$

449

$

776

$

1,702

 

Class R4 Shares

$

119

$

372

$

644

$

1,420

$

119

$

372

$

644

$

1,420

 

Class R5 Shares

$

94

$

293

$

509

$

1,131

$

94

$

293

$

509

$

1,131

 

Class R6 Shares

$

86

$

268

$

466

$

1,037

$

86

$

268

$

466

$

1,037

 

Portfolio Turnover. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund

PROSPECTUS – Small Cap Value Fund

21


shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 78% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests in equity securities of small companies that the portfolio management team believes are undervalued by the market and are selling at reasonable prices in relation to the portfolio management team’s assessment of their potential or intrinsic value. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of small companies. A small company is defined as a company having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 2000® Index.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and privately offered trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and vehicles with similar legal structures, other instruments convertible or exercisable into the foregoing, and other investments with similar economic characteristics.

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies, including emerging market companies, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), and other similar depositary receipts. In addition to ADRs, the Fund generally defines foreign companies as those whose securities are traded primarily on non-U.S. securities exchanges.

The investment team may also consider the risks and return potential presented by environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors in investment decisions. The Fund may sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, or shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, among other reasons. The Fund may deviate from the investment strategy described above for temporary defensive purposes. The Fund may miss certain investment opportunities if defensive strategies are used and thus may not achieve its investment objective.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:

· Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and investments selected by the Fund’s portfolio management team fail to produce the intended result, the

PROSPECTUS – Small Cap Value Fund

22


Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a favorable market.

· Market Risk: The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt securities.

· Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities, as well as equity-like securities such as convertible debt securities, may experience significant volatility. Such securities may fall sharply in response to adverse events affecting overall markets, a particular industry or sector, or an individual company’s financial condition.

· Industry and Sector Risk: Although the Fund does not employ an industry or sector focus, its exposure to specific industries or sectors will increase from time to time based on the portfolio management team’s perception of investment opportunities. If the Fund overweights a single industry or sector relative to its benchmark index, the Fund will face an increased risk that the value of its portfolio will decrease because of events disproportionately affecting that industry or sector. Furthermore, investments in particular industries or sectors may be more volatile than the broader market as a whole.

· Small Company Risk: Investments in small companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. As compared to larger companies, small companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital needed for growth, and limited products or services, or operate in less established markets. Accordingly, securities of small companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic, market, and industry conditions and tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies, especially over the short term. The securities of small companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the ability to sell these securities in the future.

· Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth. Value investing also is subject to the risk that a company judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or even overpriced.

· Foreign and Emerging Market Company Risk: Investments in foreign companies and in U.S. companies with economic ties to foreign markets generally involve special risks that can increase the likelihood that the Fund will lose money. For example, as compared with companies organized and operated in the U.S., these companies may be more vulnerable to economic, political, and social instability and subject to less government supervision, lack of transparency, inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, and foreign taxes.

PROSPECTUS – Small Cap Value Fund

23


In addition, the securities of foreign companies also may be subject to inadequate exchange control regulations, the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions, higher transaction and other costs, reduced liquidity, and delays in settlement to the extent they are traded on non-U.S. exchanges or markets. Foreign company securities also include ADRs. ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Foreign securities also may subject the Fund’s investments to changes in currency exchange rates. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative and generally are riskier than investments in more developed markets because such markets tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations. Securities of emerging market companies may have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than securities of issuers in developed markets. Companies with economic ties to emerging markets may be susceptible to the same risks as companies organized in emerging markets.

· Foreign Currency Risk: Investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedged positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Foreign currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.

· Real Estate Risk: An investment in a REIT generally is subject to the risks that impact the value of the underlying properties or mortgages of the REIT. These risks include loss to casualty or condemnation, and changes in supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, and operating expenses. Other factors that may adversely affect REITs include poor performance by management of the REIT, changes to the tax laws, or failure by the REIT to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and changes in local, regional, or general economic conditions.

· Liquidity/Redemption Risk: The Fund may lose money when selling securities at inopportune times to fulfill shareholder redemption requests. The risk of loss may increase depending on the size and frequency of redemption requests, whether the redemption requests occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining prices, and whether the securities the Fund intends to sell have decreased in value or are illiquid. The Fund may be less able to sell illiquid securities at its desired time or price. It may be more difficult for the Fund to value its investments in illiquid securities than more liquid securities.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Funds – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

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PERFORMANCE

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund’s Class A shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charge applicable to Class A shares. If the sales charge were reflected, returns would be lower. Performance for the Fund’s other share classes will vary due to the different expenses each class bears. Updated performance information is available at www.lordabbett.com or by calling 888-522-2388.

 

Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class A Shares

PerformanceBarChartData(12:10.57,13:33.68,14:1.89,15:-1.17,16:20.47,17:6.31,18:-11.88,19:20.26,20:-1.48,21:26.43)

Best Quarter 4th Q 2020+29.79%    Worst Quarter1st Q 2020-37.69%

The table below shows how the Fund’s average annual total returns compare to the returns of a securities market index with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Fund’s average annual total returns include applicable sales charges.

The after-tax returns of Class A shares included in the table below are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. In some cases, the return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed the return before taxes due to a tax benefit resulting from realized losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the period that is used to offset other gains. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”). After-tax returns for other share classes are not shown in the table and will vary from those shown for Class A shares.

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Average Annual Total Returns

 

(for the periods ended December 31, 2021)

 

Class

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of Class

Inception
Date for
Performance

 

Class A Shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before Taxes

19.13%

5.75%

9.02%

-

 

 

 

After Taxes on Distributions

14.62%

2.59%

5.25%

-

 

 

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

13.94%

3.97%

6.42%

-

 

 

Class C Shares(1)

24.83%

6.21%

8.86%

-

 

 

Class F Shares

26.58%

7.17%

9.84%

-

 

 

Class F3 Shares

26.82%

-

-

7.89%

4/4/2017

 

Class I Shares

26.75%

7.29%

9.96%

-

 

 

Class P Shares

26.21%

6.81%

9.46%

-

 

 

Class R2 Shares

25.98%

6.64%

9.30%

-

 

 

Class R3 Shares

26.12%

6.76%

9.43%

-

 

 

Class R4 Shares

26.38%

7.02%

-

7.51%

6/30/2015

 

Class R5 Shares

26.77%

7.30%

-

7.80%

6/30/2015

 

Class R6 Shares

26.90%

7.38%

-

7.88%

6/30/2015

 

Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russell 2000® Value Index

28.27%

9.07%

12.03%

10.08%

6/30/2015

 

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

9.88%

4/4/2017

 

   

(1)

Class C shares convert to Class A shares eight years after purchase. Class C share performance does not reflect the impact of such conversion to Class A shares.

MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser. The Fund’s investment adviser is Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”).

Portfolio Managers.

   

Portfolio Managers/Title

Member of
the Portfolio
Management
Team Since

John C. Hardy, Portfolio Manager

2018

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OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING FUND SHARES

For important information about purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares,” “Tax Information” and “Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” sections of the prospectus.

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PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

The minimum initial and additional amounts shown below vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the type of account. Certain financial intermediaries may impose different restrictions than those described below. For Class I shares, the minimum investment shown below applies to certain types of institutional investors, but does not apply to registered investment advisers or retirement and benefit plans otherwise eligible to invest in Class I shares. Class P shares are closed to substantially all new investors. See “Choosing a Share Class – Investment Minimums” in the prospectus for more information.

       

Investment Minimums — Initial/Additional Investments

Class

A(1) and C

F, F3, P, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6

I

General and IRAs without Invest-A-Matic Investments

Initial: $1,000
Additional: No minimum

N/A

Initial: $1 million
Additional: No minimum

Invest-A-Matic Accounts(2)

Initial: $250
Additional: $50

N/A

N/A

IRAs, SIMPLE and SEP Accounts with Payroll Deductions

No minimum

N/A

N/A

Fee-Based Advisory Programs and Retirement and Benefit Plans

No minimum

No minimum

No minimum

(1) There is no investment minimum for Class A shares purchased by investors maintaining an account with a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with Lord Abbett Distributor to offer Class A shares through a load-waived network or platform, which may or may not charge transaction fees.

(2) There is no minimum initial investment for Invest-A-Matic accounts held directly with the Fund, including IRAs.

You may sell (redeem) shares through your securities broker, financial professional or financial intermediary on any business day the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”). If you have direct account access privileges, you may redeem your shares by contacting the Fund in writing at P.O. Box 219336, Kansas City, MO 64121, by calling 888-522-2388 or by accessing your account online at www.lordabbett.com.

TAX INFORMATION

A Fund’s distributions, if any, generally are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains or a combination of the two, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. Any withdrawals from such a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and the Fund’s distributor or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial

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intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial professional or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

Dividend Growth Fund

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek current income and capital appreciation.

Growth Opportunities Fund

The Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation.

Small Cap Value Fund

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Dividend Growth Fund

The Fund invests in equity securities of large and mid-sized companies that the Fund’s portfolio management team believes have potential for long-term total return and consistent increases in their dividends over time resulting from their earnings growth. In particular, the Fund focuses on large and mid-sized companies that have a ten-year history of dividend issuance and growth, which represents a narrow investable universe. The Fund may invest in companies of any size, but expects to invest in companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase of at least $500 million.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts (including REITs and privately offered trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and vehicles with similar legal structures, and other instruments with similar economic characteristics. The Fund also considers equity securities to include warrants, rights offerings, convertible securities, and other investments that are convertible or exercisable into the equity securities described above.

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies, including emerging market companies, ADRs, Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), and other similar depositary receipts. The Fund generally defines foreign companies as those whose securities are traded primarily on non-U.S. securities exchanges. Because ADRs represent exposure to foreign companies, the Fund deems them to be foreign investments even though they trade on U.S. exchanges. Foreign securities may be denominated in the U.S. dollar or other currencies. The Fund may invest without limitation in securities of companies that do not meet these criteria but represent economic exposure to foreign markets, including securities of companies that are organized or operated in a foreign country but primarily trade on a U.S. securities exchange.

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In selecting investments, the Fund’s portfolio management team considers the following:

· Dividend Growth. The portfolio management team seeks to invest in equity securities of established companies that the portfolio management team believes have the potential for long-term capital appreciation and consistent growth in dividends. Dividend-paying securities are securities issued by companies that pay out a portion of their profits to shareholders instead of reinvesting all their profits in their businesses. Companies which grow their dividends in a consistent manner show an ability to manage and grow their businesses through economic cycles. The portfolio management team believes the equity securities of these companies have the potential for investment return because they are often underpriced or undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects. The Fund focuses on large and mid-sized companies that the portfolio management team identifies as having a ten-year history of dividend issuance and growth, but also may invest in companies not meeting these criteria.

· Fundamental Analysis. The Fund’s investment process analyzes various measures of a company’s financial condition. The Fund’s portfolio management team considers consensus expectations as well as proprietary fundamental analysis regarding near-term earnings, long-term normalized earnings, and earnings growth rates. In addition, the portfolio management team may consider other factors such as changes in economic and financial environment; new or improved products or services; changes in management or structure of the company; price increases for the company’s products or services; and improved efficiencies resulting from new technologies or changes in distribution.

· Quantitative Analysis. The Fund’s portfolio management team employs quantitative analysis, such as valuation and risk models and other quantitative analytical tools. The portfolio management team may do so to analyze the effects of various characteristics of the Fund’s overall portfolio and to assist in individual stock selection. Based on the portfolio management team’s assessment of these portfolio characteristics, the Fund may buy or sell securities as it seeks to optimize overall portfolio performance.

The investment team may also consider the risks and return potential presented by ESG factors in investment decisions.

The Fund may sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, no longer meets the Fund’s investment criteria, to increase cash, or to satisfy redemption requests, among other reasons. In considering whether to sell a security, the Fund may evaluate factors including, but not limited to, the condition of the economy, changes in the issuer’s competitive position or financial condition, changes in the outlook for the issuer’s industry, and the Fund’s valuation target for the security.

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Lord Abbett is registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”).  However, with respect to the Fund, Lord Abbett has filed a claim of exclusion from the definition of the term CPO and therefore, Lord Abbett is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the CEA.

Temporary Defensive Strategies. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective. However, in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may take a temporary defensive position that is inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding some or all of its assets in short-term investments. These investments include cash, commercial paper, money market instruments, repurchase agreements, and U.S. Government securities. The Fund also may hold these types of investments while looking for suitable investment opportunities or to manage liquidity. Taking a temporary defensive position could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.

Growth Opportunities Fund

The Fund invests in equity securities of mid-sized U.S. companies with growth characteristics. Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of mid-sized companies. A mid-sized company is defined as a company having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Index, a widely-used benchmark for mid-sized U.S. company stock performance. The market capitalization range of the Russell Midcap® Index as of June 30, 2021, following its most recent annual reconstitution, was approximately $3.1 billion to $61 billion. This range varies daily.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts (including REITs) and privately offered trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and vehicles with similar legal structures, and other instruments with similar economic characteristics. The Fund also considers equity securities to include warrants, rights offerings, convertible securities, and other investments that are convertible or exercisable into the equity securities described above.

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies, including emerging market companies, ADRs, GDRs, and other similar depositary receipts. The Fund generally defines foreign companies as those whose securities are traded primarily on non-U.S. securities exchanges. Because ADRs represent exposure to foreign companies, the Fund deems them to be foreign investments even though they trade on U.S. exchanges. Foreign securities may be denominated in the U.S. dollar or other currencies. The Fund may invest without limitation in securities of companies that do not meet these criteria but represent economic exposure to foreign markets, including securities of companies that are organized or operated in a foreign country but primarily trade on a U.S. securities exchange.

PROSPECTUS – THE FUNDS

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The Fund’s portfolio management team follows a growth style of investing and seeks to identify companies that show the potential for strong revenue and earnings growth. The portfolio management team uses fundamental research to identify companies it believes are likely to produce superior returns over a two- to five-year period, by analyzing the dynamics in each company within its industry and within the overall economy, and quantitative research to identify companies that it believes have superior growth potential. The investment team may also consider the risks and return potential presented by ESG factors in investment decisions.

The Fund may sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, no longer meets the Fund’s investment criteria, to increase cash, or to satisfy redemption requests, among other reasons. In considering whether to sell a security, the Fund may evaluate factors including, but not limited to, the condition of the economy, changes in the issuer’s competitive position or financial condition, changes in the outlook for the issuer’s industry, and the Fund’s valuation target for the security.

Lord Abbett is registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a CPO under the CEA.  However, with respect to the Fund, Lord Abbett has filed a claim of exclusion from the definition of the term CPO and therefore, Lord Abbett is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the CEA.

Temporary Defensive Strategies. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective. However, in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may take a temporary defensive position that is inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding some or all of its assets in short-term investments. These investments include cash, commercial paper, money market instruments, repurchase agreements, and U.S. Government securities. The Fund also may hold these types of investments while looking for suitable investment opportunities or to manage liquidity. Taking a temporary defensive position could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.

Small Cap Value Fund

The Fund invests in equity securities of small companies that the portfolio management team believes are undervalued by the market and are selling at reasonable prices in relation to the portfolio management team’s assessment of their potential or intrinsic value. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of small companies. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ notice of a change in this policy. A small company is defined as a company having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 2000® Index, a widely-used benchmark for small U.S. company stock performance. The market capitalization range of the Russell 2000® Index as of June 30, 2021, following its most recent

PROSPECTUS – THE FUNDS

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annual reconstitution, was approximately $172 million to $26 billion. This range varies daily.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts (including REITs) and privately offered trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and vehicles with similar legal structures, and other instruments with similar economic characteristics. The Fund also considers equity securities to include warrants, rights offerings, convertible securities, and other investments that are convertible or exercisable into the equity securities described above.

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies, including emerging market companies, ADRs, GDRs, and other similar depositary receipts. The Fund generally defines foreign companies as those whose securities are traded primarily on non-U.S. securities exchanges. Because ADRs represent exposure to foreign companies, the Fund deems them to be foreign investments even though they trade on U.S. exchanges. Foreign securities may be denominated in the U.S. dollar or other currencies. The Fund may invest without limitation in securities of companies that do not meet these criteria but represent economic exposure to foreign markets, including securities of companies that are organized or operated in a foreign country but primarily trade on a U.S. securities exchange.

The Fund seeks to invest in securities of companies that the portfolio management team believes are undervalued by the market and are selling at reasonable prices in relation to the portfolio management team’s assessment of their potential or intrinsic value. A security may be undervalued by the market because of a lack of awareness of the company’s intrinsic value or a lack of recognition of the company’s future potential. In addition, a security may be undervalued because it may be temporarily out of favor by the market.

The Fund’s portfolio management team selects securities by, among other things, employing quantitative screening and fundamental research. The quantitative screening process identifies a group of companies for potential investment. The portfolio management team then conducts rigorous fundamental research on those companies with a focus on the long-term outlook of their businesses. The investment team may also consider the risks and return potential presented by ESG factors in investment decisions.

The Fund may sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, no longer meets the Fund’s investment criteria, to increase cash, or to satisfy redemption requests, among other reasons. In considering whether to sell a security, the Fund may evaluate factors including, but not limited to, the condition of the economy, changes in the issuer’s competitive position or financial condition, changes in the outlook for the issuer’s industry, and the Fund’s valuation target for the security.

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Lord Abbett is registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a CPO under the CEA.  However, with respect to the Fund, Lord Abbett has filed a claim of exclusion from the definition of the term CPO and therefore, Lord Abbett is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the CEA.

Temporary Defensive Strategies. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective. However, in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may take a temporary defensive position that is inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding some or all of its assets in short-term investments. These investments include cash, commercial paper, money market instruments, repurchase agreements, and U.S. Government securities. The Fund also may hold these types of investments while looking for suitable investment opportunities or to manage liquidity. Taking a temporary defensive position could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in a Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in a Fund. Before you invest in a Fund, you should carefully evaluate the risks in light of your investment goals. An investment in a Fund held for longer periods over full market cycles typically provides more favorable results.

The principal risks you assume when investing in each Fund are described below. The Funds attempt to manage these risks through careful security selection, portfolio diversification, and continual portfolio review and analysis, but there can be no assurance or guarantee that these strategies will be successful in reducing risk. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of strategies employed by each Fund and the risks associated with an investment in the Fund.

All Funds

· Portfolio Management Risk: The strategies used and investments selected by the Fund’s portfolio management team may fail to produce the intended result and the Fund may not achieve its objective. The securities selected for the Fund may not perform as well as other securities that were not selected for the Fund. As a result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, and may generate losses even in a favorable market.

· Market Risk: The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole. In addition, data imprecision, technology malfunctions, operational errors, and similar factors may adversely

PROSPECTUS – THE FUNDS

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affect a single issuer, a group of issuers, an industry, or the market as a whole. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various securities held by the Fund. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which raises the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely affect markets or issuers in other countries or regions.

· Equity Securities Risk: Investments in equity securities represent ownership in a company that fluctuates in value with changes in the company’s financial condition. Stock markets may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Certain segments of the stock market may react differently than other segments and U.S. markets may react differently than foreign markets. Individual stock prices also may experience dramatic movements in price. Price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors, or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, including periods of slower growth or recessionary economic conditions, future expectations of poor economic conditions, changes in political or social conditions, and lack of investor confidence. In addition, individual stocks may be adversely affected by factors such as reduced sales, increased costs, or a negative outlook for the future performance of the company. As compared with preferred stock and debt, common stock generally involves greater risk and has lower priority when liquidation, bankruptcy, and dividend payments are made. Preferred stock may be subordinated to bonds or other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure and is typically less liquid than common stock. Because convertible securities have certain features that are common to fixed-income securities and may be exchanged for common stock, they are subject to the risks affecting both equity and fixed income securities, including market, credit and interest rate risk.

· Industry and Sector Risk: Although the Fund does not employ an industry or sector focus, the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in specific industries or sectors will increase from time to time based on the portfolio management team’s perception of investment opportunities. The Fund may be overweight in certain industries and sectors at various times relative to its benchmark index. If the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular industry or sector, the Fund is subject to the risk that companies in the same industry or sector are likely to react similarly to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions, increased competition, or other factors generally affecting that market segment. In such cases, the Fund would be exposed to an increased risk that the value of its overall portfolio will decrease because of events that disproportionately affect certain industries and/or sectors. The industries and sectors in which the Fund may be overweighted will vary. Furthermore, investments in particular industries or sectors may be more volatile than the

PROSPECTUS – THE FUNDS

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broader market as a whole, and the Fund’s investments in these industries and sectors may be disproportionately susceptible to losses even if not overweighted.

· Foreign and Emerging Market Company Risk: Investments in foreign (including emerging market) companies and in U.S. companies with economic ties to foreign markets generally involve special risks that can increase the likelihood that the Fund will lose money. For example, as compared with companies organized and operated in the U.S., these companies may be more vulnerable to economic, political, and social instability and subject to less government supervision, lack of transparency, inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, and foreign taxes. In addition, the securities of foreign companies also may be subject to inadequate exchange control regulations (including limitations on currency movements and exchanges), the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement to the extent they are traded on non-U.S. exchanges or markets. Investments in foreign companies also may be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets, or confiscatory taxation. Foreign company securities also include ADRs, GDRs, and other similar depositary receipts. ADRs, GDRs, and other similar depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

Foreign company securities also may be subject to thin trading volumes and reduced liquidity, which may lead to greater price fluctuation. A change in the value of a foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar will change the value of securities held by the Fund that are denominated in that foreign currency, including the value of any income distributions payable to the Fund as a holder of such securities. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the overall economic health of the issuer. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority also will have an adverse impact on the U.S. dollar value of any investments denominated in that currency. These and other factors can materially adversely affect the prices of securities the Fund holds, impair the Fund’s ability to buy or sell securities at their desired price or time, or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations. The Fund may invest in securities of issuers, including emerging market issuers, whose economic fortunes are linked to non-U.S. markets, but which principally are traded on a U.S. securities market or exchange and denominated in U.S. dollars. To the extent the Fund invests in this manner, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to the risks associated with foreign companies may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is invested in foreign securities that are principally traded outside of the U.S.

The Fund’s investments in emerging market companies generally are subject to heightened risks compared to its investments in developed market companies. Investments with economic exposure to emerging markets may be considered

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speculative and generally are riskier than investments in more developed markets because such markets tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations. Securities of emerging market companies may have far lower trading volumes, tend to be less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have a smaller market capitalization, have less government regulation and may not be subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements as securities issued in more developed countries. Further, investing in the securities of issuers with economic exposure to emerging countries may present a greater risk of loss resulting from problems in security registration and custody or substantial economic or political disruptions. The Fund may invest in securities of companies whose economic fortunes are linked to emerging markets but which principally are traded on a non-emerging market exchange. Such investments do not meet the Fund’s definition of an emerging market security. To the extent the Fund invests in this manner, the percentage of the Fund’s portfolio that is exposed to emerging market risks may be greater than the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund defines as representing emerging market securities.

· Foreign Currency Risk: Investments in securities that are denominated or receiving revenues in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedged positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Foreign currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. A decline in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will reduce the value of securities that are denominated in those currencies. The Fund may engage in foreign currency hedging transactions to attempt to protect the Fund from adverse currency movements. Such transactions include the risk that Lord Abbett will not accurately predict currency movements. As a result, the Fund may experience significant losses or see its return reduced. Also, it may be difficult or impractical to hedge currency risk in many developing or emerging markets. The risks associated with exposure to emerging market currencies may be heightened in comparison to those associated with exposure to developed market currencies.

· Liquidity/Redemption Risk: The Fund may lose money when selling securities at inopportune times to fulfill shareholder redemption requests. The risk of loss may increase depending on the size and frequency of redemption requests, whether the redemption requests occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining prices, and whether the securities the Fund intends to sell have decreased in value or are illiquid. The Fund may be less able to sell illiquid securities at its desired time or price. It may be more difficult for the Fund to value its investments in illiquid securities than more liquid securities. Illiquidity can be caused by a variety of factors, including economic conditions, market events, events relating to the issuer of the securities, a drop in overall market

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trading volume, an inability to find a ready buyer, or legal restrictions on the securities’ resale. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress. Liquidity risk may be magnified in circumstances where investor redemptions from the mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity.

Dividend Growth Fund

· Investment Strategy Risk: The strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management team may fail to produce the intended result and the Fund may not achieve its objective. Through the integration of fundamental research and quantitative analysis, the Fund expects that stock selection is likely to be a primary driver of the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark index. In addition, there is no guarantee that the Fund’s use of quantitative analytic tools will be successful. Factors that affect a security’s value can change over time and these changes may not be reflected in the Fund’s quantitative models. Investments selected using these models may perform differently than expected as a result of the factors used in the models, the weight placed on each factor, changes from the factors’ historical trends, and technical issues in the construction and implementation of the models. In addition, the Fund’s performance will reflect, in part, the Fund’s portfolio management team’s ability to make active qualitative decisions and timely adjust the quantitative models, including the models’ underlying metrics and data. As a result of the risks associated with the Fund’s investment strategies, the Fund may underperform its benchmark or other funds with the same investment objective and which invest in large and mid-sized companies, even in a favorable market. The Fund’s strategy of focusing on dividend-paying companies means the Fund will be more exposed to risks associated with that particular market segment than a fund that invests more widely.

· Dividend Risk: Depending on market conditions, securities of dividend-paying companies that meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available. At times, the performance of dividend-paying companies may lag the performance of other companies or the broader market as a whole. In addition, the dividend payments of the Fund’s portfolio companies may vary over time, and there is no guarantee that a company will pay a dividend at all. The reduction or elimination of dividends in the stock market as a whole may limit the Fund’s ability to produce current income. If dividend-paying companies are highly concentrated in only a few market sectors, then the Fund’s portfolio may become less diversified, and the Fund’s return may become more volatile.

· Large Company Risk: Larger, more established companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments. In addition, larger companies may have slower rates of growth as compared to successful, but less well-established, smaller companies, especially during market cycles corresponding to periods of economic expansion. Large companies also may fall out of favor

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relative to smaller companies in certain market cycles, causing the Fund to incur losses or underperform.

· Mid-Sized Company Risk: Investments in mid-sized companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. As compared to larger companies, mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital needed for growth, and limited products or services, or operate in less established markets. Accordingly, securities of mid-sized companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic, market, and industry conditions and tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies, especially over the short term. The securities of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the ability to sell these securities in the future. Mid-sized companies also may fall out of favor relative to larger companies in certain market cycles, causing the Fund to incur losses or underperform.

· Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth. Value investing also is subject to the risk that a company judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or even overpriced. In addition, different investment styles may shift in and out of favor, depending on market and economic conditions as well as investor sentiment, which may cause the Fund to underperform other funds that employ a different or more diversified style.

· Growth Investing Risk: Growth stocks typically trade at higher multiples of current earnings as compared to other stocks, which may lead to inflated prices. Growth stocks often are more sensitive to market fluctuations than other securities because their market prices are highly sensitive to future earnings expectations. At times when it appears that these expectations may not be met, growth stocks’ prices typically fall. Growth stocks are subject to potentially greater declines in value if, among other things, the stock is subject to significant investor speculation but fails to increase as anticipated. In addition, different investment styles may shift in and out of favor, depending on market and economic conditions as well as investor sentiment, which may cause the Fund to underperform other funds that employ a different or more diversified style. During periods when growth investing is out of favor or when markets are unstable, selling growth stocks at a desired price may be more difficult. Growth stocks may be more volatile than securities of slower-growing issuers.

Growth Opportunities Fund

· Mid-Sized Company Risk: Investments in mid-sized companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. As compared to larger companies, mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital

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needed for growth, and limited products or services, or operate in less established markets. Accordingly, securities of mid-sized companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic, market, and industry conditions and tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies, especially over the short term. The securities of mid-sized companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the ability to sell these securities in the future. Mid-sized companies also may fall out of favor relative to larger companies in certain market cycles, causing the Fund to incur losses or underperform.

· Growth Investing Risk: Growth stocks typically trade at higher multiples of current earnings as compared to other stocks, which may lead to inflated prices. Growth stocks often are more sensitive to market fluctuations than other securities because their market prices are highly sensitive to future earnings expectations. At times when it appears that these expectations may not be met, growth stocks’ prices typically fall. Growth stocks are subject to potentially greater declines in value if, among other things, the stock is subject to significant investor speculation but fails to increase as anticipated. In addition, different investment styles may shift in and out of favor, depending on market and economic conditions as well as investor sentiment, which may cause the Fund to underperform other funds that employ a different or more diversified style. During periods when growth investing is out of favor or when markets are unstable, selling growth stocks at a desired price may be more difficult. Growth stocks may be more volatile than securities of slower-growing issuers.

· Real Estate Risk: An investment in a REIT generally is subject to the risks that impact the value of the underlying properties or mortgages of the REIT. These risks include loss to casualty or condemnation, and changes in supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes and operating expenses. Other factors that may adversely affect REITs include poor performance by management of the REIT, extended vacancies, failure to collect rents, the ability of the company to finance property purchases and renovations, changes to the tax laws, failure by the REIT to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Code, and changes in local, regional, or general economic conditions. REITs also are subject to default or prepayments by borrowers and self-liquidation, and are heavily dependent on cash flow. Some REITs lack diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property. Mortgage REITs may be impacted by the quality of the credit extended. REITs may be more volatile and/or more illiquid than other types of equity securities. In addition, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s fees and expenses, as well as their proportionate share of the Fund’s fees and expenses.

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Small Cap Value Fund

· Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth. Value investing also is subject to the risk that a company judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or even overpriced. In addition, different investment styles may shift in and out of favor, depending on market and economic conditions as well as investor sentiment, which may cause the Fund to underperform other funds that employ a different or more diversified style.

· Real Estate Risk: An investment in a REIT generally is subject to the risks that impact the value of the underlying properties or mortgages of the REIT. These risks include loss to casualty or condemnation, and changes in supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes and operating expenses. Other factors that may adversely affect REITs include poor performance by management of the REIT, extended vacancies, failure to collect rents, the ability of the company to finance property purchases and renovations, changes to the tax laws, failure by the REIT to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Code, and changes in local, regional, or general economic conditions. REITs also are subject to default or prepayments by borrowers and self-liquidation, and are heavily dependent on cash flow. Some REITs lack diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property. Mortgage REITs may be impacted by the quality of the credit extended. REITs may be more volatile and/or more illiquid than other types of equity securities. In addition, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s fees and expenses, as well as their proportionate share of the Fund’s fees and expenses.

· Small Company Risk: Investments in small companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. As compared to larger companies, small companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital needed for growth, and limited products or services, or operate in less established markets. Accordingly, securities of small companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic, market, and industry conditions and tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies, especially over the short term. The securities of small companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the ability to sell these securities in the future. Small companies also may fall out of favor relative to larger companies in certain market cycles, causing the Fund to incur losses or underperform.

As used in the remaining portion of this prospectus, the terms “a Fund,” “each Fund,” and “the Fund” refer to each Fund individually or the Funds collectively, as the context may require, unless reference to a specific Fund is provided.

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ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL RISKS

In addition to the principal investment risks described above, the Fund also may be subject to certain operational risks, including:

· Cyber Security Risk: As the use of technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, Lord Abbett and other service providers have become more susceptible to operational and information security risks. Cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events and include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to electronic systems for purposes of misappropriating assets, personally identifiable information (“PII”) or proprietary information (e.g., trading models and algorithms), corrupting data, or causing operational disruption, for example, by compromising trading systems or accounting platforms. Other ways in which the business operations of Lord Abbett, other service providers, or issuers of securities in which Lord Abbett invests a shareholder’s assets may be impacted include interference with a shareholder’s ability to value its portfolio, the unauthorized release of PII or confidential information, and violations of applicable privacy, recordkeeping and other laws. A shareholder and/or its account could be negatively impacted as a result.

While Lord Abbett has established internal risk management security protocols designed to identify, protect against, detect, respond to and recover from cyber security incidents, there are inherent limitations in such protocols including the possibility that certain threats and vulnerabilities have not been identified or made public due to the evolving nature of cyber security threats. Furthermore, Lord Abbett cannot control the cyber security systems of third party service providers or issuers. There currently is no insurance policy available to cover all of the potential risks associated with cyber incidents. Unless specifically agreed by Lord Abbett separately or required by law, Lord Abbett is not a guarantor against, or obligor for, any damages resulting from a cyber security-related incident.

· Large Shareholder Risk: To the extent a large number of shares of the Fund is held by a single shareholder or group of related shareholders (e.g., an institutional investor, another Lord Abbett Fund or multiple accounts advised by a common adviser) or a group of shareholders with a common investment strategy, the Fund is subject to the risk that a redemption by those shareholders of all or a large portion of their Fund shares will adversely affect the Fund’s performance by forcing the Fund to sell portfolio securities, potentially at disadvantageous prices, to raise the cash needed to satisfy the redemption request. In addition, the funds and other accounts over which Lord Abbett has investment discretion that invest in the Fund may not be limited in how often they may purchase or sell Fund shares. Certain Lord Abbett Funds or accounts may hold substantial percentages of the shares of the Fund, and asset allocation decisions by Lord Abbett may result in substantial redemptions from (or investments in) the Fund. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s

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performance to the extent that the Fund is required to sell investments (or invest cash) when it would not otherwise do so. Redemptions of a large number of shares also may increase transaction costs or, by necessitating a sale of portfolio securities, have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders. Additionally, redemptions by a large shareholder also potentially limit the use of any capital loss carryforwards and other losses to offset future realized capital gains (if any) and may limit or prevent the Fund’s use of tax equalization.

· Operational Risk: The Fund also is subject to the risk of loss as a result of other services provided by Lord Abbett and other service providers, including pricing, administrative, accounting, tax, legal, custody, transfer agency, and other services. Operational risk includes the possibility of loss caused by inadequate procedures and controls, human error, and system failures by a service provider, each of which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. For example, trading delays or errors could prevent the Fund from benefiting from potential investment gains or avoiding losses. In addition, a service provider may be unable to provide an NAV for the Fund or share class on a timely basis. Similar types of operational risks also are present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value.

· Business Continuity Risk: Lord Abbett has developed a Business Continuity Program (the “Program”) that is designed to minimize the disruption of normal business operations in the event of an adverse incident impacting Lord Abbett, its affiliates, or the Fund. While Lord Abbett believes that the Program should enable it to reestablish normal business operations in a timely manner in the event of an adverse incident, there are inherent limitations in such programs (including the possibility that contingencies have not been anticipated and procedures do not work as intended) and, under some circumstances, Lord Abbett, its affiliates, and any vendors used by Lord Abbett, its affiliates, or the Fund could be prevented or hindered from providing services to the Fund for extended periods of time. These circumstances may include, without limitation, acts of God, acts of governments, any act of declared or undeclared war or of a public enemy (including acts of terrorism), power shortages or failures, utility or communication failure or delays, labor disputes, strikes, shortages, supply shortages, system failures or malfunctions. The Fund’s ability to recover any losses or expenses it incurs as a result of a disruption of business operations may be limited by the liability, standard of care, and related provisions in its contractual arrangements with Lord Abbett and other service providers.

· Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk: Geopolitical and other events (e.g., wars, terrorism or natural disasters) may disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets, thereby decreasing the value of the Fund’s investments. Sudden or significant changes in the supply or prices of commodities or other economic inputs (e.g., the marked decline in oil prices that began in late 2014) may have material and unexpected effects on both global

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securities markets and individual countries, regions, sectors, companies, or industries, which could significantly reduce the value of the Fund’s investments. Wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, epidemics or pandemics could result in unplanned or significant securities market closures or declines. Securities markets also may be susceptible to market manipulation (e.g., the manipulation of the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”)) or other fraudulent trading practices, which could disrupt the orderly functioning of markets, increase overall market volatility, or reduce the value of investments traded in them, including investments of the Fund. Instances of fraud and other deceptive practices committed by senior management of certain companies in which the Fund invests may undermine Lord Abbett’s due diligence efforts with respect to such companies, and if such fraud is discovered, negatively affect the value of the Fund’s investments. Financial fraud also may impact the rates or indices underlying the Fund’s investments.

While the U.S. Government has always honored its credit obligations, a default by the U.S. Government (as has been threatened over the years) would be highly disruptive to the U.S. and global securities markets and could significantly reduce the value of the Fund’s investments. Similarly, political events within the United States at times have resulted, and may in the future result, in a shutdown of government services, which could adversely affect the U.S. economy, decrease the value of many Fund investments, and increase uncertainty in or impair the operation of the U.S. or other securities markets. Uncertainty surrounding the sovereign debt of several European Union (“EU”) countries, as well as the continued existence of the EU itself, has disrupted and may continue to disrupt markets in the United States and around the world. If a country changes its currency or leaves the EU or if the EU dissolves, the world’s securities markets likely will be significantly disrupted. The United Kingdom (“UK”) left the EU (commonly known as “Brexit”) on January 31, 2020. An agreement between the UK and the EU governing their future trade relationship became effective January 1, 2021. The agreement governs the new relationship between the UK and the EU with respect to trading goods and services but critical aspects of the relationship remain unresolved and subject to further negotiation and agreement. There is still considerable uncertainty relating to the potential consequences of the withdrawal and whether the UK’s exit will increase the likelihood of other countries also departing the EU. The world’s securities markets may be significantly disrupted and adversely affected by the withdrawal.

Substantial government interventions (e.g., currency controls) also could adversely affect the Fund. War, terrorism, economic uncertainty, and related geopolitical events have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Likewise, sanctions threated or imposed by jurisdictions, including the United States, against a country or entities or individuals in a certain country (such as sanctions imposed against Russia,

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Russian entities and Russian individuals in 2022) may impair the value and liquidity of securities issued by issuers in such country and may result in the Fund using fair valuation procedures to value such securities. Sanctions, or the threat of sanctions, may cause volatility in regional and global markets and may negatively impact the performance of various sectors and industries, as well as companies in other countries, which could have a negative effect on the performance of the Fund. In addition, natural and environmental disasters, such as the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in early 2011, epidemics or pandemics, such as the COVID-19 outbreak which began in late 2019, and systemic market dislocations of the kind surrounding the insolvency of Lehman Brothers in 2008, have been highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely affecting individual companies and industries, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. During such market disruptions, the Fund’s exposure to the risks described elsewhere in the “Principal Risks” section of the prospectus will likely increase. Market disruptions and sudden government interventions can also prevent the Fund from implementing its investment strategies and achieving its investment objective. To the extent the Fund has focused its investments in the stock index of a particular region, adverse geopolitical and other events in that region could have a disproportionate impact on the Fund.

The transmission of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread resulted in, and will continue to result in, for the forseeable future, among other things, border closings and other significant travel restrictions and disruptions, significant disruptions to business operations, supply chains and customer activity, lower consumer demand for goods and services, event cancellations and restrictions, service cancellations, reductions and other changes, significant challenges in healthcare service preparation and delivery, and prolonged quarantines, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak has, and could again negatively affect the global economy, the economies of individual countries, and the financial performance of individual issuers, sectors, industries, asset classes, and markets in significant and unforeseen ways. The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects may last for an extended period of time. New variants and low rates of vaccination in certain areas of the world have hampered recovery efforts and continue to create further uncertainty. Even as restrictions have been lifted in certain jurisdictions, they have been reimposed in others, and this pattern is expected to continue for the foreseeable future as certain jurisdictions experience resurgences of COVID-19. Although the long-term economic fallout of COVID-19 is difficult to predict, it has contributed to, and is likely to continue to contribute to, market volatility, inflation and systemic economic weakness. As the world adapts to a new outlook on how to balance the risk of illness against the desire for in person human connection, the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects are expected to continue through 2022 and beyond, and therefore the economic outlook, particularly for certain industries and businesses, remains inherently uncertain. The foregoing could disrupt the

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operations of the Fund and its service providers, adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance and your investment in the Fund. The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain its spread may also exacerbate other risks that apply to the Fund.

· Valuation Risk: The valuation of the Fund’s investments involves subjective judgment. There can be no assurance that the Fund will value its investments in a manner that accurately reflects their current market values or that the Fund will be able to sell any investment at a price equal to the valuation ascribed to that investment for purposes of calculating the Fund’s NAV. Incorrect valuations of the Fund’s portfolio holdings could result in the Fund’s shareholder transactions being effected at an NAV that does not accurately reflect the underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in the dilution of shareholder interests.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures regarding the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings is available in the SAI. Further information is available at www.lordabbett.com.

MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF THE FUNDS

Board of Directors. The Board oversees the management of the business and affairs of the Funds. The Board appoints officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Funds and who execute policies authorized by the Board. At least 75 percent of the Board members are not “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) of the Funds.

Investment Adviser. The Funds’ investment adviser is Lord Abbett, which is located at 90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302-3973. Founded in 1929, Lord Abbett manages one of the nation’s oldest mutual fund complexes and manages approximately $242.8 billion in assets across a full range of mutual funds, institutional accounts, and separately managed accounts, including $1.1 billion for which Lord Abbett provides investment models to managed account sponsors as of February 28, 2022.

Portfolio Managers. The Funds are managed by experienced portfolio managers responsible for investment decisions together with a team of investment professionals who provide issuer, industry, sector and macroeconomic research and analysis. The SAI contains additional information about portfolio manager compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of shares of the Funds.

Dividend Growth Fund. Darnell C. Azeez, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, heads the Fund’s team. Mr. Azeez joined Lord Abbett in 2002. Additional members of the team are Marc O. Pavese, Partner and Director of Quantitative Research, Jeffrey Rabinowitz, Portfolio Manager, Servesh Tiwari, Portfolio Manager, and Subrata Ghose, Portfolio Manager. Messrs. Pavese, Rabinowitz,

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Tiwari, and Ghose joined Lord Abbett in 2008, 2017, 2015, and 2011, respectively. Mr. Rabinowitz was formerly Managing Director and Portfolio Manager/Technology Analyst at Jennison Associates LLC from 2014 to 2017. Messrs. Azeez, Pavese, Rabinowitz, Tiwari, and Ghose are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

Growth Opportunities Fund. Jeffrey Rabinowitz, Portfolio Manager, heads the Fund’s team. Mr. Rabinowitz joined Lord Abbett in 2017 and was formerly Managing Director and Portfolio Manager/Technology Analyst at Jennison Associates LLC from 2014 to 2017. Additional members of the team are Heidi A. Lawrence, Portfolio Manager, and James B. Sullivan, Portfolio Manager. Ms. Lawrence and Mr. Sullivan joined Lord Abbett in 2014. Messrs. Rabinowitz, Sullivan and Ms. Lawrence are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

Small Cap Value Fund. John C. Hardy, Portfolio Manager, heads the Fund’s team. Mr. Hardy joined Lord Abbett in 2011. Mr. Hardy is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

Management Fee. Lord Abbett is entitled to a management fee for Dividend Growth Fund as calculated at the following annual rates:

 0.55% on the first $2 billion of average daily net assets; and

 0.49% on the Fund’s average daily net assets over $2 billion.

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2021, the effective annual rate of the fee paid to Lord Abbett, net of any applicable waivers or reimbursements, was 0.53% of Dividend Growth Fund’s average daily net assets.

Lord Abbett is entitled to a management fee for Growth Opportunities Fund as calculated at the following annual rates:

 0.75% on the first $1 billion of average daily net assets;

 0.65% on the next $1 billion of average daily net assets;

 0.60% on the next $1 billion of average daily net assets; and

 0.58% on the Fund’s average daily net assets over $3 billion.

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2021, the effective annual rate of the fee paid to Lord Abbett, net of any applicable waivers or reimbursements, was 0.64% of Growth Opportunities Fund’s average daily net assets.

Lord Abbett is entitled to a management fee for Small Cap Value Fund as calculated at the following annual rates:

0.75% on the first $2 billion of average daily net assets; and
0.70% on the Fund’s average daily net assets over $2 billion.

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2021, the effective annual rate of the fee paid to Lord Abbett was 0.75% of Small Cap Value Fund’s average daily net assets.

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In addition, Lord Abbett provides certain administrative services to each Fund pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement in return for a fee at an annual rate of 0.04% of each Fund’s average daily net assets. Each Fund pays all of its expenses not expressly assumed by Lord Abbett.

Each year the Board considers whether to approve the continuation of the existing management and administrative services agreements between the Funds and Lord Abbett. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval is available in the Funds’ semiannual report to shareholders for the six-month period ended May 31st.

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INFORMATION FOR MANAGING YOUR FUND ACCOUNT

CHOOSING A SHARE CLASS

Each class of shares represents an investment in the same portfolio of securities, but each has different availability and eligibility criteria, sales charges, expenses, and dividends, allowing you to choose the available class that best meets your needs. You should read this section carefully to determine which class of shares is best for you and discuss your selection with your financial intermediary. Factors you should consider in choosing a share class include:

· the amount you plan to invest;

· the length of time you expect to hold your investment;

· the total costs associated with your investment, including any sales charges that you may pay when you buy or sell your Fund shares and expenses that are paid out of Fund assets over time;

· whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges;

· whether you plan to take any distributions in the near future;

· the availability of the share class;

· the services that will be available to you; and

· the amount of compensation that your financial intermediary will receive.

If you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, as between Class A and C shares, Class A shares may be more advantageous than Class C shares. The higher ongoing annual expenses of Class C shares may cost you more over the long term than the front-end sales charge you would pay on larger purchases of Class A shares.

 

Retirement and Benefit Plans and Fee-Based Programs

The availability of share classes and certain features of share classes may depend on the type of financial intermediary through which you invest, including retirement and benefit plans and fee-based programs. As used in this prospectus, the term “retirement and benefit plans” refers to qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, deferred compensation plans and other employer-sponsored retirement, savings or benefit plans, such as defined benefit plans, 401(k) plans, 457 plans, 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, and money purchase pension plans, but does not include IRAs, unless explicitly stated elsewhere in the prospectus. As used in this prospectus, the term “fee-based programs” refers to programs sponsored by financial intermediaries that provide fee-based investment advisory programs or services (including mutual fund wrap programs) or a bundled suite of services, such as brokerage, investment advice, research, and account management, for which the client pays a fee based on the total asset value of the client’s account for all or a specified number of transactions, including mutual fund purchases, in the account during a certain period.

Key Features of Share Classes. The following table compares key features of each share class. You should review the fee table and example at the front of this

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prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. For more information, please see the section of the prospectus titled “Choosing a Share Class – Additional Information about the Availability of Share Classes.” As a general matter, share classes with relatively lower expenses tend to have relatively higher dividends. Your financial intermediary can help you decide which class meets your goals. Not all share classes may be available for purchase in all states or available through your financial intermediary. Please check with your financial intermediary for more information about the availability of share classes. Your financial intermediary may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

   

Class A Shares

Availability

Available through financial intermediaries to individual investors, certain retirement and benefit plans, and fee-based advisory programs(1)

Front-End Sales Charge

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors; eliminated for purchases of $1 million or more

CDSC

1.00% on redemptions made within one year following purchases of $1 million or more; waived under certain circumstances

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fee(2)

0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, comprised of:
Service Fee: 0.25%
Distribution Fee: None

Automatic Conversion

None

Exchange Privilege(3)

Class A shares of most Lord Abbett Funds

Class C Shares

Availability

Available through financial intermediaries to individual investors and certain retirement and benefit plans; purchases generally must be under $500,000

Front-End Sales Charge

None

CDSC

1.00% on redemptions made before the first anniversary of purchase; waived under certain circumstances

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fee(2)

1.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, comprised of:
Service Fee: 0.25%
Distribution Fee: 0.75%

Automatic Conversion

Automatic conversion into Class A shares the month following the eighth anniversary of purchase (4)

Exchange Privilege(3)

Class C shares of most Lord Abbett Funds

Class F Shares

Availability

Available only to eligible fee-based advisory programs, clients of certain registered investment advisers, and other specified categories of eligible investors

Front-End Sales Charge

None

CDSC

None

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fee(2)

0.10% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, comprised of:
Service Fee: None
Distribution Fee: 0.10%(5)

Automatic Conversion

None

Exchange Privilege(3)

Class F shares of most Lord Abbett Funds

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Class F3 Shares

Availability

Available only to eligible fee-based advisory programs, clients of certain registered investment advisers, and other specified categories of eligible investors

Front-End Sales Charge

None

CDSC

None

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fee(2)

None

Automatic Conversion

None

Exchange Privilege(3)

Class F3 shares of most Lord Abbett Funds

Class I Shares

Availability

Available only to eligible investors

Front-End Sales Charge

None

CDSC

None

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fee(2)

None

Automatic Conversion

None

Exchange Privilege(3)

Class I shares of most Lord Abbett Funds

Class P Shares

Availability

Available on a limited basis through certain financial intermediaries and retirement and benefit plans(6)

Front-End Sales Charge

None

CDSC

None

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fee(2)<