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abrdn Funds
image
Prospectus
February 29, 2024
 
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund (formerly, abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Smaller Companies Fund)
Class A - MLSAX Class R - GLSRX Institutional Class - GGUIX Institutional Service Class - AELSX
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
Class A - GSXAX Class C - GSXCX Class R - GNSRX Institutional Class - GSCIX Institutional Service Class - GSXIX
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
Class A - GOPAX Class C - GOPCX Class R - GOPRX Institutional Class - GOPIX Institutional Service Class - GOPSX
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
Class A - GIGAX Class C - GIGCX Class R - GIRRX Institutional Class - GIGIX Institutional Service Class - GIGSX
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
Class A - GLLAX Class C - GLLCX Class R - GWLRX Institutional Class - GWLIX Institutional Service Class - GLLSX
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
Class A - GEGAX Class C - GEGCX Class R - GEMRX Institutional Class - ABEMX Institutional Service Class - AEMSX
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund (formerly, abrdn Global Absolute Return Strategies Fund)
Class A – CUGAX Institutional Class – AGCIX Institutional Service Class – CGFIX
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
Class A – WVCCX Class C – CPVCX Class R – WPVAX Institutional Class – ABNIX
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
Class A – NTFAX Institutional Class – ABEIX Institutional Service Class – ABESX
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
Class A – GXXAX Class C – GXXCX Institutional Class – GGLIX Institutional Service Class – GXXIX
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
Class A – ADAVX Institutional Class – ADVDX
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
Class A – AIAFX Institutional Class – AIFRX
abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
Class A – AAHMX Class C – ACHMX Institutional Class – AHYMX
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
Class A – AIAGX Institutional Class – AIGYX
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
Class A – ATOAX Class A1 – ATOBX Institutional Class – ATOIX
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund (formerly, abrdn International Sustainable Leaders Fund)
Class A – BJBIX Institutional Class – JIEIX
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
Class A – JETAX Institutional Class – JETIX
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund (formerly, abrdn Global High Income Fund)
Class A – BJBHX Institutional Class – JHYIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these Funds’ shares or determined whether this prospectus is complete or accurate. To state otherwise is a crime.

 
 
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Summary - abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund (formerly, abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Smaller Companies Fund) (the “Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund “ or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class R Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Institutional Service Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
None
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
None
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.75
%
0.75
%
0.75
%
0.75
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
0.50
%
None
None
Other Expenses
1.33
%
1.37
%
1.38
%
1.39
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
2.33
%
2.62
%
2.13
%
2.14
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(3)
1.09
%
1.09
%
1.23
%
1.09
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.24
%
1.53
%
0.90
%
1.05
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(3) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.90% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares, Class R shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
Summary - abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund   1

 
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Summary - abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual fee limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$694
$1,162
$1,655
$3,008
CLASS R SHARES
$156
$711
$1,293
$2,873
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$92
$548
$1,031
$2,365
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$107
$565
$1,049
$2,386
Portfolio Turnover
The Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16.83% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities issued by U.S. small-cap companies. The Fund will be managed pursuant to a “focused” strategy whereby the Fund’s investment adviser will typically invest the Fund’s assets in a small number of issuers. Generally, the Fund expects to hold approximately 35 to 45 issuers.
For purposes of the Fund’s 80% policy, a company is considered to be a U.S. company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of, or has its principal office in the United States;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in the United States; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in the United States.
 
The Fund considers small-cap companies to be companies that have market capitalizations similar to those of companies include in the Russell 2000® Index at the time of investment. The range of the Russell 2000® Index was $16.95 million to $15.04 billion as of December 31, 2023.
Some companies may outgrow the definition of a small company after the Fund has purchased their securities or may no longer fall within the range of a reconstituted index. These companies continue to be considered small for purposes of the Fund’s minimum 80% allocation to small company equities. While the Fund may sell a security if its market capitalization exceeds the definition of small-cap company, it is not required to sell solely because of that fact.
Equity securities include, but are not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and depositary receipts.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the industrials sector.
The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and the currencies of any foreign countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests. The Fund may also invest in non-U.S. companies, including primarily Canadian companies.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser invests in quality companies and is an active, engaged owner. The Adviser evaluates every company against its own quality criteria and builds conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser seeks to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market.
Principal Risks
The Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
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Summary - abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first six risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser and its portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Focus Risk – Funds that invest a greater proportion of their assets in the securities of a smaller number of issuers will be subject to greater volatility with respect to their investments than funds that invest in a larger number of securities.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
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Summary - abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the Russell 3000® Index, a broad-based securities index, and the Russell 2000® Index. Effective February 29, 2024, in anticipation of new regulatory requirements, the Fund’s broad-based securities market index has changed from the Russell 2500® Index to the Russell 3000® Index in the Fund’s total return table. Also effective February 29, 2024, the Russell 2000® Index became the Fund’s secondary benchmark to reflect the change in the Fund’s investment strategy. Pursuant to federal rules and regulations, the Russell 2500® Index will continue to be shown for twelve months following its removal as the Fund’s primary benchmark. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective February 29, 2024 from a U.S. sustainable leaders smaller companies strategy to a U.S. focused small cap equity strategy. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Smaller Companies Fund to abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund. On December 1, 2020, the Fund changed its investment strategy from a focused U.S. equity strategy to a U.S. sustainable leaders smaller companies strategy. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen Focused U.S. Equity Fund to Aberdeen U.S. Sustainable Leaders Smaller Companies Fund. In addition, the Fund changed its investment strategy effective November 15, 2017 from a long-short equity strategy to a focused U.S. equity strategy. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen Equity Long-Short Fund to Aberdeen Focused U.S. Equity Fund. Performance information for periods from December 1, 2020 to February 29, 2024, from November 15, 2017 to December 1, 2020 and prior to November 15, 2017 reflect different investment strategies than the current investment strategy.
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Summary - abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 18.48% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -18.81% - 2nd quarter 2022
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
3.33
%
10.70
%
6.37
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
3.33
%
7.99
%
3.20
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
1.97
%
8.08
%
4.25
%
Class R shares – Before Taxes
9.21
%
11.69
%
6.64
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
10.00
%
12.41
%
7.36
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
9.74
%
12.23
%
7.17
%
Russell 3000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
25.96
%
15.16
%
11.48
%
Russell 2000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
16.93
%
9.97
%
7.16
%
Russell 2500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
17.42
%
11.67
%
8.36
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund ‘s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
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Summary - abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Christopher Colarik
Head of U.S. Smaller Companies
2023
Scott Eun
Senior Investment Director
2024
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
CLASS R SHARES
To open an account
No Minimum
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund (the “U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class C Shares
Class R Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Institutional Service Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
None
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
None
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.83
%
0.83
%
0.83
%
0.83
%
0.83
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
0.50
%
None
None
Other Expenses
0.35
%
0.32
%
0.35
%
0.31
%
0.34
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.43
%
2.15
%
1.68
%
1.14
%
1.17
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.04
%
0.15
%
0.04
%
0.14
%
0.04
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.39
%
2.00
%
1.64
%
1.00
%
1.13
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(4) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.99% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares, Class R shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual fee limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$708
$998
$1,308
$2,186
CLASS C SHARES
$303
$659
$1,141
$2,471
CLASS R SHARES
$167
$526
$909
$1,984
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$102
$348
$614
$1,374
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$115
$368
$640
$1,417
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$203
$659
$1,141
$2,471
Portfolio Turnover
The U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 29.74% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities issued by U.S. small-cap companies. A company is considered to be a U.S. company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of, or has its principal office in the United States;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in the United States; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in the United States.
 
The Fund considers small-cap companies to be companies that have market capitalizations similar to those of companies included in the Russell 2000® Index at the time of investment. The range of the Russell 2000® Index was $16.95 million to $15.04 billion as of December 31, 2023.
Some companies may outgrow the definition of a small company after the Fund has purchased their securities or may no longer fall within the range of a reconstituted index. These companies continue to be considered small for purposes of the Fund’s minimum 80% allocation to small company equities. The Fund also may invest in foreign securities and securities of larger companies. Equity securities include, but are not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and depositary receipts.
While the Fund may sell a security if its market capitalization exceeds the definition of small-cap company, it is not required to sell solely because of that fact.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the industrials sector.
The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and the currencies of any foreign countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests. The Fund invests predominantly in securities of U.S. issuers. The Fund may also invest in non-U.S. companies, including primarily Canadian companies.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser invests in quality companies and is an active, engaged owner. The Adviser evaluates every company against quality criteria and builds conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: 1) the durability of the business
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser seeks to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market.
Principal Risks
The U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first five risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser and its portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates
Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund   9

 
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.
The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the Russell 3000® Index, a broad-based securities index, and the Russell 2000® Index. Effective February 29, 2024, in anticipation of new regulatory requirements, the Fund’s broad-based securities index has changed from the Russell 2000® Index to the Russell 3000® Index in the Fund’s total return table. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 29.29% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -23.76% - 1st quarter 2020
10   Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
4.62
%
9.82
%
8.15
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
4.62
%
7.42
%
6.63
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
2.73
%
7.45
%
6.36
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
9.35
%
10.43
%
8.07
%
Class R shares – Before Taxes
10.78
%
10.80
%
8.48
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
11.46
%
11.53
%
9.16
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
11.28
%
11.42
%
9.10
%
Russell 3000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
25.96
%
15.16
%
11.48
%
Russell 2000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
16.93
%
9.97
%
7.16
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Christopher Colarik
Head of U.S. Smaller Companies
2023
Scott Eun
Senior Investment Director
2024
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
CLASS R SHARES
To open an account
No Minimum
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund   11

 
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund 
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
12   Summary - abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn China A Share Equity Fund (the “China A Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the China A Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class C Shares
Class R Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Institutional Service Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
None
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
None
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.85
%
0.85
%
0.85
%
0.85
%
0.85
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
0.50
%
None
None
Other Expenses
0.69
%
0.64
%
0.73
%
0.64
%
0.68
%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(4)
0.01
%
0.01
%
0.01
%
0.01
%
0.01
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(5)
1.80
%
2.50
%
2.09
%
1.50
%
1.54
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(6)
0.41
%
0.47
%
0.41
%
0.46
%
0.41
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(5)
1.39
%
2.03
%
1.68
%
1.04
%
1.13
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(4) Acquired fund fees and expenses are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other mutual funds, including money market funds and exchange traded funds.
(5) The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses and Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements do not correlate to the Fund’s Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets and Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets, respectively, included in the Fund’s Financial Highlights in the Fund’s prospectus, as those ratios do not reflect indirect expenses, such as Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
(6) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.99% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares, Class R shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund   13

 
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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the China A Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the China A Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$708
$1,071
$1,458
$2,538
CLASS C SHARES
$306
$734
$1,288
$2,801
CLASS R SHARES
$171
$615
$1,086
$2,388
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$106
$429
$775
$1,751
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$115
$446
$801
$1,800
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$206
$734
$1,288
$2,801
Portfolio Turnover
The China A Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 36.32% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the China A Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of mainland China-based companies that are denominated in Renminbi and listed on the Shenzhen and Shanghai stock exchanges (“China A Shares”). For the purposes of the Fund meeting its 80% investment policy, the Fund will include investments in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that have policies to invest 80% or more of their assets in China A Shares.
China A Shares are only available to non-mainland China investors like the Fund through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (collectively, “Stock Connect”) or the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor and Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor systems (collectively, the “QFII Programs”). Stock Connect and the QFII Programs are subject to regulatory changes and specified quota limitations. The Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges may close for extended periods for holidays or otherwise, which impacts the Fund’s ability to trade in China A Shares during those periods.
The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and the currencies of the foreign countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
The Fund may invest without limit in the equity securities of companies of any size, including small-cap and mid-cap companies. Equity securities include, but are not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and depositary receipts. The Fund also may invest in equity-linked notes. An equity-linked note is a security whose performance is generally tied to a single stock, a stock index or a basket of stocks. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% policy described above, equity-linked notes are classified according to their underlying or referenced security or securities. The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the consumer staples and industrials sectors.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser and Sub-adviser invest in quality companies and are an active, engaged owners. The Adviser and Sub-adviser evaluate every company against quality criteria and build conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser and Sub-adviser. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser and Sub-adviser seek to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market.
14   Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund 
Principal Risks
The China A Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first nine risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Emerging Markets Risk – Emerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” below).
China Risk. Significant exposure to China and Hong Kong securities subjects the Fund to additional risks, and may make it significantly more volatile than more geographically diverse mutual funds. Additional risks associated with investments in China and Hong Kong include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage), trading halts, imposition of tariffs, limitations on repatriation and differing legal standards. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
China A Shares Risk. Trading in China A Shares through Stock Connect and the QFII Programs involves additional risks. Stock Connect is subject to a daily quota (the “Daily Quota”), which limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day and, as such, buy orders for China A Shares would be rejected once the Daily Quota is exceeded (although the Fund will be permitted to sell China A Shares regardless of the Daily Quota balance). Further, Stock Connect, which relies on the connectivity of the Shanghai or Shenzhen markets with Hong Kong, is subject to operational risk, regulations that are relatively untested and are subject to change, and extended market closures for holidays or otherwise. During an extended market closure, the Fund’s ability to trade in China A Shares will be impacted which may affect the Fund’s performance. The QFII Programs are subject to the risk that the Adviser may have its QFII Programs license revoked or restricted with respect to the Fund or the Fund may be impacted by the rules, restrictions and quota limitations connected to reliance on a QFII Programs license.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Illiquid Securities Risk – Illiquid securities are assets that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the asset. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Illiquid securities and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value.
Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund   15

 
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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund 
The Adviser employs procedures and tests using third-party and internal data inputs that seek to assess and manage the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. These procedures and tests take into account the Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and foreseeable stressed conditions, cash-flow projections during both normal and reasonable foreseeable stressed conditions, relevant market, trading and other factors, and monitor whether liquidity should be adjusted based on changed market conditions. These procedures and tests are designed to assist the Fund in determining its ability to meet redemption requests in various market conditions. In light of the dynamic nature of markets, there can be no assurance that these procedures and tests will enable the Fund to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to meet redemption requests.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Equity-Linked Notes – The Fund may invest in equity-linked notes, which are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign equity securities or the basket of foreign securities they are linked to. If the linked security(ies) declines in value, the note may return a lower amount at maturity. The trading price of an equity-linked note also depends on the value of the linked security(ies).
Exchange-Traded Fund Risk – To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund may be subject to, among other risks, tracking error risk and passive and, in some cases, active management investment risk. An active secondary market in ETF shares may not develop or be maintained and may be halted or interrupted due to actions by its listing exchange, unusual market conditions or other reasons. There can be no assurance that an ETF’s shares will continue to be listed on an active exchange. In addition, Fund shareholders bear both their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses and similar expenses incurred through the Fund’s ownership of the ETF.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Consumer Staples Sector Risk. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be adversely affected by changes in the global economy, consumer spending, competition, demographics and consumer preferences, and production spending. Companies in the consumer staples sector may also be affected by changes in global economic, environmental and political events, economic conditions, the depletion of resources, and government regulation. For instance, government regulations may affect the permissibility of using various food additives and production methods of companies that make food products, which could affect company profitability. In addition, tobacco companies may be adversely affected by the adoption of proposed legislation and/or by litigation. Companies in the consumer staples sector also may be subject to risks pertaining to the supply of, demand for and prices of raw materials. The prices of raw materials fluctuate in response to a number of factors, including, without limitation, changes in government agricultural support programs, exchange rates, import and export controls, changes in international agricultural and trading policies, and seasonal and weather conditions. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be subject to severe competition, which may also have an adverse impact on their profitability.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors.
16   Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund 
Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the China A Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI China A (Onshore) Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www. abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231. The Fund changed its investment strategies effective June 13, 2019. The performance information for periods before June 13, 2019 does not reflect the Fund’s current investment strategies. In connection with the change in investment strategies, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen China Opportunities Fund to Aberdeen China A Share Equity Fund.
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund   17

 
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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund 
Highest Return: 24.28% - 4th quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -19.21% - 3rd quarter 2022
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
-29.53
%
0.90
%
1.20
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
-29.63
%
0.48
%
0.78
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
-17.48
%
0.80
%
0.87
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
-26.45
%
1.42
%
1.11
%
Class R shares – Before Taxes
-25.45
%
1.80
%
1.46
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
-24.98
%
2.45
%
2.12
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
-25.07
%
2.33
%
2.03
%
MSCI China A (Onshore) Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
-11.65
%
5.19
%
2.79
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the China A Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Asia Limited (“aAL”) serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Pruksa Iamthongthong, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2009
Jim Jiang
Investment Manager
2018
Elizabeth Kwik, CFA®
Investment Director
2013
Nicholas Yeo, CFA®
Director and Head of Equities – China
2009
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
CLASS R SHARES
To open an account
No Minimum
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
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Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Summary - abrdn China A Share Equity Fund   19

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund (the “Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A
Shares
Class C
Shares
Class R
Shares
Institutional
Class Shares
Institutional
Service Class
Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
None
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
None
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.80
%
0.80
%
0.80
%
0.80
%
0.80
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
0.50
%
None
None
Other Expenses
0.68
%
0.67
%
0.66
%
0.62
%
0.59
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.73
%
2.47
%
1.96
%
1.42
%
1.39
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.22
%
0.36
%
0.22
%
0.31
%
0.22
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.51
%
2.11
%
1.74
%
1.11
%
1.17
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(4) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 1.10% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares, Class R shares, and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$720
$1,068
$1,440
$2,481
CLASS C SHARES
$314
$735
$1,283
$2,779
CLASS R SHARES
$177
$594
$1,037
$2,268
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$113
$419
$747
$1,675
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$119
$418
$740
$1,650
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$214
$735
$1,283
$2,779
Portfolio Turnover
The Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 27.11% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
The Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective of seeking long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of emerging market companies that the Adviser deems to have sound and improving prospects and which demonstrate that they are current or emerging sustainable leaders through their management of environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities in accordance with the Adviser’s criteria.
In pursuing the Fund’s investment strategies, the Adviser invests in quality companies and is an active, engaged owner and takes into consideration a company’s management of ESG risks and opportunities and the company’s ESG performance. The Adviser evaluates every company against quality criteria and builds conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser seeks to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market. The Adviser’s overall quality assessment covers five key factors: (1) durability of the business model, (2) the attractiveness of the industry, (3) the strength of financials, (4) the capability of management, and (5) the most material ESG factors impacting a company.
When assessing the most material ESG factors impacting a company, the Adviser evaluates the ownership structure and governance of the company as well as potential environmental and social risks and opportunities that the company may face. The Adviser will assign each company an ESG-quality rating ranging from 1 to 5 (1 indicating best in class and 5 indicating laggards) – enabling the Fund’s investment team to identify current and emerging sustainable leaders. Companies eligible for investment by the Fund must be rated 3 or better by the Adviser. In limited circumstances, for example, in a corporate action or an initial public offering, the Fund may purchase or receive securities of companies that have not been assigned an ESG quality rating by the Adviser so long as one is assigned to the company within the time period required by the Adviser’s internal process.
Examples of areas under scope when assessing a company’s ESG quality include the following:
Corporate Governance
 
Carbon Emissions
 
Air Quality
 
Energy Management
 
Water & Wastewater Management
 
Waste & Hazardous Materials Management
 
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund   21

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Ecological Impacts
 
Human Rights & Community Relations
 
Customer Privacy
 
Data Security
 
Access & Affordability
 
Product Quality & Safety
 
Customer Welfare
 
Selling Practices & Product Labelling
 
Labor Practices
 
Employee Health & Safety
 
Employee Engagement
 
Diversity & Inclusion
 
Product Design & Lifecycle Management
 
Business Model Resilience
 
Supply Chain Management
 
Materials Sourcing & Efficiency
 
Physical Impacts of Climate Change
 
Business Ethics
 
Competitive Behavior
 
Management of the Legal & Regulatory Environment
 
Critical Incident Risk Management
 
Systemic Risk Management
 
The foregoing list is not exhaustive and may change; in addition, not all areas in the foregoing list are relevant to every company in which the Fund may invest. The Adviser focuses its analysis on those areas that it believes will materially impact a company’s reputation or operational or financial performance.
In carrying out its assessments of ESG quality, the Adviser’s equity analysts incorporate internal data sources, including a proprietary quantitative house score (“House Score”), external sources (e.g. MSCI reports), thematic expertise from the Adviser’s Investment Sustainability Group and stock-specific expertise from the Adviser’s equity ESG analysts. The Adviser relies heavily on its own in-depth research and analysis over third party ESG ratings.
In addition, the Adviser excludes the 10% lowest scoring companies in the Fund’s benchmark index using the Adviser’s House Score. In limited circumstances, for example, in a corporate action or an initial public offering, the Fund may purchase or receive securities of companies that have not been assigned a House Score by the Adviser so long as one is assigned to the company within the time period required by the Adviser’s internal process.
Binary exclusions are also applied to exclude a defined list of unacceptable activities. Based on MSCI business involvement screening research and the Adviser’s analysis, the Fund will seek to not invest in companies that have:
failed to uphold one or more principles of the UN Global Compact;
 
an industry tie to (including companies that provide support systems and services, as well as those with direct (i.e., owners and producers) and indirect (i.e., parents and subsidiaries) involvement in) controversial weapons (cluster munitions, landmines, biological / chemical weapons, depleted uranium weapons, blinding laser weapons, incendiary weapons, and/or non-detectable fragments);
 
a revenue contribution of 10% or more from the manufacture or sale of conventional weapons or weapons systems;
 
a revenue contribution of 10% or more from tobacco or are tobacco manufacturers;
 
a revenue contribution of 10% or more from the extraction of unconventional oil and gas (including oil sands, oil shale (kerogen-rich deposits), shale gas, shale oil, coal seam gas, and coal bed methane and excluding conventional oil and gas productions);
 
or a revenue contribution from thermal coal extraction.
 
The Fund targets a lower Weighted Average Carbon Intensity (“WACI”) than its benchmark based on third-party data, or third-party estimates when an issuer does not report Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund 
The Fund will measure compliance with its principal investment strategies at the time of investment. Third party data by which the Fund measures compliance with its binary exclusions, WACI target, and House Score threshold is updated at regular intervals. If a company no longer meets the Fund’s principal strategies, the Adviser will make a determination as to whether to sell such security, in accordance with the Adviser’s internal process.
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of emerging market companies that the Adviser considers to be current or emerging sustainable leaders in accordance with the Adviser’s criteria. Equity securities include, but are not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and depositary receipts.
An emerging market country is any country determined by the Adviser or Sub-adviser to have an emerging market economy, considering factors such as the country’s credit rating, its political and economic stability and the development of its financial and capital markets. Emerging market countries include every nation in the world except the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore and most countries located in Western Europe. A company is considered to be an emerging market company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of, or has its principal office in an emerging market country;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in an emerging market country; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in an emerging market country.
 
At times, the Fund may have a significant amount of its assets invested in a country or geographic region. The Fund currently anticipates that it will invest a significant amount of its assets in securities economically tied to Mainland China, including through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program or by any other available means. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and currencies of emerging market countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market capitalization.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the financials and information technology sectors.
Principal Risks
The Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first seven risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Sustainable Investing Risk – The Fund’s “Sustainable Leaders” strategy could cause it to perform differently compared to funds that do not have such strategy. ESG considerations may be linked to long-term rather than short-term returns. The criteria related to the Fund’s Sustainable Leaders strategy, including the exclusion of securities of companies that engage in certain business activities, may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. In addition, there is a risk that the companies identified as sustainable leaders by the Adviser do not operate as expected when addressing ESG issues. There are significant differences in interpretations of what it means for a company to have positive ESG characteristics. While the Adviser believes its definitions are reasonable, the portfolio decisions it makes may differ with other investors’ or advisers’ views.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Emerging Markets RiskEmerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” below).
China Risk. Significant exposure to China and Hong Kong securities subjects the Fund to additional risks, and may make it significantly more volatile than more geographically diverse mutual funds. Additional risks associated with investments in China and Hong Kong include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage), trading halts, imposition of tariffs, limitations on repatriation and differing legal standards. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Risk. Investing in China A shares through Stock Connect involves various considerations and risks, including, but not limited to, illiquidity risk; currency risk; greater price volatility; legal and regulatory uncertainty risk; execution risk; operational risk; tax risk; credit risk; and economic, social and political instability of the stock market in the People’s Republic of China.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Financials Sector Risk. To the extent that the financials sector represents a significant portion of the Fund’s portfolio, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, decreased liquidity in credit markets as well as cyber-attacks.
Information Technology Sector Risk. To the extent that the information technology sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based securities index.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective December 1, 2020 from an international equity strategy to an emerging markets sustainable leaders strategy. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from the Aberdeen International Equity Fund to Aberdeen Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund. Performance information for periods prior to December 1, 2020 does not reflect the Fund’s current investment strategy. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/ fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 17.86% - 4th quarter 2020
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund   25

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Lowest Return: -18.04% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
0.73
%
1.17
%
-0.22
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
0.24
%
-0.38
%
-1.41
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
0.42
%
0.79
%
-0.41
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
5.21
%
1.73
%
-0.29
%
Class R shares – Before Taxes
6.63
%
2.11
%
0.11
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
7.35
%
2.78
%
0.74
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
7.28
%
2.71
%
0.67
%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
9.83
%
3.68
%
2.66
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Nick Robinson, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2022
Nina Petry, CFA®
Investment Manager
2023
Kristy Fong, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2022
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
CLASS R SHARES
To open an account
No Minimum
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
26   Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund   27

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund (the “Emerging Markets ex-China Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital growth.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Emerging Markets ex-China Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A
Shares
Class C
Shares
Class R
Shares
Institutional
Class Shares
Institutional Service
Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
None
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
None
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees(4)
0.80
%
0.80
%
0.80
%
0.80
%
0.80
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
0.50
%
None
None
Other Expenses
1.21
%
1.27
%
1.30
%
1.23
%
1.20
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
2.26
%
3.07
%
2.60
%
2.03
%
2.00
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(5)
0.91
%
1.07
%
0.91
%
1.03
%
0.91
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.35
%
2.00
%
1.69
%
1.00
%
1.09
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(4) Management fees have been restated to reflect current fees as a result of a reduction in the Fund’s contractual management fee rate effective February 29, 2024.
(5) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.99% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares, Class R shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
28   Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Emerging Markets ex-China Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Emerging Markets ex-China Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$705
$1,158
$1,637
$2,954
CLASS C SHARES
$303
$848
$1,517
$3,308
CLASS R SHARES
$172
$722
$1,299
$2,867
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$102
$537
$998
$2,276
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$111
$539
$994
$2,254
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$203
$848
$1,517
$3,308
Portfolio Turnover
The Emerging Markets ex-China Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 36.00% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
The Emerging Markets ex-China Fund will invest primarily in common stocks, but may also invest in other types of equity securities, including, but not limited to, preferred stock and depositary receipts. As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of emerging market (excluding China) companies. An emerging market (excluding China) country is any country determined by the Adviser or abrdn Investments Limited (the “Sub-adviser”) to have an emerging market economy, considering factors such as the country’s credit rating, its political and economic stability and the development of its financial and capital markets. Emerging market (excluding China) countries include every nation in the world except the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore and most countries located in Western Europe. A company is considered to be an emerging market company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of or has its principal office in an emerging market country (excluding China);
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in an emerging market country (excluding China); and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in an emerging market country (excluding China).
 
At times, the Fund may have a significant amount of its assets invested in a country or geographic region. The Fund currently anticipates that it will invest a significant amount of its assets in securities economically tied to India. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and currencies of emerging market countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market capitalization, including small and mid-cap securities.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the information technology and financials sectors.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser and Sub-adviser invest in quality companies and are an active, engaged owners. The Adviser and Sub-adviser evaluate every company against quality criteria and build conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund   29

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund 
investment decision made by the Adviser and Sub-adviser. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser and Sub-adviser seek to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market.
Principal Risks
The Emerging Markets ex-China Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first six risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Emerging Markets RiskEmerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” below).
India Risk. The value of the Fund’s assets may be adversely affected by political, economic, social and religious factors, changes in Indian law or regulations and the status of India’s relations with other countries. In addition, the economy of India may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as the rate of growth of gross domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. The Indian government has exercised and continues to exercise significant influence over many aspects of the economy, and the number of public sector enterprises in India is substantial. Accordingly, Indian government actions in the future could have a significant effect on the Indian economy, which could affect private sector companies and the Fund, market conditions, and prices and yields of securities in the Fund’s portfolio.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
30   Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund 
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Information Technology Sector Risk. To the extent that the information technology sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Financials Sector Risk. To the extent that the financials sector represents a significant portion of the Fund’s portfolio, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, decreased liquidity in credit markets as well as cyber-attacks.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Emerging Markets ex-China Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI Emerging Markets ex-China Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based securities index.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective February 28, 2022 from a global equity strategy to an emerging markets ex-China strategy. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen Global Equity Fund to abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund. Performance information for periods prior to February 28, 2022 does not reflect the Fund’s current investment strategy. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/ fund-centre#literature#literature or call 866-667-9231.
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund   31

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund 
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 17.54% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -20.39% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
14.05
%
8.43
%
4.37
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
13.82
%
6.43
%
2.70
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
8.31
%
6.42
%
3.06
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
19.37
%
9.01
%
4.30
%
Class R shares – Before Taxes
20.62
%
9.30
%
4.61
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
21.45
%
10.11
%
5.34
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
21.34
%
9.97
%
5.28
%
MSCI Emerging Markets ex-China Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
20.03
%
6.88
%
3.87
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Emerging Markets ex-China Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
32   Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund 
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Kristy Fong, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2022
Nick Robinson, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2022
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
CLASS R SHARES
To open an account
No Minimum
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund   33

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Emerging Markets Fund (the “Emerging Markets Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Emerging Markets Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class C Shares
Class R Shares
Institutional
Class Shares
Institutional Service
Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
None
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
None
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.90
%
0.90
%
0.90
%
0.90
%
0.90
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
0.50
%
None
None
Other Expenses
0.45
%
0.30
%
0.35
%
0.29
%
0.35
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.60
%
2.20
%
1.75
%
1.19
%
1.25
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.00
%
0.10
%
0.00
%
0.09
%
0.00
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.60
%
2.10
%
1.75
%
1.10
%
1.25
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(4) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 1.10% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares, Class R shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Emerging Markets Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Emerging Markets Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$728
$1,051
$1,396
$2,366
CLASS C SHARES
$313
$679
$1,171
$2,526
CLASS R SHARES
$178
$551
$949
$2,062
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$112
$369
$646
$1,435
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$127
$397
$686
$1,511
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$213
$679
$1,171
$2,526
Portfolio Turnover
The Emerging Markets Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 30.01% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
The Emerging Markets Fund will invest primarily in common stocks, but may also invest in other types of equity securities, including, but not limited to, preferred stock and depositary receipts. As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of emerging market companies. An emerging market country is any country determined by the Adviser or Sub-adviser to have an emerging market economy, considering factors such as the country’s credit rating, its political and economic stability and the development of its financial and capital markets. Emerging market countries include every nation in the world except the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore and most countries located in Western Europe. A company is considered to be an emerging market company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of, or has its principal office in an emerging market country;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in an emerging market country; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in an emerging market country.
 
At times, the Fund may have a significant amount of its assets invested in a country or geographic region. The Fund currently anticipates that it will invest a significant amount of its assets in securities economically tied to Mainland China, including through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program or by any other available means. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and currencies of emerging market countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market capitalization, including small and mid-cap securities.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the financials and information technology sectors.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser and Sub-advisers invest in quality companies and are an active, engaged owners. The Adviser and Sub-advisers evaluate every company against quality criteria and build conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund   35

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund 
investment decision made by the Adviser and Sub-advisers. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser and Sub-advisers seek to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market.
Principal Risks
The Emerging Markets Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first six risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-advisers may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-advisers and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-advisers may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Emerging Markets RiskEmerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” below).
China Risk. Significant exposure to China and Hong Kong securities subjects the Fund to additional risks, and may make it significantly more volatile than more geographically diverse mutual funds. Additional risks associated with investments in China and Hong Kong include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage), trading halts, imposition of tariffs, limitations on repatriation and differing legal standards. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Risk. Investing in China A shares through Stock Connect involves various considerations and risks, including, but not limited to, illiquidity risk; currency risk; greater price volatility; legal and regulatory uncertainty risk; execution risk; operational risk; tax risk; credit risk; and economic, social and political instability of the stock market in the People’s Republic of China.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund 
financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Financials Sector Risk. To the extent that the financials sector represents a significant portion of the Fund’s portfolio, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, decreased liquidity in credit markets as well as cyber-attacks.
Information Technology Sector Risk. To the extent that the information technology sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Emerging Markets Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for the Institutional Class have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
Class A, Class C and Class R returns prior to the commencement of operations of Class A, Class C and Class R (inception date: May 21, 2012) are based on the previous performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. Excluding the effect of any fee waivers or reimbursements, this performance is substantially similar to what each individual class would have produced because all classes invest in the same portfolio of securities. Returns would only differ to the extent of the differences in expenses between the two classes.
Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund   37

 
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund 
Annual Total Returns – Institutional Class Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 25.95% - 4th quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -26.14% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for the Institutional Class shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
-0.09
%
1.14
%
0.84
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
4.55
%
1.83
%
0.88
%
Class R shares – Before Taxes
5.96
%
2.21
%
1.22
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
6.65
%
2.85
%
1.89
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions
6.03
%
1.79
%
0.97
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
3.93
%
2.06
%
1.24
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
6.47
%
2.71
%
1.73
%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
9.83
%
3.68
%
2.66
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Emerging Markets Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Asia Limited (“aAL”) and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) serve as the Fund’s sub-advisers.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Fund 
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Kristy Fong, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
Inception
*
Joanne Irvine
Deputy Head of Global Emerging Markets
Inception
*
Devan Kaloo
Global Head of Public Markets
Inception
*
Nick Robinson, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2023
* Includes Predecessor Fund (inception date: May 11, 2007)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
CLASS R SHARES
To open an account
No Minimum
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund (formerly, abrdn Global Absolute Return Strategies Fund) (the “Infrastructure Debt Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks a high level of current income with a secondary objective of capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A
Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Institutional Service Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
3.00
%
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
None
Other Expenses
0.75
%
0.73
%
0.73
%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(3)
0.01
%
0.01
%
0.01
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(4)
1.51
%
1.24
%
1.24
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(5)
0.45
%
0.57
%
0.45
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
1.06
%
0.67
%
0.79
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(3) Acquired fund fees and expenses are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other mutual funds, including money market funds and exchange traded funds.
(4) The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses and Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements do not correlate to the Fund’s Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets and Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets, respectively, included in the Fund’s Financial Highlights in the Fund’s prospectus, as those ratios do not reflect indirect expenses, such as Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
(5) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.65% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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.
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund 
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$405
$720
$1,058
$2,010
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$68
$337
$626
$1,450
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$81
$349
$638
$1,460
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual 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 140.60% of the average value of its portfolio investment.
Principal Strategies
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in U.S. and non-U.S. infrastructure-related debt issuers and/or securities intended primarily to finance infrastructure-related activities. Infrastructure-related securities include securities issued to finance any assets or projects that support the operation, function, growth or development of a community or economy.
The infrastructure investments in which the Fund may invest include, without limitation, fixed or floating-rate debt instruments, loans or other income-producing instruments issued:
by companies or other issuers to finance (or re-finance) the ownership, development, construction, maintenance, renovation, enhancement, or operation of infrastructure assets;
 
by companies or other issuers that invest in, own, lease or hold infrastructure assets; and
 
by companies or other issuers that operate infrastructure assets or provide services, products or raw materials related to the development, construction, maintenance, renovation, enhancement or operation of infrastructure assets.
 
The Fund may hold instruments issued by a wide range of entities including, among others, operating companies, holding companies, special purpose vehicles, including vehicles created to hold or finance infrastructure assets, municipal issuers, and governments and government agencies, authorities or instrumentalities.
The infrastructure assets to which the Fund may have exposure through its investments include, without limitation, assets related to:
transportation (e.g., airports, metro systems, subways, railroads, ports, toll roads);
 
transportation equipment (e.g., shipping, aircraft, railcars, containers);
 
electric utilities and power (e.g., power generation, transmission and distribution);
 
energy (e.g., exploration and production, pipeline, storage, refining and distribution of energy), including renewable energies (e.g., wind, solar, hydro, geothermal);
 
communication networks and equipment;
 
water and sewage treatment;
 
social infrastructure (e.g., health care facilities, government buildings and other public service facilities); and
 
metals, mining, and other resources and services related to infrastructure assets (e.g., cement, chemical companies).
 
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets on non-infrastructure-related securities.
For purposes of the Fund’s 80% policy, debt securities include fixed income securities of any type; however, the Fund intends to invest primarily in municipal debt and corporate debt, with municipal debt comprising no less than 50% of its assets, and typically approximately 60% of its assets.
Generally, the Fund intends to invest in bonds issued by both domestic and foreign issuers, including foreign issuers from emerging market countries. While the Fund’s investments will generally be denominated in U.S. dollars, the Fund may also invest in non-dollar denominated instruments.
The Fund may also invest in securities having a variable or floating interest rate. The Fund may invest in fixed-income securities of any maturity or duration.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will maintain a weighted average credit rating of “BBB–” or above by Standard & Poor’s Rating Service (“S&P”), or “Baa3” or above by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization. Although the Fund typically invests in investment grade
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund 
debt, the Fund may also invest in high income producing instruments, rated at the time of purchase below “BBB–” by S&P, or below “Baa3” by Moody’s, or below a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or unrated bonds determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Split rate bonds will be considered to have the higher credit rating. The Fund may invest in securities rated in the lowest ratings category or in default (i.e., “junk bonds”, which are speculative).
The Fund’s investments may include bonds that are labeled as social, sustainability or green.
In selecting investments for the Fund, the Adviser and Sub-adviser examine the material risks of an investment across a spectrum of considerations including financial metrics, regional and national conditions and industry specific factors. The Adviser and Sub-adviser will also consider the most material potential ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) risks and opportunities impacting issuers, where relevant. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser and Sub-adviser. The materiality of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and instrument types.
In selecting the Fund’s municipal debt securities, the Adviser and Sub-adviser generally look for a wide range of U.S. issuers and securities that provide high current income, including unrated bonds and securities of smaller issuers that offer high current income and might be overlooked by other investors and funds. The Adviser and Sub-adviser also focus on securities with coupon interest or accretion rates, current market interest rates, callability and call prices that might change the effective maturity of particular securities. The Adviser and Sub-adviser may consider selling a security if any of these factors no longer applies to a security purchased for the Fund, but is not required to do so.
In selecting the Fund’s corporate debt securities, the Adviser and Sub-adviser seek to invest in securities of issuers that are expected to exhibit stable to improving credit characteristics based on industry trends, company positioning, and management strategy, taking into account the potential positive impact of any restructurings or other corporate reorganizations.
The Fund may use derivatives under certain market conditions to manage duration and to hedge currency exposure. The Fund expects that derivative instruments will include the purchase and sale of U.S. treasury futures contracts and forward foreign exchange contracts.
All distributions by the Fund, including any distributions derived from tax-exempt municipal obligations, may be includible in taxable income for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund does not seek to provide income exempt from federal income tax.
Principal Risks
The Infrastructure Debt Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Infrastructure Debt Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first eight risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Fixed Income Securities Risk – Fixed income securities fluctuate in price based on changes in an issuer’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. The value of a fixed income security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer. Fixed income securities are subject to, among other risks, credit risk, extension risk, issuer risk, interest rate risk, market risk and prepayment risk.
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Infrastructure-Related Investments Risk – Because the Fund concentrates its investments in infrastructure-related entities, the Fund has greater exposure to the potential adverse economic, regulatory, political and other changes affecting such entities. Infrastructure related entities are subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, costs associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown and surplus capacity, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning the availability of fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Additionally, infrastructure-related entities may be subject to regulation by various governmental authorities and may also be affected by governmental regulation of rates charged to customers, service interruption due to environmental, operational or other mishaps, the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards.
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund 
Municipal Securities Risk - Municipal bonds can be significantly affected by political and economic changes, including inflation, as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes, or the rights of municipal security holders. Municipal bonds have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter-term Municipal bonds and higher for long term Municipal bonds.
Municipal Bond Tax Risk - A municipal bond that is issued as tax-exempt may later be declared to be taxable. In addition, if the federal income tax rate is reduced, the value of the tax exemption may be less valuable, causing the value of a municipal bond to decline.
Municipal Market Volatility and Illiquidity Risk - The municipal bond market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. During times of reduced market liquidity, the Fund may not be able to readily sell bonds without the sale significantly changing the market value of the bond. If the Fund needed to sell large blocks of bonds to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce the bonds’ prices.
Municipal Sector Risk - From time to time the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in municipal securities whose interest is paid solely from revenues of similar projects. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the economic risks relating to such projects and this may have a significant impact on the Fund’s investment performance.
High-Yield Bonds and Other Lower-Rated Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in high-yield bonds (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) and other lower-rated securities will subject the Fund to substantial risk of loss. Investments in high–yield bonds are speculative and issuers of these securities are generally considered to be less financially secure and less able to repay interest and principal than issuers of investment-grade securities. Prices of high-yield bonds tend to be very volatile. These securities are less liquid than investment-grade debt securities and may be difficult to price or sell, particularly in times of negative sentiment toward high-yield securities.
Green, Social and Sustainability Bond Risk – The Fund’s performance may differ from the performance of other funds that do not invest green, social and sustainability bonds because the Fund’s investment strategy may select or exclude securities of certain issuers for reasons in addition to performance. Investing in green, social and sustainability bonds is qualitative and subjective by nature, and there is no guarantee that the factors utilized by the Adviser or any judgment exercised by the Adviser will reflect the opinions of any particular investor.
Bank Loan Risk – There are a number of risks associated with an investment in bank loans including credit risk, interest rate risk, illiquid securities risk, and prepayment risk. There is also the possibility that the collateral securing a loan, if any, may be difficult to liquidate or be insufficient to cover the amount owed under the loan. Bank loans have significantly longer settlement periods (e.g., longer than seven days) than more traditional investments resulting in the proceeds from the sale of such loans not being readily available to make additional investments or to meet a Fund’s redemption obligations. In addition, loans are not registered under the federal securities laws like stocks and bonds, so investors in loans have less protection against improper practices than investors in registered securities. These risks could cause the Fund to lose income or principal on a particular investment, which in turn could affect the Fund’s returns.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Derivatives Risk (including Options, Futures and Swaps) – Derivatives are speculative and may hurt the Fund’s performance. The potential benefits to be derived from the Fund’s options, futures and derivatives strategy are dependent upon the portfolio managers’ ability to discern pricing inefficiencies and predict trends in these markets, which decisions could prove to be inaccurate.
Speculative Exposure Risk – To the extent that a derivative or practice is not used as a hedge, the Fund is directly exposed to its risks. Gains or losses from speculative positions in a derivative may be much greater than the derivative’s original cost. For example, potential losses from writing uncovered call options and from speculative short sales are unlimited.
Hedged Exposure Risk – Losses generated by a derivative or practice used by the Fund for hedging purposes should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment. However, while hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.
Correlation Risk – The Fund is exposed to the risk that changes in the value of a hedging instrument will not match those of the investment being hedged.
Counterparty Risk – Derivative transactions depend on the creditworthiness of the counterparty and the counterparty’s ability to fulfill its contractual obligations.
Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund   43

 
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund 
Other Derivatives Risks – Fixed income derivatives are subject to interest rate risk. In addition, certain derivatives may be subject to illiquid securities risk, mispricing or valuation complexity, market risk and management risk. The Fund may need to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to satisfy margin or payment obligations under derivatives investments. Changes in regulation relating to the Fund’s use of derivatives and related instruments could potentially limit or impact the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives, limit the Fund’s ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives and/or adversely affect the value of derivatives and the Fund’s performance.
Emerging Markets Risk – Emerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” below).
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Illiquid Securities Risk – Illiquid securities are assets that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the asset. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Illiquid and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value. Over recent years, the capacity of dealers to make markets in fixed income securities has been outpaced by the growth in the size of the fixed income markets. Illiquid securities risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or when investor redemptions from fixed income funds may be higher than normal, due to the increased supply in the market that would result from selling activity.
The Adviser employs procedures and tests using third-party and internal data inputs that seek to assess and manage the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. These procedures and tests take into account the Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and foreseeable stressed conditions, cash-flow projections during both normal and reasonable foreseeable stressed conditions, relevant market, trading and other factors, and monitor whether liquidity should be adjusted based on changed market conditions. These procedures and tests are designed to assist the Fund in determining its ability to meet redemption requests in various market conditions. In light of the dynamic nature of markets, there can be no assurance that these procedures and tests will enable the Fund to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to meet redemption requests.
Interest Rate Risk – The Fund’s fixed income investments are subject to interest rate risk, which generally causes the value of a fixed income portfolio to decrease when interest rates rise resulting in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. Interest rate fluctuations tend to have a greater impact on fixed income-securities with a greater time to maturity and/or lower coupon. A fund with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a fund with a shorter average portfolio duration. In periods of market volatility, the market values of fixed income securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater
44   Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund 
than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities Risk – For floating and variable rate obligations, there may be a lag between an actual change in the underlying interest rate benchmark and the reset time for an interest payment of such an obligation, which could harm or benefit the Fund, depending on the interest rate environment or other circumstances. Variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”) are floating rate securities that combine an interest in a long term municipal bond with a right to demand payment before maturity from a bank or other financial institution. If the bank or financial institution is unable to pay, the Fund may lose money.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Institutional Service Class have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, a broad-based securities index, and the ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month US Treasury Note Index, the Fund’s prior performance benchmark. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment objective and strategies effective August 18, 2023, November 15, 2019 and August 15, 2016. In connection with the changes effective August 18, 2023, the Fund transitioned from an “absolute return” strategy with a global focus to a focus on U.S. and non-U.S. infrastructure-related debt. Performance information for periods prior to August 18, 2023, November 15, 2019 and August 15, 2016 reflect different investment strategies.
In connection with the change in investment objective and strategy on August 18, 2023, the Fund changed its name from abrdn Global Absolute Return Strategies Fund to abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund, and changed its benchmark index from the ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Note Index to the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index to provide a more meaningful comparison given the Fund’s new investment strategies and holdings. Pursuant to federal rules and regulations, the ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Note Index will continue to be shown for twelve months following its removal as the Fund’s primary benchmark. In connection with the change in investment objective and strategy on November 15, 2019, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen Global Unconstrained Fixed Income Fund to Aberdeen Global Absolute Return Strategies Fund. In connection with the change in investment objective and strategy on August 15, 2016, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen Global Fixed Income Fund to Aberdeen Global Unconstrained Fixed Income Fund.
Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund   45

 
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund 
Annual Total Returns – Institutional Service Class Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 6.93% - 4th quarter 2023
Lowest Return: -5.24% - 1st quarter 2022
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Institutional Service Class shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
-5.67
%
-1.29
%
-0.07
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
-2.42
%
-0.38
%
0.52
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
-2.53
%
-0.46
%
0.41
%
Institutional Service Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions
-3.38
%
-1.18
%
-0.36
%
Institutional Service Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
-1.52
%
-0.61
%
0.02
%
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
8.76
%
2.63
%
1.63
%
ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month US Treasury Note Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
5.03
%
1.92
%
1.28
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Infrastructure Debt Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Infrastructure Debt Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Infrastructure Debt Fund:
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Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund 
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Matthew Kence
Investment Director
2023
Jonathan Mondillo
Head of U.S. Fixed Income
2023
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Summary - abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund   47

 
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Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn International Small Cap Fund (the “International Small Cap Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the International Small Cap Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class C Shares
Class R Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
None
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.81
%
0.81
%
0.81
%
0.81
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
0.50
%
None
Other Expenses
0.43
%
0.51
%
0.44
%
0.43
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.49
%
2.32
%
1.75
%
1.24
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.15
%
0.33
%
0.15
%
0.25
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.34
%
1.99
%
1.60
%
0.99
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(4) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.99% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares and Class R shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the International Small Cap 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$704
$1,005
$1,328
$2,240
CLASS C SHARES
$302
$693
$1,210
$2,631
CLASS R SHARES
$163
$536
$935
$2,050
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$101
$369
$657
$1,478
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$202
$693
$1,210
$2,631
Portfolio Turnover
The International Small Cap Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 35.89% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
The International Small Cap Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing primarily in equity securities of small non-U.S. companies. Equity securities include, but are not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and depositary receipts. As a non-fundamental policy, under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of non-U.S. small companies. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% policy, a company is considered to be a non-U.S. company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of or has its principal office in a country outside the U.S.;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in a country outside the U.S.; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in a country outside the U.S.
 
The Fund considers a “small” company to be one whose market capitalization is within the range of capitalizations of companies in the MSCI All Country World ex-USA Small Cap Index at the time of purchase. As of December 31, 2023, the MSCI All Country World ex-USA Small Cap Index  included companies with market capitalizations up to $9.80 billion.
Some companies may outgrow the definition of a small company or may no longer fall within the range of a reconstituted index after the Fund has purchased their securities. These companies will continue to be considered small for purposes of the Fund’s minimum 80% allocation to small company equities. In addition, the Fund may invest in companies of any size once the Fund’s 80% policy is met. As a result, the Fund’s average market capitalization may sometimes exceed that of the largest company in the MSCI All Country World ex-USA Small Cap Index.
Under normal circumstances, a number of countries around the world will be represented in the Fund’s portfolio, some of which may be considered to be emerging market countries. At times, the Fund may have a significant amount of its assets invested in a country or geographic region. The Fund currently anticipates that it will invest a significant amount of its assets in securities economically tied to Japan.
The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and the currencies of the foreign countries in which it may invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the industrials and information technology sectors.
The Fund may invest:
up to 20% of net assets in debt securities;
 
Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund   49

 
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Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund 
up to 10% of net assets in private funds that invest in private equity and in venture-capital companies;
 
up to 35% of net assets in emerging markets securities; and
 
without limit in foreign securities.
 
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser and Sub-adviser (together, the “Advisers”) select stocks for the Fund using the portfolio management team’s quality, growth and momentum approach, which aims to identify companies that, in the Advisers’ view, exhibit a range of high-quality characteristics, the ability to deliver sustainable, multi-year growth and upwards momentum. When assessing quality, the Adviser and Sub-adviser evaluate every company against quality criteria and build conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Advisers. In assessing the growth outlook for stocks, the Advisers consider the industry backdrop, as well as management’s strategy to drive sales and profitability over the medium to long term. When looking at momentum, the Advisers consider both price momentum and earnings momentum. The investment team generally allows the weight of stocks with positive price and earnings momentum, which also meet its quality and growth criteria, to increase.
Principal Risks
The International Small Cap Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first eight risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Emerging Markets RiskEmerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” below).
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
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Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund 
Japan Risk. The Japanese economy is heavily dependent upon international trade and may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability, which could negatively affect the Fund. The Japanese yen has fluctuated widely during recent periods and may be affected by currency volatility elsewhere in Asia, especially Southeast Asia. In addition, the yen has had a history of unpredictable and volatile movements against the U.S. dollar. The performance of the global economy could have a major impact upon equity returns in Japan. Since the mid-2000s, Japan’s economic growth has remained relatively low. A recent economic recession was likely compounded by an unstable financial sector, low domestic consumption, and certain corporate structural weaknesses, which remain some of the major issues facing the Japanese economy. Japan has also experienced natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tidal waves, of varying degrees of severity, which could negatively affect the Fund.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
Information Technology Sector Risk. To the extent that the information technology sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund   51

 
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Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund 
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the International Small Cap Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.
The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI AC World Ex USA Index (Net Total Return), a broad-based securities index, and the MSCI All Country World ex-USA Small Cap Index (Net Daily Total Return). Effective February 29, 2024, in anticipation of new regulatory requirements, the Fund’s broad-based securities market index has changed from the MSCI All Country World ex-USA Small Cap Index (Net Daily Total Return) to the MSCI AC World Ex USA Index (Net Total Return) in the Fund’s total return table. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective February 29, 2016. Performance information for periods prior to February 29, 2016 does not reflect the current investment strategy. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen Global Small Cap Fund to Aberdeen International Small Cap Fund.
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 26.44% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -25.81% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
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Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund 
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
3.31
%
4.48
%
4.42
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
3.04
%
3.61
%
2.91
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
1.96
%
3.39
%
3.10
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
7.92
%
5.05
%
4.35
%
Class R shares – Before Taxes
9.32
%
5.43
%
4.72
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
9.99
%
6.11
%
5.39
%
MSCI AC World Ex USA Index (Net Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62
%
7.08
%
3.83
%
MSCI AC World Ex USA Small Cap Index (Net Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.66
%
7.89
%
4.88
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the International Small Cap Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Kirsty Desson
Investment Director
2023
Liam Patel
Investment Analyst Asia/GEM
2023
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
CLASS R SHARES
To open an account
No Minimum
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
54   Summary - abrdn International Small Cap Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund (the “Intermediate Municipal Income Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks a high level of current income that is exempt from federal income taxes.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A
Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Institutional Service Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
2.50
%
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
0.75
%
(1)
None
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.43
%
0.43
%
0.43
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
None
Other Expenses
0.55
%
0.54
%
0.51
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.23
%
0.97
%
0.94
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(3)
0.43
%
0.46
%
0.43
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
0.80
%
0.51
%
0.51
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 0.75% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(3) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.50% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Intermediate Municipal Income 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$330
$589
$868
$1,664
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$52
$263
$491
$1,148
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$52
$257
$478
$1,115
Portfolio Turnover
The Intermediate Municipal Income Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 79.85% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in investment grade fixed income securities that qualify as tax-exempt municipal obligations. Tax-exempt municipal obligations include municipal obligations that pay interest that is free from U.S. federal income tax. These obligations are issued by states, U.S. territories and their political subdivisions, such as counties, cities and towns. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% policy, the Fund may, but is not required to, sell a security whose rating falls below investment grade.
Under normal market circumstances, the Fund will maintain an investment portfolio with a weighted average effective duration of 4 – 7 years and a dollar-weighted average maturity of more than 3 years but less than 10 years. However, the Fund can buy securities of any maturity. The Adviser expects to increase or decrease the portfolio’s effective duration based on its outlook for the market and interest rates. Duration measures the sensitivity of bond prices to changes in interest rates. The longer the duration of a bond, the longer it will take to repay the principal and interest obligations and the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. Because of events affecting the bond markets and interest rate changes, the duration of the portfolio may not meet the target at all times.
The Fund may invest in specific types of municipal obligations, including tax-exempt zero-coupon securities, auction rate securities, floating- and variable-rate bonds and tender option bonds. Tender option bonds are created when a holder deposits tax-exempt or other bonds into a special purpose trust (“TOB trust”). The TOB trust issues two types of securities: floating rate notes (“floaters” or “TOBs”) and a residual security junior to the floaters (“inverse floaters”). The TOB trust would sell the floater and the Fund would retain the inverse floater.
The Fund may invest, without limitation, in municipal obligations whose interest income is a tax-preference item for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax.
The Fund may invest in municipal obligations of any state, city, county or other governmental entity. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to Texas and New York municipal securities.
Additionally, up to 20% of the Fund’s net assets may be invested in fixed income securities that qualify as tax-exempt municipal obligations that are considered below investment grade (sometimes referred to as “junk bonds” or high yield securities). A bond is considered below investment grade if rated below investment grade by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”) (below Baa3), S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) (below BBB-), or Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”) (below BBB-) or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. In the event that a security receives different ratings from different nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”), the Adviser will treat the security as being rated in the highest rating category received from an NRSRO.
In selecting securities for the Fund, the Adviser employs an opportunistic approach that takes advantage of changing market conditions. The Adviser’s process focuses on credit market, sector, security and yield curve analysis. The Adviser also examines the material risks of an investment across a spectrum of considerations including financial metrics, regional and national conditions and industry specific factors. The Adviser may also consider the most material potential ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) risks and opportunities impacting issuers, where relevant. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser. The relevance of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and instrument types.
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Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund 
A security may be sold to take advantage of more favorable opportunities.
Principal Risks
The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first six risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Fixed Income Securities Risk – Fixed income securities fluctuate in price based on changes in an issuer’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. The value of a fixed income security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer. Fixed income securities are subject to, among other risks, credit risk, extension risk, issuer risk, interest rate risk, market risk and prepayment risk.
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Municipal Securities Risk – Municipal bonds can be significantly affected by political and economic changes, including inflation, as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes, or the rights of municipal security holders. Municipal bonds have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter-term Municipal bonds and higher for long term Municipal bonds.
Municipal Bond Tax Risk – A municipal bond that is issued as tax-exempt may later be declared to be taxable. In addition, if the federal income tax rate is reduced, the value of the tax exemption may be less valuable, causing the value of a municipal bond to decline.
Municipal Market Volatility and Illiquidity Risk – The municipal bond market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. During times of reduced market liquidity, the Fund may not be able to readily sell bonds without the sale significantly changing the market value of the bond. If the Fund needed to sell large blocks of bonds to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce the bonds’ prices.
Municipal Sector Risk – From time to time the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in municipal securities whose interest is paid solely from revenues of similar projects. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the economic risks relating to such projects and this may have a significant impact on the Fund’s investment performance.
Illiquid Securities Risk – Illiquid securities are assets that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the asset. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Illiquid and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value. Over recent years, the capacity of dealers to make markets in fixed income securities has been outpaced by the growth in the size of the fixed income markets. Illiquid securities risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or when investor redemptions from fixed income funds may be higher than normal, due to the increased supply in the market that would result from selling activity.
The Adviser employs procedures and tests using third-party and internal data inputs that seek to assess and manage the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. These procedures and tests take into account the Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and foreseeable stressed conditions, cash-flow projections during both normal and reasonable foreseeable stressed conditions, relevant market, trading and other factors, and monitor whether liquidity should be adjusted based on changed market conditions. These procedures and tests are designed to assist the Fund in determining its ability to meet redemption requests in various market conditions. In light of the dynamic nature of markets, there can be no assurance that these procedures and tests will enable the Fund to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to meet redemption requests.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Auction Rate Securities Risk - Auction rate securities are variable rate bonds whose interest rates are reset at specified intervals through a “Dutch” auction process. A “Dutch” auction is a competitive bidding process designed to determine a single uniform clearing rate that enables purchases and sales of the auction rate securities to take place at par. All
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Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund 
accepted bids and holders of the auction rate securities receive the same rate. Auction rate securities holders rely on the liquidity generated by the auction. There is a risk that an auction will fail due to insufficient demand for the securities. If an auction fails, an auction rate security may become illiquid until a subsequent successful auction is conducted, the issuer redeems the issue, or a secondary market develops.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
High-Yield Bonds and Other Lower-Rated Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in high-yield bonds (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) and other lower-rated securities will subject the Fund to substantial risk of loss. Investments in high–yield bonds are speculative and issuers of these securities are generally considered to be less financially secure and less able to repay interest and principal than issuers of investment-grade securities. Prices of high-yield bonds tend to be very volatile. These securities are less liquid than investment-grade debt securities and may be difficult to price or sell, particularly in times of negative sentiment toward high-yield securities.
Interest Rate Risk – The Fund’s fixed income investments are subject to interest rate risk, which generally causes the value of a fixed income portfolio to decrease when interest rates rise resulting in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets.
For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of 7 years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 7%.
Interest rate fluctuations tend to have a greater impact on fixed income-securities with a greater time to maturity and/or lower coupon. A fund with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a fund with a shorter average portfolio duration. In periods of market volatility, the market values of fixed income securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Tender Option Bonds Risk – Tender option bonds are synthetic floating-rate or variable-rate securities issued when long–term bonds are purchased in the primary or secondary market and then deposited into a trust. Tender option bonds may be considered derivatives, and may expose the Fund to the same risks as investments in derivatives, as well as risks associated with leverage, especially the risk of increased volatility.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities Risk – For floating and variable rate obligations, there may be a lag between an actual change in the underlying interest rate benchmark and the reset time for an interest payment of such an obligation, which could harm or benefit the Fund, depending on the interest rate environment or other circumstances. Variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”) are floating rate securities that combine an interest in a long term municipal bond with a right to demand payment before maturity from a bank or other financial institution. If the bank or financial institution is unable to pay, the Fund may lose money.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.
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Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund 
The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index, a broad-based securities index, and the ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 1-22 Year U.S. Municipal Securities Index. Effective February 29, 2024, in anticipation of new regulatory requirements, the Fund’s broad-based securities market index has changed from the ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 1-22 Year U.S. Municipal Securities Index to the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index in the Fund’s total return table. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective February 28, 2019 to adopt a target average weighted effective duration. Performance information for periods prior to February 28, 2019 does not reflect such investment policy. In connection with the change in investment policy, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen Tax-Free Income Fund to Aberdeen Intermediate Municipal Income Fund.
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 6.74% - 4th quarter 2023
Lowest Return: -5.51% - 1st quarter 2022
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
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Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund 
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
2.54
%
0.79
%
1.55
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
2.53
%
0.77
%
1.53
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
2.77
%
1.24
%
1.85
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
5.42
%
1.59
%
2.08
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
5.42
%
1.60
%
2.08
%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
6.40
%
2.25
%
3.03
%
ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 1-22 Year U.S. Municipal Securities Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
5.65
%
2.24
%
2.77
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Miguel Laranjeiro
Investment Director
2018
Jonathan Mondillo
Head of U.S. Fixed Income
2018
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund intends to distribute dividends exempt from regular federal income tax and capital gains distributions; although, a portion of the Fund’s distributions may be subject to federal income tax or alternative minimum tax.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial
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Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund 
advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Summary - abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund   61

 
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund (the “U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class C Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Institutional Service Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees(4)
0.70
%
0.70
%
0.70
%
0.70
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
None
None
Other Expenses
0.27
%
0.34
%
0.29
%
0.29
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.22
%
2.04
%
0.99
%
0.99
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(5)
0.03
%
0.14
%
0.09
%
0.03
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.19
%
1.90
%
0.90
%
0.96
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(4) Management fees have been restated to reflect current fees as a result of a reduction in the Fund’s contractual management fee rate effective February 29, 2024.
(5) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.90% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Rule 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out-of-pocket expenses for Class A shares and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
62   Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$689
$937
$1,204
$1,965
CLASS C SHARES
$293
$626
$1,085
$2,358
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$92
$306
$538
$1,205
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
$98
$312
$544
$1,210
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$193
$626
$1,085
$2,358
Portfolio Turnover
The U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 31.62% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
The U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective of seeking long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of U.S. companies that the Adviser deems to have sound and improving prospects and which demonstrate that they are current or emerging sustainable leaders through their management of environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities in accordance with the Adviser’s criteria.
In pursuing the Fund’s investment strategies, the Adviser invests in quality companies and is an active, engaged owner and takes into consideration a company’s management of ESG risks and opportunities and the company’s ESG performance. The Adviser evaluates every company against quality criteria and builds conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser seeks to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market. The Adviser’s overall quality assessment covers five key factors: (1) durability of the business model, (2) the attractiveness of the industry, (3) the strength of financials, (4) the capability of management, and (5) the most material ESG factors impacting a company.
When assessing the most material ESG factors impacting a company, the Adviser evaluates the ownership structure and governance of the company as well as potential environmental and social risks and opportunities that the company may face. The Adviser will assign each company an ESG-quality rating ranging from 1 to 5 (1 indicating best in class and 5 indicating laggards) – enabling the Fund’s investment team to identify current and emerging sustainable leaders. Companies eligible for investment by the Fund must be rated 3 or better by the Adviser. In limited circumstances, for example, in a corporate action or an initial public offering, the Fund may purchase or receive securities of companies that have not been assigned an ESG quality rating by the Adviser so long as one is assigned to the company within the time period required by the Adviser’s internal process.
Examples of areas under scope when assessing a company’s ESG quality include the following:
Corporate Governance
 
Carbon Emissions
 
Air Quality
 
Energy Management
 
Water & Wastewater Management
 
Waste & Hazardous Materials Management
 
Ecological Impacts
 
Human Rights & Community Relations
 
Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund   63

 
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Customer Privacy
 
Data Security
 
Access & Affordability
 
Product Quality & Safety
 
Customer Welfare
 
Selling Practices & Product Labelling
 
Labor Practices
 
Employee Health & Safety
 
Employee Engagement
 
Diversity & Inclusion
 
Product Design & Lifecycle Management
 
Business Model Resilience
 
Supply Chain Management
 
Materials Sourcing & Efficiency
 
Physical Impacts of Climate Change
 
Business Ethics
 
Competitive Behavior
 
Management of the Legal & Regulatory Environment
 
Critical Incident Risk Management
 
Systemic Risk Management
 
The foregoing list is not exhaustive and may change; in addition, not all areas in the foregoing list are relevant to every company in which the Fund may invest. The Adviser focuses its analysis on those areas that it believes will materially impact a company’s reputation or operational or financial performance.
In carrying out its assessments of ESG quality, the Adviser’s equity analysts incorporate internal data sources, including a proprietary quantitative house score (“House Score”), external sources (e.g. MSCI reports), thematic expertise from the Adviser’s Investment Sustainability Group and stock-specific expertise from the Adviser’s equity ESG analysts. The Adviser relies heavily on its own in-depth research and analysis over third party ESG ratings.
In addition, the Adviser excludes the 10% lowest scoring companies in the Fund’s benchmark index using the Adviser’s House Score. In limited circumstances, for example, in a corporate action or an initial public offering, the Fund may purchase or receive securities of companies that have not been assigned a House Score by the Adviser so long as one is assigned to the company within the time period required by the Adviser’s internal process.
Binary exclusions are also applied to exclude a defined list of unacceptable activities. Based on MSCI business involvement screening research and the Adviser’s analysis, the Fund will seek to not invest in companies that have:
failed to uphold one or more principles of the UN Global Compact;
 
an industry tie to (including companies that provide support systems and services, as well as those with direct (i.e., owners and producers) and indirect (i.e., parents and subsidiaries) involvement in) controversial weapons (cluster munitions, landmines, biological / chemical weapons, depleted uranium weapons, blinding laser weapons, incendiary weapons, and/or non-detectable fragments);
 
a revenue contribution of 10% or more from the manufacture or sale of conventional weapons or weapons systems;
 
a revenue contribution of 10% or more from tobacco or are tobacco manufacturers;
 
a revenue contribution of 10% or more from the extraction of unconventional oil and gas (including oil sands, oil shale (kerogen-rich deposits), shale gas, shale oil, coal seam gas, and coal bed methane and excluding conventional oil and gas productions);
 
or a revenue contribution from thermal coal extraction.
 
The Fund targets a lower Weighted Average Carbon Intensity (“WACI”) than its benchmark based on third-party data, or third-party estimates when an issuer does not report Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
The Fund will measure compliance with its principal investment strategies at the time of investment. Third party data by which the Fund measures compliance with its binary exclusions, WACI target, and House Score threshold is updated at regular intervals. If a company no longer meets the Fund’s principal strategies, the Adviser will make a determination as to whether to sell such security, in accordance with the Adviser’s internal process.
64   Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund 
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities issued by U.S. companies that the Adviser considers to be current or emerging sustainable leaders in accordance with the Adviser’s criteria. Equity securities include, but are not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and depositary receipts. The Fund seeks to invest in securities of U.S. companies. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% policy, a company is considered to be a U.S. company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of, or has its principal office in the United States;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in the United States; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in the United States.
 
The Fund may also invest in non-U.S. companies, including primarily Canadian companies.
The Fund will invest in companies across a broad spectrum of market capitalizations.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the information technology, industrials and healthcare sectors.
The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and the currencies of any foreign countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
Principal Risks
The U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first five risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser and its portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Sustainable Investing Risk – The Fund’s “Sustainable Leaders” strategy could cause it to perform differently compared to funds that do not have such strategy. ESG considerations may be linked to long-term rather than short-term returns. The criteria related to the Fund’s Sustainable Leaders strategy, including the exclusion of securities of companies that engage in certain business activities, may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. In addition, there is a risk that the companies identified as sustainable leaders by the Adviser do not operate as expected when addressing ESG issues. There are significant differences in interpretations of what it means for a company to have positive ESG characteristics. While the Adviser believes its definitions are reasonable, the portfolio decisions it makes may differ with other investors’ or advisers’ views.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Information Technology Sector Risk. To the extent that the information technology sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
Healthcare Sector Risk. To the extent that the healthcare sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulation. restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, changes to the costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies, and other market developments.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund 
The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the Russell 3000® Index, a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective December 1, 2020. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen U.S. Multi-Cap Equity Fund to Aberdeen U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund. Performance information for periods prior to December 1, 2020 do not reflect the current investment strategy.
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 22.32% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -17.23% - 2nd quarter 2022
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
8.30
%
11.17
%
8.16
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
8.25
%
8.17
%
5.43
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
4.91
%
8.42
%
5.88
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
13.14
%
11.68
%
8.01
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
15.24
%
12.81
%
9.11
%
Institutional Service Class shares – Before Taxes
15.18
%
12.75
%
9.03
%
Russell 3000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
25.96
%
15.16
%
11.48
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund’s investment adviser.
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Summary - abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund 
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Dominic Byrne, CFA®
Deputy Head of Developed Markets
2023
Chris Haimendorf, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2020
Joanna McIntyre, CFA®
Investment Director
2023
Jamie Mills O’Brien, CFA®
Investment Director
2023
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
 
INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund (the “Dynamic Dividend Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks high current dividend income that qualifies for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates created by the “Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003,” while also focusing on total return for long-term growth of capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Dynamic Dividend Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A
Shares
Institutional
Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
1.00
%
1.00
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
Other Expenses
0.44
%
0.42
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.69
%
1.42
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(3)
0.18
%
0.16
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
1.51
%
1.26
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses.
(3) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 1.50% for Class A shares and 1.25% for Institutional Class shares. This contractual limitation may not be terminated without the approval of the Independent Trustees before February 28, 2025. This limit includes Rule 12b-1 Fees, but excludes certain expenses, including any interest, brokerage commissions, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
(4) The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements do not correlate to the Fund’s Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Net of Reimbursements/Waivers), included in the Fund’s Financial Highlights in the Fund’s prospectus, as this ratio does not reflect non-recurring expenses, such as extraordinary expenses.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Dynamic Dividend 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$720
$1,060
$1,424
$2,444
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$128
$434
$761
$1,688
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Summary - abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund 
Portfolio Turnover
The Dynamic Dividend Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 62.85% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Dynamic Dividend Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of certain domestic and foreign corporations that pay dividend income that it believes are undervalued relative to the market and to the securities’ historic valuations. Net assets include the amounts of any borrowings for investment purposes. Corporations that pay dividend income may also include companies that have announced a special dividend or announced that they will pay dividends within six months. The equity securities in which the Fund invests include primarily common stocks, but the Fund may also invest in other equity securities, including, but not limited to, preferred stock and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization.
The Fund may invest without limitation in the securities of foreign issuers that are publicly traded in the United States or on foreign exchanges, provided that no more than 25% of its net assets are invested in emerging markets. An “emerging market” country is any country that is determined by the Adviser to have an emerging market economy, considering factors such as the country’s credit rating, its political and economic stability and the development of its financial and capital markets. Emerging market countries generally include every nation in the world except the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom and most countries located in Western Europe. The Adviser defines “Western Europe” as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund seeks high current dividend income, more than 50% of which qualifies for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates for “qualified dividend income” created by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, and is defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as dividends received during the taxable year from domestic and qualified foreign corporations. A qualified foreign corporation is defined as any corporation that is incorporated in a possession of the United States or is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States.
In the event that the Adviser determines that a particular company’s dividends qualify for favorable U.S. federal tax treatment, the Adviser intends to invest in the equity securities of the company prior to the ex-dividend date (i.e. the date when shareholders no longer are eligible for dividends) and intends to hold the security for at least 61 days during a 121-day period which begins on the date that is 60 days before the ex-dividend date to enable Fund shareholders to take advantage of the reduced U.S. federal tax rates. During this period, the Fund will not hedge its risk of loss with respect to these securities.
In order to achieve its dividend, the Fund may participate in a number of dividend capture strategies. These strategies may include the Fund engaging in active and frequent trading which may result in higher turnover and associated transaction costs for the Fund. There is the potential for market loss on the shares that are held for a short period, although the Adviser seeks to use these strategies to generate additional income with limited impact on the construction of the core portfolio.
In managing the assets of the Fund, the Adviser generally pursues a value-oriented approach. The Adviser seeks to identify investment opportunities in equity securities of dividend paying companies, including companies that it believes are undervalued relative to the market and to the securities’ historic valuations. Factors that the Adviser considers include fundamental factors such as earnings growth, cash flow, and historical payment of dividends.
The Adviser considers and evaluates ESG factors as part of the investment analysis process for long-term investments. The Adviser considers the most material potential ESG risks and opportunities impacting issuers, alongside other non-ESG factors. The relevance of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and strategies. For instance, ESG factors may not be considered for securities that the Adviser intends to hold solely as part of the Fund’s dividend recapture strategy. When ESG factors are considered, ESG information is just one investment consideration and ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser.
The Fund’s investment strategies may result in a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 100% on an annual basis.
Principal Risks
The Dynamic Dividend Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first nine risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
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Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Dividend Strategy Risk – There is no guarantee that the issuers of the stocks held by the Fund will declare dividends in the future or that, if dividends are declared, they will remain at their current levels or increase over time. The Fund’s emphasis on dividend paying stocks could cause the Fund to underperform similar funds that invest without consideration of a company’s track record of paying dividends or ability to pay dividends in the future. Dividend-paying stocks may not participate in a broad market advance to the same degree as other stocks, and a sharp rise in interest rates or economic downturn could cause a company to unexpectedly reduce or eliminate its dividend.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Qualified Dividend Tax Risk – Favorable U.S. federal tax treatment of Fund distributions may be adversely affected, changed or repealed by future changes in tax laws.
Portfolio Turnover Risk – The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objective. High portfolio turnover may result in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may also result in greater realization and/or distribution to shareholders of gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading, which may include short-term gains taxable at ordinary income tax rates.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Emerging Markets RiskEmerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” above).
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
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Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Dynamic Dividend Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Institutional Class shares have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI All Country World Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to May 7, 2018 reflect the performance of a Predecessor Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), which was a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization that occurred as of the close of business on May 4, 2018, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund and the Predecessor Fund have substantially similar investment objectives and strategies.
Returns of the Predecessor Fund have not been adjusted to reflect the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund.
abrdn Inc. and abrdn Investments Limited began advising and sub-advising, respectively, the Fund immediately following the closing of the reorganization. Performance prior to this date reflects the performance of an unaffiliated investment adviser.
Annual Total Returns – Institutional Class Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

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Summary - abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund 
Highest Return: 19.11% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -23.77% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Institutional Class shares only and will vary for other classes. After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
6.57
%
8.10
%
6.33
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
13.35
%
9.62
%
7.22
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions
10.65
%
7.03
%
4.92
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares
7.80
%
6.35
%
4.71
%
MSCI All Country World Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
22.20
%
11.72
%
7.93
%
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Dynamic Dividend Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Martin Connaghan
Investment Director
2018
Josh Duitz
Head of Global Income
2012
*
Ruairidh Finlayson, CFA®
Investment Director
2020
* Includes service with unaffiliated investment adviser to Predecessor Fund
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
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Objective
The abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund (the “Global Infrastructure Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks capital appreciation. Current income is a secondary objective.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Global Infrastructure Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees(3)
0.75
%
0.75
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
Other Expenses
0.48
%
0.48
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.48
%
1.23
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.24
%
0.24
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.24
%
0.99
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses.
(3) Management fees have been restated to reflect current fees as a result of a reduction in the Fund’s contractual management fee rate effective February 29, 2024.
(4) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 1.24% for Class A shares and 0.99% for Institutional Class shares. This contractual limitation may not be terminated without the approval of the Independent Trustees before February 28, 2025. This limit includes Rule 12b-1 Fees, but excludes certain expenses, including any interest, brokerage commissions, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Infrastructure 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$694
$994
$1,315
$2,222
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$101
$367
$653
$1,467
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Summary - abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund 
Portfolio Turnover
The Global Infrastructure Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 20.33% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Infrastructure Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in the equity securities of U.S. and non-U.S. infrastructure related issuers. An “infrastructure-related” issuer has (i) at least 50% of its assets consisting of infrastructure assets or (ii) 50% of its gross income or net profits attributable to or derived, directly or indirectly, from the ownership, management, construction, development, operation, utilization or financing of infrastructure assets. Infrastructure assets are the physical structures and networks that provide necessary services to society. Examples of infrastructure assets include, but are not limited to, transportation assets (e.g., toll roads, bridges, tunnels, parking facilities, railroads, rapid transit links, airports, refueling facilities and seaports), utility assets (e.g., electric transmission and distribution lines, power generation facilities, gas and water distribution facilities, waste collection, broadcast and wireless towers, and cable and satellite networks) and social assets (e.g., courthouses, hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, stadiums and subsidized housing). The Fund concentrates its investments in infrastructure-related issuers. Infrastructure-related issuers fall into multiple market sectors. The Fund currently anticipates that it will be heavily exposed to the industrials and utilities sectors.
The Fund may invest without limitation in the securities of foreign issuers that are publicly traded in the United States or on foreign exchanges, including securities of emerging market issuers, and in depositary receipts (such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”)) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. The Fund is permitted to invest in unlisted foreign securities, but currently does not intend to do so as a principal strategy.
The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund maintains no less than 40% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in the securities of issuers located outside of the United States and will allocate its assets among issuers located in no fewer than three different countries, one of which may be the United States. The Fund considers an issuer to be located in a country if it meets any of the following criteria: (i) the issuer is organized under the laws of the country or maintains its principal place of business in that country; (ii) the issuer’s securities are traded principally in the country; or (iii) during the issuer’s most recent fiscal year, such issuer derived at least 50% of its revenues or profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in the country or has at least 50% of its assets in that country.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser and Sub-adviser invest in quality companies and are an active, engaged owners. The Adviser and Sub-adviser evaluate every company against quality criteria and build conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser and Sub-adviser. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser and Sub-adviser seek to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market.
Principal Risks
The Global Infrastructure Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first eight risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
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Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Infrastructure-Related Investments Risk – Because the Fund concentrates its investments in infrastructure-related entities, the Fund has greater exposure to the potential adverse economic, regulatory, political and other changes affecting such entities. Infrastructure related entities are subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, costs associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown and surplus capacity, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning the availability of fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Additionally, infrastructure-related entities may be subject to regulation by various governmental authorities and may also be affected by governmental regulation of rates charged to customers, service interruption due to environmental, operational or other mishaps, the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Emerging Markets RiskEmerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” above).
Concentration Risk – The Fund’s strategy of concentrating in companies in a specific industry or sector, or closely related group of industries or sectors, means that its performance will be closely tied to the performance of a particular market segment. The Fund’s concentration in these companies may present more risks than if it were broadly diversified over numerous industries and sectors of the economy. A downturn in these companies would have a larger impact on the Fund than on a mutual fund that does not concentrate in such companies. At times, the performance of these companies will lag the performance of other industries or the broader market as a whole.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
REIT and Real Estate Risk – Investment in REITs and real estate involves the risks that are associated with direct ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include: declines in the value of real estate; risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition; increases in property taxes and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws; casualty or condemnation losses; variations in rental income, neighborhood values or
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the appeal of properties to tenants; changes in interest rates and changes in general economic and market conditions. REITs’ share prices may decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry including changes in interest rates. The returns from REITs may trail returns from the overall market. Additionally, there is always a risk that a given REIT will fail to qualify for favorable tax treatment. REITs may be leveraged, which increases risk. REITs may also be non-traditional, such as those that focus on towers, which could subject the Fund to additional risk based on the REIT’s area of focus. Certain REITs charge management fees, which may result in layering the management fee paid by the fund.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
Utilities Sector Risk. To the extent that the utilities sector represents a significant portion of the Fund’s portfolio, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the utilities sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, general economic conditions, supply and demand, financing and operating costs, rate caps, interest rates, liabilities arising from governmental or civil actions, consumer confidence and spending, competition, resource conservation and depletion, man-made or natural disasters, geopolitical events, and environmental, and other government regulations.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers. If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.
For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Global Infrastructure Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Institutional Class shares have varied from year to year. The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as indices that reflect the market sectors in which the Fund invests. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI All Country World Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based securities index, and the S&P Global Infrastructure Index (Net Total Return). The Fund’s past performance benefitted significantly from IPOs and secondary offerings of certain issuers and there is no guarantee that these results can be replicated in future periods or that the Fund will be able to participate to the same degree in IPOs and secondary offerings in the future. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
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Summary - abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund 
The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to May 7, 2018 reflect the performance of a predecessor fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), which was a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization that occurred as of the close of business on May 4, 2018, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund and the Predecessor Fund have substantially similar investment objectives and strategies.
Returns of the Predecessor Fund have not been adjusted to reflect the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund.
abrdn Inc. and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) began advising and sub-advising, respectively, the Fund immediately following the closing of the reorganization. Performance prior to this date reflects the performance of an unaffiliated investment adviser.
Annual Total Returns – Institutional Class Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 17.31% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -25.55% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Institutional Class shares only and will vary for other classes. After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
6.32
%
7.69
%
5.46
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
13.11
%
9.24
%
6.34
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions
11.57
%
7.57
%
4.79
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares
7.81
%
6.57
%
4.36
%
MSCI All Country World Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
22.20
%
11.72
%
7.93
%
S&P Global Infrastructure Index (Net Total Return) (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
5.43
%
6.39
%
4.79
%
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Summary - abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund 
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Global Infrastructure Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Investments Limited serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Josh Duitz
Head of Global Income
2008
*
Donal Reynolds, CFA®
Investment Director
2022
* Includes service with unaffiliated investment adviser to Predecessor Fund
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund (the “Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks a high level of current income exempt from federal income tax.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges,” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class C Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
2.50
%
None
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
0.75
%
(1)
1.00
%
(2)
None
Small Account Fee(3)
$20
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees(4)
0.55
%
0.55
%
0.55%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
1.00
%
None
Other Expenses
0.36
%
0.36
%
0.36%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.16
%
1.91
%
0.91%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(5)
0.21
%
0.21
%
0.21%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
0.95
%
1.70
%
0.70%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 0.75% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00%; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(3) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses.
(4) Management fees have been restated to reflect current fees as a result of a reduction in the Fund’s contractual management fee rate effective February 29, 2024.
(5) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.90% for Class A shares, 1.65% for Class C shares and 0.65% for Institutional Class shares. This contractual limitation may not be terminated without the approval of the Independent Trustees before February 28, 2025. This limit includes Rule 12b-1 Fees, but excludes certain expenses, including any interest, brokerage commissions, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Short Duration High Yield Municipal 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$344
$589
$853
$1,606
CLASS C SHARES
$273
$580
$1,012
$2,216
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$72
$269
$483
$1,100
You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS C SHARES
$173
$580
$1,012
$2,216
Portfolio Turnover
The Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 57.71% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in municipal obligations that are exempt from federal income tax (including securities subject to the federal alternative minimum tax (“AMT”)). Tax-exempt municipal obligations include municipal obligations that pay interest that is free from U.S. federal income tax (other than AMT).
The Fund may invest, without limitation, in municipal obligations whose interest income is a tax-preference item for purposes of the AMT. If this is the case, the Fund’s net return to those investors may be lower than to investors not subject to the AMT. The interest income distributed by the Fund that is derived from certain tax-exempt municipal obligations may be subject to the federal AMT for individuals. There is no limitation on the portion of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in municipal obligations subject to the AMT. An investor should consult his or her tax adviser for more information.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will maintain an investment portfolio with a weighted average effective duration of less than 4.5 years. However, the Fund can buy securities of any maturity. The Adviser expects to increase or decrease the portfolio’s effective duration based on its outlook for the market and interest rates. Duration measures the sensitivity of bond prices to changes in interest rates. The longer the duration of a bond, the longer it will take to repay the principal and interest obligations and the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. Because of events affecting the bond markets and interest rate changes, the duration of the portfolio may not meet the target at all times.
The Fund may invest in obligations of any credit quality. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 50% of its assets in municipal bonds rated BBB+ or lower by S&P Global Ratings or Baa or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., at the time of investment, or the equivalent by another independent rating agency or the unrated equivalent as determined by the Adviser. Split rate bonds will be considered to have the higher credit rating. Municipal bonds rated below investment grade (BB+/Ba1 or lower) are commonly known as “high yield” or “junk” bonds.
Municipal bonds in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, general obligation bonds, auction rate securities, revenue bonds, private activity bonds, moral obligation bonds, municipal notes, municipal commercial paper, municipal lease obligations and tender option bonds.
Revenue obligations may include, but are not limited to, general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, private activity bonds, moral obligation bonds, municipal notes, municipal commercial paper, municipal lease obligations and tender option bonds. Revenue obligations may include, but are not limited to, industrial development, pollution control, public utility, housing, and health care issues. Tender option bonds are created when a holder deposits tax-exempt or other bonds into a special purpose trust (“TOB trust”). The TOB trust issues two types of securities: floating rate notes (“floaters” or “TOBs”) and a residual security junior to the floaters (“inverse floaters”). The Fund may invest in floaters issued by TOB trusts.
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Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund 
The Fund can invest up to 25% of its total assets in tobacco-related bonds without an appropriation pledge that makes payments only from a state’s interest in the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (“MSA”). The MSA is an agreement, reached out of court in 1998, between the largest U.S. tobacco manufacturers and 46 states and other U.S. jurisdictions to settle claims against the tobacco manufacturers.
The Fund may invest in municipal obligations of any state, city, county or other governmental entity, including Puerto Rico and U.S. territories. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to New York municipal securities.
In selecting investments for the Fund, the Adviser generally looks for a wide range of U.S. issuers and securities that provide high current income, including unrated bonds and securities of smaller issuers that offer high current income and might be overlooked by other investors and funds. The Adviser also focuses on securities with coupon interest or accretion rates, current market interest rates, callability and call prices that might change the effective maturity of particular securities. The Adviser may consider selling a security if any of these factors no longer applies to a security purchased for the Fund, but are not required to do so. The Adviser also examines the material risks of an investment across a spectrum of considerations including financial metrics, regional and national conditions and industry specific factors. The Adviser may also consider the most material potential ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) risks and opportunities impacting issuers, where relevant. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser. The relevance of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and instrument types.
The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objective.
Principal Risks
The Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first seven risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Fixed Income Securities Risk – Fixed income securities fluctuate in price based on changes in an issuer’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. The value of a fixed income security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer. Fixed income securities are subject to, among other risks, credit risk, extension risk, issuer risk, interest rate risk, market risk and prepayment risk.
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser and its portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Municipal Securities Risk – Municipal bonds can be significantly affected by political and economic changes, including inflation, as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes, or the rights of municipal security holders. Municipal bonds have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter-term Municipal bonds and higher for long term Municipal bonds.
Municipal Bond Tax Risk – A municipal bond that is issued as tax-exempt may later be declared to be taxable. In addition, if the federal income tax rate is reduced, the value of the tax exemption may be less valuable, causing the value of a municipal bond to decline.
Municipal Market Volatility and Illiquidity Risk – The municipal bond market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. During times of reduced market liquidity, the Fund may not be able to readily sell bonds without the sale significantly changing the market value of the bond. If the Fund needed to sell large blocks of bonds to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce the bonds’ prices.
Municipal Sector Risk – From time to time the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in municipal securities whose interest is paid solely from revenues of similar projects. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the economic risks relating to such projects and this may have a significant impact on the Fund’s investment performance.
High-Yield Bonds and Other Lower-Rated Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in high-yield bonds (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) and other lower-rated securities will subject the Fund to substantial risk of loss. Investments in high–yield bonds are speculative and issuers of these securities are generally considered to be less financially secure and less able to repay interest and principal than issuers of investment-grade securities. Prices of high-yield bonds tend to be very volatile. These securities are less liquid than investment-grade debt securities and may be difficult to price or sell, particularly in times of negative sentiment toward high-yield securities.
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Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund 
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Illiquid Securities Risk – Illiquid securities are assets that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the asset. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Illiquid and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value. Over recent years, the capacity of dealers to make markets in fixed income securities has been outpaced by the growth in the size of the fixed income markets. Illiquid securities risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or when investor redemptions from fixed income funds may be higher than normal, due to the increased supply in the market that would result from selling activity.
The Adviser employs procedures and tests using third-party and internal data inputs that seek to assess and manage the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. These procedures and tests take into account the Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and foreseeable stressed conditions, cash-flow projections during both normal and reasonable foreseeable stressed conditions, relevant market, trading and other factors, and monitor whether liquidity should be adjusted based on changed market conditions. These procedures and tests are designed to assist the Fund in determining its ability to meet redemption requests in various market conditions. In light of the dynamic nature of markets, there can be no assurance that these procedures and tests will enable the Fund to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to meet redemption requests.
Auction Rate Securities Risk - Auction rate securities are variable rate bonds whose interest rates are reset at specified intervals through a “Dutch” auction process. A “Dutch” auction is a competitive bidding process designed to determine a single uniform clearing rate that enables purchases and sales of the auction rate securities to take place at par. All accepted bids and holders of the auction rate securities receive the same rate. Auction rate securities holders rely on the liquidity generated by the auction. There is a risk that an auction will fail due to insufficient demand for the securities. If an auction fails, an auction rate security may become illiquid until a subsequent successful auction is conducted, the issuer redeems the issue, or a secondary market develops.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Interest Rate Risk - The Fund’s fixed income investments are subject to interest rate risk, which generally causes the value of a fixed income portfolio to decrease when interest rates rise resulting in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets.
For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of 4.5 years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 4.5%.
Interest rate fluctuations tend to have a greater impact on fixed income-securities with a greater time to maturity and/or lower coupon. A fund with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a fund with a shorter average portfolio duration. In periods of market volatility, the market values of fixed income securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Portfolio Turnover Risk – The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objective. High portfolio turnover may result in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may also result in greater realization and/or distribution to shareholders of gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading, which may include short-term gains taxable at ordinary income tax rates.
Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk – Investments in private placements and other restricted securities, including Regulation S Securities and Rule 144A Securities, could have the effect of increasing the Fund’s level of illiquidity. Private placements and restricted securities may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and the Fund might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at prices reflecting their true value.
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Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund 
Tender Option Bonds Risk – Tender option bonds are synthetic floating-rate or variable-rate securities issued when long–term bonds are purchased in the primary or secondary market and then deposited into a trust. Tender option bonds may be considered derivatives, and may expose the Fund to the same risks as investments in derivatives, as well as risks associated with leverage, especially the risk of increased volatility.
Tobacco Related Bonds Risk - In 1998, the largest U.S. tobacco manufacturers reached an out of court agreement, the MSA, to settle claims against them by 46 states and six other U.S. jurisdictions. The tobacco manufacturers agreed to make annual payments to the government entities in exchange for the release of all litigation claims. A number of the states have sold bonds that are backed by those future payments. The Fund may invest in two types of those bonds: (i) bonds that make payments only from a state’s interest in the MSA and (ii) bonds that make payments from both the MSA revenue and from an “appropriation pledge” by the state. An “appropriation pledge” requires the state to pass a specific periodic appropriation to make the payments and is generally not an unconditional guarantee of payment by a state. The settlement payments are based on factors, including, but not limited to, annual domestic cigarette shipments, cigarette consumption, inflation and the financial capability of participating tobacco companies. Payments could be reduced if consumption decreases, if market share is lost to non-MSA manufacturers, or if there is a negative outcome in litigation regarding the MSA.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Institutional Class shares have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.
The table compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index, a broad based securities index, and the S&P Municipal Bond Short Intermediate Index. Effective February 29, 2024, in anticipation of new regulatory requirements, the Fund’s broad-based securities market index has changed from the S&P Municipal Bond Short Intermediate Index to the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index in the Fund’s total return table. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective February 28, 2019 to adopt a target weighted average effective duration. Performance information for periods prior to February 28, 2019 does not reflect such investment policy. In connection with the change in investment policy, the Fund changed its name from Aberdeen High Yield Managed Duration Municipal Fund to Aberdeen Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund.
The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to May 7, 2018 reflect the performance of a predecessor fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), which was a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization that occurred as of the close of business on May 4, 2018, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund and the Predecessor Fund had substantially similar investment objectives and strategies prior to the Fund’s adoption of its current investment strategies on February 28, 2019.
Returns of the Predecessor Fund have not been adjusted to reflect the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund.
abrdn Inc. began advising the Fund immediately following the closing of the reorganization. Performance prior to this date reflects the performance of an unaffiliated investment adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund 
Class C returns prior to the commencement of operations of Class C (inception date: 12/18/2020) are based on the previous performance of the Fund’s Class A shares (inception date 5/31/2013). Excluding the effect of any fee waivers or reimbursements, this performance is substantially similar to what each individual class would have produced because all classes invest in the same portfolio of securities. Returns would only differ to the extent of the differences in expenses between the two classes.
Annual Total Returns – Institutional Class Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

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Highest Return: 2.97% - 4th quarter 2023
Lowest Return: -4.88% - 1st quarter 2022
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Institutional Class shares only and will vary for other classes. After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
-0.57
%
0.08
%
1.76
%
Class C shares – Before Taxes
0.38
%
0.15
%
1.79
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
2.28
%
0.85
%
2.27
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions
2.27
%
0.83
%
2.24
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
2.53
%
1.31
%
2.47
%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
6.40
%
2.25
%
3.03
%
S&P Municipal Bond Short Intermediate Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
3.92
%
1.69
%
1.77
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund’s investment adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund 
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Miguel Laranjeiro
Investment Director
2016
*
Jonathan Mondillo
Head of U.S. Fixed Income
2013
*
* Includes service with unaffiliated investment adviser to Predecessor Fund
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS C SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund intends to distribute dividends exempt from regular federal income tax and capital gains distributions; although, a portion of the Fund’s distributions may be subject to federal income tax or alternative minimum tax.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Summary - abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund   87

 
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Summary - abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund (the “Realty Income & Growth Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks a high level of current income. Capital appreciation is a secondary objective.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Realty Income & Growth Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees(3)
0.80
%
0.80
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
Other Expenses
0.50
%
0.47
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.55
%
1.27
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.30
%
0.27
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
1.25
%
1.00
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses.
(3) Management fees have been restated to reflect current fees as a result of a reduction in the Fund’s contractual management fee rate effective February 29, 2024.
(4) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 1.24% for Class A shares and 0.99% for Institutional Class shares. This contractual limitation may not be terminated without the approval of the Independent Trustees before February 28, 2025. This limit includes Rule 12b-1 Fees, but excludes certain expenses, including any interest, brokerage commissions, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
88   Summary - abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Realty Income & Growth 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$695
$1,009
$1,344
$2,290
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$102
$376
$671
$1,510
Portfolio Turnover
The Realty Income & Growth Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23.77% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Realty Income & Growth Fund invests 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in the securities of issuers which (i) are principally engaged in the real estate industry, (ii) are principally engaged in real estate financing or (iii) control real estate assets with an aggregate estimated value equal to no less than 50% of such issuer’s assets. These companies include, but are not limited to, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), real estate operating companies and homebuilders, and companies with a majority of real estate holdings, such as hotel and entertainment companies. “Principally engaged” in the real estate industry or in real estate financing means that a majority of a company’s revenues are derived from the real estate industry or from real estate financing, respectively, or that the company is classified as a “real estate” company under the Standard & Poor’s Global Industry Classification System (GICS). To “control” real estate assets means to own such assets.

The Fund concentrates its investments in the securities of companies engaged principally in the real estate industry and may invest all of its assets in such securities; however, the Fund may temporarily invest less than 25% of its net assets in such securities during periods of adverse economic conditions in the real estate industry.

In addition to common stocks and REITs, securities in which the Fund may invest include preferred stocks and rights and warrants.

The Fund may invest up to 35% of its net assets in foreign securities. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization. The Fund may borrow up to 10% of its total assets for investment purposes.
The Adviser emphasizes investments in the equity securities of companies which it believes have the potential to grow their earnings at faster than normal rates and thus offer the potential for higher dividends and capital growth in the future.
In managing the assets of the Fund, the Adviser invests primarily in the equity securities of companies offering high dividend yields and which the Adviser believes offer strong prospects for capital growth. In selecting investments, a focus of the Adviser is to identify investment opportunities where dividends are well supported by the underlying assets and earnings of a company.
The Adviser considers and evaluates ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) factors as part of the investment analysis process. The Adviser considers the most material potential ESG risks and opportunities impacting issuers, alongside other non-ESG factors. The relevance of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser.
The Fund is “non-diversified.” This means that, as compared to mutual funds which are diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer. As a result, the Fund may hold larger positions in a relatively small number of stocks as compared to many other mutual funds.
Principal Risks
The Realty Income & Growth Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first seven risks).
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Summary - abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund 
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
REIT and Real Estate Risk – Investment in REITs and real estate involves the risks that are associated with direct ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include: declines in the value of real estate; risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition; increases in property taxes and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws; casualty or condemnation losses; variations in rental income, neighborhood values or the appeal of properties to tenants; changes in interest rates and changes in general economic and market conditions. REITs’ share prices may decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry including changes in interest rates. The returns from REITs may trail returns from the overall market. Additionally, there is always a risk that a given REIT will fail to qualify for favorable tax treatment. REITs may be leveraged, which increases risk. Certain REITs charge management fees, which may result in layering the management fee paid by the fund.
Concentration Risk – The Fund’s strategy of concentrating in companies in a specific industry or sector, or closely related group of industries or sectors, means that its performance will be closely tied to the performance of a particular market segment. The Fund’s concentration in these companies may present more risks than if it were broadly diversified over numerous industries and sectors of the economy. A downturn in these companies would have a larger impact on the Fund than on a mutual fund that does not concentrate in such companies. At times, the performance of these companies will lag the performance of other industries or the broader market as a whole.
Dividend Strategy Risk – There is no guarantee that the issuers of the stocks held by the Fund will declare dividends in the future or that, if dividends are declared, they will remain at their current levels or increase over time. The Fund’s emphasis on dividend paying stocks could cause the Fund to underperform similar funds that invest without consideration of a company’s track record of paying dividends or ability to pay dividends in the future. Dividend-paying stocks may not participate in a broad market advance to the same degree as other stocks, and a sharp rise in interest rates or economic downturn could cause a company to unexpectedly reduce or eliminate its dividend.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified Fund.
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Summary - abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund 
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Non-Diversified Fund Risk – The Fund’s performance may be more volatile than a diversified fund because it may invest a greater percentage of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Realty Income & Growth Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Institutional Class shares have varied from year to year. The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.

The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as an index that reflects the market sectors in which the Fund invests. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the S&P 500® Index, a broad-based securities index, and the MSCI US REIT Index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/ us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.

The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to May 7, 2018 reflect the performance of a predecessor fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), which was a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization that occurred as of the close of business on May 4, 2018, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund and the Predecessor Fund have substantially similar investment objectives and strategies.

Returns of the Predecessor Fund have not been adjusted to reflect the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund.

abrdn Inc. and abrdn Investments Limited began advising and sub-advising, respectively, the Fund immediately following the closing of the reorganization. Performance prior to this date reflects the performance of an unaffiliated investment adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund 
Annual Total Returns – Institutional Class Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 17.03% - 1st quarter 2019
Lowest Return: -25.28% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Institutional Class shares only and will vary for other classes. After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
6.61
%
5.75
%
6.86
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
13.35
%
7.28
%
7.76
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions
11.70
%
3.81
%
4.39
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
8.10
%
4.99
%
5.37
%
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
26.29
%
15.69
%
12.03
%
MSCI US REIT Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
13.74
%
7.40
%
7.60
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Realty Income & Growth Fund’s investment adviser and abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”) serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund 
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Jay Carlington, CFA®
Portfolio Manager
2018
Svitlana Gubriy
Head of Indirect Real Assets
2018
Bill Pekowitz
REIT Analyst / Portfolio Manager
2018
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund (the “Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks high after-tax current income consistent with preservation of capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $250,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges,” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Class A1 Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
None
0.50
%
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
None
0.25
%
(1)
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees(3)
0.40
%
0.40
%
0.40
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
0.25
%
None
Other Expenses
0.23
%
0.17
%
0.24
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
0.88
%
0.82
%
0.64
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.18
%
0.12
%
0.19
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements
0.70
%
0.70
%
0.45
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A1 shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 0.25% will be charged on Class A1 shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses.
(3) Management fees have been restated to reflect current fees as a result of a reduction in the Fund’s contractual management fee rate effective February 29, 2024.
(4) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.70% for Class A and Class A1 shares and 0.45% for Institutional Class shares. This contractual limitation may not be terminated without the approval of the Independent Trustees before February 28, 2025. This limit includes Rule 12b-1 Fees, but excludes certain expenses, including any interest, brokerage commissions, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
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Summary - abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund 
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Ultra Short Municipal Income 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$72
$263
$470
$1,068
CLASS A1 SHARES
$121
$299
$491
$1,047
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$46
$186
$338
$780
Portfolio Turnover
The Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 231.34% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
The Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund invests its assets in a combination of tax-exempt obligations and taxable debt obligations. As a fundamental policy, under normal circumstances the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in tax-exempt obligations. Net assets include the amounts of any borrowings for investment purposes. Tax-exempt obligations include municipal obligations that pay interest that is free from U.S. federal income tax (other than federal alternative minimum tax (“AMT”)).

In managing the Fund’s investments, the Adviser seeks to capitalize on fundamental and technical opportunities in the debt obligations markets to enhance return. The obligations in which the Fund invests may be of any maturity, but under normal market conditions, it is expected that the Fund’s average portfolio maturity, at the time of investment, will be two years or less. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will generally maintain an investment portfolio with a weighted average effective duration of less than one year.

The obligations in which the Fund invests must, at the time of investment, be rated investment grade, as determined by the various rating agencies, or if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. When the Adviser determines that an obligation is in a specific category, the Adviser will use the highest rating assigned to the obligation by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization. In determining suitability of investment in a particular unrated security, the Adviser takes into consideration asset and debt service coverage, the purpose of the financing, history of the issuer, existence of other rated securities of the issuer, and other relevant conditions, such as comparability to other issuers. If an obligation’s credit rating is downgraded after the Fund’s investment, the Adviser monitors the situation to decide if the Fund needs to take any action such as selling the obligation.

The Fund may invest in specific types of municipal obligations, including auction rate securities and tender option bonds. Tender option bonds are created when a holder deposits tax–exempt or other bonds into a special purpose trust (“TOB trust”). The TOB trust issues two types of securities: floating rate notes (“floaters” or “TOBs”) and a residual security junior to the floaters (“inverse floaters”). The Fund does not currently intend to deposit bonds into a TOB trust or invest in inverse floaters, but may invest in floaters issued by TOB trusts.
The Fund may invest in municipal obligations of any state, city, county or other governmental entity, including Puerto Rico and U.S. territories. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to Pennsylvania, New York, Mississippi and Texas municipal securities.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser employs a process that combines sector allocation, fundamental research and duration management. In determining sector allocation, the Adviser analyzes the prevailing financial and investment characteristics of a broad range of sectors in which the Fund may invest and seeks to enhance performance and manage risk by underweighting or overweighting particular sectors. Based on fundamental research regarding securities, including fixed income research, credit analyses and use of sophisticated analytical systems, the Adviser makes decision to purchase and sell securities for the Fund. The Adviser examines the material risks of an investment across a spectrum of considerations including financial metrics, regional and national conditions and industry specific factors. The Adviser may also consider the most material potential ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) risks and opportunities impacting issuers, where relevant. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser. The relevance of
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ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and instrument types. The Adviser also considers economic factors to develop strategic forecasts as to the direction of interest rates which are then used to establish the Fund’s target duration, a common measurement of a security’s sensitivity to interest rate movements. For obligations owned by the Fund, duration measures the average time needed to receive the present value of all principal and interest payments by analyzing cash flows and interest rate movements. The Adviser closely monitors the Fund’s portfolio and makes adjustments as necessary.

The Fund’s investment strategies may result in a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 100% on an annual basis.
Principal Risks
The Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first five risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Fixed Income Securities Risk – Fixed income securities fluctuate in price based on changes in an issuer’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. The value of a fixed income security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer. Fixed income securities are subject to, among other risks, credit risk, extension risk, issuer risk, interest rate risk, market risk and prepayment risk.
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser and its portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Municipal Securities Risk – Municipal bonds can be significantly affected by political and economic changes, including inflation, as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes, or the rights of municipal security holders. Municipal bonds have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter-term Municipal bonds and higher for long term Municipal bonds.
Municipal Bond Tax Risk – A municipal bond that is issued as tax-exempt may later be declared to be taxable. In addition, if the federal income tax rate is reduced, the value of the tax exemption may be less valuable, causing the value of a municipal bond to decline.
Municipal Market Volatility and Illiquidity Risk – The municipal bond market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. During times of reduced market liquidity, the Fund may not be able to readily sell bonds without the sale significantly changing the market value of the bond. If the Fund needed to sell large blocks of bonds to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce the bonds’ prices.
Municipal Sector Risk – From time to time the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in municipal securities whose interest is paid solely from revenues of similar projects. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the economic risks relating to such projects and this may have a significant impact on the Fund’s investment performance.
Yield Risk – The amount of income received by the Fund will go up or down depending on day-to-day variations in short–term interest rates, and when interest rates are very low the Fund’s expenses could absorb all or a significant portion of the Fund’s income. If interest rates increase, the Fund’s yield may not increase proportionately. For example, the Adviser may discontinue any temporary voluntary fee limitation or recoup amounts previously waived and/or reimbursed.
Auction Rate Securities Risk - Auction rate securities are variable rate bonds whose interest rates are reset at specified intervals through a “Dutch” auction process. A “Dutch” auction is a competitive bidding process designed to determine a single uniform clearing rate that enables purchases and sales of the auction rate securities to take place at par. All accepted bids and holders of the auction rate securities receive the same rate. Auction rate securities holders rely on the liquidity generated by the auction. There is a risk that an auction will fail due to insufficient demand for the securities. If an auction fails, an auction rate security may become illiquid until a subsequent successful auction is conducted, the issuer redeems the issue, or a secondary market develops.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
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ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Illiquid Securities Risk – Illiquid securities are assets that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the asset. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Illiquid and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value. Over recent years, the capacity of dealers to make markets in fixed income securities has been outpaced by the growth in the size of the fixed income markets. Illiquid securities risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or when investor redemptions from fixed income funds may be higher than normal, due to the increased supply in the market that would result from selling activity.
The Adviser employs procedures and tests using third-party and internal data inputs that seek to assess and manage the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. These procedures and tests take into account the Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and foreseeable stressed conditions, cash-flow projections during both normal and reasonable foreseeable stressed conditions, relevant market, trading and other factors, and monitor whether liquidity should be adjusted based on changed market conditions. These procedures and tests are designed to assist the Fund in determining its ability to meet redemption requests in various market conditions. In light of the dynamic nature of markets, there can be no assurance that these procedures and tests will enable the Fund to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to meet redemption requests.
Interest Rate Risk – The Fund’s fixed income investments are subject to interest rate risk, which generally causes the value of a fixed income portfolio to decrease when interest rates rise resulting in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. Interest rate fluctuations tend to have a greater impact on fixed income-securities with a greater time to maturity and/or lower coupon. A fund with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a fund with a shorter average portfolio duration. In periods of market volatility, the market values of fixed income securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Portfolio Turnover Risk – The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objective. High portfolio turnover may result in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may also result in greater realization and/or distribution to shareholders of gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading, which may include short-term gains taxable at ordinary income tax rates.
Tender Option Bonds Risk – Tender option bonds are synthetic floating-rate or variable-rate securities issued when long–term bonds are purchased in the primary or secondary market and then deposited into a trust. Tender option bonds may be considered derivatives, and may expose the Fund to the same risks as investments in derivatives, as well as risks associated with leverage, especially the risk of increased volatility.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities Risk – For floating and variable rate obligations, there may be a lag between an actual change in the underlying interest rate benchmark and the reset time for an interest payment of such an obligation, which could harm or benefit the Fund, depending on the interest rate environment or other circumstances. Variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”) are floating rate securities that combine an interest in a long term municipal bond with a right to demand payment before maturity from a bank or other financial institution. If the bank or financial institution is unable to pay, the Fund may lose money.

If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Institutional Class shares have varied from year to year. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges, if any. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual
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total returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the returns in the table reflect the maximum applicable sales charges.

The table compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index, a broad-based securities index, and the Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond: 1 Year (1-2) Index. Effective February 29, 2024, in anticipation of new regulatory requirements, the Fund’s broad-based securities market index has changed from the Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond: 1 Year (1-2) Index to the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index in the Fund’s total return table. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.

The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to May 7, 2018 reflect the performance of a predecessor fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), which was a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization that occurred as of the close of business on May 4, 2018, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund and the Predecessor Fund have substantially similar investment objectives and strategies.

Returns of the Predecessor Fund have not been adjusted to reflect the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund.

abrdn Inc. began advising the Fund immediately following the closing of the reorganization. Performance prior to this date reflects the performance of an unaffiliated investment adviser.

Class A1 returns prior to the commencement of operations of Class A1 (inception date: February 28, 2019) are based on the previous performance of the Fund’s Class A shares (inception date 3/30/2004). Excluding the effect of any fee waivers or reimbursements, this performance is substantially similar to what each individual class would have produced because all classes invest in the same portfolio of securities. Returns would only differ to the extent of the differences in expenses between the two classes.
Annual Total Returns – Institutional Class Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 1.12% - 4th quarter 2023

Lowest Return: -0.17% - 1st quarter 2022
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After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Institutional Class shares only and will vary for other classes. After–tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
3.58
%
1.24
%
0.90
%
Class A1 shares – Before Taxes
3.07
%
1.16
%
0.86
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
3.94
%
1.44
%
1.14
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions
3.94
%
1.44
%
1.14
%
Institutional Class shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
3.86
%
1.45
%
1.14
%
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
6.40
%
2.25
%
3.03
%
Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond: 1 Year (1-2) Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
3.39
%
1.34
%
1.09
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Miguel Laranjeiro
Investment Director
2016
*
Jonathan Mondillo
Head of U.S. Fixed Income
2015
*
* Includes service with unaffiliated investment adviser to Predecessor Fund
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A and CLASS A1 SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund intends to distribute dividends exempt from regular federal income tax and capital gains distributions; although, a portion of the Fund’s distributions may be subject to federal income tax or alternative minimum tax.
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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund (formerly, abrdn International Sustainable Leaders Fund) (the “Emerging Markets Dividend Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks total return consisting of income and long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Emerging Markets Dividend Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges,” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.75
%
0.75
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
Other Expenses
0.62
%
0.59
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.62
%
1.34
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(3)
0.47
%
0.44
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
1.15
%
0.90
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(3) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.90% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and Rule 12b-1 fees for Class A and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
(4) The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements do not correlate to the Fund’s Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Net of Reimbursements/Waivers), included in the Fund’s Financial Highlights in the Fund’s prospectus, as this ratio does not reflect non-recurring expenses, such as extraordinary expenses.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Emerging Markets Dividend 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$685
$1,013
$1,364
$2,349
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$92
$381
$692
$1,574
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund 
Portfolio Turnover
The Emerging Markets Dividend Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23.45% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Emerging Markets Dividend Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of emerging market companies that pay dividend income. The Fund will invest primarily in common stocks but may also invest in other types of equity securities, including, but not limited to, preferred stock and depositary receipts. An emerging market country is any country determined by the Adviser or Sub-adviser (as defined below) to have an emerging market economy, considering factors such as the country’s credit rating, its political and economic stability and the development of its financial and capital markets. Emerging market countries include every nation in the world except the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore and most countries located in Western Europe. A company is considered to be an emerging market company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of or has its principal office in an emerging market country;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in an emerging market country; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in an emerging market country.
 
Emerging market countries may include countries considered to be frontier markets. At times, the Fund may have a significant amount of its assets invested in a country or geographic region. The Fund currently anticipates that it will invest a significant amount of its assets in securities economically tied to India, Taiwan and in Mainland China equity securities, including through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program or by any other available means. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and currencies of the foreign countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market capitalization.
The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the healthcare, financials and information technology sectors.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the investment team narrows the investable universe by looking at the dividend potential of companies and focusing on fundamental factors. The Adviser’s and Sub-adviser’s primary focus is on stock selection using research techniques to select individual holdings. The investment team places particular emphasis on understanding business fundamentals and dynamics and the impact this has on cash flow generation and a company’s ability to allocate cash effectively. The investment team seeks to allocate the Fund’s assets to high dividend paying companies and companies that the Adviser and Sub-adviser believe are growing their dividend over time.
The Adviser and Sub-adviser’s consideration of fundamental factors includes, among other things, a quality assessment focused on five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser and Sub-adviser.
Principal Risks
The Emerging Markets Dividend Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first eight risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
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Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Emerging Markets Risk – Emerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” below).
China Risk. Investments in China and Hong Kong subject the Fund to additional risks, and may make it significantly more volatile than geographically diverse mutual funds. Additional risks associated with investments in China and Hong Kong include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage), trading halts, imposition of tariffs, limitations on repatriation and differing legal standards. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Risk. Investing in China A shares through Stock Connect involves various considerations and risks, including, but not limited to, illiquidity risk; currency risk; greater price volatility; legal and regulatory uncertainty risk; execution risk; operational risk; tax risk; credit risk; and economic, social and political instability of the stock market in the People’s Republic of China.
India Risk. The value of the Fund’s assets may be adversely affected by political, economic, social and religious factors, changes in Indian law or regulations and the status of India’s relations with other countries. In addition, the economy of India may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as the rate of growth of gross domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. The Indian government has exercised and continues to exercise significant influence over many aspects of the economy, and the number of public sector enterprises in India is substantial. Accordingly, Indian government actions in the future could have a significant effect on the Indian economy, which could affect private sector companies and the Fund, market conditions, and prices and yields of securities in the Fund’s portfolio.
Taiwan Risk. Including risks associated with investing in emerging markets, a Fund’s investment in or exposure to Taiwan is also subject to risks associated with, among other things, currency fluctuations, commodity shortages, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization and exchange control regulations (including currency blockage). Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation and interest rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economy and securities markets of Taiwan. In addition, investments in Taiwan could be adversely affected by political and economic relationship with China.
Dividend Strategy Risk – There is no guarantee that the issuers of the stocks held by the Fund will declare dividends in the future or that, if dividends are declared, they will remain at their current levels or increase over time. The Fund’s emphasis on dividend paying stocks could cause the Fund to underperform similar funds that invest without consideration of a company’s track record of paying dividends or ability to pay dividends in the future. Dividend-paying stocks may not participate in a broad market advance to the same degree as other stocks, and a sharp rise in interest rates or economic downturn could cause a company to unexpectedly reduce or eliminate its dividend.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
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Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Frontier Markets Risk - Frontier markets involve the same risks as emerging markets, but to a greater extent since they tend to be even smaller, less developed, and less accessible than other emerging markets.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Financials Sector Risk. To the extent that the financials sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, decreased liquidity in credit markets as well as cyber-attacks.
Information Technology Sector Risk. To the extent that the information technology sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Healthcare Sector Risk. To the extent that the healthcare sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulation. restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, changes to the costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies, and other market developments.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Emerging Markets Dividend Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund 
securities index, and the MSCI All Country World ex USA Index (Net Daily Total Return). Effective February 29, 2024, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Daily Total Return) replaced the MSCI All Country World ex USA Index (Net Daily Total Return) as the Fund’s primary benchmark in connection with a change in name and strategy of the Fund. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective February 29, 2024 from an international sustainable leaders strategy to an emerging markets dividend strategy. In connection with the change in investment strategy, the Fund changed its name from abrdn International Sustainable Leaders Fund to abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund.
The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to December 3, 2021 reflect the performance of a predecessor fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization on December 3, 2021, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund. Returns of the Predecessor Fund have been adjusted to reflect applicable sales charges but not the differences in the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund. Performance shown reflects the Predecessor Fund’s receipt of payment of Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims related to prior years (2005-2008). The receipt of these extraordinary payments on various dates beginning December 16, 2016 effectively increased the Fund’s performance for all periods that include these payments in a manner that may not recur in the future, and the Fund’s performance was significantly higher for those periods than it would have been had the Fund not received payment of the Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims.
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 18.66% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -23.63% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
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Summary - abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund 
Average Annual Total Returns of the Fund as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
9.32
%
4.18
%
1.56
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
9.32
%
3.13
%
0.43
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
5.52
%
2.76
%
0.65
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
16.32
%
5.69
%
2.42
%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects deductions for expenses and taxes)
9.83
%
3.68
%
2.66
%
MSCI All Country World ex USA Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects deductions for expenses and taxes)
15.62
%
7.08
%
3.83
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the Emerging Markets Dividend Fund’s investment adviser. abrdn Investments Limited serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with Matt Williams serving as lead portfolio manager and Gabriel Sacks heading the portfolio construction group:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Matt Williams, CFA®
Senior Investment Director
2024
Gabriel Sacks, CFA®
Investment Director
2024
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary - abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund (the “Global Equity Impact Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the Global Equity Impact Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges,” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A Shares
Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
5.75
%
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.75
%
0.75
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
Other Expenses
0.81
%
0.80
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
1.81
%
1.55
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(3)
0.66
%
0.65
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
1.15
%
0.90
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(3) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.90% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and Rule 12b-1 fees for Class A and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
(4) The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements do not correlate to the Fund’s Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Net of Reimbursements/Waivers), included in the Fund’s Financial Highlights in the Fund’s prospectus, as this ratio does not reflect non-recurring expenses, such as extraordinary expenses.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Equity Impact 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 sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$685
$1,051
$1,441
$2,528
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$92
$426
$783
$1,790
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Portfolio Turnover
The Global Equity Impact Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 30.88% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Global Equity Impact Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities issued by companies located throughout the world (including the U.S.). Equity securities include, but are not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and depositary receipts.
The Fund invests in securities of companies that aim to create positive measurable environmental and/or social impacts.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest significantly (at least 40% -- unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Adviser in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. A company is considered to be a non-U.S. company if Fund management determines that the company meets one or more of the following criteria:
the company is organized under the laws of, or has its principal office in, a country outside the U.S.;
 
the company has its principal securities trading market in a country outside the U.S.; and/or
 
the company derives the majority of its annual revenue or earnings or assets from goods produced, sales made or services performed in a country outside the U.S.
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in securities from at least three different countries. The Fund may also invest in companies of emerging market countries. At times, the Fund may have a significant amount of its assets invested in a country or geographic region. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. Dollars and currencies of the foreign countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its assets, measured at the time of purchase, in mainland China equity and equity-related securities, including through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program or by any other available means. The Fund typically has full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities of any market capitalization. The Fund may invest in securities of any market sector and may hold a significant amount of securities of companies, from time to time, within a single sector. The Fund currently anticipates that it will have significant exposure to the industrials, healthcare and financials sectors.
The Adviser selects investments for the Fund based on both: (i) an evaluation of the important factors that drive a company’s share price, as well as (ii) the company’s environmental and social impact practices.
In pursuing the Fund’s investment strategies, the Adviser invests in quality companies and is an active, engaged owner. The Adviser evaluates every company against quality criteria and builds conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The Adviser’s stock analysts work closely with dedicated ESG specialists who sit within each regional investment team and provide expertise and insight at the company level. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Adviser seeks to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market. The Adviser’s overall quality assessment covers five key factors: (1) durability of the business model, (2) the attractiveness of the industry, (3) the strength of financials, (4) the capability of management, and (5) the most material ESG factors impacting a company.
After an investment opportunity satisfies the Adviser’s evaluation of price and fundamental factors, the Adviser then assesses a company’s ability to deliver positive outcomes for the environment and society in eight areas or “pillars”: circular economy (i.e. optimal reuse of resources); sustainable energy; food and agriculture; water and sanitation; health and social care; financial inclusion; sustainable real estate and infrastructure; and, education and employment. The Fund may also invest up to 10% of its assets, measured at the time of purchase, in companies that enable progress aligned to each pillar, but are too far down the supply chain for impact to be directly attributable to them. The Adviser generally aligns its impact assessment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”). Only those investments that meet the Adviser’s impact criteria are eligible for investment.
In carrying out the Fund’s investment strategy, the Adviser combines the analysis of its equity teams with the analysis of its impact analysts and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) analysts. This allows the Adviser to assess a company’s alignment with the pillars. The Adviser determines alignment with each pillar by assessing intentionality. At least 30% of company investment (e.g. research and development, capital expenditure) must be directed towards a product or service aligned with one of the impact pillars to demonstrate intentionality. A company’s progress against each pillar is measured using key performance indicators (KPIs) that mirror the SDGs’ KPIs, linking the company’s ability to affect positive change in the context of these overarching global challenges. Engagement with company management teams is a part of the Adviser’s investment process and ongoing stewardship program. The Adviser’s process evaluates the ownership structures, governance and management quality of the companies.
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In addition, a set of ESG-related binary exclusions will be applied which supports the sustainable development aims of the United Nations. Please see “Fund Details – Additional Information about Principal Strategies” for the list of screens that are applied.
Principal Risks
The Global Equity Impact Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first seven risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Equity Securities Risk – The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline).
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser or Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
Impact Investing Risk – In implementing the Fund’s ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investment strategy, the Adviser may select or exclude securities of issuers in certain industries, sectors, regions or countries for reasons other than the issuer’s investment performance. For this reason, the Fund’s ESG strategy could cause it to perform differently compared to funds that do not have such strategy. ESG investing is qualitative and subjective by nature. In addition, the Fund may be required to sell a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous for it to do so. In evaluating an issuer, the Adviser utilizes, in part, information and data obtained through voluntary or third-party reporting that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could cause the Adviser to incorrectly assess an issuer’s business practices with respect to the environment, social responsibility and corporate governance. Securities of companies with ESG practices may shift into and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions. The definition of “impact investing” will vary according to an investor’s beliefs and values. There is no guarantee that the Adviser’s definition of impact investing, security selection criteria or investment judgment will reflect the beliefs or values of any particular investor.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. This risk may impact the Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk, or hedging techniques used by the Adviser are unsuccessful.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Emerging Markets RiskEmerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” above).
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies.
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Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
Healthcare Sector Risk. To the extent that the healthcare sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulation. restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, changes to the costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies, and other market developments.
Financials Sector Risk. To the extent that the financials sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, decreased liquidity in credit markets as well as cyber-attacks.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the Global Equity Impact Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the MSCI All Country World Index (Net Daily Total Return), a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/ fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to December 3, 2021 reflect the performance of a predecessor fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization on December 3, 2021, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund.
Returns of the Predecessor Fund have been adjusted to reflect applicable sales charges but not the differences in the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund.
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Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 23.68% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -19.34% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
0.31
%
8.32
%
3.45
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
-0.10
%
7.59
%
2.48
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
0.18
%
6.22
%
2.19
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
6.67
%
9.87
%
4.33
%
MSCI All Country World Index (Net Daily Total Return) (reflects deductions for expenses and taxes)
22.20
%
11.72
%
7.93
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the Global Equity Impact Fund’s investment adviser. abrdn Investments Limited serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Dominic Byrne, CFA®
Deputy Head of Developed Markets
2019
*
Sarah Norris
Head of ESG - Equities
2019
*
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Summary - abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund 
* Includes service to Predecessor Fund.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
112   Summary - abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund

 
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Summary - abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
image
Objective
The abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund (formerly, abrdn Global High Income Fund) (the “High Income Opportunities Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks to maximize total return, principally through a high level of current income, and secondarily through capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay when you buy, hold and sell shares of the High Income Opportunities Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in abrdn Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the “Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges,” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164 and 221 of the Fund’s prospectus, respectively, and in the “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales — Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Reduction of Sales Charges” sections on pages 110 and 111 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, respectively. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Class A
Shares
Institutional
Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed upon purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
3.00
%
None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)
1.00
%
(1)
None
Small Account Fee(2)
$20
$20
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.55
%
0.55
%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.25
%
None
Other Expenses
0.54
%
0.50
%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(3)
0.02
%
0.02
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(4)
1.36
%
1.07
%
Less: Amount of Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(5)
0.39
%
0.35
%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements(4)
0.97
%
0.72
%
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of up to 1.00% will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(2) Accounts with balances below $1,000 are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from such accounts are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, the Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
(3) Acquired fund fees and expenses are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other mutual funds, including money market funds and exchange traded funds.
(4) The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses and Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Limitations/Expense Reimbursements do not correlate to the Fund’s Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets and Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets, respectively, included in the Fund’s Financial Highlights in the Fund’s prospectus, as those ratios do not reflect indirect expenses, such as Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
(5) abrdn Funds (the “Trust”) and abrdn Inc. (the “Adviser”) have entered into a written contract limiting operating expenses to 0.70% for all classes of the Fund. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2025 without the approval of the Independent Trustees. This limit excludes certain expenses, including any taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and Rule 12b-1 fees for Class A shares and extraordinary expenses. The Trust is authorized to reimburse the Adviser for management fees previously limited and/or for expenses previously paid by the Adviser, provided, however, that any reimbursements must be paid at a date not more than three years after the date when the Adviser limited the fees or reimbursed the expenses and the reimbursements do not cause a Class to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the High Income Opportunities Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
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Summary - abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund 
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the High Income Opportunities Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual limitation until its expiration, which impacts the 1-Year figures listed below). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
CLASS A SHARES
$396
$681
$986
$1,853
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
$74
$306
$556
$1,274
Portfolio Turnover
The High Income Opportunities Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 74.58% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Strategies
The High Income Opportunities Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of high income producing instruments. High income producing instruments include those rated at the time of purchase below “BBB–” by Standard & Poor’s Rating Service (“S&P”), or below “Baa3” by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or below a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or unrated bonds determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. The Fund may invest in securities rated in the lowest ratings category or in default (i.e., “junk bonds”, which are speculative). Although the Fund typically invests in high income debt securities, the Fund may also invest in investment grade debt. The Fund has the flexibility to invest in a broad-range of debt instruments, including, but not limited to, corporate and sovereign debt from U.S. and non-U.S. issuers, including those in emerging markets. The Fund may invest in debt securities of any maturity.
The Adviser examines the material risks of an investment across a spectrum of considerations including financial metrics, regional and national conditions and industry specific factors. The Adviser may also consider the most material potential Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities impacting issuers, where relevant. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser. The relevance of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and instrument types. The Fund seeks to invest in securities of issuers that are expected to exhibit stable to improving credit characteristics based on industry trends, company positioning, and management strategy, taking into account the potential positive impact of any restructurings or other corporate reorganizations.

The strategy is primarily directed toward U.S. Dollar denominated debt rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”) and the Fund ordinarily invests at least 60% of its net assets in U.S. Dollar denominated securities. However, the Fund may purchase securities denominated in foreign currencies.

The Fund may also invest in restricted securities and private placements including securities issued under Rule 144A and/or Regulation S (“Regulation S Securities”).

The Fund may invest in debt-like instruments (for example, structured notes and equity baskets) that provide exposure to equity markets or indices. The Fund may invest in preferred stocks, asset-backed securities, debt instruments convertible into common stock, income trusts, and swaps. The Fund may invest in bank loans, which include floating and fixed–rate debt securities generally acquired as a participation interest in, or assignment of, a loan originated by a lender or financial institution. The Fund may invest in, enter into, or acquire participation in, delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in equity securities. The Fund may invest in equity warrants, index warrants, covered warrants, interest rate warrants and long term options of, or relating to, international issuers that trade on an exchange or over-the-counter (“OTC”).

To achieve its investment objective, the Fund uses derivatives under certain market conditions. The Fund may use derivatives as a substitute for taking a position or reducing exposure to underlying assets or for hedging currency exposure. The Fund expects that derivative instruments will include the purchase and sale of futures contracts, forward foreign exchange contracts, non-deliverable forwards, swaps, options (including options on futures and options on swaps), warrants, and structured notes. In complying with the minimum and maximum investment limitations set forth above, the Fund may include investments in derivatives with an underlying asset with economic characteristics similar to the investments included in such limitation.
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Summary - abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund 
Principal Risks
The High Income Opportunities Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments – and therefore, the value of Fund shares – may fluctuate. The following is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order after the first ten risks).
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in those markets in which the Fund invests.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.
Fixed Income Securities Risk – Fixed income securities fluctuate in price based on changes in an issuer’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. The value of a fixed income security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer. Fixed income securities are subject to, among other risks, credit risk, extension risk, issuer risk, interest rate risk, market risk and prepayment risk.
Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser and its portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.
High-Yield Bonds and Other Lower-Rated Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in high-yield bonds (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) and other lower-rated securities will subject the Fund to substantial risk of loss. Investments in high–yield bonds are speculative and issuers of these securities are generally considered to be less financially secure and less able to repay interest and principal than issuers of investment-grade securities. Prices of high-yield bonds tend to be very volatile. These securities are less liquid than investment-grade debt securities and may be difficult to price or sell, particularly in times of negative sentiment toward high-yield securities.
Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support and political or financial instability. Lack of information may also affect the value of these securities. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar fluctuates in response to market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical or other conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. Dollar reduces the value in U.S. Dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency. If the Fund incurs losses from foreign currencies or foreign currency hedge positions, the Fund’s distributions could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.
Emerging Markets Risk – Emerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized, and investments in emerging markets countries are subject to a magnification of the risks that apply to foreign investments. These risks are greater for securities of companies in emerging market countries because the countries may have less stable governments, more volatile currencies and less established markets (see “Foreign Securities Risk” above).
Illiquid Securities Risk – Illiquid securities are assets that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the asset. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Illiquid and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value. Over recent years, the capacity of dealers to make markets in fixed income securities has been outpaced by the growth in the size of the fixed income markets. Illiquid securities risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or when investor redemptions from fixed income funds may be higher than normal, due to the increased supply in the market that would result from selling activity.
The Adviser employs procedures and tests using third-party and internal data inputs that seek to assess and manage the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. These procedures and tests take into account the Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and foreseeable stressed conditions, cash-flow projections during both normal and reasonable foreseeable stressed conditions, relevant market, trading and other factors, and monitor whether liquidity should be adjusted based on changed market conditions. These procedures and tests are designed to assist the Fund in determining its ability to meet redemption requests in various market conditions. In light of the dynamic nature of markets, there can be no assurance that these procedures and tests will enable the Fund to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to meet redemption requests.
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Summary - abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund 
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Bank Loan Risk – There are a number of risks associated with an investment in bank loans including credit risk, interest rate risk, illiquid securities risk, and prepayment risk. There is also the possibility that the collateral securing a loan, if any, may be difficult to liquidate or be insufficient to cover the amount owed under the loan. Bank loans have significantly longer settlement periods (e.g., longer than seven days) than more traditional investments resulting in the proceeds from the sale of such loans not being readily available to make additional investments or to meet a Fund’s redemption obligations. In addition, loans are not registered under the federal securities laws like stocks and bonds, so investors in loans have less protection against improper practices than investors in registered securities. These risks could cause the Fund to lose income or principal on a particular investment, which in turn could affect the Fund’s returns.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Derivatives Risk (including Options, Futures and Swaps) – Derivatives are speculative and may hurt the Fund’s performance. The potential benefits to be derived from the Fund’s options, futures and derivatives strategy are dependent upon the portfolio managers’ ability to discern pricing inefficiencies and predict trends in these markets, which decisions could prove to be inaccurate.
Speculative Exposure Risk – To the extent that a derivative or practice is not used as a hedge, the Fund is directly exposed to its risks. Gains or losses from speculative positions in a derivative may be much greater than the derivative’s original cost. For example, potential losses from writing uncovered call options and from speculative short sales are unlimited.
Hedged Exposure Risk – Losses generated by a derivative or practice used by the Fund for hedging purposes should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment. However, while hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.
Correlation Risk – The Fund is exposed to the risk that changes in the value of a hedging instrument will not match those of the investment being hedged.
Counterparty Risk – Derivative transactions depend on the creditworthiness of the counterparty and the counterparty’s ability to fulfill its contractual obligations.
Other Derivatives Risks – Fixed income derivatives are subject to interest rate risk. In addition, certain derivatives may be subject to illiquid securities risk, mispricing or valuation complexity, market risk and management risk. The Fund may need to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to satisfy margin or payment obligations under derivatives investments. Changes in regulation relating to the Fund’s use of derivatives and related instruments could potentially limit or impact the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives, limit the Fund’s ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives and/or adversely affect the value of derivatives and the Fund’s performance.
ESG Integration Risk To the extent ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics are not the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Interest Rate Risk – The Fund’s fixed income investments are subject to interest rate risk, which generally causes the value of a fixed income portfolio to decrease when interest rates rise resulting in a decrease in the Fund’s net assets. Interest rate fluctuations tend to have a greater impact on fixed income-securities with a greater time to maturity and/or lower coupon. A fund with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a fund with a shorter average portfolio duration. In periods of market volatility, the market values of fixed income securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Portfolio Turnover Risk – Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objective. High portfolio turnover may result in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may also result in greater realization and/or distribution to shareholders of gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading, which may include short-term gains taxable at ordinary income tax rates.
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Summary - abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund 
Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk – Investments in private placements and other restricted securities, including Regulation S Securities and Rule 144A Securities, could have the effect of increasing the Fund’s level of illiquidity. Private placements and restricted securities may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and the Fund might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at prices reflecting their true value.
Sector Risk – To the extent that the Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Sovereign Debt Risk – Periods of economic and political uncertainty may result in the illiquidity and increased price volatility of a foreign government’s debt securities held by the Fund and impact an issuer’s ability and willingness to pay interest or repay principal when due. The Fund may have limited recourse to compel payment in the event of a default. A foreign government’s default on its debt securities may cause the value of securities held by the Fund to decline significantly. Sovereign debt risk is increased for emerging market issuers. The Fund may also invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by supranational entities, such as the World Bank. Supranational entities have no taxing authority and are dependent on their members for payments of interest and principal. If one or more members of a supranational entity fails to make necessary contributions, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities. Political changes in principal donor nations may unexpectedly disrupt the finances of supranational entities.
Valuation Risk – The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Yield Risk – The amount of income received by the Fund will go up or down depending on day-to-day variations in short–term interest rates, and when interest rates are very low the Fund’s expenses could absorb all or a significant portion of the Fund’s income. If interest rates increase, the Fund’s yield may not increase proportionately. For example, the Adviser may discontinue any temporary voluntary fee limitation or recoup amounts previously waived and/or reimbursed.
If the value of the Fund’s investments decreases, you may lose money.

For additional information regarding the above identified risks, see “Fund Details: Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks” in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate potential risks of the High Income Opportunities Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns for Class A have varied from year to year. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index, a broad-based securities index, and the ICE BofA Merrill Lynch Global High Yield Constrained Index (Hedged to USD). Effective February 29, 2024, in anticipation of new regulatory requirements, the Fund’s broad-based securities market index has changed from the ICE BofA Merrill Lynch Global High Yield Constrained Index (Hedged to USD) to the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index in the Fund’s total return table. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. For updated performance information, please visit https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231.
The Fund changed its investment strategy effective August 18, 2023, which introduced increased flexibility to invest in U.S. issuers. Performance prior to August 18, 2023 does not reflect the current investment strategy. In connection with the investment strategy change, the Fund changed its name from the abrdn Global High Income Fund to the abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund. The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to December 3, 2021 reflect the performance of a predecessor fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), a registered investment company. The Fund adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization on December 3, 2021, in which the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of the Predecessor Fund.
Returns of the Predecessor Fund have been adjusted to reflect applicable sales charges but not the differences in the expenses applicable to the respective classes of the Fund.
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Summary - abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund 
Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended Dec. 31)

image
Highest Return: 12.44% - 2nd quarter 2020
Lowest Return: -15.45% - 1st quarter 2020
After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Average Annual Total Returns of the Fund as of December 31, 2023
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A shares – Before Taxes
8.96
%
3.47
%
2.16
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions
6.66
%
1.18
%
-0.22
%
Class A shares – After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares(1)
5.22
%
1.67
%
0.58
%
Institutional Class shares – Before Taxes
12.55
%
4.36
%
2.73
%
Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deductions for expenses or taxes)
5.72
%
-0.32
%
0.38
%
ICE BofA Merrill Lynch Global High Yield Constrained Index (Hedged to USD) (reflects no deductions for expenses or taxes)
12.97
%
4.70
%
4.52
%
(1) Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the returns after taxes on distributions and sales of shares to be greater than the returns after taxes on distributions or the returns before taxes.
Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the High Income Opportunities Fund investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed using a team-based approach, with the following team members being jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
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Summary - abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund 
Name
Title
Served on the Fund Since
Ben Pakenham
Head of European High Yield and Global Loans
2016
*
George Westervelt, CFA®
Head of Global High Yield
2019
*
Matthew Kence
Investment Director
2019
*
Adam Tabor, CFA®
Investment Director
2023
* Includes service to Predecessor Fund.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund’s minimum investment requirements are as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
To open an account
$1,000
To open an IRA account
$1,000
Additional investments
$50
To start an Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Additional Investments (Automatic Investment Plan)
$50
 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES
To open an account
$1,000,000
Additional investments
No Minimum
The Fund reserves the right to apply or waive investment minimums under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus under the “Choosing a Share Class” section.
Fund shares may be redeemed on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Fund shares may be sold by mail or fax, by telephone or on-line.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions are subject to federal income taxes and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or invest through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or other tax-deferred account, in which case your withdrawals from such account may be taxed as ordinary income.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Fund Details
Additional Information about Principal Strategies
Investment Objectives. The investment objective(s) of each the Dynamic Dividend Fund, Global Infrastructure Fund and Realty Income & Growth Fund are fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Fund. The investment objective of each of the other Funds is not fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. Unless otherwise stated, all other investment policies of the Funds may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
80% Investment Policy. If the Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, Infrastructure Debt Fund, U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, China A Fund, Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund, Emerging Markets ex-China Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, International Small Cap Fund, U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund, Global Infrastructure Fund, Realty Income & Growth Fund, Emerging Markets Dividend Fund or Global Equity Impact Fund changes its 80% investment policy it will notify shareholders at least 60 days before the change and, if necessary, will change the name of the Fund.
Derivatives. To the extent that a Fund invests in derivatives with an underlying asset with economic characteristics similar to the investments included in the investment policies described under “Principal Strategies” of such Fund’s “Summary” section above, the market value or notional value of such derivative, depending on the exposure provided by the type of derivative, would be included to meet the applicable investment policy, except for 80% policies required by Rule 35d-1 with respect to which market value would be included.
Split Ratings. In the event that a security receives different ratings from different NRSROs, unless specific disclosure in a Fund’s summary provides otherwise, the Adviser treats the security as being rated in the lowest rating category received from an NRSRO. To the extent that a Fund invests primarily in below investment-grade securities, this could result in such a Fund holding a portion of its assets in securities that have received an investment-grade rating from one or more NRSROs.
Equity Funds
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, abrdn China A Share Equity Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets Fund, abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity and abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
In seeking to achieve the Funds’ investment objectives, the Adviser and Sub-adviser(s), as applicable, (together, the “Advisers”) invest in quality companies and are active, engaged owners. The Advisers evaluate every company against quality criteria and build conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: (1) durability of the business model, (2) the attractiveness of the industry, (3) the strength of financials, (4) the capability of management, and (5) the most material Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. Examples of ESG factors considered by the Advisers include, but are not limited to, carbon emissions, climate risks, labor management, employee safety and corporate governance. The specific factors considered may vary depending on the type of company being evaluated. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Advisers.
Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Advisers seek to identify companies whose quality and future prospects are not yet fully recognized by the market.
The Advisers may sell a security when they perceive that a company’s business direction or growth potential has changed or the company’s valuations no longer offer attractive relative value.
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives, the Adviser and Sub-adviser (together, the “Advisers”) narrow the investable universe by looking at the dividend potential of companies and focusing on fundamental factors. The Advisers’ primary focus is on stock selection using research techniques to select individual holdings. The investment team places particular emphasis on understanding business fundamentals and dynamics and the impact this has on cash flow generation and a company’s ability to allocate cash effectively. The investment team seeks to allocate the Fund’s assets to high dividend paying companies and companies that the Advisers believe are growing their dividend over time.
The Advisers’ consideration of fundamental factors includes, among other things, a quality assessment focused on five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. Examples of ESG factors considered by the Advisers include, but are not limited to, carbon emissions, climate risks, labor management, employee safety and corporate governance. The specific factors considered may vary depending on the type of company being evaluated. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Advisers.
The Advisers may sell a security when a company no longer meets its investment criteria or the Advisers have found better opportunities elsewhere.
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
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A set of ESG-related binary exclusions will be applied which supports the sustainable development aims of the United Nations. Based on MSCI business involvement screening research and in-house proprietary scoring tools, the Fund will seek to not invest in companies that:
have failed to uphold one or more principles of the UN Global Compact;
 
are majority state-owned enterprises in countries subject to international sanctions or that materially violate universal basic principles;
 
appear on the Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) exclusions list;
 
have an “industry tie” (defined below) to controversial weapons (cluster munitions, anti-personnel landmines, nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons, white phosphorous, depleted uranium ammunition, blinding lasers, incendiary devices, and/or non-detectable fragments) and have a revenue contribution of 5% or more from conventional weapons or 20% from weapons systems;
 
have a revenue contribution of 5% or more from from tobacco or are tobacco manufacturers;
 
have a revenue contribution of 5% or more from gambling;
 
have revenue exposure to thermal coal or have a tie to thermal coal unless the company meets at least one of the following criteria:
have a Science Based Target Initiative (“SBTi”) 5 target set below 2°C or 1.5°C, or have a SBTi ‘Business Ambition for 1.5°C’ commitment;
have less than 10% of capital expenditure (“CapEx”) dedicated to thermal coal-related activities and not with the objective of increasing revenue; or
have more than 50% of CapEx dedicated to “contributing activities” (defined below);
 
have revenue exposure to unconventional oil and gas unless production capacity is not increasing and the company meets at least one of the following three criteria:
have a SBTi target set below 2°C or 1.5°C, or have a SBTi ‘Business Ambition for 1.5°C’ commitment;
derive less than 5% of its revenues from unconventional oil and gas-related activities; or
have more than 50% of CapEx dedicated to activities which contribute positively to environmental objectives;
 
are allocated the Global Industry Classification Standards (GICS) sector designation “Energy” unless the company meets at least one of the following four criteria:
has a revenue contribution of less than 5% from oil and gas-related activities;
has set SBTi target at well-below 2°C or 1.5°C, or have a SBTi ‘Business Ambition for 1.5°C’ commitment;
has less than 15% of CapEx dedicated to oil & gas related activities and are not intending to increase revenue;
has more than 15% of CapEx dedicated to activities which contribute positively to environmental objectives;
 
are directly involved in electricity generation which has a carbon emission intensity inconsistent with the Paris Agreement 2 degrees scenario; or
 
are directly involved in electricity generation and are making new investments in thermal coal or nuclear energy generation capacity.
 
“An industry tie” includes companies that provide support systems and services, as well as those with direct (i.e., owners and producers) and indirect (i.e., parents and subsidiaries) involvement in the activity. “Contributing activities” can consist of economic activities that contribute to environmental objectives; for example, increasing renewable energy capacity.
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser and Sub-adviser  (together, the “Advisers”) select stocks for the Fund using the portfolio management team’s quality, growth and momentum approach, which aims to identify companies that, in the Advisers’ view, exhibit a range of high-quality characteristics, the ability to deliver sustainable, multi-year growth and upwards earnings momentum.
When assessing quality, the Advisers evaluate every company against quality criteria and build conviction using a team-based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers five key factors: (1) durability of the business model, (2) the attractiveness of the industry, (3) the strength of financials, (4) the capability of management, and (5) the most material Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. Examples of ESG factors considered by the Advisers include, but are not limited to, carbon emissions, climate risks, labor management, employee safety and corporate governance. The specific factors considered may vary depending on the type of company being evaluated. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Advisers.
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In assessing the growth outlook for stocks, the analyst considers the industry backdrop, as well as management’s strategy to drive sales (geographic expansion, push into adjacencies, market shares gain) and profitability (improving margins) over the medium to long term.
Momentum factors are considered throughout the investment process. At the idea generation stage, both price momentum and earnings momentum feed into the Advisers’ stock screening tool with a higher weight applied to earnings momentum. The investment team then evaluates the potential upside or downside to consensus estimates for individual companies. Position sizing is also linked to momentum. Stocks demonstrating strong momentum characteristics, in the Advisers’ view, which also meet the Advisers’ quality and growth criteria, typically become larger holdings in the portfolio.
Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence, the Advisers seek to identify companies whose quality, future prospects, growth and momentum characteristics are not yet fully recognized by the market.
Fixed Income Funds
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
The Adviser employs a fundamental, bottom-up investment process, based on firsthand research involving an evaluation of issuers and securities. The Adviser utilizes internally developed macro views on the global economy and specific regions when constructing portfolios. The Adviser evaluates securities for potential purchase only after it determines that the issuer is fundamentally sound. The Adviser examines the material risks of an investment across a spectrum of considerations including financial metrics, regional and national conditions and industry specific factors. Following a thorough research review, the Adviser evaluates the security’s valuation relative to other potential alternatives. Similarly, the Adviser will sell investments that achieve full valuation or that have deteriorated to an extent where the Adviser believes them no longer to be sound. The Adviser will replace sold investments with securities it believes are more attractive. There is continuous dialogue and sharing of research and information among all of the investment management professionals at the firm, including portfolio managers, research analysts and traders.
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
In selecting the Fund’s municipal debt securities, the Adviser and Sub-adviser employ a top-down, bottom-up investment process, which relies on in-depth research as the basis for individual security selection. The Adviser and Sub-adviser perform an analysis focusing on the issuer’s underlying credit soundness and ultimately its ability to service its debt. The Adviser and Sub-adviser further consider municipal bond structure, covenant analysis, and the legislative and political environment as it applies to each individual security. The Adviser and Sub-adviser then factor these fundamental and structural inputs to ascertain value and to identify mispriced securities. The overall objective of the Adviser and Sub-adviser is to add value through the selection of securities that the Adviser and Sub-adviser believe are trading at a price below what we consider the securities to be worth. The Adviser and Sub-adviser may sell a security if it no longer meets its investment criteria or offers an attractive relative value.
In selecting the Fund’s corporate debt securities, the Adviser and Sub-adviser employ a fundamental, bottom-up investment process, based on firsthand research involving an evaluation of issuers and securities. The Adviser and Sub-adviser utilize internally developed macro views on the global economy and specific regions when constructing portfolios. The Adviser and Sub-adviser evaluate securities for potential purchase only after it determines that the issuer is fundamentally sound. Following a thorough research review, the Adviser and Sub-adviser evaluate the security’s valuation relative to other potential alternatives. Similarly, the Adviser and Sub-adviser will sell investments that achieve full valuation or that have deteriorated to an extent where the Adviser and Sub-adviser believe them no longer to be sound. The Adviser and Sub-adviser will replace sold investments with securities it believes are more attractive. There is continuous dialogue and sharing of research and information among all of the investment management professionals at the firm, including portfolio managers, research analysts and traders.
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
The Adviser employs a top-down, bottom-up investment process, which relies on proprietary in-depth research as the basis for individual security selection. The Adviser performs an analysis focusing on the issuer’s underlying credit soundness and ultimately its ability to service its debt. Additionally, the Fund’s investment team has access to the firm’s broader North American team of industry specialists to provide added insight into such aspects as competitive landscape, industry dynamics, and regulatory environment, among others. The Adviser further considers municipal bond structure, covenant analysis, and the legislative and political environment as it applies to each individual security. The Adviser then factors these fundamental and structural inputs to ascertain value and to identify mispriced securities. The overall objective of the Adviser is to add value through the selection of securities that the Adviser believes are trading at a price below what we consider the securities to be worth. The Adviser may sell a security if it no longer meets its investment criteria or offers an attractive relative value.
ESG Considerations - Fixed Income
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In selecting investments for the Funds, the Adviser (for the abrdn  High Income Opportunities Fund, abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund) and the Adviser and Sub-adviser (for the abrdn  Infrastructure Debt  Fund) examine the material risks of an investment across a spectrum of considerations including financial metrics, regional and national conditions, industry specific factors, and Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) risks. The Adviser and Sub-adviser apply ESG considerations to their assessment of all corporate, sovereign and municipal issuers; however, the materiality of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and instrument types. The Adviser and Sub-adviser consider and assess how ESG risks, alongside other financial factors, may impact the credit quality of the issuer as well as the opportunities they may create. The Adviser and Sub-adviser may avoid investing in companies where ESG factors could erode the willingness and ability of the issuer to service its debt. The Adviser and Sub-adviser consider the materiality of the inherent environmental and social risks of the sector of operation (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, cyber security, etc.) and the timeframe over which these risks may have a financial impact. This is combined with an assessment of the robustness of a company’s corporate governance and/or project. As it relates to sovereign issuers for the abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund, the Adviser may also consider political factors (referred to as “P”), such as political corruption perception, political stability, state fragility and press freedom. As ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations generally are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by the Adviser and Sub-adviser (if applicable).
Additional Information on Engagement and Proxy Voting on ESG Issues.
More information about the Advisers’ approach to engagement is described in Appendix C to the Statement of Additional Information.
Additional Information about Tax Reclaims
Additional Information about EU Tax Reclaims.
The corresponding Predecessor Funds of the abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund and abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund received payments on tax reclaims from some European jurisdictions related to prior years (2005-2020) in accordance with European Union law under Article 63 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (the “Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims”). In the tax years for which the Predecessor Funds filed Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims, certain shareholders were able to reduce their federal income taxes based upon the amount of taxes that these Funds paid to foreign jurisdictions. The receipt by the Predecessor Funds of the tax reclaims from these jurisdictions also results in a tax liability to the Funds to offset the tax benefits that shareholders received in the past in the form of deductions or credits in prior years relating to such reclaimed amounts. Based on information available as of the date of this Prospectus, an estimated tax amount has been accrued and is reflected within each Fund’s net asset value and performance. The estimated tax is based upon the Internal Revenue Service’s method of calculation disclosed in 2022. If the actual tax payable is greater than the amount currently accrued, and subject to the level of assets under management at the time of any subsequent adjustments, the Fund’s expenses, net asset value and performance may be materially adversely impacted.
Performance shown for periods after December 16, 2016 for the Predecessor Fund of the abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund and after February 1, 2017 for the Predecessor Fund of the abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund reflect the Predecessor Funds’ receipt of various payments of Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims related to the prior years. Prior to this receipt there was no certainty that the Predecessor Funds would receive any amounts, and thus each Predecessor Fund’s performance previously did not reflect any anticipated receipt of these payments. The receipt of these extraordinary payments effectively increased each Predecessor Fund’s performance for all periods that include payments in a manner that may not recur in the future, and the Fund’s performance was significantly higher for those periods than it would have been had the Fund not received payment of the Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims.
 
 
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund (“GEI”) and abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend (“EMD”). The total return in the financial highlights reflects the receipt of the recognition of Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims net of estimated taxes payable to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) on behalf of shareholders. At the time of receipt, those payments, net of applicable tax, resulted in an increase in net assets of approximately 3.1%, 0.3%, 0.9%, and 2.1% in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, respectively for GEI and an increase in net assets of approximately 5.4% 2.1%, and 1.4% in 2017, 2019 and 2022, respectively for EMD, based upon the net asset value as of the date of receipt. Without these payments, GEI’s and EMD’s performance would have been lower during each respective period in which the refunds and/or interest was received or recognized under U.S. GAAP. Additionally, past returns would have been higher had each Predecessor Fund not originally paid the withholding taxes that relate to the Article 63 EU reclaims that have been returned. There can be no assurance that the Funds will receive additional Article 63 EU Tax Reclaim payments or maintain this level of performance in the future.
 
 
Consistent with U.S. GAAP accrual requirements, for uncertain tax positions, each fund recognizes Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims when more likely than not that the fund will sustain its position that it is due the reclaim During the year ended October 31, 2023, Article 63 EU Tax reclaims and interest, as applicable, were paid to each Fund related to Spain dividend withholding tax, representing 3.85% and 3.82% on receipt date, respectively, of net assets of GEI and EMD, which had had been previously recorded in each fund’s respective net asset value during the fiscal year 2022.
 
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Article 63 EU Tax reclaims for each Fund related to France dividend withholding, previously recognized in 2022 remain open.
 
 
As of October 31, 2023, GEI and EMD have remaining Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims, primarily related to France, Germany, and Spain. For the year ended October 31, 2023, based upon evaluation of facts and circumstances related to the outstanding claims, the outstanding reclaims related to France remain accrued as a receivable, and are reflected as Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims Receivable on the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities. Certain of the outstanding Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims related to Germany and Spain are not deemed to meet the recognition criteria under U.S. GAAP as of October 31, 2023, and have not been recorded in each fund’s respective net asset value. As of October 31, 2023, the total amount of outstanding reclaims (before the impact of interest or any tax or additional costs incurred in the pursuit of such reclaims) filed with Germany and Spain represents 4.04% and 3.85% on a gross basis, respectively, of net assets of GEI and EMD. These amounts net of estimated taxes represent 2.23% and 2.21%, respectively, of net assets of GEI and EMD. Recognition by GEI or EMD of these amounts would have a positive impact on either fund’s performance.
 
 
The receipt of Article 63 EU reclaims from these jurisdictions also results in a tax liability to the shareholders to offset the tax benefits that shareholders received in the past. Such amounts are based on a closing agreement template created by the IRS, that is applicable to all industry participants, in relation to the remittance by a fund of taxes due by its shareholders and paid on their behalf by the fund. The Funds accrue this tax liability which each intends to settle on behalf of its shareholders in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For tax accounting purposes, interest payments received on these payments (if any) are treated as income and are distributed in due course. Additionally, fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies may affect the Funds’ tax liability, because the IRS requires a Fund to pay any taxes owed on interest payments on Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims amounts in U.S Dollars based on the foreign currency exchange rate with the applicable jurisdiction that was in effect at the time the Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims amounts were incurred by the Predecessor Fund.
 
 
In October 2023, the Funds executed a closing agreement with the IRS which finalized the amount of taxes to be paid on behalf of shareholders related to the reclaims and interest received from France and Sweden in 2022. The amounts paid to the IRS in EMD and GEI were $1,178,490 and $1,134,388, respectively, which were previously recorded in each fund’s respective net asset value.
 
 
Based on information available as of the date of this Annual Report, an estimated tax amount has been accrued and is reflected (approx. 3.00% and 3.03% of net assets in GEI and EMD, respectively) related to the reclaims recorded associated with Spain and France. This amount is reflected as Payable to IRS on behalf of shareholders related to Article 63 EU Tax reclaims on the accompanying statements of asset and liabilities of the financial statements.
 
 
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund. The Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund filed for Article 63 EU Tax Reclaims in France and Germany. As of October 31, 2023, the total amount of outstanding reclaims (before the impact of interest or any tax or additional costs incurred in the pursuit of such reclaims) filed with France and Germany represents 1.85% of net assets. These amounts net of estimated taxes represent 1.07% of net assets. Recognition by the Fund of these amounts would have a positive impact on the Fund’s performance. Based upon evaluation of facts and circumstances related to the outstanding claims, the claims were deemed to not meet the recognition criteria under U.S. GAAP as of October 31, 2023, and have not been recorded in the Fund’s net asset value.
 
Additional Information About German Tax Reclaims. The abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund received requests from the German Federal Tax Office (“GTO”) for additional documents and information relating to withholding tax refunds from 2009-2011 that the Fund had previously received and recorded. The tax refunds previously received amounted to approximately 1.26% of the Dynamic Dividend Fund’s net assets as of October 31, 2022. Of the 1.26%, 0.87% were contested by the GTO. On April 24, 2023, the Fund repaid EUR 881,176, which had been accrued as a liability of the Fund, to the GTO. Following the repayment of the contested amounts, the Fund considers the matter settled with the GTO.
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Additional Information about Investments, Investment Techniques and Risks
The principal investments and principal risks of each Fund are disclosed in each Fund’s Summary section. The table below and the paragraphs that follow provide more information about the principal investments and techniques that each Fund may use and the related risks. A check mark (“”) indicates a principal risk to which a Fund is subject.

The absence of a check mark for a Fund with respect to a particular risk does not indicate that such Fund is not exposed to such risk at all, but only that it is not a principal risk. The Statement of Additional Information contains information about additional investments in which each Fund may invest to a lesser degree and additional risks to which each Fund may be subject. The order of the below investments, investment techniques and risks does not indicate their significance.
 
Dynamic Dividend Fund
Global Equity Impact Fund
Global
Infrastructure
Fund
International
Small Cap Fund
Realty Income & Growth Fund
Active Management Risk
Concentration Risk
 
 
 
Cybersecurity Risk
Dividend Strategy Risk
 
 
 
Emerging Markets Risk
Equity-Linked Notes
 
 
 
 
Equity Securities Risk
ESG Integration Risk
Exchange-Traded Fund Risk
 
 
 
 
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk
Foreign Securities Risk
Illiquid Securities Risk
 
 
 
 
Impact Investing Risk
 
 
 
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares
 
 
 
Infrastructure-Related Investment Risk
 
 
 
Issuer Risk
Market Risk
Mid-Cap Securities Risk
Non-Diversified Fund Risk
 
 
 
 
Portfolio Turnover Risk
 
 
 
Qualified Dividend Tax Risk
 
 
 
REIT and Real Estate Risk
 
 
 
Sector Risk
Small-Cap Securities Risk
Sustainable Investing Risk
 
 
 
 
Temporary Investments
Valuation Risk
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China A Fund
Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
Emerging Markets Fund
Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
Active Management Risk
Cybersecurity Risk
Dividend Strategy Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Emerging Markets Risk
 
 
Equity-Linked Notes
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity Securities Risk
ESG Integration Risk
 
Exchange-Traded Fund Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Focus Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk
Foreign Securities Risk
Frontier Markets Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Illiquid Securities Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares
 
 
 
 
Issuer Risk
Market Risk
Mid-Cap Securities Risk
 
 
Sector Risk
Small-Cap Securities Risk
Sustainable Investing Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Temporary Investments
Valuation Risk
 
Infrastructure Debt Fund
High Income Opportunities Fund
Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
Short Duration
High Yield
Municipal Fund
Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
Active Management Risk
Auction Rate Securities Risk
 
 
Bank Loan Risk
 
 
Cybersecurity Risk
Derivatives Risk (including Options, Futures and Swaps)
 
 
Emerging Markets Risk
 
 
ESG Integration Risk
Fixed Income Securities Risk
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk
 
 
Foreign Securities Risk
 
 
Green, Social and Sustainability Bond Risk
 
 
 
High-Yield Bonds and Other Lower-Rated Securities Risk
Illiquid Securities Risk
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares
 
Infrastructure-Related Investments Risk
 
 
 
Interest Rate Risk
Investment-Grade Debt Securities
Issuer Risk
 
 
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Infrastructure Debt Fund
High Income Opportunities Fund
Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
Short Duration
High Yield
Municipal Fund
Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
Market Risk
Municipal Securities Risk
 
Portfolio Turnover Risk
 
 
Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk
 
 
Sector Risk
 
 
Sovereign Debt Risk
 
 
 
Temporary Investments
Tender Option Bonds Risk
 
 
Tobacco Related Bonds Risk
 
 
 
Valuation Risk
Variable and Floating Rate Securities Risk
 
Yield Risk
 
 
 
Active Management Risk – Each Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser or Sub-adviser may make poor security selections. The Adviser or Sub-adviser and their portfolio managers apply their own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Funds and there can be no guarantee that these decisions will achieve the desired results for the Funds. In addition, the Adviser or the Sub-adviser may select securities that underperform the relevant market or other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies. Each Fund is also subject to the risk that deficiencies in the internal systems or controls of the Adviser or Sub-adviser or another service provider will cause losses for the Fund or hinder Fund operations. For example, trading delays or errors (both human and systematic) could prevent a Fund from purchasing a security expected to appreciate in value.
Auction Rate Securities Risk - Auction rate securities are variable rate bonds whose interest rates are reset at specified intervals through a “Dutch” auction process. A “Dutch” auction is a competitive bidding process designed to determine a single uniform clearing rate that enables purchases and sales of the auction rate securities to take place at par. All accepted bids and holders of the auction rate securities receive the same rate. Auction rate securities holders rely on the liquidity generated by the auction. There is a risk that an auction will fail due to insufficient demand for the securities. If an auction fails, an auction rate security may become illiquid until a subsequent successful auction is conducted, the issuer redeems the issue, or a secondary market develops. 
In certain recent market environments, auction failures have been more prevalent and the auctions have continued to fail for an extended period of time. Failed auctions may adversely affect the liquidity and price of auction rate securities. Although some issuers have redeemed such securities, the issuers are not obligated to do so and, therefore, there is no guarantee that a liquid market will exist for the Funds’ investments in auction rate securities at a time when the Funds wish to dispose of such securities. Moreover, between auctions, there may be no active secondary market for these securities, and sales conducted on a secondary market may not be on terms favorable to the seller.
Bank Loan Risk – Bank loans include floating and fixed-rate debt obligations. Floating rate loans are debt obligations issued by companies or other entities with floating interest rates that reset periodically. Bank loans may include, but are not limited to, term loans, delayed funding loans, bridge loans and revolving credit facilities. Loan interest will primarily take the form of assignments purchased in the primary or secondary market but may include participants. Floating rate loans are secured by specific collateral of the borrower and are senior to most other securities of the borrower (e.g., common stock or debt instruments) in the event of bankruptcy. Floating rate loans are often issued in connection with recapitalizations, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and refinancings. Floating rate loans are typically structured and administered by a financial institution that acts as the agent of the lenders participating in the floating rate loan. Floating rate loans may be acquired directly through the agent, as an assignment from another lender who holds a direct interest in the floating rate loan, or as a participation interest in another lender’s portion of the floating rate loan.
There are a number of risks associated with an investment in bank loans including credit risk, interest rate risk, illiquid securities risk, and prepayment risk. There is also the possibility that the collateral securing a loan, if any, may be difficult to liquidate or be insufficient to cover the amount owed under the loan. These risks could cause a Fund to lose income or principal on a particular investment, which in turn could affect a Fund’s returns. In addition, bank loans may take longer than seven days to settle, resulting in the proceeds from the sale of such loans not being readily available to make additional investments or to meet a Fund’s redemption obligations. To the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, a Fund may hold additional cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks or other lenders. Additionally, in certain circumstances, loans may not be deemed to be securities, and in the event of fraud or misrepresentation by a borrower, lenders and purchasers of interests in loans, such as a Fund, will not have the
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protection of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, as would be the case for bonds or stocks. Instead, in such cases, lenders generally rely on the contractual provisions in the loan agreement itself and common law fraud protections under applicable state law.
Delayed Funding Loans and Revolving Credit Facilities Risk – Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities are borrowings in which a Fund agrees to make loans up to a maximum amount upon demand by the borrowing issuer for a specified term. A revolving credit facility differs from a delayed funding loan in that as the borrowing issuer repays the loan, an amount equal to the repayment is again made available to the borrowing issuer under the facility. The borrowing issuer may at any time borrow and repay amounts so long as, in the aggregate, at any given time the amount borrowed does not exceed the maximum amount established by the loan agreement. Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities usually provide for floating or variable rates of interest. There are a number of risks associated with an investment in delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities including credit, interest rate and illiquidity risk and the risks of being a lender. There may be circumstances under which the borrowing issuer’s credit risk may be deteriorating and yet the Fund may be obligated to make loans to the borrowing issuer as the borrowing issuer’s credit continues to deteriorate, including at a time when the borrowing issuer’s financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid. Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities may be subject to restrictions on transfer, and only limited opportunities may exist to resell such instruments.
Concentration Risk – A Fund’s strategy of concentrating in companies in a specific industry means that its performance will be closely tied to the performance of a particular market segment to the extent that its investments are concentrated. A Fund’s concentration in these companies may present more risks than if the Fund were broadly diversified over numerous industries and sectors of the economy. A downturn in these companies would have a larger impact on the Fund than on a mutual fund that does not concentrate in such companies. At times, the performance of these companies will lag the performance of other industries or the broader market as a whole.
Cybersecurity Risk – Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Derivatives Risk (including Options, Futures and Swaps) – A Fund may invest in financial derivative instruments and/or utilize techniques and instruments for hedging and/or investment purposes, efficient portfolio management and/or to manage foreign exchange risks, or for other purposes, as set out below. Derivatives are financial instruments, whose values are derived from another security, a commodity (such as gold or oil), an index or a currency (a measure of value or rates, such as the S&P 500® Index or the prime lending rate or other reference asset).
Derivatives include the purchase and sale of futures contracts, forward contracts, non-deliverable forwards, swaps (including credit default swaps), options (including options on futures and options on swaps), warrants and structured notes.
Futures contracts commit the parties to a transaction at a time in the future at a price determined when the transaction is initiated. Futures and options on futures are exchange-traded contracts that enable a Fund to hedge against or speculate on future changes in currency values, interest rates, stock indexes, or other reference assets. Futures obligate a Fund (or give it the right, in the case of options) to receive or make payment at a specific future time based on those future changes. Futures contracts are traded through regulated exchanges and are “marked to market” daily.
Forward contracts are obligations to purchase or sell an asset or, most commonly, a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. Forward foreign currency contracts are the primary means of hedging currency exposure.
Options are instruments that provide a right to buy (call) or sell (put) a particular security or an index of securities at a fixed price within a certain time period or the right to a cash-settlement payment. Options differ from forward and futures contracts in that the buyer of the option has no obligation to perform under the contract. An option is out-of-the-money if the exercise price of the option is above, in the case of a call option, or below, in the case of a put option, the current price (or interest rate or yield for certain options) of the referenced security or instrument. Use of put and call options may result in losses to a Fund, force the sale or purchase of portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices higher than (in the case of put options) or lower than (in the case of call options) current market values, limit the amount of appreciation a Fund can realize on its investments or cause a Fund to hold a security it might otherwise sell.
A non-deliverable forward is an outright forward or futures contract in which counterparties settle the difference between the contracted non-deliverable forward price or rate and the prevailing spot price or rate on an agreed notional amount. They are used in various markets such as foreign exchange and commodities. Non-deliverable forwards are prevalent in some countries where forward contract trading has been banned or constrained by the government.
A swap is an agreement between two parties to exchange the proceeds of certain financial instruments or components of financial instruments. Parties may exchange streams of interest rate payments, principal denominated in two different currencies, or virtually any payment stream as agreed to by the parties. A credit default swap is a credit derivative contract between two counterparties. The buyer makes periodic payments to the seller, and in return receives protection
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if an underlying financial instrument defaults. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of its respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed-rate payments for floating rate payments. Credit swaps involve the receipt of floating or fixed rate payments in exchange for assuming potential credit losses on an underlying security. Currency swaps involve the exchange of the parties’ respective rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies. An inflation swap is a transaction whereby one party can transfer inflation risk to a counterparty in exchange for a fixed payment. Inflation swaps may be used to hedge inflation risk or speculatively to take a view on expected inflation. A Fund may take long or short positions with respect to inflation. A Fund may experience losses if inflation moves in the opposite direction anticipated by the Adviser. A Fund may also purchase and write (sell) options contracts on swaps, commonly referred to as swaptions. A swaption is an option to enter into a swap agreement.
Warrants are securities that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase securities from an issuer at a fixed price within a certain time frame. Interest rate warrants are rights that are created by an issuer, typically a financial institution, entitling the holder to purchase, in the case of a call, or sell, in the case of a put, a specific bond issue or an interest rate index at a certain level over a fixed time period that can typically be exercised in the underlying instrument or settled in cash. Structured notes are securities for which the amount of principal repayments and/or interest payments is based upon the movement of one or more “factors.” These factors include, but are not limited to, currency exchange rates, interest rates (such as the prime lending rate), a single security, basket of securities, indices (such as the S&P 500® Index) and commodities. Structured notes are securities for which the amount of principal repayments and/or interest payments is based upon the movement of one or more “factors.” These factors include, but are not limited to, currency exchange rates, interest rates (such as the prime lending rate), a single security, basket of securities, indices (such as the S&P 500® Index) and commodities.
Derivatives may be used for a wide variety of purposes, including, but not limited to, the following:
 
 
(i) to manage a Fund’s interest rate, credit and currency exposure;
(ii) as a substitute for taking a position in the underlying asset (where a Fund’s Adviser or Sub-adviser, as the case may be, believes that a derivative exposure to the underlying asset represents better value than a direct exposure);
(iii) to gain an exposure to the composition and performance of a particular index; and
(iv) to take short positions via derivatives in securities, interest rates, credits, currencies and markets.
 
In addition to the use of financial derivatives instruments, a Fund may also employ other techniques for efficient portfolio management, such as reverse repurchase transactions.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Fund’s Adviser or Sub-adviser may alter the currency exposure of the Fund, solely through the use of derivative contracts (without buying or selling underlying transferable securities or currencies). The base currency of each Fund is U.S. Dollars. Performance may be strongly influenced by movements in currency rates because a Fund may have exposure to a particular currency that is different from the value of the securities denominated in that currency held by the Fund. Furthermore, a Fund’s portfolio may be fully or partially hedged back to the base currency if, in the opinion of the Fund’s adviser or sub-adviser, this is believed to be appropriate.
Derivatives are speculative and may hurt a Fund’s performance. Derivatives present the risk of disproportionately increased losses and/or reduced opportunities for gains when the financial asset or measure to which the derivative is linked changes in unexpected ways. Fixed income derivatives are subject to interest rate risk. The potential benefits to be derived from a Fund’s derivatives strategy are dependent upon the portfolio managers’ ability to discern pricing inefficiencies and predict trends in these markets, which decisions could prove to be inaccurate. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual equity or debt securities, and there can be no assurance that the use of this strategy will be successful. Some additional risks of investing in derivatives include:
the other party to the derivatives contract may fail to fulfill its obligations;
 
their use may reduce liquidity or present mispricing or valuation complexity and make a Fund harder to value, especially in declining markets;
 
a Fund may need to sell portfolio securities at an inopportune time to satisfy margin or payment obligations under derivatives transactions;
 
a Fund may suffer disproportionately heavy losses relative to the amount invested; and
 
changes in the value of derivatives may not match or fully offset changes in the value of the hedged portfolio securities, thereby failing to achieve the original purpose for using the derivatives.
 
Regulatory Risk The derivatives markets are heavily regulated in the United States and in other jurisdictions. The regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, may limit their availability, or may otherwise adversely affect their value or performance. Changes in regulation relating to a Fund’s use of derivatives and related instruments could potentially limit or impact the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives, limit the Fund’s ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives and/or adversely affect the value of derivatives and the Fund’s performance.
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Regulations are now in effect that require swap dealers to post and collect variation margin (comprised of specified liquid instruments and subject to a required haircut) in connection with trading of over-the-counter (“OTC”) swaps with a Fund. Shares of investment companies (other than certain money market funds) may not be posted as collateral under these regulations. Requirements for posting of initial margin in connection with OTC swaps will be phased-in through 2022.
In addition, regulations adopted by prudential regulators that are now in effect require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as a Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings.
In October 2020, the SEC adopted new regulations applicable to a Fund’s use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements, and certain other transactions that will, among other things, require a Fund to adopt a derivatives risk management program and appoint a derivatives risk manager that will manage the program and communicate to the board of directors of the Fund. However, subject to certain conditions, Funds that do not invest heavily in derivatives may be deemed limited derivatives users and would not be subject to the full requirements of the new rule. The new rule could impact the effectiveness or raise the costs of a Fund’s derivatives transactions, impede the employment of the Fund’s derivatives strategies, or adversely affect Fund performance and cause the Fund to lose value. The SEC also eliminated the asset segregation and cover framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives and certain financial instruments effective when a Fund complies with the new rule. Compliance with the new rule became required on August 19, 2022.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and various exchanges have rules limiting the maximum net long or short positions which any person or group may own, hold or control in any given futures contract or option on such futures contract. The Adviser will need to consider whether the exposure created under these contracts might exceed the applicable limits in managing a Fund, and the limits may constrain the ability of a Fund to use such contracts.
Speculative Exposure Risk – To the extent that a derivative or practice is not used as a hedge, a Fund is directly exposed to its risks. Gains or losses from speculative positions in a derivative may be much greater than the derivative’s original cost. For example, potential losses from writing uncovered call options on currencies and from speculative short positions on currencies are unlimited.
Hedged Exposure Risk – Losses generated by a derivative or practice used by a Fund for hedging purposes should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment. However, while hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.
Correlation Risk – A Fund is exposed to the risk that changes in the value of a hedging instrument will not match those of the investment being hedged.
Counterparty Risk – Transactions involving a counterparty other than the issuer of the instrument, or a third party responsible for servicing the instrument, are subject both to the credit risk of the counterparty or third party, and to the counterparty’s or third party’s ability to perform in accordance with the terms of the transaction.
The primary risk of swap transactions is the creditworthiness of the counterparty, since the integrity of the transaction depends on the willingness and ability of the counterparty to maintain the agreed-upon payment stream. If there is a default by a counterparty in a swap transaction, a Fund’s potential loss is the net amount of payments the Fund is contractually entitled to receive for one payment period (if any, the Fund could be in a net payment position), not the entire notional amount, which does not change hands in a swap transaction. Swaps do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal as collateral for the transaction. A Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreement but, as with any contractual remedy, there is no guarantee that the Fund would be successful in pursuing them—the counterparty may be judgment proof due to insolvency, for example. A Fund thus assumes the risk that it may be delayed or prevented from obtaining payments owed to it. The standard industry swap agreements do, however, permit the Fund to terminate a swap agreement (and thus avoid making additional payments) in the event that a counterparty fails to make a timely payment to the Fund.
Regulations requiring clearing of certain swaps and posting and collection of margin for uncleared swaps will reduce, but not eliminate counterparty risk.
Dividend Strategy Risk – There is no guarantee that the issuers of the securities held by the Fund will declare dividends in the future or that, if dividends are declared, they will remain at their current levels or increase over time. The Fund’s emphasis on dividend-paying stocks could cause the Fund to underperform similar funds that invest without consideration of a company’s track record of paying dividends or ability to pay dividends in the future. Dividend-paying stocks may not participate in a broad market advance to the same degree as other stocks, and a sharp rise in interest rates or an economic downturn could cause a company to unexpectedly reduce or eliminate its dividend.
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A Fund may hold securities for short periods of time related to the dividend payment periods for those securities and may experience loss during these periods. There is the possibility that the anticipated acceleration of dividend could not occur.
Emerging Markets Risk – The risks of investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in emerging markets. Emerging markets are countries generally considered to be relatively less developed or industrialized. Emerging markets often face economic problems that could subject a Fund to increased volatility or substantial declines in value. Emerging market securities may also be less liquid (particularly during market closures due to local holidays or other reasons) and more difficult to value than securities economically tied to developed foreign countries. Deficiencies in regulatory oversight, market infrastructure, shareholder protections and company laws could expose a Fund to risks beyond those generally encountered in developed countries. Emerging market countries typically have less established legal, accounting and financial reporting systems than those in more developed markets, which may reduce the scope or quality of financial information available to investors. Governments in emerging market countries are often less stable and more likely to take extra-legal action with respect to companies, industries, assets, or foreign ownership than those in more developed markets. Moreover, it can be more difficult for investors to bring litigation or enforce judgments against issuers in emerging markets or for U.S. regulators to bring enforcement actions against such issuers. Funds may also be subject to Emerging Markets Risk if they invest in derivatives or other securities or instruments whose value or return are related to the value or returns of emerging markets securities. In addition, profound social changes and business practices that depart from norms in developed countries’ economies have hindered the orderly growth of emerging economies and their markets in the past and have caused instability. High levels of debt tend to make emerging economies heavily reliant on foreign capital and vulnerable to capital flight. Emerging market countries may be dependent on the economies of certain key trading partners, and a reduction in spending on products and services or changes in those economies or their relationships with countries in those regions may cause an adverse impact on the regional economy. Countries in emerging markets are also more likely to experience high levels of inflation, deflation or currency devaluation, which could also hurt their economies and securities markets, as well as political uncertainty, corruption, military intervention, social unrest or natural disasters. The economy of some emerging markets may be particularly exposed to or affected by a certain industry or sector, and therefore issuers and/or securities of such emerging markets may be more affected by the performance of such industries or sectors. For these and other reasons, investments in emerging markets are often considered speculative. A Fund may also invest in frontier markets, which involve the same risks as emerging markets, but to a greater extent since they tend to be even smaller, less developed, and less accessible than other emerging markets.
China Risk. In addition to the risks discussed above under “Emerging Markets Risk,” as well as the risks described below under “Foreign Securities Risk,” investing in China presents additional risks. Concentrating investments in China and Hong Kong may make a Fund significantly more volatile than geographically diverse mutual funds. Additional risks associated with investments in China and Hong Kong include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage) and differing legal standards. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation and interest rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of China or Hong Kong. The Chinese government could, at any time, alter or discontinue economic reform programs implemented since 1978. Military conflicts, either in response to internal social unrest or conflicts with other countries, are an ever present consideration.
The adoption or continuation of protectionist trade policies by one or more countries (including the U.S.) could lead to decreased demand for Chinese products and have an adverse effect on the Chinese securities markets. In particular, the current political climate has intensified concerns about a potential trade war between China and the United States, as each country has imposed, and may in the future impose additional, tariffs on the other country’s products. These actions may trigger a significant reduction in international trade, the oversupply of certain manufactured goods, substantial price reductions of goods and possible failure of individual companies and/or large segments of China’s export industry, which could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance. Certain securities are, or may in the future become, restricted, and a Fund may be forced to sell such restricted securities and incur a loss as a result. U.S. companies that source material and goods from China and those that make large amounts of sales in China would be particularly vulnerable to an escalation of trade tensions. Uncertainty regarding the outcome of the trade tensions and the potential for a trade war could cause the U.S. dollar to decline against safe haven currencies, such as the Japanese yen and the euro. Events such as these and their consequences are difficult to predict and it is unclear whether further tariffs may be imposed or other escalating actions may be taken in the future. Recent developments in relations between the U.S. and China have raised concerns regarding trade restrictions between the two countries, which could negatively impact a Fund. It is currently impossible to predict whether further restrictions will be placed on trade between China and the U.S.
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Chinese authorities may intervene in the China securities market and halt or suspend trading of securities for short or even longer periods of time. The China securities market has, at times, experienced considerable volatility and has historically been subject to relatively frequent and extensive trading halts and suspensions. These trading halts and suspensions have, among other things, contributed to uncertainty in the markets and reduced the liquidity of the securities subject to such trading halts and suspensions, which could include securities held by a Fund.
A Fund may gain exposure to companies based or operated in China by investing through legal structures known as variable interest entities (VIEs). Instead of directly owning the equity securities of a Chinese company, a VIE enters into service and other contracts with the Chinese company. Although the VIE has no equity ownership of the Chinese company, the contractual arrangements permit the VIE to consolidate the Chinese company into its financial statements. The Chinese government could intervene with respect to VIEs, which could significantly affect the Chinese company’s performance and the enforceability of the VIE’s contractual arrangement with the Chinese company.
Exposure to China may be gained through investments in securities that are economically tied to China or, in some cases, through direct investment in China securities (described below under “ – Direct China Securities”). For a more detailed analysis and explanation of the specific risks of investing in China, please see “Emerging Markets Securities – Investing in China” in the SAI.
Direct China Securities. Historically, direct investments in foreign investments in stocks, bonds and warrants listed and traded on a Mainland China stock exchange, investment companies, and other financial instruments approved by the Chinese regulators (collectively referred to as “China Securities”) were not eligible for investment by non-Chinese investors. aAL has been granted a qualified foreign institutional investor license and a renminbi qualified foreign institutional investor license, which allow aAL to invest in China Securities for its clients. aAL is authorized to invest in China Securities for all of its clients only up to a specified quota established by the Chinese State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”) under each license (the “Quotas”). The provisions regarding such Quotas may be subject to change with little or notice given by SAFE. The China A Fund invests in China Securities directly, together with other aAL clients, subject to the Quotas granted to aAL.
The QFII Quota is measured by aAL’s investments across all accounts that it manages that are invested in China Securities using the QFII Quota. The application and interpretation of the QFII regulations are subject to uncertainty as to how they will be applied. Net realized profits may not currently be repatriated until the completion of an audit by a registered accountant in China and payment of all applicable taxes. SAFE retains its power to exercise macro prudential supervision over the repatriation of capital by QFIIs, based on China’s financial situation, FX market supply and demand and international balance of payment position. Chinese authorities could change the regulations applicable to QFIIs at any time.
Where the China A Fund is invested through aAL’s RQFII Quota, repatriation is subject to the RQFII regulations in effect from time to time (“RQFII Regulations”). Currently, there is no regulatory prior approval requirement for repatriation of funds from aAL’s RQFII Quota but net realized profits for any financial year may not currently be repatriated until the completion of an audit by a registered accountant in China and payment of all applicable taxes. There is no certainty that additional regulatory restrictions will not be imposed on the repatriation of funds in the future. The RQFII license and the RQFII Regulations governing investments by RQFIIs in China may be changed with little or no notice. The CSRC and SAFE have been given wide discretions in the RQFII Regulations and there is no precedent as to how these discretions might be exercised. At this stage of development, the RQFII Regulations may be subject to further revisions; there is no assurance whether such revisions will prejudice the RQFII, or whether aAL’s RQFII quota, which is subject to review from time to time by CSRC and SAFE, may be removed substantially or entirely. CSRC and/or SAFE may have power in the future to impose new restrictions or conditions on or terminate aAL’s RQFII license, which may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders. It is not possible to predict how such changes would affect the Fund.
Although China’s laws permit the use of nominee accounts for clients of investment managers who are QFII or RQFII license holders, the Chinese regulators require the securities trading and settlement accounts to be maintained in the name of the QFII or RQFII license holder. The Fund has been advised that, as a matter of Chinese law, the assets belong to the relevant client and not the QFII license holder. There is a risk that creditors of aAL may assert that aAL is the legal owner of the securities and other assets in the accounts. Nonetheless, if a court upholds a creditor’s assertion that the assets held under the QFII Quota belong to aAL as license holder, then creditors of aAL could seek payment from the China Securities held under the QFII Quota. For more information, please see “Investing in China” in the SAI.
Stock Connect. Investing in China A shares through Stock Connect involves various considerations and risks, including, but not limited to, illiquidity risk; currency risk; greater price volatility; legal and regulatory uncertainty risk; execution risk; operational risk; tax risk; credit risk; and economic, social and political instability of the stock market in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”).
In recent years, non-Chinese investors, including the Funds, have been permitted to make investments usually only available to foreign investors through a quota license or by purchasing from specified brokers in Shanghai or other locations that have stock connect programs.
China Stock Exchange-listed securities are available via brokers in Hong Kong through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program, through the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Program, and may be available in the future
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through additional stock connect programs as they are developed in different locations (collectively, “Stock Connect Programs”). China A shares through the Stock Connect Programs are held by third party securities settlement systems in Hong Kong (Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company (“HKSCC”)) and the PRC (“ChinaClear”) where they are mixed with other investors’ assets and may be subject to lower safekeeping, segregation and record keeping requirements than investments held domestically. It is considered unlikely that ChinaClear will become insolvent but, if it does so, HKSCC is likely to seek to recover any outstanding China A shares from ChinaClear through available legal channels but it is not obligated to do so. If HKSCC does not enforce claims against ChinaClear these funds may not be able to recover their China A shares. China A shares traded through Stock Connect are uncertificated and are held in the name of HKSCC or its nominee. PRC law may not recognize the beneficial ownership of the China A shares by these funds and, in the event of a default of ChinaClear, it may not be possible for the China A shares held by these funds to be recovered.
Stock Connect is subject to a daily quota (the “Daily Quota”), which limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day and, as such, buy orders for China A Shares would be rejected once the Daily Quota is exceeded (although the Funds will be permitted to sell China A Shares regardless of the Daily Quota balance). Further, Stock Connect, which relies on the connectivity of the Shanghai or Shenzhen markets with Hong Kong, is subject to operational risk and regulations that are relatively untested and subject to change. If one or both of the Chinese and Hong Kong markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Funds may not be able to acquire or dispose of China A Shares through Stock Connect in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Funds’ performance.
India. Political, economic, social and other factors in India may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. An emerging market such as India has undergone and may continue to undergo rapid change and lack the social, political and economic stability of more developed countries. The value of the Fund’s assets may be adversely affected by political, economic, social and religious factors, changes in Indian law or regulations and the status of India’s relations with other countries. In addition, the economy of India may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as the rate of growth of gross domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Agriculture occupies a more prominent position in the Indian economy than in the United States, and the Indian economy therefore is more susceptible to adverse changes in weather. Moreover, the Indian economy remains vulnerable to natural disasters, such as droughts and monsoons. The Indian government has exercised and continues to exercise significant influence over many aspects of the economy, and the number of public sector enterprises in India is substantial. Accordingly, Indian government actions in the future could have a significant effect on the Indian economy, which could affect private sector companies and a Fund, market conditions, and prices and yields of securities in a Fund’s portfolio.
Further, the economies of developing countries such as India generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. The Indian economy also has been and may continue to be adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which it trades.
There is also the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political changes, government regulation, social instability or diplomatic developments (including war or terrorist attacks). All of these factors could adversely affect the economy of India, make the prices of Indian securities generally more volatile than the prices of securities of companies in developed markets and increase the risk of loss to a Fund.
The securities market in India is substantially smaller, less liquid and significantly more volatile than the securities market in the United States. The relatively small market capitalizations of, and trading values on, Indian stock exchanges may cause the Fund’s investments in securities listed on these exchanges to be comparatively less liquid and subject to greater price volatility than comparable U.S. investments. In addition, Indian securities markets are less developed than U.S. securities markets. Disclosure and regulatory standards are in many respects less stringent than U.S. standards. Issuers in India are subject to accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements that differ, in some cases significantly, from those applicable to U.S. issuers. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of an Indian issuer may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had such financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. There is substantially less publicly available information about Indian issuers than there is about U.S. issuers.
A high proportion of the shares of many Indian issuers are held by a limited number of persons, which may limit the number of shares available for investment by a Fund. In addition, further issuances, or the perception that such issuances may occur, of securities by Indian issuers in which a Fund has invested could dilute the earnings per share of a Fund’s investment and could adversely affect the market price of such securities. Sales of securities by such issuer’s major stockholders, or the perception that such sales may occur, may also significantly and adversely affect the market price of such securities and, in turn, a Fund’s investment. A limited number of issuers represent a disproportionately large percentage of market capitalization and trading value. The limited liquidity of the Indian securities markets may also affect the Fund’s ability to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time that it desires.
Furthermore, restrictions or controls applicable to foreign investment in the securities of issuers in India may also adversely affect a Fund’s investments within the country. The availability of financial instruments with exposure to Indian financial markets may be substantially limited by restrictions on foreign investors and subject to regulatory authorizations.
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Foreign investors are required to observe certain investment restrictions, including limits on shareholdings, which may impede a fund’s ability to invest in certain issuers or to fully pursue its investment objective. These restrictions may also have the effect of reducing demand for, or limiting the liquidity of, such investments. There can be no assurance that the Indian government will not impose restrictions on foreign capital remittances abroad or otherwise modify the exchange control regime applicable to foreign investors in such a way that may adversely affect the ability of a Fund to repatriate their income and capital.
Indian stock exchanges have in the past experienced substantial fluctuations in the prices of their listed securities. They have also experienced problems such as temporary exchange closures, broker defaults, settlement delays and broker strikes that, if they occur again in the future, could affect the market price and liquidity of the Indian securities in which the Fund invests. In addition, the governing bodies of the various Indian stock exchanges have from time to time imposed restrictions on trading in certain securities, limitations on price movements and margin requirements. Disputes have also occurred from time to time among listed companies, the stock exchanges and other regulatory bodies, and in some cases those disputes have had a negative effect on overall market sentiment. The foregoing factors could impede the ability of the Fund to effect portfolio transactions on a timely basis and could have an adverse effect on the net asset value of a Fund’s shares of common stock and the price at which those shares trade.
There is less regulation and monitoring of Indian securities markets and the activities of investors, brokers and other participants than in the United States. Moreover, issuers of securities in India are not subject to the same degree of regulation as are U.S. issuers with respect to such matters as insider trading rules, tender offer regulation, stockholder proxy requirements and the timely disclosure of information. Legal principles relating to corporate affairs and the validity of corporate procedures, directors’ fiduciary duties and liabilities and stockholders’ rights may differ from those that may apply in other jurisdictions. Stockholders’ rights under Indian law may not be as extensive as those that exist under the laws of the United States. A Fund may therefore have more difficulty asserting its rights as a stockholder of an Indian company in which it invests than it would as a stockholder of a comparable American company. A Fund may also have difficulty enforcing foreign judgments against Indian companies or their management.
Taiwan. Including risks associated with investing in emerging markets, a Fund’s investment in or exposure to Taiwan is also subject to risks associated with, among other things, currency fluctuations, commodity shortages, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization and exchange control regulations (including currency blockage). Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation and interest rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economy and securities markets of Taiwan. In addition, investments in Taiwan could be adversely affected by political and economic relationship with China.
Equity-Linked Notes – The China A Fund may invest in equity-linked notes, which are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign equity securities or the basket of foreign securities they are linked to. Upon the maturity of the note, the holder generally receives a return of principal based on the capital appreciation of the linked security(ies). If the linked security(ies) declines in value, the note may return a lower amount at maturity. The trading price of an equity-linked note also depends on the value of the linked security(ies). Equity-linked notes involve further risks associated with:
purchases and sales of notes, including the possibility that exchange rate fluctuations may negatively affect the value of a note and
 
the credit quality of the note’s issuer.
 
Equity-linked notes are frequently secured by collateral. If an issuer defaults, the Fund would look to any underlying collateral to recover its losses. Ratings of issuers of equity-linked notes refer only to the issuer’s creditworthiness and the related collateral. They provide no indication of the potential risks of the linked securities.
Equity Securities Risk – Although investments in equity securities, such as stocks, historically have been a leading choice for long-term investors, the values of stocks rise and fall depending on many factors. The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions), to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry), or to the market as a whole (such as periods of market volatility or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline). Market and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of a Fund’s investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests. Equity securities may be subject to increased risk during periods of economic or market uncertainty or difficulty. Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common stockholders’ claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.
ESG Integration Risk – To the extent the ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance. Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics may not be the only factors considered and, as a result, the issuers in which a Fund invests may not
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be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The application of ESG factors may result in a Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG  factors.
Exchange-Traded Fund Risk – To the extent that a Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund may be subject to, among other risks, tracking error risk and passive and, in some cases, active management investment risk. An active secondary market in ETF shares may not develop or be maintained and may be halted or interrupted due to actions by its listing exchange, unusual market conditions or other reasons. There can be no assurance that an ETF’s shares will continue to be listed on an active exchange. In addition, Fund shareholders bear both their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses and similar expenses incurred through the Fund’s ownership of the ETF.
Fixed Income Securities Risk – Fixed income securities include fixed, variable and floating rate bonds, debentures, notes, mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. Investments in fixed income securities (“debt securities”) may include investments in below-investment grade fixed income securities, which are generally referred to as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds”. Descriptions of the ratings used by S&P and Moody’s are included in the SAI. Fixed income securities may pay fixed, variable or floating rates of interest, and may include zero coupon obligations which do not pay interest until maturity.
Fixed income securities fluctuate in price based on changes in a company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates, lack of liquidity in the bond markets or adverse investor sentiment. The value of a security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer.
Call and Redemption Risk. Some bonds allow the issuer to call a bond for redemption before it matures. If an issuer calls a security in which the Fund has invested, the Fund may not recoup the full amount of its initial investment and may be forced to reinvest in lower-yielding securities, securities with greater credit risks or securities with other less favorable features.
Credit Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make principal and/ or interest payments when due and is broadly gauged by the credit ratings of the securities in which the Fund invests. However, ratings are only the opinions of rating agencies and are not guarantees of the quality of the securities. In addition, the depth and liquidity of the market for a fixed income security may affect its credit risk. Credit risk of a security may change over its life and rated securities are often reviewed and may be subject to downgrade by a rating agency. A fund purchasing bonds faces the risk that the creditworthiness of an issuer may decline, or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may decline, causing the value of the bonds to decline. In addition, an issuer may not be able to make timely payments on the interest and/or principal on the bonds it has issued. Because the issuers of high-yield bonds or junk bonds (bonds rated below the fourth highest category) may be in uncertain financial health, the prices of these bonds may be more vulnerable to bad economic news or even the expectation of bad news, than investment grade bonds. In some cases, bonds, particularly high-yield bonds, may decline in credit quality or go into default. Because the Fund may invest in securities not paying current interest or in securities already in default, these risks may be more pronounced. Fixed income securities are not traded on exchanges. The over-the-counter market may be illiquid, and there may be times when no counterparty is willing to purchase or sell certain securities. The nature of the market may make valuations difficult or unreliable. Moreover, in a rising interest rate environment, the risk that an issuer or guarantor may default on its obligations is heightened.
The credit quality and liquidity of the Fund’s investments in municipal obligations, if any, and other debt securities may be dependent in part on the credit quality of third parties, such as banks and other financial institutions, which provide credit and liquidity enhancements to the Fund’s investments. Adverse changes in the credit quality of these third parties could cause losses to the Fund and affect its share price.
Prepayment Risk. As interest rates decline, debt issuers may repay or refinance their loans or obligations earlier than anticipated. The issuers of mortgage- and asset-backed securities may, therefore, repay principal in advance. This forces the Fund to reinvest the proceeds from the principal prepayments at lower rates, which reduces the Fund’s income.
In addition, changes in prepayment levels can change the value and increase the volatility of prices and yields on mortgage- and asset-backed securities. If the Fund pays a premium (a price higher than the principal amount of the bond) for a mortgage- or asset-backed security and that security is prepaid, the Fund may not recover the premium, resulting in a capital loss.
Extension Risk. Extension risk is the risk that principal repayments will not occur as quickly as anticipated, causing the expected maturity of a security to increase. Rapidly rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur more slowly than expected, thereby lengthening the maturity of the securities held by the Fund and making their prices more sensitive to rate changes and more volatile.
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Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that prices of existing fixed-rate debt securities will decline due to inflation or the threat of inflation. The income produced by these securities is worth less when prices for goods and services rise. To compensate for this loss of purchasing power, the securities trade at lower prices. Inflation also reduces the purchasing power of any income you receive from the Fund.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rates have an effect on the value of the Fund’s fixed income investments because the value of those investments will vary as interest rates fluctuate. Generally, fixed income securities will decrease in value when interest rates rise and when interest rates decline, the value of fixed income securities can be expected to rise. The longer the effective maturity of the Fund’s securities, the more sensitive the Fund will be to interest rate changes. (As a general rule, a 1% rise in interest rates means a 1% fall in value for every year of duration.) Duration is a measure of the average life of a fixed income security that was developed as a more precise alternative to the concepts of “term to maturity” or “average dollar weighted maturity” as measures of “volatility” or “risk” associated with changes in interest rates. With respect to the composition of a fixed income portfolio, the longer the duration of the portfolio, generally the greater the anticipated potential for total return, with, however, greater attendant interest rate risk and price volatility than for a portfolio with a shorter duration.
A Fund with a shorter duration will generally earn less income and, during periods of declining interest rates, may provide lower total returns than funds with longer durations. A Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the recent period of historically low rates and the effect of potential government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. In periods of market volatility, the market values of fixed income securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Foreign Currency Exposure Risk – Funds that invest in securities that trade in, or receive revenues in, foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies may fluctuate in value relative to the U.S. Dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, or by the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. These risks may impact a Fund more greatly to the extent the Fund does not hedge its currency risk. To manage currency risk, a Fund may enter into foreign currency exchange contracts to hedge against a decline in the U.S. Dollar value of a security it already owns or against an increase in the value of an asset it expects to purchase. Not all Funds hedge currency risk. In addition, the Adviser’s use of hedging techniques does not eliminate exchange rate risk. In certain circumstances, the Adviser may hedge using a foreign currency other than the currency which the portfolio securities being hedged are denominated. This type of hedging entails greater risk because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired in the hedge and the relationship can be very unstable at times. If the Adviser is unsuccessful in its attempts to hedge against exchange rate risk, the Fund could be in a less advantageous position than if the Adviser did not establish any currency hedge. The Adviser may also employ strategies to increase a Fund’s exposure to certain currencies, which may result in losses from such currency positions. When deemed appropriate by the Adviser, the Adviser may from time to time seek to reduce foreign currency risk by hedging some or all of a Fund’s foreign currency exposure back into the U.S. Dollar. Losses on foreign currency transactions used for hedging purposes may be offset by gains on the assets that are the subject of a Fund’s hedge. Certain Funds may also purchase a foreign currency on a spot or forward basis in order to obtain potential appreciation of such currency relative to the U.S. Dollar or to other currencies in which a Fund’s holdings are denominated (see “Non-Hedging Foreign Currency Trading Risk” for more detail). Losses on such transactions may not be offset by gains from other Fund assets.
A Fund’s gains from its positions in foreign currencies may accelerate and/or recharacterize the Fund’s income or gains at the Fund level and its distributions to shareholders. A Fund’s losses from such positions may also recharacterize the Fund’s income and its distributions to shareholders and may cause a return of capital to Fund shareholders.
To the extent a foreign government limits or causes delays in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency, this will adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Such actions could severely affect security prices, impair a Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund’s assets back into the U.S., or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations.
Foreign Securities Risk – The Funds use various criteria to determine to which country or countries the securities in which the Funds invest are economically tied. Because issuers often have activities and operations in several different countries, an issuer could be considered a non-U.S. issuer even though changes in the value of its securities held by a Fund are significantly impacted by its U.S. activities. Similarly, an issuer could be classified as a U.S. issuer even when the changes in the value of the issuer’s securities held by a Fund are significantly impacted by non-U.S. activities. Foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. Foreign investments involve some of the following risks as well:
political and economic changes and/or instability, including adverse consequences stemming from war, terrorism, market manipulation, government interventions, defaults and shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, public health emergencies, natural/environmental disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes and supply chain disruptions;
 
the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations;
 
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reduced information about issuers;
 
higher transaction costs;
 
less stringent regulatory and accounting standards; and
 
delayed settlement.
 
Additional risks include the possibility that a foreign jurisdiction might impose or increase withholding taxes on income payable with respect to foreign securities; the possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of the issuer or foreign deposits (in which a Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market); and the possible adoption of foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls. To the extent that a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or in securities denominated in a particular foreign currency, the Fund will generally have more exposure to regional economic risks, including weather emergencies and natural disasters, associated with foreign investments. The risks of investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in emerging markets. See “Emerging Markets Risk” above.
Frontier Markets Risk - The risks associated with investments in frontier market countries include all the risks described above for investments in “Foreign Securities” and “Emerging Markets Securities,” although the risks are magnified for frontier market countries. Because frontier markets are among the smallest, least mature and least liquid of the emerging markets, investments in frontier markets generally are subject to a greater risk of loss than are investments in developed markets or traditional emerging markets. Frontier market countries have smaller economies, less developed capital markets, greater market volatility, lower trading volume, more political and economic instability, greater risk of a market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments than are typically found in more developed markets.
High-Yield Bonds and Other Lower-Rated Securities Risk – A Fund’s investments in high-yield bonds (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) and other lower-rated securities will subject the Fund to substantial risk of loss. Investments in high yield bonds are speculative and issuers of these securities are generally considered to be less financially secure and less able to repay interest and principal than issuers of investment-grade securities. Prices of high-yield bonds tend to be very volatile. These securities are less liquid than investment-grade debt securities and may be difficult to price or sell, particularly in times of negative sentiment toward high-yield securities. A Fund’s investments in lower-rated securities may involve the following specific risks:
greater risk of loss due to default because of the increased likelihood that adverse economic or company specific events will make the issuer unable to pay interest and/or principal when due;
 
wider price fluctuations due to changing interest rates and/or adverse economic and business developments; and
 
greater risk of loss due to declining credit quality.
 
A Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon issuer default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer.
Illiquid Securities Risk – Illiquid securities are assets that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the asset.
A Fund may invest to a greater degree in instruments that trade in lower volumes and may make investments that may be less liquid than other investments. A Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, a Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the instrument at all. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect a Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. To meet redemption requests, a Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and conditions.
Securities that lack liquidity may also be difficult to value. Over recent years, the capacity of dealers to make markets in fixed income securities has been outpaced by the growth in the size of the fixed income markets. Illiquid securities risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or when investor redemptions from fixed income funds may be higher than normal, due to the increased supply in the market that would result from selling activity.
The Adviser employs procedures and tests using third-party and internal data inputs that seek to assess and manage the liquidity of a Fund’s portfolio holdings. These procedures and tests take into account a Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and foreseeable stressed conditions, cash-flow projections during both normal and reasonable foreseeable stressed conditions, relevant market, trading and other factors, and monitor whether liquidity should be adjusted based on changed market conditions. These procedures and tests are designed to assist a Fund in determining its ability to meet redemption requests in various market conditions. In light of the dynamic nature of markets, there can be no assurance that these procedures and tests will enable a Fund to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to meet redemption requests.
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Impact Investing Risk – In implementing the Fund’s ESG investment strategy, the Adviser may select or exclude securities of issuers in certain industries, sectors, regions or countries for reasons other than the issuer’s investment performance. For this reason, the Fund may underperform other funds that do not implement an ESG strategy. ESG investing is qualitative and subjective by nature. In addition, the Fund may be required to sell a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous for it to do so. Securities of companies with ESG practices may shift into and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions. The definition of “impact investing” will vary according to an investor’s beliefs and values. There is no guarantee that the Adviser’s definition of impact investing, security selection criteria or investment judgment will reflect the beliefs or values of any particular investor.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares – Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Infrastructure-Related Investment – Because the Global Infrastructure Fund concentrates its investments in infrastructure-related entities, the Fund has greater exposure to the potential adverse economic, regulatory, political and other changes affecting such entities. Infrastructure-related entities are subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, costs associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown and surplus capacity, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning the availability of fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Additionally, infrastructure-related entities may be subject to regulation by various governmental authorities and may also be affected by governmental regulation of rates charged to customers, service interruption due to environmental, operational or other mishaps, the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards.
Companies in the infrastructure sector may be subject to a variety of factors that could adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, high degrees of leverage, costs associated with governmental, environmental and other regulations, the level of government spending on infrastructure projects, and other factors. The stock prices of transportation companies may be affected by supply and demand for their specific product, government regulation, world events and economic conditions. The profitability of energy companies is related to worldwide energy prices, exploration, and production spending. Utilities companies face intense competition, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins, and the rates charged by regulated utility companies are subject to review and limitation by governmental regulatory commissions.
Interest Rate Risk – Interest rates have an effect on the value of a Fund’s fixed income investments because the value of those investments will vary as interest rates fluctuate. Generally, fixed income securities will decrease in value when interest rates rise and when interest rates decline, the value of fixed income securities can be expected to rise. The longer the effective maturity of a Fund’s securities, the more sensitive the Fund will be to interest rate changes. (As a general rule, a 1% rise in interest rates means a 1% fall in value for every year of duration.) Duration is a measure of the average life of a fixed income security that was developed as a more precise alternative to the concepts of “term to maturity” or “average dollar weighted maturity” as measures of “volatility” or “risk” associated with changes in interest rates. With respect to the composition of a fixed income portfolio, the longer the duration of the portfolio, generally the greater the anticipated potential for total return, with, however, greater attendant interest rate risk and price volatility than for a portfolio with a shorter duration.
Investment-Grade Debt Securities – Investment-grade debt securities are debt securities rated within the highest grades (AAA/Aaa through BBB-/Baa) by S&P or Moody’s rating services, and unrated securities of comparable quality. If a Fund invests, at the time of purchase, in a security that is investment-grade, it is possible that such security may be downgraded after its purchase so that it is no longer investment-grade.
Issuer Risk – The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets. A change in the financial condition of a single issuer may affect securities markets as a whole.
Market Risk – Deteriorating market conditions might cause a general weakness in the market that reduces the prices, or yield, of securities in that market. Developments in a particular class of bonds or the stock market could also adversely affect a Fund by reducing the relative attractiveness of bonds or stocks as an investment. Also, to the extent that a Fund emphasizes bonds or stocks from any given industry, it could be hurt if that industry does not do well. Additionally, a Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which it maintains long positions and/or the overall stock markets on which the stocks trade decline in price. In addition, a Fund that engages in short sales could lose value if the individual stocks which they sell short increase in price. Stocks and stock markets may experience short-term volatility (price fluctuation) as well as extended periods of price decline or increase. Individual stocks are affected by many factors, including:
corporate earnings;
 
production;
 
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management;
 
sales; and
 
market trends, including investor demand for a particular type of stock, such as growth or value stocks, small or large stocks, or stocks within a particular industry.
 
Stock markets are affected by numerous factors, including interest rates, the outlook for corporate profits, the health of the national and world economies, the fluctuation of other stock markets around the world, and financial, economic and other global market developments and disruptions, such as those arising from war, terrorism, market manipulation, government interventions, defaults and shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, public health emergencies, natural/environmental disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes and supply chain disruptions. In addition, any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the world economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have responded to serious economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs and interest rate hikes. The impact of these policies and legislative changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time. A reversal of these policies, or the ineffectiveness of these policies, could increase volatility in securities markets, which could adversely impact the Fund’s investments. The current market environment could make identifying investment risks and opportunities especially difficult for the Adviser.
Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by such events.
Mid-Cap Securities Risk – Securities of medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. Compared to larger companies, mid-cap securities tend to have analyst coverage by fewer Wall Street firms and may trade at prices that reflect incomplete or inaccurate information. Medium-sized companies may have a shorter history of operations, less access to financing and a less diversified product line and be more susceptible to market pressures and therefore have more volatile prices and company performance than larger companies. During some periods, securities of medium-sized companies, as an asset class, have underperformed the securities of larger companies.
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Municipal Securities Risk – Municipal securities are subject to various risks, including the inability of the issuer to repay the obligation, the relative lack of information about certain issuers of municipal securities, and the possibility of future legislative changes which could affect the market for and value of municipal securities. Additional risks include:
Municipal Bond Tax Risk – Investments in municipal securities rely on the opinion of the issuer’s bond counsel that the interest paid on those securities will not be subject to federal income tax. Tax opinions are generally provided at the time the municipal security is initially issued. However, after a Fund buys a security, the Internal Revenue Service may determine that a bond issued as tax-exempt should in fact be taxable, and a Fund’s dividends with respect to that bond might be subject to federal income tax. Changes in tax laws or adverse determinations by the Internal Revenue Service may make the income from some municipal obligations taxable. From time to time, the U.S. Government and the U.S. Congress consider changes in federal tax law that could limit or eliminate the federal tax exemption for municipal bond income, which would in effect reduce the income received by shareholders from a Fund by increasing taxes on that income. In such event, the net asset value of a Fund investing in municipal bonds could also decline as yields on municipal bonds, which are typically lower than those on taxable bonds, would be expected to increase to approximately the yield of comparable taxable bonds. Actions or anticipated actions affecting the tax exempt status of municipal bonds could also result in significant shareholder redemptions of a Fund’s shares as investors anticipate adverse effects on the Fund or seek higher yields to offset the potential loss of the tax deduction. As a result, a Fund would be required to maintain higher levels of cash to meet the redemptions, which would negatively affect the Fund’s yield.
Municipal Market Volatility and Illiquidity Risk – The municipal bond market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. During times of reduced market liquidity, a Fund may not be able to readily sell bonds at the prices without the sale significantly changing the market value of the bonds. If a Fund needed to sell large blocks of bonds to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce the bonds’ prices.
Municipal Sector Risk – While the Funds do not invest more than 25% of their total assets in a single industry, certain types of municipal securities (such as general obligation, general appropriation, special assessment and special tax bonds) are not considered a part of any “industry” for purposes of this industry concentration policy. Therefore, a Fund may invest more than 25% of its total assets in these types of municipal securities. These types of municipal securities may finance, or pay interest from the revenues of, projects that tend to be impacted in the same way by economic, business or political developments which would increase credit risk. For example, legislation on the financing of a project or a declining economic need for the project would likely affect all similar projects.
General Obligation Bonds Risks – The full faith, credit and taxing power of the municipality that issues a general obligation bond secures payment of interest and repayment of principal. Timely payments depend on the issuer’s credit quality, ability to raise tax revenues and ability to maintain an adequate tax base.
Revenue Bonds Risks – Payments of interest and principal on revenue bonds are made only from the revenues generated by a particular facility, class of facilities or the proceeds of a special tax or other revenue source. These payments depend on the money earned by the particular facility or class of facilities, or the amount of revenues derived from another source.
Private Activity Bonds Risks – Municipalities and other public authorities issue private activity bonds to finance development of industrial facilities for use by a private enterprise. The private enterprise pays the principal and interest on the bond, and the issuer does not pledge its full faith, credit and taxing power for repayment. If the private enterprise defaults on its payments, the Fund may not receive any income or get its principal back from the investment.
Moral Obligation Bonds Risks – Moral obligation bonds are generally issued by special purpose public authorities of a state or municipality. If the issuer is unable to meet its obligations, repayment of these bonds becomes a moral commitment, but not a legal obligation, of the state or municipality.
Municipal Notes Risks – Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. They may provide interim financing in anticipation of, and are secured by, tax collection, bond sales or revenue receipts. If there is a shortfall in the anticipated proceeds, municipal notes may not be fully repaid and the Fund may lose money.
Municipal Lease Obligations Risks – In a municipal lease obligation, the issuer agrees to make payments when due on the lease obligation. The issuer will generally appropriate municipal funds for that purpose, but is not obligated to do so. Although the issuer does not pledge its unlimited taxing power for payment of the lease obligation, the lease obligation is secured by the leased property. However, if the issuer does not fulfill its payment obligation it may be difficult to sell the property and the proceeds of a sale may not cover the Fund’s loss.
State-Specific Risk -  A Fund may from time to time invest a substantial amount of its total assets in municipal securities of issuers in one or more states and, therefore, is subject to the risk that the economies of the states in which it invests, and the revenues supporting the municipal securities, may decline. Investing a substantial amount of its total assets in one or more states means that a Fund is more susceptible to the economic, market, political, regulatory or other occurrences that affect the issuers in those states. The particular states in which a Fund may focus its investments may change over time and the Fund may alter its focus at inopportune times.
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California State-Specific Risk –  To the extent the Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in California municipal securities, the Fund may be affected by economic, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of California issuers to pay interest or repay principal.
Mississippi State-Specific Risk – To the extent the Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Mississippi municipal securities, the Fund may be affected by economic, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of Mississippi issuers to pay interest or repay principal.
New York State-Specific Risk –  To the extent the Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in New York municipal securities, the Fund may be affected by economic, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of New York issuers to pay interest or repay principal.
Pennsylvania State-Specific Risk – To the extent the Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Pennsylvania municipal securities, the Fund may be affected by economic, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of Pennsylvania issuers to pay interest or repay principal.
Texas State-Specific Risk – To the extent the Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in Texas municipal securities, the Fund may be affected by economic, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of Texas issuers to pay interest or repay principal.
Non-Diversified Fund Risk – Certain Funds are subject to non-diversified fund risk because they may invest a greater percentage of their total assets in the securities of a single issuer compared to diversified funds. As a result, a single security’s increase or decrease in value may have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
Non-Hedging Foreign Currency Trading Risk – Certain Funds may engage in forward foreign currency transactions for speculative purposes. In pursuing this strategy, the Adviser seeks to profit from anticipated movements in currency rates by establishing “long” and/or “short” portions in forward contracts on various foreign currencies. Foreign exchange rates can be extremely volatile and a variance in the degree of volatility of the market or in the direction of the market from the Adviser’s expectations may produce significant losses to a Fund.
Portfolio Turnover Risk – A Fund may engage in short-term trading strategies and securities may be sold without regard to the length of time held when, in the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action. These policies, together with the ability of a Fund to effect short sales of securities and to engage in transactions in options and futures, may have the effect of increasing the annual rate of portfolio turnover of the Fund. A high portfolio turnover rate will result in greater brokerage and transaction costs for the Fund. It may also result in greater realization of gains, which may include short-term gains taxable at ordinary income tax rates.
Private Placements and Other Restricted Securities Risk – Private placement and other restricted securities include securities that have been privately placed and are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”), such as unregistered securities eligible for resale without registration pursuant to Rule 144A (“Rule 144A Securities”) and privately placed securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers offered outside of the U.S. without registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation S (“Regulation S Securities”).
Private placements may offer attractive opportunities for investment not otherwise available on the open market. Private placements securities typically may be sold only to qualified institutional buyers (or, in the case of the initial sale of certain securities, such as those issued in collateralized debt obligations or collateralized loan obligations, to accredited investors (as defined in Rule 501(a) under the 1933 Act)), or in a privately negotiated transaction or to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption from registration. Rule 144A Securities and Regulation S Securities may be freely traded among certain qualified institutional investors, such as the Funds, but their resale in the U.S. is permitted only in limited circumstances.
Private placements typically are subject to restrictions on resale as a matter of contract or under federal securities laws. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, a Fund could find it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing a Fund’s net asset value due to the absence of a trading market.
Private placements and restricted securities may be considered illiquid securities, which could have the effect of increasing the level of a Fund’s illiquidity. Additionally, a restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid. Restricted securities that are determined to be illiquid may not exceed a Fund’s limit on investments in illiquid securities.
Qualified Dividend Tax Risk – With respect to the Dynamic Dividend Fund, no assurance can be given as to what percentage of the distributions paid on shares, if any, will consist of tax-advantaged qualified dividend income or long-term capital gains or what the tax rates on various types of income will be in future years. The favorable U.S. federal tax treatment may be adversely affected, changed or repealed by future changes in tax laws at any time. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain information regarding whether distributions by non-U.S. entities in which a Fund invests should
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be regarded as qualified dividend income. Furthermore, to receive qualified dividend income treatment, a Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the dividend paying securities in its portfolio, and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the common shares of a Fund.
REIT and Real Estate Risk – Investment in REITs and securities of companies in the real estate industry involves the risks that are associated with direct ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risk factors include, among others: (i) changes in general economic and market conditions; (ii) changes in the value of real estate properties; (iii) risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition; (iv) increases in property taxes and operating expenses; (v) changes in zoning laws; (vi) casualty and condemnation losses; (vii) variations in rental income, neighborhood values or the appeal of property to tenants; and (viii) changes in interest rates. Many real estate companies utilize leverage, which increases investment risk and could adversely affect a company’s operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates. The value of securities of companies in the real estate industry may go through cycles of relative under performance and out performance in comparison to equity securities markets in general.
There are also special risks associated with particular sectors of real estate investments:
Retail Properties. Retail properties are affected by the overall health of the economy and may be adversely affected by, among other things, the growth of alternative forms of retailing, bankruptcy, departure or cessation of operations of a tenant, a shift in consumer demand due to demographic changes, changes in spending patterns and lease terminations.
Office Properties. Office properties are affected by the overall health of the economy, and other factors such as a downturn in the businesses operated by their tenants, obsolescence and non-competitiveness.
Hotel Properties. The risks of hotel properties include, among other things, the necessity of a high level of continuing capital expenditures, competition, increases in operating costs which may not be offset by increases in revenues, dependence on business and commercial travelers and tourism, increases in fuel costs and other expenses of travel, and adverse effects of general and local economic conditions. Hotel properties tend to be more sensitive to adverse economic conditions and competition than many other commercial properties.
Healthcare Properties. Healthcare properties and healthcare providers are affected by several significant factors, including federal, state and local laws governing licenses, certification, adequacy of care, pharmaceutical distribution, rates, equipment, personnel and other factors regarding operations, continued availability of revenue from government reimbursement programs and competition on a local and regional basis. The failure of any healthcare operator to comply with governmental laws and regulations may affect its ability to operate its facility or receive government reimbursements.
Multifamily Properties. The value and successful operation of a multifamily property may be affected by a number of factors such as the location of the property, the ability of the management team, the level of mortgage rates, the presence of competing properties, adverse economic conditions in the locale, oversupply and rent control laws or other laws affecting such properties.
Community Centers. Community center properties are dependent upon the successful operations and financial condition of their tenants, particularly certain of their major tenants, and could be adversely affected by bankruptcy of those tenants. In some cases a tenant may lease a significant portion of the space in one center, and the filing of bankruptcy could cause significant revenue loss. Like others in the commercial real estate industry, community centers are subject to environmental risks and interest rate risk. They also face the need to enter into new leases or renew leases on favorable terms to generate rental revenues. Community center properties could be adversely affected by changes in the local markets where their properties are located, as well as by adverse changes in national economic and market conditions.
Self-Storage Properties. The value and successful operation of a self-storage property may be affected by a number of factors, such as the ability of the management team, the location of the property, the presence of competing properties, changes in traffic patterns and effects of general and local economic conditions with respect to rental rates and occupancy levels.
Other factors may contribute to the risk of real estate investments:
Development Issues. Certain real estate companies may engage in the development or construction of real estate properties. These companies in which a Fund invests (“portfolio companies”) are exposed to a variety of risks inherent in real estate development and construction, such as the risk that there will be insufficient tenant demand to occupy newly developed properties, and the risk that prices of construction materials or construction labor may rise materially during the development.
Lack of Insurance. Certain of the portfolio companies may fail to carry comprehensive liability, fire, flood, earthquake extended coverage and rental loss insurance, or insurance in place may be subject to various policy specifications, limits and deductibles. Should any type of uninsured loss occur, the portfolio company could lose its investment in, and anticipated profits and cash flows from, a number of properties and, as a result, a Fund’s investment performance may be adversely affected.
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Financial Leverage. Global real estate companies may be highly leveraged and financial covenants may affect the ability of global real estate companies to operate effectively.
Environmental Issues. In connection with the ownership (direct or indirect), operation, management and development of real properties that may contain hazardous or toxic substances, a portfolio company may be considered an owner, operator or responsible party of such properties and, therefore, may be potentially liable for removal or remediation costs, as well as certain other costs, including governmental fines and liabilities for injuries to persons and property. The existence of any such material environmental liability could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and cash flow of any such portfolio company and, as a result, the amount available to make distributions on shares of the Fund could be reduced.
Recent Events. The value of real estate is particularly susceptible to acts of terrorism and other changes in foreign and domestic conditions.
REIT Issues. REITs are subject to a highly technical and complex set of provisions in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code” or the “Internal Revenue Code”). It is possible that a Fund may invest in a real estate company which purports to be a REIT but which fails to qualify as a REIT. In the event of any such unexpected failure to qualify as a REIT, the purported REIT would be subject to corporate level taxation, significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company. See “REITS” below.
Financing Issues. Financial institutions in which a Fund may invest are subject to extensive government regulation. This regulation may limit both the amount and types of loans and other financial commitments a financial institution can make, and the interest rates and fees it can charge. In addition, interest and investment rates are highly sensitive and are determined by many factors beyond a financial institution’s control, including general and local economic conditions (such as inflation, recession, money supply and unemployment) and the monetary and fiscal policies of various governmental agencies such as the Federal Reserve Board. These limitations may have a significant impact on the profitability of a financial institution since profitability is attributable, at least in part, to the institution’s ability to make financial commitments such as loans. Profitability of a financial institution is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of the institution’s funds, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change.
REITS – Investments in REITs will subject a Fund to, first, the risk that REIT share prices will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values, as described above. REITs often invest in highly leveraged properties. The second risk is the risk that returns from REITs, which typically are small or medium capitalization stocks, will trail returns from the overall stock market. The third, interest rate risk, is the risk that changes in interest rates may hurt real estate values or make REIT shares less attractive than other income producing investments. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. Qualification as a REIT under the Code in any particular year is a complex analysis that depends on a number of factors. There can be no assurance that the entities in which the Fund invests with the expectation that they will be taxed as a REIT will qualify as a REIT. An entity that fails to qualify as a REIT would be subject to a corporate level tax, would not be entitled to a deduction for dividends paid to its shareholders and would not pass through to its shareholders the long-term capital gains character of such gains earned by the entity. If the Fund were to invest in an entity that failed to qualify as a REIT, such failure could drastically reduce the Fund’s yield on that investment. REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from leasing those properties. They may also realize gains or losses from the sale of properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. Mortgage REITs invest primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests and receive interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. They are paid interest by the owners of the financed properties. Mortgage REITs will be affected by changes in creditworthiness of borrowers and changes in interest rates. Hybrid REITs invest both in real property and in mortgages. Equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. Dividends paid by REITs will not generally qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. The Fund’s investments in REITs may include an additional risk to shareholders in that some or all of a REIT’s annual distributions to its investors may constitute a non-taxable return of capital. Any such return of capital will generally reduce the Fund’s basis in the REIT investment, but not below zero. To the extent the distributions from a particular REIT exceed the Fund’s basis in such REIT, the Fund will generally recognize gain. In part because REIT distributions often include a nontaxable return of capital, Fund distributions to shareholders may also include a nontaxable return of capital. Shareholders that receive such a distribution will also reduce their tax basis in their share of the Fund, but not below zero. To the extent the distribution exceeds a shareholder’s basis in a Fund’s shares, such shareholder will generally recognize capital gain.
Sector Risk – To the extent that a Fund has a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector, the Fund may be more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly. As disclosed under “Principal Risks” in the Summary section for the applicable Fund, certain Funds have a significant portion of their assets invested in securities in, and are therefore subject to the risks of, the sectors described below.
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Consumer Staples Sector Risk. To the extent that the consumer staples sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Companies in the consumer staples sector are subject to government regulation that may affect their products and which may negatively impact their performance. Performance of companies in the consumer staples sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, changes in the global economy and global events, consumer spending, competition, demographics, and consumer preferences.
Healthcare Sector Risk. To the extent that the healthcare sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Healthcare-related companies may be smaller and less seasoned than companies in other sectors, and performance of companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulation. restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, changes to the costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies, and other market developments. Many healthcare-related companies are dependent on patent protection, and, therefore, the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of healthcare-related companies.
Financials Sector Risk. To the extent that the financials sector continues to represent a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. The impact of more stringent capital requirements, recent or future regulation of any individual financial company, or recent or future regulation of the financials sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses.
Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.
Information Technology Sector Risk. To the extent that the information technology sector represents a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Utilities Sector Risk. To the extent that the utilities sector continues to represent a significant portion of the Fund, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, factors impacting this sector. Performance of companies in the utilities sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, general economic conditions, supply and demand, financing and operating costs, rate caps, interest rates, liabilities arising from governmental or civil actions, consumer confidence and spending, competition, resource conservation and depletion, man-made or natural disasters, geopolitical events, and environmental, and other government regulations. The value of securities issued by companies in the utilities sector may be negatively impacted by changes in exchange rates, competition, conservation of energy, and government limitations on rates charged. While rate changes of regulated utilities usually vary in approximate correlation with financing costs, utility rate changes typically only happen following a delay after the changes in financing costs due to political and regulatory factors. Deregulation may eliminate restrictions on the profits of certain utility companies, but may also expose these companies to an increased risk of loss, especially through increased competition and diversification into new geographic regions and lines of business. Current and future regulations and legislation could make it more difficult for utility companies to operate profitably.
Small-Cap Securities Risk – In general, securities of small-cap companies trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater or more unpredictable price changes than larger cap securities or the market overall. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or markets, be less financially secure than larger companies, or depend on a small number of key personnel. If adverse developments occur, such as due to management changes or product failure, a
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Fund’s investment in a small-cap company may lose substantial value. Investing in small-cap companies requires a longer term investment view and may not be appropriate for all investors. These risks may be exacerbated for micro-cap securities.
Sovereign Debt Risk – Periods of economic and political uncertainty may result in the illiquidity and increased price volatility of a foreign government’s debt securities held by a Fund and impact an issuer’s ability and willingness to pay interest or repay principal when due. A Fund may have limited recourse to compel payment in the event of a default. A foreign government’s default on its debt securities may cause the value of securities held by a Fund to decline significantly. The following describes principal risk factors to which investments in sovereign debt are subject:
Economic Risk. The risks associated with the general economic environment of a country. These can encompass, among other things, low quality and growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”), high inflation or deflation, high government deficits as a percentage of GDP, weak financial sector, overvalued exchange rate, and high current account deficits as a percentage of GDP.
Political Risk. The risks associated with the general political and social environment of instability, poor socioeconomic conditions, corruption, lack of law and order, lack of democratic accountability, poor quality of the bureaucracy, internal and external conflict, and religious and ethnic tensions. High political risk can impede the economic welfare of a country.
Repayment Risk. A country may be unable to pay its external debt obligations in the immediate future. Repayment risk factors may include but are not limited to high foreign debt as a percentage of GDP, high foreign debt services as a percentage of exports, low foreign exchange reserves as a percentage of short-term debt or exports, and an unsustainable exchange rate structure.
Sustainable Investing Risk – A Fund’s Sustainable Leaders strategies could cause it to perform differently compared to funds that do not have such strategy. ESG considerations may be linked to long-term rather than short-term returns. The criteria related to the Fund’s Sustainable Leaders strategy, including the exclusion of securities of companies that engage in certain business activities, may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. In addition, there is a risk that the companies identified as sustainable leaders by the Adviser do not operate as expected when addressing ESG issues. There are significant differences in interpretations of what it means for a company to have positive ESG characteristics. While the Adviser believes its definitions are reasonable, the portfolio decisions it makes may differ with other investors’ or advisers’ views. In evaluating an issuer, the Adviser utilizes information and data obtained through voluntary or third-party reporting that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could cause the Adviser to incorrectly assess an issuer’s business practices with respect to the environment, social responsibility and corporate governance.
Temporary Investments – Generally, each Fund will be fully invested in accordance with its investment objective and strategies; however, pending investment of cash balances or for other cash management purposes or if a Fund’s management believes that business, economic, political or financial conditions warrant, a Fund may invest without limit in cash, cash equivalents or other short-term obligations, including:
short-term U.S. Government securities;
 
certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, and interest-bearing savings deposits of commercial banks;
 
prime quality commercial paper;
 
repurchase agreements covering any of the securities in which the Fund may invest directly; and
 
shares of money market funds.
 
The use of temporary investments prevents a Fund from fully pursuing its investment objective, and the Fund may miss potential market upswings.
With respect to the Dynamic Dividend Fund, during times of adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may hold certain securities for less than 61 days and, as a result, shareholders may be unable to take advantage of the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to any qualifying dividends otherwise attributable to such securities.
Before, during and after a closure of the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets for five consecutive business days or longer, which typically occurs twice per year during national holidays in China, the China A Fund may temporarily reduce its allocation to China A Shares in favor of temporary investments noted above or make a corresponding increase in the Fund’s allocation to “H Shares” if the Adviser believes the extended closures of the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges will adversely impact the Fund. H Shares are a different share class than China A Shares of companies that are dually listed in mainland China and Hong Kong, and which are traded on the Hong Kong exchange. During these periods, the China A Fund’s replacement of a portion of its China A Shares allocation with H Shares may temporarily prevent the China A Fund from meeting its policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies that issue China A Shares. While H Shares are generally expected to perform similarly to China A Shares issued by the same company, performance can sometimes vary dramatically due to varying investor sentiments and demands in the different mainland China versus Hong Kong markets.
In addition, pending investment of cash balances or for other cash management purposes, a Fund may invest without limit in other instruments, including but not limited to, derivatives that provide exposure to markets or companies in which the Fund may invest and in shares of other investment companies that invest in securities in which the Fund may invest, subject to the limits of the 1940 Act. For information about the risks of investing in derivatives and other investment companies, please see “Derivatives Risk” and “Exchange-Traded Fund Risk” above and “Derivatives Risk” and “Securities of Other Investment Companies” in the SAI.
Tender Option Bonds Risk – Tender option bonds are synthetic floating-rate or variable-rate securities issued when longterm bonds are purchased in the primary or secondary market and then deposited into a trust. Custodial receipts are then issued to investors, such as the Funds, evidencing ownership interests in the trust. The remarketing agent for the trust sets a floating or variable rate on typically a weekly basis. The sponsor of a highly leveraged tender option bond trust generally will retain a liquidity provider to purchase the short-term floating-rate interests at their original purchase price upon the occurrence of certain specified events. However, the liquidity provider may not be required to purchase the floating-rate interests upon the occurrence of certain other events, for example, the downgrading of the municipal bonds owned by the tender option bond trust below investment grade. The general effect of these provisions is to pass to the holders of the floating rate interests the most severe credit risks associated with the municipal bonds owned by the tender option bond trust and to leave with the liquidity provider the interest rate risk (subject to a cap) and certain other
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risks associated with the municipal bonds. Tender option bonds may be considered derivatives, and may expose the Funds to the same risks as investments in derivatives, as well as risks associated with leverage, especially the risk of increased volatility. To the extent the Funds invest in tender option bonds, it is also exposed to credit risk associated with the liquidity provider retained by the sponsor of a tender bond option trust.
Tobacco Related Bonds Risk – In 1998, the largest U.S. tobacco manufacturers reached an out of court agreement, known as the Master Settlement Agreement (the “MSA”), to settle claims against them by 46 states and six other U.S. jurisdictions. The tobacco manufacturers agreed to make annual payments to the government entities in exchange for the release of all litigation claims. A number of the states have sold bonds that are backed by those future payments. The Fund may invest in two types of those bonds: (i) bonds that make payments only from a state’s interest in the MSA and (ii) bonds that make payments from both the MSA revenue and from an “appropriation pledge” by the state. An “appropriation pledge” requires the state to pass a specific periodic appropriation to make the payments and is generally not an unconditional guarantee of payment by a state.
The MSA settlement payments are based on factors, including, but not limited to, annual domestic cigarette shipments, cigarette consumption, inflation and the financial capability of participating tobacco companies. Payments could be reduced if consumption decreases, if market share is lost to non-MSA manufacturers, or if there is a negative outcome in litigation regarding the MSA.
U.S. Government Securities Risk – Securities issued by U.S. Government agencies or government sponsored entities may not be guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. The U.S. Government does not guarantee the net asset value of a Fund’s shares. The Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA” or “Ginnie Mae”), a wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation, is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs. U.S. Government agencies or government sponsored entities (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA” or “Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC” or “Freddie Mac”). Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as the timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but its participation certificates are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. If a government-sponsored entity is unable to meet its obligations, the performance of a Fund that holds securities of the entity may be adversely affected. U.S. Government obligations are ordinarily viewed as having minimal or no credit risk, but are still subject to interest rate risk.
In 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Administration (“FHFA”) placed FNMA and FHLMC into a conservatorship under FHFA. The effect that this conservatorship may have on these companies’ debt and equity securities is unclear. FHFA has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFA’s appointment if FHFA determines that performance of the contract is burdensome and the repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s affairs. While the FHFA has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC, doing so would adversely affect holders of their mortgage backed securities. FHFA also has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. In addition, holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA or FHLMC may not enforce certain rights related to such securities against FHFA, or the enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship. The Federal Government continues to review issues concerning the role of these agencies in the U.S. housing market.
Valuation Risk – The price a Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by a Fund, and a Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment.
Pricing services that value fixed-income securities generally utilize a range of market-based and security-specific inputs and assumptions, as well as considerations about general market conditions, to establish a price. Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size and the strategies employed by the Adviser generally trade in round lot sizes. In certain circumstances, fixed income securities may be held or transactions may be conducted in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower or, occasionally, higher prices than institutional round lots. A Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
In addition, since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Funds do not price their shares, the value of the securities in a Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders are not be able to purchase or sell that Fund’s shares.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities Risk – A variable rate security is one whose terms provide for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. A floating rate security is one whose terms provide for the automatic adjustment of an interest rate whenever the specified interest rate changes. The interest rate on floating rate securities is
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ordinarily tied to, and is a specified margin above or below, the prime rate of a specified bank or some similar objective benchmark, such as the yield on the 90–day U.S. Treasury Bill rate, and may change as often as daily. For floating and variable rate obligations, there may be a lag between an actual change in the underlying interest rate benchmark and the reset time for an interest payment of such an obligation, which could harm or benefit a Fund, depending on the interest rate environment or other circumstances. In a rising interest rate environment, for example, a floating or variable rate obligation that does not reset immediately would prevent a Fund from taking full advantage of rising interest rates in a timely manner. However, in a declining interest rate environment, a Fund may benefit from a lag due to an obligation’s interest rate payment not being immediately impacted by a decline in interest rates.
Certain floating and variable rate obligations have an interest rate floor feature, which prevents the interest rate payable by the security from dropping below a specified level as compared to a reference interest rate (the “reference rate”). Such a floor protects a Fund from losses resulting from a decrease in the reference rate below the specified level. However, if the reference rate is below the floor, there will be a lag between a rise in the reference rate and a rise in the interest rate payable by the obligation, and a Fund may not benefit from increasing interest rates for a significant amount of time.
Yield Risk – The amount of income received by a Fund on fixed income securities will go up or down depending on day-to-day variations in short-term interest rates, and when interest rates are very low, the Fund’s expenses could absorb all or a significant portion of the fund’s income. If interest rates increase, the Fund’s yield may not increase proportionately. For example, the Adviser may discontinue any temporary voluntary fee limitation or recoup amounts previously waived and/or reimbursed.
The SAI contains more information on the Funds’ investments and strategies and can be requested using the address and telephone numbers on the back of this prospectus.
Other Information
Commodity Pool Operator Status and/or Exclusion – CFTC regulations subject registered investment companies and/ or their investment advisers to regulation by the CFTC if the registered investment company invests more than a prescribed level of its NAV in commodity futures, options on commodities or commodity futures, swaps, or other financial instruments regulated under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) (“commodity interests”), or if the registered investment company markets itself as providing investment exposure to such commodity interests.
For all of the Funds, the Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of commodity pool operator under CFTC Rule 4.5 with respect to each Fund, and therefore such Funds and the Adviser (with respect to such Funds) are not currently subject to registration, disclosure, and regulatory requirements under applicable CFTC rules. The Adviser has to reaffirm annually its eligibility for this exclusion. The Adviser intends to continue to operate each such Fund in a manner to maintain its exclusion under CFTC Rule 4.5.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure – Each Fund posts on the Trust’s internet site, https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/ fund-centre#literature, substantially all of its securities holdings as of the end of each month. Such portfolio holdings are available no earlier than 7 business days after the end of the previous month for equity funds and 15 business days after the end of the previous month for fixed income funds. A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is available in the Funds’ SAI.
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Investment Adviser
abrdn Inc., a Delaware corporation formed in 1993, serves as the investment adviser to each Fund. The Adviser’s principal place of business is located at 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. The Adviser manages and supervises the investment of each Fund’s assets on a discretionary basis.
The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn (Holdings) PLC, which has its registered offices at 10 Queen’s Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland AB10 1YG. abrdn (Holdings) PLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc (“abrdn”), which has registered offices at 1 George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2LL. abrdn plc, combined with its subsidiaries and affiliates, manages approximately $467.4 billion in assets as of December 31, 2023. abrdn provides asset management and investment solutions for clients and customers worldwide and also has a strong position in the pensions and savings market.
In rendering investment advisory services, the Adviser, and Sub-advisers described below, may use the resources of investment advisor subsidiaries of abrdn plc. These affiliates have entered into a memorandum of understanding / personnel sharing procedures (“MOU”) pursuant to which investment professionals from each affiliate may render portfolio management and research services to U.S. clients of the abrdn plc affiliates, including the Funds, as associated persons of the Adviser or Sub-adviser. No remuneration is paid by the Funds with regards to the MOU.
Sub-advisers
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund, abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund, abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund, abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund, abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund, abrdn International Small Cap Fund and abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”), a Scottish Company, and abrdn Asia Limited (“aAL” and together with aIL, the “Sub-advisers”), a Singapore corporation, serve as Sub-advisers to the above-listed Funds, as applicable. aIL’s registered office is located at 10 Queen’s Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland AB10 1YG. aAL’s principal place of business is located at 21 Church Street, #01-01 Capital Square Two, Singapore 049480. aIL is responsible for the day-to-day management of each of the Dynamic Dividend Fund, Emerging Markets Dividend Fund, Emerging Markets ex-China Fund, Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund, Global Equity Impact Fund, Global Infrastructure Fund, Infrastructure Debt Fund and International Small Cap Fund and manages a portion of the assets of the Realty Income & Growth Fund. aAL is responsible for the day-to-day management of the China A Fund. aIL and aAL are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Emerging Markets Fund. To the extent that aIL or aAL do not have management over a specific portion of a Fund’s assets, aIL and aAL will assist the Adviser with oversight for the Fund. When a portfolio management team from aIL or aAL is allocated a specific portion of a Fund’s assets to manage, it will receive a fee from the Adviser for its investment management services. aIL and aAL are both affiliates of the Adviser and wholly owned by abrdn plc.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements for the Funds is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended October 31, 2023.
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Management Fees
Each Fund pays the Adviser a management fee based on its average daily net assets. With respect to each Fund that has a Sub-adviser(s), the Adviser pays the Sub-adviser(s) from the management fee it receives.
The total annual advisory fees each Fund pays the Adviser (as a percentage of its average daily net assets) are set forth in the following table. The actual management fee rate paid by each Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 disclosed below takes into account the expense limitation that was in effect for the Fund during the year.
Fund Assets
Management Fee
Actual Rate for Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2023
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.75
%
0.00
%
On assets of $500 million up to $2 billion
0.70
%
On assets of $2 billion and more
0.65
%
 
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
On assets up to $100 million
0.95
%
0.71
%
On assets of $100 million and more
0.80
%
 
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.70
%
0.67
%
On assets of $500 million up to $2 billion
0.65
%
On assets of $2 billion and more
0.60
%
 
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.85
%
0.41
%
On assets of $500 million up to $2 billion
0.80
%
On assets of $2 billion and more
0.75
%
 
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
On all assets
0.80
%
0.57
%
 
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.80
%
0.00
%
On assets of $500 million up to $2 billion
0.75
%
On assets of $2 billion and more
0.70
%
 
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
On all assets
0.90
%
0.84
%
 
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.50
%
0.00
%
(1)
On assets of $500 million up to $1 billion
0.475
%
On assets of $1 billion and more
0.45
%
 
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
On assets up to $100 million
0.85
%
0.60
%
On assets of $100 million and more
0.75
%
 
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Fund Assets
Management Fee
Actual Rate for Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2023
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
On assets up to $250 million
0.425
%
0.00
%
On assets of $250 million up to $1 billion
0.375
%
On assets of $1 billion and more
0.355
%
 
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
On assets up to $250 million
1.00
%
0.88
%
On assets of $250 million and more
0.95
%
 
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
On assets up to $250 million
0.75
%
0.51
%
On assets of $250 million up to $750 million
0.70
%
On assets of $750 million up to $1 billion
0.65
%
On assets of $1 billion and more
0.55
%
 
abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
On assets up to $250 million
0.55
%
0.34
%
On assets of $250 million and more
0.50
%
 
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
On all assets
0.80
%
0.54
%
 
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
On all assets
0.40
%
0.21
%
 
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.75
%
0.44
%
On assets of $500 million up to $2 billion
0.73
%
On assets of $2 billion and more
0.70
%
 
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.75
%
0.34
%
On assets of $500 million up to $2 billion
0.73
%
On assets of $2 billion and more
0.70
%
 
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Fund Management 
Fund Assets
Management Fee
Actual Rate for Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2023
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
On assets up to $500 million
0.55
%
0.30
%
(2)
On assets of $500 million up to $1 billion
0.525
%
On assets of $1 billion and more
0.50
%
 
(1) Prior to August 18, 2022, the management fee rate for the Fund was 0.60% on assets up to $500 million, 0.55% on assets of $500 million up to $1 billion and 0.50% on assets of $1 billion and more.
(2) Prior to August 18, 2023, the management fee rate for the Fund was 0.65% on assets up to $5 billion, 0.63% on assets of $5 billion up to $7.5 billion, 0.60% on assets of $7.5 billion up to $10 billion and 0.59% on assets of $10 billion and more. Effective August 18, 2023, the Fund’s expense limitation was reduced to 0.70% from 0.75%.
The Adviser has entered into a written expense limitation agreement dated February 28, 2017 with the Trust on behalf of the Funds listed in the table below through February 28, 2025. The expense limitations exclude taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, 12b-1 fees, administrative services fees, transfer agent out of pocket expenses for Class A, Class R and Institutional Service Class shares and extraordinary expenses. Pursuant to such expense limitation agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and, if necessary, reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual fund operating expenses, of the Fund as follows:
Name of Fund
Expense Limitation
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
0.99
%
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
1.10
%
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
0.99
%
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
1.10
%
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
0.65
%
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
0.50
%
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
0.99
%
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
0.99
%
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
0.90
%
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
0.90
%
The Adviser has entered through February 28, 2025, into a separate written expense limitation agreement dated March 6, 2018 with the Trust on behalf of the Funds listed in the table below. The expense limitations exclude interest, brokerage commissions, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and extraordinary expenses. Pursuant to the expense limitation agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and, if necessary, reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual fund operating expenses, of the Funds as follows:
Name of Fund/Class
Class
Expense Limitation
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
Institutional
1.25
%
 
Class A
1.50
%
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
Institutional
0.99
%
 
Class A
1.24
%
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
Institutional
0.99
%
 
Class A
1.24
%
abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
Institutional
0.65
%
 
Class A
0.90
%
 
Class C
1.65
%
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
Institutional
0.45
%
 
Class A
0.70
%
 
Class A1
0.70
%
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The Adviser has entered into a written expense limitation agreement dated June 16, 2021 with the Trust on behalf of the Funds listed in the table below through February 28, 2025. The expense limitation excludes taxes, interest, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, 12b-1 fees for Class A shares and extraordinary expenses. Pursuant to such expense limitation agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and, if necessary, reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual fund operating expenses, of the Funds as follows:
Name of Fund
Expense Limitation
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
0.90
%
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
0.90
%
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
0.70
%
Under certain circumstances, the Adviser may recoup amounts reimbursed under the expense limitation agreements. Please refer to “Fees and Expenses of the Fund” in the “Fund Summaries” section of this prospectus for more information regarding the expense limitation agreements.
In addition to any contractual expense limitation for the abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund, in order to maintain a positive yield with respect each of the Fund’s classes, the Adviser may temporarily pay, waive or absorb the class-specific ordinary operating expenses of one or more of the Fund’s classes. Any such waiver or expense reimbursement is voluntary, not subject to recoupment, and can be discontinued at any time. There is no guarantee that the abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund, or any of the classes of the Fund, will be able to avoid a negative yield.
Portfolio Management
The Adviser and Sub-adviser generally use a team-based approach for the management of each Fund. Information about the abrdn team members jointly and primarily responsible for managing each Fund is included below.
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund, abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund, abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund, abrdn International Small Cap Fund, abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
Each of the Dynamic Dividend Fund, Global Equity Impact Fund, Global Infrastructure Fund, International Small Cap Fund, Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund is managed by the Developed Markets Equity Team. The Developed Markets Equity Team works in a truly collaborative fashion with portfolio managers, sector analysts and ESG specialists across the team working closely together. The depth and experience across the team globally allows the Adviser and Sub-adviser(s), as applicable, to perform the diligent research required by their process. The experience of senior managers provides the confidence needed to take a long-term view. The named portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds. They are:
Portfolio Manager
Funds
 
Dominic Byrne, CFA®, Deputy Head of Developed Markets
Dominic is Deputy Head of Developed Markets and a portfolio manager on our global and responsible range of equity funds. Dominic joined the firm in 2000 as part of our UK Equity Team. In December 2008, he joined the Global Equity Team and has managed a range of global equity strategies. In 2020, Dominic was appointed Head of Global Equity at the company. Dominic graduated with a MEng in Engineering Science and is a CFA charterholder.
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
Christopher Colarik, Head of U.S. Smaller Companies
Chris Colarik is the Head of U.S. Smaller Companies responsible for US Small and Smid Cap strategies. Chris joins abrdn after having spent over two decades at Glenmede Investment Management as a portfolio manager on the Small Cap Equity strategy. Prior to joining Glenmede in 1997, he was at Brandywine Asset Management, now Brandywine Global. Chris earned a BS in Economics from the University of Delaware. He is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Philadelphia.
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
 
Scott Eun, Senior Investment Director
Scott Eun is a Senior Investment Director at abrdn responsible for the US Small and Mid-Cap strategies. Scott began his career in management consulting with APM Incorporated in New York before getting his MBA. After business school, Scott began his investment career in venture capital at Atlantic Medical Capital. He then began his public investing career at AIG/SunAmerica Asset Management as a healthcare equity analyst and then moved to mutual fund family, The Dreyfus Corporation. Prior to joining the company in 2007, Scott was at Lehman Brothers Equity Strategies, where he was a co-manager of a long/ short equity fund. Scott has an MBA from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Economics from Harvard College.
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
 
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Fund Management 
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Martin Connaghan, Investment Director
Martin Connaghan is an Investment Director on the Developed Markets Team at abrdn. Martin joined Murray Johnstone in 1998, which was subsequently acquired by Aberdeen Asset Management in 2001. Martin has held a number of roles including Trader and ESG Analyst on the Global Equity Team; he also spent two years as a Portfolio Analyst on the Fixed Income Team in London. Martin primarily focuses on global and global income mandates.
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
 
Kirsty Desson, Investment Director
Kirsty Desson is an Investment Director within the Smaller Companies Team (which sits within the Developed Markets Team) at abrdn. She manages the global small cap strategies and leads discussions on the team’s global small-cap stock selection. Kirsty joined the company in September 2012 after a break from the industry. Prior to that, Kirsty started her career as a graduate at Martin Currie in October 2000. Following a stint on the US Equity desk, she moved to the Asia and Emerging Markets Team as Investment Manager. Kirsty graduated with a MA (Hons) in French from the University of St Andrews and holds the IMC.
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
 
Josh Duitz, Head of Global Income
Josh Duitz is Head of Global Income at abrdn. Josh joined the company in 2018 from Alpine Woods Capital Management where he was a Portfolio Manager. Previously, Josh worked for Bear Stearns where he was a Managing Director, Principal and traded international equities. Prior to that, Josh worked for Arthur Andersen where he was a senior auditor.
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
 
Ruairidh Finlayson, CFA®, Investment Director
Ruairidh Finlayson is an Investment Director on the Developed Markets Team at abrdn. Ruairidh joined the company in 2018 from Polar Capital Partners where he worked as an Equity Analyst for the North America and Global Alpha funds. Previously, Ruairidh worked as an Equity Analyst for Brewin Dolphin after qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young.
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
 
Christopher Haimendorf, CFA®, Senior Investment Director
Christopher Haimendorf is a Senior Investment Director on the Developed Markets Team at abrdn. In this role, Chris analyzes current and prospective holdings and assists with the management of client portfolios. Chris brings a wealth of experience to the firm. He moved from the European Equities team where he worked as an Investment Director since 2001, having previously covered UK Equities. Chris joined the company in 1998 after graduating from the University of Cambridge with a BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences (Physiology) and is a CFA charterholder.
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
Joanna McIntyre, CFA®, Investment Director
Joanna is an Investment Director in the Developed Markets Team at abrdn. Joanna joined the company in 2010 on the graduate program from Ernst and Young where she qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 2009. She has worked across several areas of the business including Marketing, Product Development and the Real Estate Investment Specialists before joining the Multi-Asset Investment Specialists in early 2013. In January 2015, Joanna joined the Asia & GEM Equity Team before transferring to the Global Equity Team in April 2018. Joanna graduated with a MA in in Econometrics and Information Technology from University of Szczecin, Poland. Additionally she is a Chartered Certified Accountant, ACCA; holds the Investment Management Certificate and is a CFA® charterholder.
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
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Fund Management 
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Sarah Norris, Head of ESG – Equities
Sarah is Head of ESG – Equities. Sarah joined the company in 2011 as a member of the European Equity Team before transferring the Global Equity team in 2021. Sarah previously worked at Referendum Ready, a non-profit campaign that partnered with the Government of Southern Sudan Mission prior to independence. She continues to work with Impact Sudan, a non-profit organisation based in the US that supports education and community development projects in South Sudan. Sarah has an MA (Hons) in International Relations and MLitt Post Graduate studies, both from St Andrews University
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
 
Jamie Mills O’Brien, CFA®, Investment Manager
Jamie Mills O’Brien is an Investment Manager in the Developed Markets Team at abrdn. Jamie joined the company on the graduate scheme in 2015 after completing an internship. Jamie holds an MA in History from the University of St Andrews, and gained a distinction from BPP in the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course. He is also a CFA Charterholder.
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
Liam Patel, Investment Analyst Asia/GEM
Liam is an investment analyst in the Smaller Companies Team (which sits within the Developed Markets Team) at abrdn. He is responsible for providing research on Asia (ex Japan) and Emerging Market Small and Mid-Caps. Liam joined the Company in November 2020 from Kingfisher plc where he worked in corporate investor relations for one year. Previously he gained 5 years of experience as an Emerging Market Equity Analyst at British Airways Pension Fund where he focused on stock selection across Emerging Markets. Liam has a Master’s (MEng) and Bachelor’s (BEng) in Chemical Engineering, IMC and CFA UK Certificate in ESG Investing.
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
 
Donal Reynolds, CFA®, Investment Director
Donal is an Investment Director on the Developed Markets Team. Donal joined abrdn in 2006 as an Investment Process Analyst. In 2010, he transferred to the US Equity Team in Boston as Vice President. In 2014, he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Equities. Prior to this Donal worked for a number of firms, including BIL-Dexia, ING, JP Morgan and Aegon. Donal graduated with an MA in Chinese Studies and a BSC in Management. Additionally he holds the Investment Management Certificate and is a CFA Charterholder.
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
 
 
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets Fund, abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund and abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
The China A Fund is managed by the Asia Pacific Equities Team. The Emerging Markets Fund, Emerging Markets ex-China Fund and Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund are managed by the Global Emerging Markets Equity Team. Each team works in a truly collaborative fashion; all team members have both portfolio construction and research responsibilities. The Adviser and Sub-advisers do not believe in having star managers, instead preferring to have both depth and experience within the team. Depth of team members allows the Adviser and Sub-advisers to perform the diligent research required by the Adviser’s process. The experience of senior managers provides the confidence needed to take a long-term view.
The Teams are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds (except the individuals based in Hong Kong who serve solely in an advice role), with the following members having the most significant responsibility for the day-to-day management of each Fund, as indicated:
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Pruksa Iamthongthong, CFA®, Senior Investment Director
Pruksa Iamthongthong is Senior Investment Director on the Asian equities team. Pruksa joined the company in 2007. Pruksa graduated with a BA in Business Administration from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand and is a CFA charterholder.
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
 
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Fund Management 
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Jim Jiang, Investment Manager
Jim Jiang is an Investment Manager on the Chinese equities team. Jim joined the company in 2018 after graduation. Jim graduated with a BSc in Quantitative Finance from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
 
Elizabeth Kwik, CFA®, Investment Director
Elizabeth Kwik is an Investment Director on the Chinese equities team. She is responsible for conducting investment research on Chinese companies and managing our Chinese equity portfolios. She joined the company in 2013, based in Hong Kong. Elizabeth graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics and is a CFA Charterholder.
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
 
Nicholas Yeo, CFA®, Director and Head of Equities – China
Nicholas Yeo is Director and Head of Equities - China at abrdn. Nicholas joined the company in 2000 via the acquisition of Murray Johnstone. He was seconded to the London Global Emerging Market team for two years where he covered EMEA and Latin American companies, before returning to the Asian Equities team in Singapore in March 2004. In March 2007, he transferred to Hong Kong to lead Chinese equity research. Nicholas holds a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance from The University of Manchester and an MSc in Financial Mathematics from Warwick Business School. Nicholas is a CFA® charterholder.
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
 
Kristy Fong, CFA®, Senior Investment Director
Kristy Fong is a Senior Investment Director on the Asian equities team. Kristy joined the company in 2004 from UOB KayHian Pte Ltd where she was an Analyst. Kristy graduated with a BA (Hons) in Accountancy from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and is a CFA charterholder.
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
Joanne Irvine, Deputy Head of Global Emerging Markets
Joanne Irvine is Deputy Head of Global Emerging Markets on the Global Emerging Markets Equity Team in London at abrdn. Joanne joined the company in 1996 in a group development role, and moved to the Global Emerging Markets Equity Team in 1997. Prior to abrdn, Joanne was with Rutherford Manson Dowds (subsequently acquired by Deloitte), specializing in raising private equity and bank funding for private companies.
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
 
Devan Kaloo, Global Head of Public Markets
Devan Kaloo is Global Head of Public Markets for abrdn. Devan joined the company in 2000 as part of the Asian equities team in Singapore, before later transferring to London where he took up the position of Head of Global Emerging Markets Equities in 2005. In 2015 he was promoted to Global Head of Equities and joined the company’s Group management board. Devan started in fund management with Martin Currie in 1994 covering Latin America, before subsequently working with the North American equities, global asset allocation and eventually the Asian equities teams. Devan graduated with an MA (Hons) in International Relations and Management from the University of St Andrews and has a postgraduate diploma in Investment Analysis from the University of Stirling.
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
 
Nick Robinson, CFA®, Senior Investment Director
Nick Robinson is a Senior Investment Director on the Global Emerging Markets Equity Team at abrdn. Nick joined the company in 2000 and spent eight years on the North American Equities team, including three years based in the company‘s US offices. In 2008 he joined the Global Emerging Markets Equity team. Nick relocated to São Paulo in 2009 to start abrdn’s operations in Brazil. In 2016 he returned to London. Nick graduated with an MSc in Chemistry from Lincoln College, Oxford and is a CFA charterholder.
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
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Fund Management 
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Nina Petry, CFA®, Investment Manager
Nina Petry is an Investment Manager in the Global Emerging Markets team. She co-manages all EM Sustainable strategies and is a member of abrdn’s Impact Management Group. As an analyst, she is responsible for the Consumer Staples, Consumer Discretionary and Real Estate sectors. Nina joined the GEM team in 2018 and the company in 2016 as a Graduate Analyst, during which time she worked in Philadelphia, New York, São Paulo and Edinburgh before settling in London. Nina is a CFA Charterholder. She graduated in 2016 with a BA in Literature and a minor concentration in Finance & Accounting from Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, U.S.
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable
Leaders Fund
 
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
The Emerging Markets Dividend Fund is managed by the Global Emerging Markets Equity Team. The team works in a truly collaborative fashion; all team members have both portfolio construction and research responsibilities. The Adviser and Sub-adviser do not believe in having star managers, instead preferring to have both depth and experience within the team. Depth of team members allows the Adviser and Sub-adviser to perform the diligent research required by the
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Fund Management 
Adviser’s process. The experience of senior managers provides the confidence needed to take a long-term view. The Team is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund with Matt Williams serving as lead portfolio manager and Gabriel Sacks heading the portfolio construction group:
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Gabriel Sacks, CFA®, Investment Manager
Gabriel is an Investment Director on the GEM team at abrdn and leads the portfolio construction group responsible for managing the abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund. Gabriel joined the company in 2008 and is based in London but spent 5 years in Singapore from 2018 to 2023, where he was focused primarily on Asian smaller companies. Gabriel is currently a member of the investment teams for the GEM Income strategy, the GEM Smaller Companies strategy, the Asia Focus Investment Trust as well as abrdn’s GEM ADR strategy. During his time in Singapore, Gabriel led the team managing the Asian Smaller Companies strategy (until December 2022) and was also a member of the team managing the New Dawn Investment Trust. In terms of sector research, Gabriel is currently responsible for Information Technology and Insurance & Capital Markets. Gabriel graduated with an MA (Hons) in Land Economy from Selwyn College, Cambridge University and is a CFA charterholder.
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
 
Matt Williams, CFA®, Senior Investment Director
Matt is a Senior Investment Director on the Global Emerging Markets (GEM) team at abrdn, where he is the lead portfolio manager to the abrdn Emering Markets Dividend Fund. Matt is also responsible for the abrdn Emerging Markets Income Equity Fund, the Standard Life Emerging Markets Pension Fund and a segregated account. In terms of research responsibilities, Matt is currently sector lead for Industrials and also Communication Services. Matthew joined the company in 1998. He has managed country funds in both Japan and Asia Pacific. He moved from the GEM and Asia Pacific team based in Edinburgh to the London based GEM team in April 2018 following the restructuring of the equity division. Matthew holds a BA in Economics from Durham University in 1998 and a Diploma in Investment Analysis Associate of the Society of Investment Professionals (formerly AIIMR). He is also a CFA charterholder.
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
The Infrastructure Debt Fund is managed by the U.S. Municipal Team and Global High Yield Team. The teams work in a truly collaborative fashion. The Adviser does not believe in having star managers, instead preferring to have both depth and experience within the team. Depth of team members allows the Adviser to perform the diligent research required by the Adviser’s process. The experience of senior managers provides the confidence needed to take a long-term view.
The Teams are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with the following members having the most significant responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Fund, as indicated:
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Jonathan Mondillo, Head of U.S. Fixed Income
Jonathan Mondillo is Head of U.S. Fixed Income at abrdn, having previously served as Head of Municipals. He is responsible for overseeing three municipal bond mutual funds that span investment grade ultra-short maturities to high yield credits. Jonathan joined the firm in 2018 from Alpine Woods Capital Investors, LLC, when two mutual funds he managed were acquired by abrdn. Prior to that, Jonathan worked for Fidelity Capital Markets. Jonathan graduated with a B.S. in Finance from Bentley University.
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
 
Matthew Kence, Investment Director
Matthew Kence is an Investment Director at abrdn. He is also responsible for covering U.S. high yield energy companies. Matt joined the company in 2010 from Gannet Welsh & Kotler where he was a Vice President, Credit. Previously, Matt also worked for MFS Investment Management as a high yield analyst. Matt graduated with a BS Mechanical Engineering from Ohio University and received his MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
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Fund Management 
Each of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund is managed by the U.S. Municipal Team. The U.S. Municipal Team works in a truly collaborative fashion; all team members have both portfolio construction and research responsibilities. The Adviser does not believe in having star managers, instead preferring to have both depth and experience within the team. Depth of team members allows the Adviser to perform the diligent research required by the Adviser’s process. The experience of senior managers provides the confidence needed to take a long-term view.
The Team is jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds, with the following members having the most significant responsibility for the day-to-day management of each Fund, as indicated:
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Miguel Laranjeiro, Investment Director
Miguel Laranjeiro is an Investment Director within the Municipals team at abrdn where he is responsible for asset allocation and investment managment decisions for the abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund, abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund. Miguel’s experience includes municipal credit analysis in the high yield sector as well as high grade tax backed sectors. Miguel joined the company in 2018 from Alpine Woods Capital Investors where he was focused on credit analysis in the Public Finance sector for Alpine’s two municipal mutual funds, which were acquired by abrdn. Previously, Miguel worked for Thomson Reuters as a an analyst focused primarily on Fundamentals Analysis in the Emerging Markets sectors.
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income
Fund
abrdn Short Duration High Yield
Municipal Fund
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income
Fund
 
Jonathan Mondillo, Head of U.S. Fixed Income
Jonathan Mondillo is Head of U.S. Fixed Income at abrdn, having previously served as Head of Municipals. He is responsible for overseeing three municipal bond mutual funds that span investment grade ultra-short maturities to high yield credits. Jonathan joined the firm in 2018 from Alpine Woods Capital Investors, LLC, when two mutual funds he managed were acquired by abrdn. Prior to that, Jonathan worked for Fidelity Capital Markets. Jonathan graduated with a B.S. in Finance from Bentley University.
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income
Fund
abrdn Short Duration High Yield
Municipal Fund
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income
Fund
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
The abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund is managed by the Global High Yield Team. The Adviser utilizes a team rather than an individual approach, because it believes the team brings both greater depth and experience to the portfolio management process. Depth of team members allows the Adviser to perform the diligent research required by the Adviser’s process. The experience of senior managers provides the confidence needed to take a long-term view. The team is jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with the following members having the most significant responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Ben Pakenham, Head of European High Yield and Global Loans
Ben Pakenham is Head of European High Yield & Global Leveraged Loans at abrdn. Ben joined abrdn in 2011 from Henderson Global Investors where he was the lead fund manager on the Extra Monthly Income Bond Fund and a named manager on various other credit portfolios including the High Yield Monthly Income Bond Fund. Previously, Ben worked for New Star Asset Management as a high yield analyst and assistant fund manager. Ben holds a BS (Hons) in History from Leeds Metropolitan University.
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
 
George Westervelt, CFA®, Head of Global High Yield
George Westervelt is Head of Global High Yield and Head of US High Yield Research. George joined abrdn in 2009 as a Credit Analyst and joined the portfolio management group in 2011. Prior to joining abrdn, George worked at MFS Investment Management in Boston and Citigroup in New York. He earned a BA in English from the University of Vermont and is a CFA charterholder.
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
 
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Fund Management 
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Matthew Kence, Investment Director
Matthew Kence is an Investment Director and at abrdn. He is also responsible for covering US high yield Energy companies. Matt joined the company in 2010 from Gannet Welsh & Kotler where he was a Vice President, Credit. Previously, Matt also worked for MFS Investment Management as a high yield analyst. Matt graduated with a BS Mechanical Engineering from Ohio University and received his MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
 
Adam Tabor, CFA®, Investment Director
Adam Tabor is an Investment Director on the Global High Yield team at abrdn. Adam joined the company in 2010 on a graduate rotation scheme having previously interned in 2009. Adam graduated with an MA in Financial Economics from the University of St Andrews. He is a CFA Charterholder.
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
The Realty Income & Growth Fund is managed by the Global Real Estate Team. The Global Real Estate Team works in a truly collaborative fashion; all team members have both portfolio construction and research responsibilities.The Adviser does not believe in having star managers, instead preferring to have both depth and experience within the team. Depth of team members allows the Adviser to perform the diligent research required by the Adviser’s process. The experience of senior managers provides the confidence needed to take a long-term view.
The Team is jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds, with the following members having the most significant responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Jay Carlington, CFA®, Portfolio Manager
Jay Carlington is a Portfolio Manager and is responsible for providing investment recommendations for abrdn’s Listed Real Estate Funds, with primary coverage in North America. Jay joined the company in 2017 from Green Street Advisors in Newport Beach, CA where he was lead analyst covering the U.S. Strip Center REIT Sector. Previously, Jay worked for Credit Suisse in New York as a sell side analyst covering consumer staples and healthcare. Prior to that, Jay worked for Moody’s Investors Service where he rated high-yield credits in the consumer sector. Jay graduated with a BBA in Finance from Pace University in New York City and is a CFA® charterholder. Jay also holds his Series 7 license.
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
 
Svitlana Gubriy, Head of Indirect Real Assets
Svitlana Gubriy is Head of Indirect Real Assets at abrdn. abrdn’s Indirect Real Assets comprises global listed real estate, real estate multi-manager and indirect infrastructure platforms within the wider Real Assets team that manages over $70bn of real estate and infrastructure assets globally. Svitlana is responsible for the team based in Boston, London, Edinburgh, Singapore and Hong Kong manging the indirect real assets’ investments across a number of global and regional mandates. In addition, Svitlana has primary responsibilities for managing investments, identifying new investment opportunities and implementing our strategy for a number listed real estate strategies. Prior to joining the company in 2005, Ms. Gubriy worked in real estate investment banking division of Lehman Brothers in New York. Svitlana graduated with a Diploma with Honours in Applied Mathematics, an MA in Applied Economics and an MBA in Finance and Corporate Accounting. Svitlana also holds the Investment Management Certificate (IMC).
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
 
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Fund Management 
Portfolio Manager
Funds
Bill Pekowitz, REIT Analyst / Portfolio Manager
Bill Pekowitz is a REIT Analyst / Portfolio Manager at abrdn. Bill is responsible for providing research and analysis of the North American real estate market. In this capacity, Bill is responsible for fundamental equity research of listed real estate companies, as well as analysis of underlying property markets across the region. In addition, his responsibilities include making investment recommendations and identifying new investment opportunities for the Funds. Bill has significant investment experience, initially working as an equity analyst for Value Line Inc.’s research department, before joining Prudential Equity Group as an associate analyst for REITs in 2004, and finally working for Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers from 2006 to 2012 as a senior analyst prior to joining Standard Life Investments. Bill graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics and has completed Level II of the CFA designation.
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Fund(s) managed by the portfolio manager, if any.
Multi-Manager Structure
The Adviser and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission for a multi-manager structure that allows the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, to hire, replace or terminate a sub-adviser (excluding hiring a sub-adviser which is an affiliate of the Adviser) without the approval of shareholders. The order also allows the Adviser to revise a sub-advisory agreement with an unaffiliated sub-adviser with the approval of the Board of Trustees, but without shareholder approval.
If a new unaffiliated sub-adviser is hired for a Fund, shareholders will receive information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of the change. The multi-manager structure allows the Funds greater flexibility enabling them to operate more efficiently.
Under the multi-manager structure, the Adviser has ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board of Trustees, for overseeing a Fund’s sub-adviser(s) and recommending to the Board of Trustees the hiring, termination or replacement of a sub-adviser. In instances where the Adviser hires a sub-adviser, the Adviser performs the following oversight and evaluation services to a sub-advised Fund:
initial due diligence on prospective Fund sub-advisers;
 
monitoring sub-adviser performance, including ongoing analysis and periodic consultations;
 
communicating performance expectations and evaluations to the sub-advisers; and
 
making recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding renewal, modification or termination of a sub-adviser’s contract.
 
The Adviser does not currently utilize un-affiliated sub-advisers in reliance on this exemptive order for any of the Funds described in this prospectus. Where the Adviser does recommend sub-adviser changes, the Adviser periodically provides written reports to the Board of Trustees regarding its evaluation and monitoring of the sub-adviser. Although the Adviser monitors the sub-adviser’s performance, there is no certainty that any sub-adviser or Fund will obtain favorable results at any given time.
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Shares of the Funds have not been registered for sale outside of the United States and its territories.
Share Classes
A Note About Share Classes
The following sections provide more information about the share classes offered by a Fund, as applicable.
An investment in any share class of a Fund represents an investment in the same assets of the Fund. However, the fees, sales charges and expenses for each share class are different. The different share classes simply let you choose the cost structure that is right for you. The fees and expenses for each Fund are set forth in the Fund Summary.
Choosing a Share Class
When selecting a share class, you should consider the following:
which share classes are available to you;
 
how long you expect to own your shares;
 
how much you intend to invest;
 
total costs and expenses associated with a particular share class; and
 
whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges.
 
Your financial advisor can help you to decide which share class is best suited to your needs and for which you qualify.
The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from a Fund or through a financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load (“CDSC”) waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the Fund or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from a Fund or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts. Please see the section “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” immediately before the back cover of this prospectus to determine any sales charge discounts and waivers that may be available to you through your financial intermediary.
Minimum investment requirements do not apply to purchases by employees of the Adviser or its affiliates (or their spouses, children or immediate relatives), or to certain retirement plans, fee-based programs or omnibus accounts. Certain endowments, non-profits, and charitable organizations may also be eligible for waiver of minimum investment requirements. If you purchase shares through an intermediary, different minimum account requirements may apply. The Trust reserves the right to waive investment minimums under certain circumstances.
Your financial intermediary may receive different compensation for selling one class of shares than for selling another class, which may depend on, among other things, the type of investor account and the policies, procedures and practices adopted by your financial intermediary. You should review these arrangements with your financial intermediary.
The table below provides a comparison of Class A, Class A1 and Class C shares. Class A and Class C shares are generally available to all investors; however, share class availability depends upon your financial intermediary’s policies and procedures. Class A1 shares are available to investors purchasing shares through financial intermediaries who make Class A1 shares available on their brokerage platform. In addition to Class A, A1 and/or Class C, the Funds also offer Class R, Institutional Service Class and/or Institutional Class shares, as applicable. Class R, Institutional Service Class and Institutional Class shares are subject to different eligibility requirements, fees and expenses, may have different minimum investment requirements, and may be entitled to different services. For eligible investors, Class R, Institutional Service Class and Institutional Class shares may be more suitable than Class A, Class A1 or Class C shares. However, an investor transacting in Institutional Class shares or Institutional Service Class shares may be required to pay a commission to a broker that is not described in this prospectus. Contact your broker for more information about the commissions that your broker may charge.
Before you invest, compare the features of each share class, so that you can choose the class that is right for you. We describe each share class in detail on the following pages. Your financial advisor can help you with this decision. When you buy shares, be sure to specify the class of shares. If you do not choose a share class, your investment will be made in Class A shares. If you are not eligible for the class you have selected, your investment may be refused. However, we recommend that you discuss your investment with a financial advisor before you make a purchase to be sure that the Fund and the share class are appropriate for you. In addition, consider the Fund’s investment objectives, principal investment strategies and principal risks to determine if a Fund and which share class is most appropriate for your situation.
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Comparing Class A, Class A1 and Class C Shares
Class A Shares
Front-end sales charge up to 5.75% (equity funds), 3.00% (Infrastructure Debt Fund and High Income Opportunities Fund), 2.50% (Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund) for Class A Shares
The offering price of the shares includes a front-end sales charge which means that a portion of your initial investment goes toward the sales charge and is not invested.
Contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) up to 1.00%(1)
Reduction and waivers of sales charges may be available.
Annual service and/or 12b-1 fee of 0.25%
Total annual operating expenses are lower than Class C expenses which means higher dividends and/or NAV per share.
Administrative services fee of up to 0.25%
No conversion feature.
No maximum investment amount.
Class A1 Shares (for Ultra Short Municipal Fund only)
Front-end sales charge up to 0.50% for Class A1 Shares
The offering price of the shares includes a front-end sales charge which means that a portion of your initial investment goes toward the sales charge and is not invested.
CDSC up to 0.25%(2)
Reduction and waivers of sales charges may be available.
Annual service and/or 12b-1 fee of 0.25%
No conversion feature.
Administrative services fee of up to 0.25%
No maximum investment amount.
Only available for purchase through financial intermediaries.
Class C Shares
No front-end sales charge.
No front-end sales charge means your full investment immediately goes toward buying shares.
CDSC of 1.00%(3)
No reduction of CDSC, but waivers may be available.
The CDSC declines to zero after one year.
Annual service and/or 12b-1 fee of 1.00%
Total annual operating expenses are higher than Class A expenses, which means lower dividends and/or NAV per share.
No administrative services fee
Converts to Class A shares after approximately 8 years
Maximum investment amount of $1,000,000(4). Larger investments may be rejected.
(1) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A shares without a sales charge, for all Funds, except the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund, a CDSC of up to 1.00% (up to 0.75% for the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund) will be charged on Class A shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase (12 months for the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund) if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid. Class A shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund are not subject to a CDSC.
(2) Unless you are otherwise eligible to purchase Class A1 shares without a sales charge, a CDSC of up to 0.25% will be charged on Class A1 shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase if you paid no sales charge on the original purchase and a finder’s fee was paid.
(3) A 1.00% CDSC will be assessed when Class C shares are redeemed within 12 months of purchase; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
(4) This limit was calculated based on a one-year holding period.
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Class A and Class A1 Shares
Front-End Sales Charges For Class A Shares (other than the Infrastructure Debt Fund, High Income Opportunities Fund, Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund)
 
Sales Charge as a Percentage of
Amount of Purchase
Offering Price*
Net Amount Invested (Approximately)
Dealer Commissions as Percentage of Offering Price
Less than $50,000
5.75
%
6.10
%
5.00
%
$50,000 up to $100,000
4.75
4.99
4.00
$100,000 up to $250,000
3.50
3.63
3.00
$250,000 up to $500,000
2.50
2.56
2.00
$500,000 up to $1 million
2.00
2.04
1.75
$1 million or more
None
None
None
**
* The offering price of Class A1 Shares of the Fund is the next determined NAV per share plus the initial sales charge listed in the table above which is paid to the Fund’s distributor at the time of purchase of shares.
** Dealer may be eligible for a finder’s fee as described in “Purchasing Class A Shares without a Sales Charge” below.
Front-End Sales Charges for Class A Shares of Infrastructure Debt Fund and High Income Opportunities Fund
 
Sales Charge as a Percentage of
Amount of Purchase
Offering Price*
Net Amount Invested (Approximately)
Dealer
Commissions as
Percentage of
Offering Price
Less than $100,000
3.00
%
3.10
%
2.50
%
$100,000 up to $250,000
2.50
2.56
2.00
$250,000 up to $1 million
2.00
2.04
1.75
$1 million or more
None
None
None
**
* The offering price of Class A Shares of the Fund is the next determined NAV per share plus the initial sales charge listed in the table above which is paid to the Fund’s distributor at the time of purchase of shares.
** Dealer may be eligible for a finder’s fee as described in “Purchasing Class A Shares without a Sales Charge” below.
Front-End Sales Charges for Class A Shares of Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
 
Sales Charge as a Percentage of
Amount of Purchase
Offering Price*
Net Amount Invested (Approximately)
Dealer Commission as Percentage of Offering Price
Less than $100,000
2.50
%
2.56
%
2.00
%
$100,000 up to $250,000
2.00
2.04
1.75
$250,000 or more
None
None
None
**
* The offering price of Class A Shares of the Fund is the next determined NAV per share plus the initial sales charge listed in the table above which is paid to the Fund’s distributor at the time of purchase of shares.
** Dealer may be eligible for a finder’s fee as described in “Purchasing Class A Shares without a Sales Charge” below.
Front-End Sales Charges for Class A1 Shares of Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
 
Sales Charge as a Percentage of
Amount of Purchase
Offering Price*
Net Amount Invested (Approximately)
Dealer Commission as Percentage of Offering Price
Less than $250,000
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
$250,000 or more
None
None
None
**
* The offering price of Class A1 Shares of the Fund is the next determined NAV per share plus the initial sales charge listed in the table above which is paid to the Fund’s distributor at the time of purchase of shares.
** Dealer may be eligible for a finder’s fee as described in “Purchasing Class A Shares without a Sales Charge” below.
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Reduction and Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges
If you qualify for a reduction or waiver of Class A or Class A1 sales charges, you must notify Customer Service, your financial intermediary or other intermediary at the time of purchase and must also provide any required evidence showing that you qualify. The value of cumulative quantity discount eligible shares equals the cost or current value of those shares, whichever is higher. The current value of shares is determined by multiplying the number of shares by their current NAV. In order to obtain a sales charge reduction, you may need to provide your financial intermediary or the Fund’s transfer agent, at the time of purchase, with information regarding shares of the Funds held in other accounts which may be eligible for aggregation. Such information may include account statements or other records regarding shares of the Funds held in (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse and children under 21). You should retain any records necessary to substantiate historical costs because the Fund, its transfer agent, and financial intermediaries may not maintain this information. Otherwise, you may not receive the reduction or waiver. See “Reduction of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges”, “Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” and “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages 164, 164 and 221, respectively, of the prospectus, and “Reduction of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges” in the SAI for more information. Information regarding breakpoints is available free of charge by visiting https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature.
Reduction of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges
Investors may be able to reduce or eliminate front-end sales charges on Class A and Class A1 shares through one or more of these methods:
A Larger Investment. The sales charge decreases as the amount of your investment increases.
 
Rights of Accumulation. To qualify for the reduced Class A or Class A1 sales charge that would apply to a larger purchase than you are currently making (as shown in the tables above), you and other family members living at the same address can add the value of any Class A, Class A1 or Class C shares in the Trust (each, an “abrdn Fund” and collectively, the “abrdn Funds”) that you currently own or are currently purchasing to the value of your Class A or Class A1 purchase, as applicable.
 
Share Repurchase Privilege. If you redeem Fund shares from your account, you qualify for a one-time reinvestment privilege. You may reinvest some or all of the proceeds in shares of the same class without paying an additional sales charge within 30 days of redeeming shares on which you previously paid a sales charge. (Reinvestment does not affect the amount of any capital gains tax due. However, if you realize a loss on your redemption and then reinvest all or some of the proceeds, all or a portion of that loss may not be tax deductible.)
 
Letter of Intent Discount. If you declare in writing that you or a group of family members living at the same address intend to purchase at least $50,000 in Class A shares (at least $100,000 in Class A shares of the Infrastructure Debt Fund, Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and at least $250,000 in Class A1 shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund) during a 13-month period, your sales charge is based on the total amount you intend to invest. You can also combine your holdings of Class A, Class A1 and Class C shares in the abrdn Funds to fulfill your Letter of Intent. You are not legally required to complete the purchases indicated in your Letter of Intent. However, if you do not fulfill your Letter of Intent, additional sales charges may be due and shares in your account would be liquidated to cover those sales charges.
 
Waiver of Class A and Class A1 Sales Charges
The following purchasers qualify for a waiver of front-end sales charges on Class A and Class A1 shares:
“Retirement Plans”;
“Retirement Plans” include 401(a) plans, 401(k) plans, SIMPLE 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, employer sponsored benefit plans (including health savings accounts), defined benefit plans, and other similar employer sponsored retirement and benefit plans.
“Retirement Plans” do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth IRAs, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 401(k) plans, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, one-person Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs or similar accounts.
 
investment advisory clients of the Adviser’s affiliates;
 
any life insurance company separate account registered as a unit investment trust;
 
directors, officers, full-time employees (and their spouses, children or immediate relatives) of companies that may be affiliated with the Adviser from time to time;
 
directors, officers, full-time employees and sales representatives and their employees of a broker-dealer that has a dealer/selling agreement with the Funds’ distributor;
 
investors purchasing on a periodic fee, asset-based fee or no transaction fee basis through a broker-dealer sponsored mutual fund purchase program; and
 
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Investing with abrdn Funds 
financial institutions as shareholders of record on behalf of investment advisers or financial planners for their clients, and who charge a separate fee for their services.
 
Sales charges are waived on shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same Fund.
The SAI lists additional information regarding investors eligible for sales charge waivers.
Purchasing Class A and Class A1 Shares Without a Sales Charge
Purchases of $1 million or more of Class A shares (or $250,000 or more of Class A shares of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Class A1 shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund) have no front-end sales charge. Any purchase of Class A shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund has no front-end sales charge. You can purchase $1 million or more (or $250,000 or more) in Class A and Class A1 shares in one or more abrdn Funds (including the Funds in this prospectus) at one time. Or, you can utilize the Rights of Accumulation Discount and Letter of Intent Discount as described above. However, a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) may apply when you redeem your shares in certain circumstances (see “Contingent Deferred Sales Charges on Certain Redemptions of Class A and Class A1 Shares”).
Other than with respect to the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund, a CDSC of up to 1.00% (of up to 0.50% or 1.00%, as described below, for U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund) applies to purchases of $1 million or more of Class A Shares if a “finder’s fee” is paid by the Funds’ distributor or Adviser to your financial advisor or intermediary and you redeem your shares within 18 months of purchase. The CDSC covers the finder’s fee paid to the selling dealer.
For the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund, a CDSC of up to 0.75% (0.25% for Class A1 shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund) applies to purchases of $250,000 or more of Class A Shares if a “finder’s fee” is paid by the Funds’ distributor or Adviser to your financial advisor or intermediary and you redeem your shares within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC covers the finder’s fee paid to the selling dealer.
The CDSC does not apply:
if you are eligible to purchase Class A or Class A1 shares without a sales charge for another reason; or
 
if no finder’s fee was paid; or
 
to shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions.
 
* The Distributor or the Fund’s Adviser may pay a finder’s fee to financial intermediaries who sell Class A shares in purchase amounts of $250,000 or more. For the selling dealer to be eligible for the finder’s fee, the following requirements apply:
The purchase can be made in any combination of the funds of the Trust. The amount of the finder’s fee will be determined based on the particular combination of the funds purchased. The applicable finder’s fee will be determined on a pro rata basis to the purchase of each particular fund.
 
The shareholder will be subject to a CDSC for shares redeemed in any redemption within the first 12 months of purchase.
 
The finder’s fee rates will equal the CDSC percentages noted below under “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge on Certain Redemptions of Class A Shares”. Finders’ fees are not paid in connection with purchases of Class A shares on certain account types, as described in the section titled “Waiver of Class A Sales Charges”. Investors can consult with their financial advisor who purchased shares on their behalf to confirm whether a finder’s fee was paid in connection with the purchase of such shares.
Class A shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund are not subject to a CDSC.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge on Certain Redemptions of Class A Shares (other than the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund)
Amount of Purchase
Amount of CDSC
$1 Million up to $4 Million
1.00
%
$4 Million up to $25 Million
0.50
%
$25 Million or More
0.25
%
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Contingent Deferred Sales Charge on Certain Redemptions of Class A Shares of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
Amount of Purchase
Amount of CDSC
$250,000 up to $4 Million
0.75
%
$4 Million up to $25 Million
0.50
%
$25 Million or More
0.25
%
Class A1 Shares of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
Amount of Purchase
Amount of CDSC
$250,000 or more
0.25
%
A shareholder may be subject to a CDSC if he or she did not pay an up-front sales charge and redeems Class A shares within 18 months of the date of purchase (within 12 months of the date of purchase for the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund, or with respect to Class A1 of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund). Any CDSC is based on the original purchase price or the current market value of the shares being redeemed, whichever is less. If you redeem a portion of your shares, shares that are not subject to a CDSC are redeemed first, followed by shares that you have owned the longest. This minimizes the CDSC you pay. Please see “Waiver of Contingent Deferred Sales Charges-Class A, Class A1 and Class C Shares” for a list of situations where a CDSC is not charged. The CDSC of Class A or Class A1 shares for the Funds in this prospectus are described above; however, the CDSC for Class A or Class A1 shares of other Funds of the Trust may be different and are described in their respective prospectuses. If you purchase more than one Fund of the Trust and subsequently redeem those shares, the amount of the CDSC is based on the specific combination of Funds purchased and is proportional to the amount you redeem from each Fund.
Waiver of Contingent Deferred Sales Charges – Class A, Class A1 and Class C Shares
The CDSC may be waived on:
the redemption of Class A, Class A1 or Class C shares purchased through reinvested dividends or distributions;
 
Class A, Class A1 or Class C shares sold following the death or disability of a shareholder, provided the redemption occurs within one year of the shareholder’s death or disability;
mandatory withdrawals of Class A, Class A1 or Class C shares from traditional IRA accounts after age 72 (73 if you reach 72 after December 31, 2022) and for other required distributions from retirement accounts;
redemptions of Class C shares from “Retirement Plans,” as defined on page 164, if no commission was paid by the Adviser on the purchase of the shares being redeemed; and
 
redemptions of Class C shares purchased through financial intermediaries who did not receive advanced sales commission payments.
 
If a CDSC is charged when you redeem your Class C shares, and you then reinvest the proceeds in Class C shares within 30 days, shares equal to the amount of the CDSC are re-deposited into your new account.
If you qualify for a waiver of a CDSC, you must notify Customer Service, your financial advisor or intermediary at the time of purchase and must also provide any required evidence showing that you qualify. Your financial intermediary may have its own sales charge waiver policies, which could mean that it may not have the capability to waive such sales charges; for more complete information, see “Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” on page 221 of this prospectus.
Class C Shares
Class C shares may be appropriate if you are uncertain how long you will hold your shares. If you redeem your Class C shares within the first year after you purchase them you must pay a CDSC of 1.00% unless you qualify for a waiver; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.
For Class C shares, the CDSC is based on the original purchase price or the current market value of the shares being redeemed, whichever is less. If you redeem a portion of your shares, shares that are not subject to a CDSC are redeemed first, followed by shares that you have owned the longest. This minimizes the CDSC that you pay. See “Waiver of Contingent Deferred Sales Charges - Class A, Class A1 and Class C Shares” for a list of situations where a CDSC may be waived.
The Fund’s distributor or Adviser may compensate broker-dealers and financial intermediaries for sales of Class C shares from its own resources at the rate of 1.00% of sales. Pursuant to financing arrangements with the Fund’s distributor, the Adviser may advance 1.00% of the purchase price of Class C shares, at the time of purchase, to selling brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries that have entered into distribution agreements with the distributor. Such advance will be from the Adviser’s own resources. During the period the CDSC is applicable with respect to such
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shares, the Class C Rule 12b-1 fees (as described in the section entitled “Sales Charges and Fees – Distribution and Service Fees”) attributable to those shares will be paid to the Adviser in satisfaction of the advance. If a CDSC is not (or is no longer) applicable with respect to such shares, the Class C Rule 12b-1 fees attributable to those shares will be paid to the selling broker, dealer or other financial intermediary.
Conversion of Class C Shares to Class A Shares
Class C shares of the Funds will automatically convert to Class A shares after 8 years. Conversions of Class C shares to Class A shares will occur during the month following the 8th anniversary of the share purchase date.
All conversions from Class C shares to Class A shares will be based on the per share net asset value without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The conversion from Class C shares to Class A shares is not considered a taxable event for Federal income tax purposes. For Class C shares that have been acquired through an exchange from another abrdn Fund, the purchase date is calculated from the date the shares were originally purchased in the other abrdn Fund. When Class C shares that a shareholder acquired through a purchase or exchange convert to Class A shares, any Class C shares that the shareholder acquired through reinvestment of dividends and distributions related to the shares being converted also will convert to Class A shares on a pro rata basis.
Certain financial intermediaries currently do not have the ability to track an individual shareholder’s holding periods and, therefore, may not know how long a shareholder has held Class C shares. If a shareholder holds Class C shares through a financial intermediary in an omnibus account, it is the responsibility of the shareholder or financial intermediary to notify the Fund that the shareholder is eligible for the conversion of Class C shares to Class A shares, and the shareholder or financial intermediary may be required to provide the Fund with records that substantiate the holding period of Class C shares. In these circumstances, it is the financial intermediary’s (and not the Fund’s) responsibility to keep records and to ensure that the shareholder is credited with the proper holding period. Please consult with your financial intermediary.
Share Classes Available Only to Institutional Accounts
Certain Funds offer Institutional Service Class and Class R shares. All of the Funds offer Institutional Class shares. Only certain types of entities and selected individuals are eligible to purchase shares of these classes.
If an institution or retirement plan has hired an intermediary and is eligible to invest in more than one class of shares, the intermediary can help determine which share class is appropriate for that retirement plan or other institutional account. Plan fiduciaries should consider their obligations under ERISA when determining which class is appropriate for the retirement plan.
Other fiduciaries should also consider their obligations in determining the appropriate share class for a customer including:
the level of distribution and administrative services the plan requires;
 
the total expenses of the share class; and
 
the appropriate level and type of fee to compensate the intermediary. An intermediary may receive different compensation depending on which class is chosen.
 
Class R Shares
Class R shares are available to retirement plans including:
401(a) plans;
 
401(k) plans;
 
457 plans;
 
403(b) plans;
 
profit sharing and money purchase pension plans;
 
defined benefit plans;
 
non-qualified deferred compensation plans; and
 
other retirement accounts in which the retirement plan or the retirement plan’s financial services firm has an agreement with the Fund, the Funds’ Adviser or the Funds’ distributor to use Class R shares.
 
The above-referenced plans are generally small and mid-sized retirement plans that have at least $1 million in assets and shares held through omnibus accounts that are represented by an intermediary such as a broker, third-party administrator, registered investment adviser or other plan service provider.
Class R shares are not available to:
institutional non-retirement accounts;
 
traditional and Roth IRAs;
 
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts;
 
SEPs and SAR-SEPs;
 
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SIMPLE IRAs;
 
one-person Keogh plans;
 
individual 403(b) plans; or
 
529 Plan accounts.
 
Institutional Service Class Shares
Institutional Service Class shares are available for purchase only by the following:
retirement plans advised by financial professionals who are not associated with brokers or dealers primarily engaged in the retail securities business and rollover individual retirement accounts from such plans;
 
retirement plans for which third-party administrators provide recordkeeping services and are compensated by the Funds for these services;
 
a bank, trust company or similar financial institution investing for its own account or for trust accounts for which it has authority to make investment decisions as long as the accounts are part of a program that collects an administrative services fee;
 
registered investment advisers investing on behalf of institutions and high net worth individuals. This may also include registered investment advisers as well as financial intermediaries with clients enrolled in certain fee-based/advisory platforms where compensation for advisory services is derived exclusively from clients;
 
financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Service Class shares through a no-transaction fee platform; or
 
life insurance separate accounts using the investment to fund benefits for variable annuity contracts issued to governmental entities as an investment option for 457 or 401(k) plans.
 
Institutional Class Shares
Institutional Class shares are available for purchase only by the following:
funds of funds offered by affiliates of the Funds;
 
independent directors, officers, full-time employees (and their spouses, children or immediate relatives) of the Advisor and its affiliates;
 
retirement plans for which no third-party administrator receives compensation from the Funds;
 
institutional advisory accounts of the Adviser’s affiliates, those accounts which have client relationships with an affiliate of the Adviser, its affiliates and their corporate sponsors, subsidiaries; and related retirement plans;
 
rollover individual retirement accounts from such institutional advisory accounts;
 
a bank, trust company or similar financial institution investing for its own account or for trust accounts for which it has authority to make investment decisions as long as the accounts are not part of a program that requires payment of Rule 12b-1 or administrative services fees to the financial institution;
 
registered investment advisers investing on behalf of institutions and high net-worth individuals. This may also include registered investment advisers as well as financial intermediaries with clients enrolled in certain fee-based/advisory platforms where compensation for advisory services is derived exclusively from clients;
 
financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Class shares through a no-transaction fee platform;
 
high net-worth individuals who invest directly without using the services of a broker, investment adviser or other financial intermediary; or
 
brokerage platforms of firms that have agreements with the fund’s distributor to offer such shares solely when acting as an agent for the investor. An investor transacting in Institutional Class shares in these programs may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker.
 
Sales Charges and Fees
Sales Charges
Sales charges, if any, are paid to the Funds’ distributor. These fees are either kept or paid to your financial advisor or other intermediary.
Distribution and Service Fees
Each Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 with respect to Class A, Class A1, Class C and Class R shares, which permits Class A, Class A1, Class C and Class R shares of the Funds (if applicable) to compensate the Funds’ distributor or any other entity approved by the Board of Trustees (collectively, “payees”) for expenses associated with the distribution-related and/or shareholder services provided by such entities. These fees are paid to the Funds’ distributor and are either kept or paid to your financial advisor or other intermediary for distribution and shareholder services. Institutional Class and Institutional Service Class shares pay no 12b-1 fees.
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These 12b-1 fees are in addition to applicable sales charges and are paid from the Funds’ assets on an ongoing basis. The 12b-1 fees are accrued daily and paid monthly. As a result, 12b-1 fees increase the cost of your investment and over time may cost more than other types of sales charges. Under the Distribution Plan, Class A, Class A1, Class C and Class R shares pay the Funds’ distributor annual amounts not exceeding the following:
Class
As a % of Daily Net Assets
Class A
0.25%
 
(distribution or service fee)
Class A1
0.25%
 
(distribution or service fee)
Class C
1.00%
 
(0.25% service fee)
Class R
0.50%
 
(0.25% of which will be a distribution fee and 0.25% of which will be a service fee)
Administrative Services Fees/Sub-Transfer Agency Fees
The Funds may pay and/or reimburse administrative services fees/sub-transfer agent expenses to certain broker-dealers and financial intermediaries who provide administrative support services to beneficial shareholders on behalf of the Funds (sometimes referred to as “sub-transfer agency fees”), subject to certain limitations approved by the Board of Trustees. (These fees may be in addition to the Rule 12b-1 fees described above.) Sub-transfer agency fees generally include, but are not limited to, costs associated with recordkeeping, networking, sub-transfer agency or other administrative or shareholder services.
Class A, Class A1, Class R and Institutional Service Class shares of the Funds pay for such services pursuant to an Administrative Services Plan adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under the Administrative Services Plan, a Fund may pay a broker-dealer or other intermediary a maximum annual administrative services fee of 0.25% for Class A, Class A1, Class R and Institutional Service Class shares (or under an amendment to the Administrative Services Plan that is in effect until at least February 28, 2025, a maximum of 0.15% for contracts with fees that are calculated as percentage of Fund assets and a maximum of $16 per account for contracts with fees that are calculated on a dollar per account basis); however, many intermediaries do not charge the maximum permitted fee or even a portion thereof. Class C and Institutional Class shares may also pay for the services described above directly and not pursuant to an Administrative Services Plan.
Because these fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in such share class over time and may cost you more than paying other types of fees.
Revenue Sharing
The Adviser and/or its affiliates (collectively, “abrdn”) may make payments for marketing, promotional or related services provided by broker-dealers, platforms, and other financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Trust or which include them as investment options for their respective customers. The Adviser may also pay and/or reimburse sub-transfer agency fees or portions thereof to certain broker-dealers and financial intermediaries who provide administrative support services to beneficial shareholders on behalf of the Funds, subject to certain limitations approved by the Board.
These payments, or a portion of these payments in certain instances, are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The existence or level of such payments may be based on factors that include, without limitation, differing levels or types of services provided by the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the expected level of assets or sales of shares, the placing of some or all of the Funds on a recommended or preferred list and/or access to an intermediary’s personnel and other factors. Current revenue sharing payments have various structures and typically may be made in one or more of the following forms, one time payments of up to 0.25% on gross sales, asset-based payments of up to 0.23%, one time ticket charges pertaining to purchases placed through advisory platforms, flat fees or minimum aggregate fees of up to $75,000 annually. These amounts are subject to change at the discretion of abrdn.
Revenue sharing payments are paid from abrdn’s own legitimate profits and other of its own resources (not from the Funds) and may be in addition to any Rule 12b-1 payments that are paid to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries. The Board of Trustees will monitor these revenue sharing arrangements as well as the payment of advisory fees paid by the Funds to ensure that the levels of such advisory fees do not involve the indirect use of the Funds’ assets to pay for marketing, promotional or related services. Because revenue sharing payments are paid by abrdn, and not from the Funds’ assets, the amount of any revenue sharing payments is determined by abrdn.
In addition to the revenue sharing payments described above, abrdn may offer other incentives to sell shares of the Funds in the form of sponsorship of educational or other client seminars relating to current products and issues, assistance in training or educating an intermediary’s personnel, and/or entertainment or meals. These payments may also include, at the direction of a retirement plan’s named fiduciary, amounts to a retirement plan intermediary to offset certain plan expenses or otherwise for the benefit of plan participants and beneficiaries.
The recipients of such payments may include:
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the Funds’ distributor and other affiliates of the Adviser;
 
broker-dealers;
 
financial institutions; and
 
other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of a Fund.
 
Payments may be based on current or past sales, current or historical assets or a flat fee for specific services provided. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to sell shares of a Fund to you instead of shares of funds offered by competing fund families.
Contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.
Notwithstanding the revenue sharing payments described above, the Adviser and all sub-advisers to the Trust are prohibited from considering a broker-dealer’s sale of any of the Trust’s shares in selecting such broker-dealer for the execution of Fund portfolio transactions, except as may be specifically permitted by law.
Fund portfolio transactions nevertheless may be effected with broker-dealers who coincidentally may have assisted customers in the purchase of Fund shares, although neither such assistance nor the volume of shares sold of the Trust or any affiliated investment company is a qualifying or disqualifying factor in the Adviser’s or a sub-adviser’s selection of such broker-dealer for portfolio transaction execution.
Investing Through Financial Intermediaries
Financial intermediaries may provide varying arrangements for their clients to purchase and redeem shares of the Funds. In addition, financial intermediaries are responsible for providing to you any communication from a Fund to its shareholders, including but not limited to, prospectuses, prospectus supplements, proxy materials and notices regarding the source of dividend payments under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. They may charge additional fees not described in this prospectus to their customers for such services.
If shares of a Fund are held in a “street name” account with financial intermediary, all recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to your account will be performed by the financial intermediary, and not by the Fund and its transfer agent. Since the Funds will have no record of your transactions, you should contact your financial intermediary to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes in or give instructions concerning the account or to obtain information about your account. The transfer of shares in a “street name” account to an account with another dealer or to an account directly with a Fund involves special procedures and may require you to obtain historical purchase information about the shares in the account from your financial intermediary. If your financial intermediary’s relationship with abrdn is terminated, and you do not transfer your account to another financial intermediary, the Trust reserves the right to redeem your shares. The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor’s account resulting from a redemption.
Financial intermediaries may be authorized to accept, on behalf of the Trust, purchase, redemption and exchange orders placed by or on behalf of their customers, and if approved by the Trust, to designate other financial intermediaries to accept such orders. In these cases:
A Fund will be deemed to have received an order that is in good form when the order is received by the financial intermediary on a business day, and the order will be priced at a Fund’s net asset value per share (adjusted for any applicable sales charge) next determined after such receipt.
 
Financial intermediaries are responsible for transmitting received orders to a Fund within the time period agreed upon by them.
 
You should contact your financial intermediary to learn whether it is authorized to accept orders for the Trust.
Contacting abrdn Funds
Customer Service Representatives are available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday at 866-667-9231.
Automated Voice Response Call 866-667-9231, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for easy access to mutual fund information. Choose from a menu of options to:
make transactions;
 
hear fund price information; and
 
obtain mailing and wiring instructions.
 
Internet Go to https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for easy access to your mutual fund accounts. The website provides instructions on how to select a password and perform transactions. On the website, you can:
download Fund prospectuses;
 
obtain information on the abrdn Funds;
 
access your account information; and
 
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request transactions, including purchases, redemptions and exchanges.
 
By Regular Mail
abrdn Funds
P.O. Box 219534
Kansas City MO 64121-9534
By Overnight Mail
abrdn Funds
c/o SS&C GIDS, Inc.
430 W. 7th Street, Ste. 219534
Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
By Fax 866-923-4269.
Share Price
The net asset value or “NAV” is the value of a single share. A separate NAV is calculated for each share class of a Fund. The NAV is:
calculated at the close of regular trading (usually 4 p.m. Eastern Time) each day the New York Stock Exchange is open.
 
generally determined by dividing the total net market value of the securities and other assets owned by a Fund allocated to a particular class, less the liabilities allocated to that class, by the total number of outstanding shares of that class.
 
The purchase or “offering” price for Fund shares is the NAV for a particular class next determined after the order is received in good form by a Fund’s transfer agent or an authorized intermediary, plus any applicable sales charge. An order is in “good form” if the Funds’ transfer agent has all the information and documentation it deems necessary to effect your order.
Please note the following with respect to the price at which your transactions are processed:
Fund shares will generally not be priced on any day the New York Stock Exchange is closed, although fixed income Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when the SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a fixed income Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a fixed income Fund does so, it will cease granting same business day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given to the next business day.
The Trust reserves the right to reprocess purchase (including dividend reinvestments), redemption and exchange transactions that were processed at a NAV that is subsequently adjusted, and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders accordingly based on the official closing NAV, as adjusted.
The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange and/or the bond markets are stopped at a time other than their regularly scheduled closing time. In the event the New York Stock Exchange and/or the bond markets do not open for business, the Trust may, but is not required to, open one or more Funds for purchase, redemption and exchange transactions if the Federal Reserve wire payment system is open. To learn whether a Fund is open for business during this situation, please call 1-866-667-9231.
The Funds do not calculate NAV on days when the New York Stock Exchange is regularly closed (except as described above for fixed income Funds). The New York Stock Exchange is closed on the following days:
New Year’s Day
 
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
 
Presidents’ Day
 
Good Friday
 
Memorial Day
 
Juneteenth National Independence Day
 
Independence Day
 
Labor Day
 
Thanksgiving Day
 
Christmas Day
 
Other days as determined by the New York Stock Exchange.
 
Foreign securities may trade on their local markets on days when a Fund is closed. As a result, if a Fund holds foreign securities, its NAV may be impacted on days when investors may not be able to purchase or redeem shares.
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Buying, Exchanging and Selling Shares
Fund Transactions
All transaction orders must be received by the Funds’ transfer agent in Kansas City, Missouri or an authorized intermediary prior to the calculation of each Fund’s NAV to receive that day’s NAV. The Fund has the right to close your account after a period of inactivity, as determined by state law, and transfer your shares to the appropriate state.
How to Buy Shares
Be sure to specify the class of shares you wish to purchase. Each Fund may reject any order to buy shares and may suspend the offering of shares at any time.
Through an authorized intermediary. The Funds or the Funds’ distributor have relationships with certain brokers and other financial intermediaries who are authorized to accept purchase, exchange and redemption orders for the Funds. Your transaction is processed at the NAV next calculated after the Funds’ transfer agent or an authorized intermediary receives your order in proper form.
By mail. Complete an application and send with a check made payable to: abrdn Funds. Payment must be made in U.S. Dollars and drawn on a U.S. bank. The Funds do not accept cash, starter checks, third-party checks, travelers’ checks, credit card checks or money orders.
By telephone. You will have automatic telephone privileges unless you decline this option on your application. The Funds follow procedures to confirm that telephone instructions are genuine and will not be liable for any loss, injury, damage or expense that results from executing such instructions. The Funds may revoke telephone privileges at any time, without notice to shareholders.
On-line. Transactions may be made through the abrdn Funds’ website at https://www.abrdn.com/us-online-access. However, the Funds may discontinue on-line transactions of Fund shares at any time.
By bank wire. You may have your bank transmit funds by federal funds wire to the Funds’ custodian bank. The authorization will be in effect unless you give the Funds written notice of its termination.
if you choose this method to open a new account, you must call our toll-free number before you wire your investment and arrange to fax your completed application.
 
your bank may charge a fee to wire funds.
 
the wire must be received by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time in order to receive the current day’s NAV.
 
By Automated Clearing House (ACH). You can fund your abrdn Funds’ account with proceeds from your bank via ACH on the second business day after your purchase order has been processed. A voided check must be attached to your application. Money sent through ACH typically reaches abrdn Funds from your bank in two business days. There is no fee for this service. The authorization will be in effect unless you give the Funds written notice of its termination.
By Automatic Investment Plan (AIP). Once your account has been opened, you may make regular investments automatically in amounts of not less than $50 per month in Class A or Class C shares of a Fund. You will need to complete the appropriate section of the Mutual Fund Application for New Accounts or contact your financial intermediary or the Funds’ transfer agent to do this. Your financial institution must be a member of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network to participate in an AIP. Any request to change or terminate your AIP should be submitted to the Funds’ transfer agent 10 days prior to effective date. Please call abrdn Funds at (866) 667-9231 for further information. If you redeem shares purchased via the AIP within 10 days, the Funds’ transfer agent may delay payment until it is assured that the purchase has cleared your account.
Retirement plan participants should contact their retirement plan administrator regarding transactions. Retirement plans or their administrators wishing to conduct transactions should call our toll-free number 866-667-9231. Eligible entities or individuals wishing to conduct transactions in Institutional Service Class or Institutional Class shares should call our toll-free number 866-667-9231.
How to Exchange*, or Sell** Shares
* Exchange privileges may be amended or discontinued upon 60 days written notice to shareholders.
** A medallion signature guarantee may be required. See “Medallion Signature Guarantee” below.
Through an authorized intermediary. The Funds or the Funds’ distributor have relationships with certain brokers and other financial intermediaries who are authorized to accept purchase, exchange and redemption orders for the Funds. Your transaction is processed at the NAV next calculated after the Funds’ transfer agent or an authorized intermediary receives your order in proper form.
By mail or fax. You may request an exchange or redemption by mailing or faxing a letter to abrdn Funds. The letter must include your account number(s) and the name(s) of the Fund(s) you wish to exchange from and to. The letter must be signed by all account owners. We reserve the right to request original documents for any faxed requests.
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By telephone. You will have automatic telephone privileges unless you decline this option on your application. The Funds follow procedures to confirm that telephone instructions are genuine and will not be liable for any loss, injury, damage or expense that results from executing such instructions. The Funds may revoke telephone privileges at any time, without notice to shareholders. For redemptions, shareholders who own shares in an IRA account should call 866-667-9231. It may be difficult to make telephone transactions in times of unusual economic or market conditions.
Additional information for selling shares. A check made payable to the shareholder(s) of record will be mailed to the address of record. The Funds may record telephone instructions to redeem shares, and may request redemption instructions in writing, signed by all shareholders on the account.
Online. Transactions may be made through the abrdn Funds’ website at https://www.abrdn.com/us-online-access. However, the Funds may discontinue on-line transactions of Fund shares at any time.
By bank wire. The Funds can wire the proceeds of your redemption directly to your account at a commercial bank. A voided check must be attached to your application. The authorization will be in effect unless you give the Funds written notice of its termination.
your proceeds typically will be wired to your bank on the next business day after your order has been processed.
 
abrdn Funds deducts a $20 service fee from the redemption proceeds for this service.
 
your financial institution may also charge a fee for receiving the wire.
 
funds sent outside the U.S. may be subject to higher fees.
 
Bank wire is not an option for exchanges.
By Automated Clearing House (ACH). Your redemption proceeds can be sent to your bank via ACH on the second business day after your order has been processed. A voided check must be attached to your application. Money sent through ACH should reach your bank in two business days. There is no fee for this service. The authorization will be in effect unless you give the Funds written notice of its termination. ACH is not an option for exchanges.
Retirement plan participants should contact their retirement plan administrator regarding transactions. Retirement plans or their administrators wishing to conduct transactions should call our toll-free number 866-667-9231. Eligible entities or individuals wishing to conduct transactions in Institutional Service Class or Institutional Class shares should call our toll-free number 866-667-9231.
Pricing of Fund Shares
The Funds value their securities at current market value or fair value, consistent with regulatory requirements. “Fair value” is defined in the Funds’ Valuation and Liquidity Procedures as the price that could be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between willing market participants without a compulsion to transact at the measurement date. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) designated the Adviser as the valuation designee (“Valuation Designee”) for the Funds to perform the fair value determinations relating to Fund investments for which market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable.
Equity securities that are traded on an exchange are valued at the last quoted sale price or the official close price on the principal exchange on which the security is traded at the “Valuation Time” subject to application, when appropriate, of the valuation factors described in the paragraph below. Under normal circumstances, the Valuation Time is as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (”NYSE”) (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time). In the absence of a sale price, the security is valued at the mean of the bid/ask price quoted at the close on the principal exchange on which the security is traded. Securities traded on NASDAQ are valued at the NASDAQ official closing price. Open-end mutual funds are valued at the respective net asset value as reported by such company. The prospectuses for the registered open-end management investment companies in which a Fund invests explain the circumstances under which those companies will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing. Closed-end funds and ETFs are valued at the market price of the security at the Valuation Time.
Foreign equity securities that are traded on foreign exchanges that close prior to the Valuation Time are valued by applying valuation factors to the last sale price or the mean price as noted above. Valuation factors are provided by an independent pricing service provider. These valuation factors are used when pricing a Fund’s portfolio holdings to estimate market movements between the time foreign markets close and the time a Fund values such foreign securities. These valuation factors are based on inputs such as depositary receipts, indices, futures, sector indices/ETFs, exchange rates, and local exchange opening and closing prices of each security. When prices with the application of valuation factors are utilized, the value assigned to the foreign securities may not be the same as quoted or published prices of the securities on their primary markets. Valuation factors are not utilized if the independent pricing service provider is unable to provide a valuation factor or if the valuation factor falls below a predetermined threshold.
Long-term debt and other fixed income securities are valued at the last quoted or evaluated bid price on the valuation date provided by an independent pricing service provider. If there are no current day bids, the security is valued at the previously applied bid. Pricing services generally price debt securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional “round lot” size, and the strategies employed by the Adviser as Valuation Designee generally trade in round lot sizes. In
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certain circumstances, fixed income securities may be held or transactions may be conducted in smaller, “odd lot” sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower or occasionally higher prices than institutional round lot trades. Short-term debt securities (such as commercial paper and U.S. treasury bills) having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at the last quoted or evaluated bid price on the valuation date provided by an independent pricing service, or on the basis of amortized cost if it represents the best approximation for fair value.
Derivative instruments are generally valued according to the following procedures. Forward currency exchange contracts are generally valued based on the current spot exchange rates and the forward exchange rate points (ex. 1-month, 3-month) that are obtained from an approved pricing agent. Based on the actual settlement dates of the forward contracts held, an interpolated value of the forward points is combined with the spot exchange rate to derive the valuation. Futures contracts are generally valued at the most recent settlement price as of NAV determination. Swap agreements are generally valued by an approved pricing agent based on the terms of the swap agreement (including future cash flows). When market quotations or exchange rates are not readily available, or if the Adviser as Valuation Designee concludes that such market quotations do not accurately reflect fair value, the fair value of a Fund’s assets are determined in good faith in accordance with the Valuation Procedures.
In-Kind Purchases
Each Fund may accept payment for shares in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund.
Customer Identification Information
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person that opens a new account, and to determine whether such person’s name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, unless such information is collected by the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary pursuant to an agreement, the Funds must obtain the following information for each person that opens a new account:
name;
 
date of birth (for individuals);
 
residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
 
Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
 
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver’s license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Funds and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Funds may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Funds may close your account or take other appropriate action if they are unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed. If the NAV on the redemption date is lower than the NAV on your original purchase date, you will receive less than your original investment amount when the account is closed (less any applicable CDSC).
Accounts with Low Balances
Maintaining small accounts is costly for the Funds and may have a negative effect on performance. Shareholders are encouraged to keep their accounts above each Fund’s minimum.
If the value of your account falls below $1,000, you are generally subject to a $5 quarterly fee (with an annual maximum of $20 per account). Shares from your account are redeemed each quarter to cover the fee, which is returned to the Fund to offset small account expenses. Under some circumstances, each Fund may waive the quarterly fee. See the SAI for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed.
 
Each Fund reserves the right to redeem your remaining shares and close your account if a redemption of shares brings the value of your account below $1,000. In such cases, you will be notified and given 60 days to purchase additional shares before the account is closed.
 
Exchanging Shares
If you hold Class A, Class C, Institutional Class or Institutional Service Class shares (as applicable), you may exchange your Fund shares for shares of any fund of the Trust that is currently accepting new investments as long as:
your financial intermediary’s policies and procedures permit exchanges;
 
both accounts have the same registration;
 
your first purchase in the new fund meets its minimum investment requirement; and
 
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you purchase the same class of shares. For example, you may exchange between Class A shares of any Fund of the Trust, but may not exchange between Class A shares and Class C shares.
 
The exchange privileges may be amended or discontinued upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
Generally, you may exchange all or part of your shares for shares of the same class of another abrdn Fund without paying a front-end sales charge or CDSC at the time of the exchange. However,
if you exchange Class A shares that are subject to a CDSC, and then redeem those shares within 18 months of the original purchase (within 12 months of the original purchase of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund and Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund, or with respect to Class A1 of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund), the CDSC applicable to the original purchase is charged.
 
For purposes of calculating a CDSC, the length of ownership is measured from the date of original purchase and is not affected by any permitted exchange.
You should obtain and carefully read the prospectus of the Fund you are acquiring before making an exchange.
Moving Share Classes in the Same Fund
A financial intermediary may exchange shares in one class held on behalf of its customers for another class of the same Fund with a lower total expense ratio, subject to any agreements between the customer and the intermediary. All such transactions are subject to meeting any investment minimum or eligibility requirements. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser will make any representations regarding the tax implications of such exchanges.
Financial intermediaries may offer investment programs (a “Program”) to their clients that are governed by specific terms. The Program terms may permit the financial intermediary to exchange Institutional Class shares held in a client’s account for a class of shares of the same Fund with a higher expense structure. For example, if a financial intermediary client account holds Institutional Class shares and has ceased his or her participation in a Program that utilizes Institutional Class shares, or the financial intermediary has determined to utilize Class A shares rather than Institutional Class shares in its Program, or the shareholder transfers to a Program that utilizes Class A shares, the financial intermediary may exchange Institutional Class shares held in the client account for Class A shares of the same Fund. Based on the Program terms, such exchange may be on the basis of the relative NAVs of the shares, without imposition of any sales load, fee, or other charge. If the Program terms do not include a waiver of such charges, the client account may be subject to the payment of a sales load upon a transfer from Institutional Class to Class A shares. There could be tax consequences for any such exchange. Investors in such Programs should consult their tax advisor to determine if there are tax consequences if the intermediary makes such an exchange.
Systematic Withdrawal Program
You may elect to automatically redeem shares in a minimum amount of $50. Complete the appropriate section of the Mutual Fund Application for New Accounts or contact your financial intermediary or the Funds’ transfer agent. Your account value must meet the minimum initial investment amount at the time the program is established. This program may reduce, and eventually deplete, your account. Generally, it is not advisable to continue to purchase Class A, Class A1 or Class C shares subject to a sales charge while redeeming shares using this program. A systematic withdrawal plan for Class C shares will be subject to any applicable CDSC.
Systematic Exchange Plan and Dividend Moves
This systematic exchange plan allows you to transfer $50 or more to one abrdn Fund from another abrdn Fund systematically, monthly or quarterly. Accounts participating in a systematic exchange plan have a minimum balance requirement of $5,000. You will need to complete the appropriate section of the Mutual Fund Application for New Accounts or contact your financial intermediary or the Funds’ transfer agent to do this. Dividends of any amount can be moved automatically from one Fund to another at the time they are paid. This systematic exchange plan may not be permitted by the policies and procedures of your financial intermediary. Please consult your financial advisor for more information.
Selling Shares
You can sell, or in other words redeem, your Fund shares at any time, subject to the restrictions described below. The price you receive when you redeem your shares is the NAV (minus any applicable sales charges) next determined after the Fund’s authorized intermediary or an agent of the Fund receives your properly completed redemption request. The value of the shares you redeem may be worth more or less than their original purchase price depending on the market value of the Fund’s investments at the time of the redemption.
You may not be able to redeem your Fund shares or the Funds may delay paying your redemption proceeds if:
the New York Stock Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings);
 
trading is restricted; or
 
an emergency exists (as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission).
 
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Investing with abrdn Funds 
Generally, a Fund will issue payment for shares that you redeem the next business day after your redemption request is received in good order. The proceeds will be sent to you thereafter and delivery time may vary depending on the method by which you owned your shares (for example, directly or through a broker). Payment for shares that you recently purchased by check may be delayed up to 10 business days from the purchase date to allow time for your payment to clear. A Fund may delay forwarding redemption proceeds for up to seven days:
if the account holder is engaged in excessive trading or
 
if the amount of the redemption request would disrupt efficient portfolio management or adversely affect the Fund.
 
Occasionally, large shareholder redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of a Fund and result in overdraft charges to the Fund until the sale of portfolio securities to cover the redemption request settle, which is typically a few days.
If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and the redemption check is returned as undeliverable or is not presented for payment within six months, the Funds reserve the right to reinvest the check proceeds and future distributions in shares of the particular Fund at the Fund’s then-current NAV until you give the Funds different instructions.
Under normal circumstances, each Fund expects to meet redemption requests by using cash in its portfolio or by selling portfolio securities to generate cash. During periods of stressed market conditions, when a significant portion of a Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of less-liquid investments, such Fund may be more likely to limit cash redemptions and may determine to pay redemption proceeds by borrowing under its overdraft facility, and/or by transferring some of the securities held by the Fund directly to an account holder as a redemption-in-kind of securities (instead of cash). For more about abrdn Funds’ ability to make a redemption-in-kind, see the SAI.
The Board of Trustees has adopted procedures for redemptions in-kind by shareholders including affiliated and unaffiliated persons of a Fund. Affiliated persons of a Fund include shareholders who are affiliates of the Adviser and shareholders of a Fund owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of that Fund. These procedures provide that a redemption-in-kind shall be effected at approximately the affiliated shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s current net assets, and are designed so that such redemptions will not favor the affiliated shareholder to the detriment of any other shareholder. Further, the procedures require that, in general, in-kind redemptions may be distributed on a pro rata basis whereby the redeeming shareholder would receive a proportionate share of every investment held by the Fund including cash. In certain circumstances, however, pro rata distribution with some adjustments may be made when the redeeming shareholder is restricted by law from taking possession of certain securities or the Fund’s Adviser believes such a distribution is in the best interests of shareholders.
Medallion Signature Guarantee
A medallion signature guarantee is required for sales of shares of the Funds in any of the following instances:
if ownership is being changed on your account;
 
the redemption check is made payable to anyone other than the registered shareholder;
 
the proceeds are mailed to an address other than the address of record;
 
your account address has changed within the last 15 calendar days;
 
the redemption proceeds are being wired or sent by ACH to a bank for which instructions are currently not on your account; or
 
the redemption proceeds are being wired or sent by ACH to a bank account that has been added or changed within the past 15 calendar days.
 
A medallion signature guarantee is a certification by a bank, brokerage firm or other financial institution that a customer’s signature is valid. Medallion signature guarantees can be provided by members of the STAMP program. We reserve the right to require a medallion signature guarantee in other circumstances, without notice.
Excessive or Short-Term Trading
abrdn Funds seek to discourage short-term or excessive trading (often described as “market timing”). Excessive trading (either frequent exchanges between Funds of the Trust or sales and repurchases of Funds within a short time period) may:
disrupt portfolio management strategies;
 
increase brokerage and other transaction costs; and
 
negatively affect fund performance.
 
Each Fund may be more or less affected by short-term trading in Fund shares, depending on various factors such as the size of the Fund, the amount of assets the Fund typically maintains in cash or cash equivalents, the dollar amount, number and frequency of trades in Fund shares and other factors. Funds that invest in foreign securities may be at greater risk for excessive trading. Investors may attempt to take advantage of anticipated price movements in securities held by the Funds based on events occurring after the close of a foreign market that may not be reflected in a Fund’s NAV
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Investing with abrdn Funds 
(referred to as “arbitrage market timing”). Arbitrage market timing may also be attempted in funds that hold significant investments in small-cap securities, high-yield (junk) bonds and other types of investments that may not be frequently traded. There is the possibility that arbitrage market timing, under certain circumstances, may dilute the value of Fund shares if redeeming shareholders receive proceeds (and buying shareholders receive shares) based on NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices.
The Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund is not subject to the prohibitions on frequent purchases and redemptions. Because the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund is designed for short-term investing and frequent purchases and redemptions of the Fund’s shares generally are not expected to harm other shareholders of the Fund, the Board of Trustees has determined that, at the present time, policies and procedures to prevent frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares are unnecessary and a redemption fee for the Fund is not necessary or appropriate. However, frequent purchases and redemptions of the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund’s shares may result in additional costs for the Fund.
The Board of Trustees has adopted and implemented the following policies and procedures to detect, discourage and prevent excessive short-term trading in the Funds (except the Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund).
Monitoring of Trading Activity
The Funds, through the Adviser, its sub-adviser(s) (if applicable) and its agents, monitor selected trades and flows of money in and out of the Funds in an effort to detect excessive short-term trading activities. If a shareholder is found to have engaged in excessive short-term trading, the Funds may, in their discretion, ask the shareholder to stop such activities or refuse to process purchases or exchanges in the shareholder’s account. Despite its best efforts, the Trust may be unable to identify or deter excessive trades conducted through certain intermediaries or omnibus accounts that transmit aggregate purchase, exchange and redemption orders on behalf of their customers. In short, the Trust may not be able to prevent all market timing and its potential negative impact.
Restrictions on Transactions
Whenever a Fund is able to identify short-term trades or traders, such Fund has broad authority to take discretionary action against market timers and against particular trades and uniformly will apply the short-term trading restrictions to all such trades that the Fund identifies. A Fund also has sole discretion to:
restrict purchases or exchanges that the Fund or its agents believe constitute excessive trading and
 
reject transactions that violate a Fund’s excessive trading policies or its exchange limits.
 
In general if you make an exchange equaling 1% or more of a Fund’s NAV, the exchange into another abrdn Fund may be rejected.
The Funds, at their discretion, may choose to exempt certain types of transactions from short-term trading restrictions if the Adviser believes the Fund share activity is not to the detriment of the Fund or its shareholders. The following, among others, are examples of transaction descriptions that may qualify for an exemption: transactions made by a participant in Fund-sponsored systematic purchase, exchange and redemption programs; required minimum distributions from retirement accounts; transactions placed by fund-of-funds organized as registered investment companies; transactions placed at the direction of a retirement plan administrator; and transactions made pursuant to an asset allocation or advisory program.
Fair Valuation
The Trust has fair value pricing procedures in place as described above in “Investing with abrdn Funds: Pricing of Fund Shares.”
Unclaimed Share Accounts
Please be advised that abandoned or unclaimed property laws for certain states require financial organizations to transfer (escheat) unclaimed property (including Fund shares) to the state. Each state has its own definition of unclaimed property, and Fund shares could be considered “unclaimed property” due to account inactivity (e.g., no owner-generated activity for a certain period), returned mail (e.g., when mail sent to a shareholder is returned to the Fund’s transfer agent as undeliverable), or a combination of both. If your Fund shares are categorized as unclaimed, your financial advisor or the Fund’s transfer agent will follow the applicable state’s statutory requirements to contact you, but if unsuccessful, laws may require that the shares be escheated to the appropriate state. Escheatment of retirement account assets may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax. If this happens, you will have to contact the state to recover your property, which may involve time and expense. For more information on unclaimed property and how to maintain an active account, please contact your financial adviser or the Fund’s transfer agent.
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Distributions and Taxes 
Distributions and Taxes
The following information is provided to help you understand the income and capital gains you can earn while you own Fund shares, as well as the federal income taxes you may have to pay. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee the Fund will pay either income dividends or capital gain distributions. For tax advice about your personal tax situation, please speak with your tax adviser.
Income and Capital Gain Distributions
Each Fund intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code” or the “Internal Revenue Code”). As a regulated investment company, a Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and capital gains it distributes to you. Each of the China A Fund, Emerging Markets Dividend Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Emerging Markets ex-China Fund, Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund, Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, Global Equity Impact Fund, International Small Cap Fund, U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund expects to declare and distribute its net investment income, if any, to shareholders as dividends annually. Each of the Global Infrastructure Fund and Realty Income & Growth Fund expects to declare and distribute its net investment income, if any, to shareholders as dividends quarterly. Each of the Dynamic Dividend Fund, High Income Opportunities and Infrastructure Debt Fund expects to declare and distribute its net investment income, if any, to shareholders as dividends monthly. Each of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund expects to declare daily and distribute its net investment income, if any, to shareholders as dividends monthly. Capital gains, if any, may be distributed at least annually. A Fund may distribute income dividends and capital gains more frequently, if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on a Fund. All income and capital gain distributions are automatically reinvested in shares of the applicable Fund. You may request in writing a payment in cash if the distribution is in excess of $5.
If you choose to have dividends or capital gain distributions, or both, mailed to you and the distribution check is returned as undeliverable or is not presented for payment within six months, the Trust reserves the right to reinvest the check proceeds and future distributions in shares of the particular Fund at the Fund’s then-current NAV until you give the Trust different instructions.
Tax Considerations
Most of the income dividends you receive from the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund, if applicable, are expected to be exempt from regular federal income taxes. If you are a taxable investor, a portion of the dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from a Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are subject to federal income tax, state taxes and possibly local taxes:
distributions are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates (except as described below with respect to exempt-interest dividends);
 
distributions of short-term capital gains are paid to you as ordinary income that is taxable at applicable ordinary income tax rates;
 
distributions of long-term capital gains are taxable to you as long-term capital gains no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares;
 
for individuals, a portion of the income dividends paid may be qualified dividend income eligible for long-term capital gain tax rates, provided that certain holding period requirements are met;
 
for individuals, a portion of the income dividends paid may be eligible for a 20% “qualified business income” deduction available through 2025 to the extent attributable to ordinary real estate investment trust (“REIT”) dividends, provided that certain holding period requirements are met;
 
for corporate shareholders, a portion of income dividends may be eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction, subject to certain limitations; and
 
distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record in such month, but paid in January, are taxable as if they were paid in December.
 
In addition, if you are a shareholder of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund or Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund, you should be aware of the following basic tax points about tax-exempt mutual funds:
exempt-interest dividends (dividends paid from interest earned on municipal securities) are exempt from regular federal income tax;
 
exempt-interest dividends are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your Social Security or railroad retirement benefits;
 
income paid from tax-exempt bonds whose proceeds are used to fund private, for-profit organizations (private activity bonds) are a tax preference item subject to the federal alternative minimum tax;
 
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Distributions and Taxes 
income dividends from interest earned on municipal securities of a state or its political subdivisions are generally exempt from that state’s income taxes. Almost all states, however, tax interest earned on municipal securities of other states;
 
income dividends from the Fund’s investments in securities that do not pay tax-exempt income and market discount are paid to you as ordinary income.
 
None of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund is managed to address state or local taxes. Each of these Funds, as a tax-free fund, may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors. Corporate shareholders should note that exempt-interest dividends may be fully taxable in states that impose corporate franchise taxes, and they should consult with their tax advisers about the taxability of this income before investing in the Funds.
While each of the Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund and Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund endeavors to purchase only bona fide tax-exempt securities, there are risks that: (a) a security issued as tax-exempt may be reclassified by the IRS or a state tax authority as taxable and/or (b) future legislative, administrative or court actions could adversely impact the qualification of income from a tax-exempt security as tax-free. Such reclassifications or actions could cause interest from a security to become taxable, possibly retroactively, subjecting you to increased tax liability. In addition, such reclassifications or actions could cause the value of a security, and therefore, a Fund’s shares, to decline.
The amount and type of income dividends and the tax status of any capital gains distributed to you are reported on Form 1099-DIV (any exempt interest dividends will be reported on Form 1099-INT), which we send to you annually during tax season (unless you hold your shares in a qualified tax-deferred plan or account or are otherwise not subject to federal income tax). A Fund may reclassify income after your tax reporting statement is mailed to you. This can result from the rules in the Internal Revenue Code that effectively prevent mutual funds, such as the Funds, from ascertaining with certainty, until after the calendar year end, and in some cases a Fund’s fiscal year end, the final amount and character of distributions the Fund has received on its investments during the prior calendar year. Prior to issuing your statement, each Fund makes every effort to search for reclassified income to reduce the number of corrected forms mailed to shareholders. However, when necessary, the Fund will send you a corrected Form 1099-DIV to reflect reclassified information.
Distributions from the Funds (both taxable dividends and capital gains) are normally taxable to you when made, regardless of whether you reinvest these distributions or receive them in cash (unless you hold your shares in a qualified tax-deferred plan or account or are otherwise not subject to federal income tax). If you are a taxable investor and invest in a Fund shortly before the record date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund’s shares by the amount of the distribution, and you will in effect receive some of your investment back, but in the form of a taxable distribution. This is commonly known as “buying a dividend.”
Dividends and other distributions by a Fund are generally treated under the Internal Revenue Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, any dividend or capital gain distribution declared by a Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the Fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year.
In certain situations, a Fund may, for a taxable year, defer all or a portion of its net capital loss realized after October (or if there is no net capital loss, then any net long-term or short-term capital loss) and its late-year ordinary loss (defined as the sum of the excess of post-October non-U.S. currency and passive non-U.S. investment company (“PFIC”) losses over post-October non-U.S. currency and PFIC gains plus the excess of post-December ordinary losses over post-December ordinary income) until the next taxable year in computing its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, which will defer the recognition of such realized losses. Such deferrals and other rules regarding gains and losses realized after October (or December) may affect the tax character of shareholder distributions.
If more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets at the end of a fiscal year is invested in foreign securities, the Fund may elect to pass through to you your pro rata share of foreign taxes paid by the Fund. If a Fund elects to do so, then any foreign taxes it pays on these investments may be passed through to you either as a deduction (in calculating U.S. taxable income, but only for investors who itemize their deductions on their personal tax returns) or as a foreign tax credit.
Selling and Exchanging Shares
Selling your shares may result in a realized capital gain or loss, which is subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of one Fund of the Trust for another is the same as a sale. For individuals, any long-term capital gains you realize from selling Fund shares are currently taxed at 15% or 20%, depending on whether your income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are adjusted annually for inflation. You or your tax adviser should track your purchases, tax basis, sales and any resulting gain or loss. If you redeem Fund shares for a loss, you may be able to use this capital loss to offset any other capital gains you have.
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Distributions and Taxes 
Tax Status for Retirement Plans and Other Tax-Deferred Accounts
When you invest in a Fund through a qualified employee benefit plan, retirement plan or some other tax-deferred account, dividend and capital gain distributions generally are not subject to current federal income taxes. In general, these entities are governed by complex tax rules. You should ask your tax adviser or plan administrator for more information about your tax situation, including possible state or local taxes.
Backup Withholding
By law, you may be subject to backup withholding on a portion of your taxable distributions and redemption proceeds unless you provide your correct Social Security or taxpayer identification number and certify that (1) this number is correct, (2) you are not subject to backup withholding, and (3) you are a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). You may also be subject to withholding if the Internal Revenue Service instructs us to withhold a portion of your distributions and proceeds.
Other
Distributions and gains from the sale or exchange of your Fund shares may be subject to state and local taxes, even if not subject to federal income taxes. State and local tax laws vary; please consult your tax adviser. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding at a 30% or lower treaty tax rate, U.S. estate tax and special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Properly reported dividends received by a non-U.S. investor are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (i) are paid in respect of the Fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, the Fund’s U.S. source interest income, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income), or (ii) are paid in connection with the Fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gain over the Fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on the circumstances, the Fund may report all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and a portion of the Fund’s distributions (e.g., interest from non- U.S. sources or any foreign currency gains) would be ineligible for this potential exemption from withholding. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are also provided for exempt-interest dividends and capital gain dividends paid by a Fund from long-term capital gains, if any. However, notwithstanding such exemption from U.S. withholding at the source, any dividends and distributions of income or capital gains will be subject to backup withholding if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
Under current law, the Funds serve to block unrelated business taxable income from being realized by their tax-exempt shareholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income by virtue of its investment in the Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Section 514(b) of the Code. Certain types of income received by the Fund from REITs, real estate mortgage investment conduits, taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause the Fund to report some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To Fund shareholders, such excess inclusion income may (i) constitute taxable income, as “unrelated business taxable income” for those shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities; (ii) not be offset by otherwise allowable deductions for tax purposes; (iii) not be eligible for reduced U.S. withholding for non-U.S. shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (iv) cause the Fund to be subject to tax if certain “disqualified organizations” as defined by the Code are Fund shareholders. If a charitable remainder annuity trust or a charitable remainder unitrust (each as defined in Section 664 of the Code) has unrelated business taxable income for a taxable year, a 100% excise tax on the unrelated business taxable income is imposed on the trust.
A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax is imposed on net investment income, including, among other things, dividends and net gain from investments, of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married filing jointly), and of estates and trusts.
Additionally, a 30% withholding tax is currently imposed on fund dividends paid to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds unless they agree to collect and disclose to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign entities unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that they will provide the IRS information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the IRS certain information with respect to U.S. accounts maintained, agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant foreign financial institutions or to account holders who fail to provide the required information, and determine certain other information as to their account holders, or (ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities will need to either provide the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner or certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions apply. Under some circumstances, a foreign shareholder may be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
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Distributions and Taxes 
This discussion of “Distributions and Taxes” is not intended or written to be used as tax advice. Because everyone’s tax situation is unique, you should consult your tax professional about federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences before making an investment in the Funds.
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Financial Highlights 
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182   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Funds’ financial performance for the past five years or periods ended October 31. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and no sales charges). The information for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 was derived from the financial statements which were audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, is included in the Funds’ most recent annual report, which is available upon request.
The financial highlights information presented for each of the Emerging Markets Dividend Fund, Global Equity Impact Fund and High Income Opportunities Fund prior to December 3, 2021 is that of each Fund’s Predecessor Fund.
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund (formerly, abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Smaller Companies Fund)
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$6.29
$(0.02
)
$(0.60
)
$(0.62
)
$–
$–
$–
$5.67
Year Ended October 31, 2022
11.09
(0.04
)
(2.09
)
(2.13
)
(2.67
)
(2.67
)
6.29
Year Ended October 31, 2021
8.08
(0.04
)
4.06
4.02
(1.01
)
(1.01
)
11.09
Year Ended October 31, 2020
7.59
(0.01
)
0.96
0.95
(g)
(0.46
)
(0.46
)
8.08
Year Ended October 31, 2019
6.85
0.01
1.09
1.10
(0.36
)
(0.36
)
7.59
Class R Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
5.38
(0.03
)
(0.52
)
(0.55
)
4.83
Year Ended October 31, 2022
9.54
(0.06
)
(1.78
)
(1.84
)
(2.32
)
(2.32
)
5.38
Year Ended October 31, 2021
7.09
(0.06
)
3.52
3.46
(1.01
)
(1.01
)
9.54
Year Ended October 31, 2020
6.73
(0.03
)
0.85
0.82
(0.46
)
(0.46
)
7.09
Year Ended October 31, 2019
6.13
(0.01
)
0.97
0.96
(0.36
)
(0.36
)
6.73
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
6.64
(–
)
(g)
(0.65
)
(0.65
)
5.99
Year Ended October 31, 2022
11.68
(0.04
)
(2.18
)
(2.22
)
(2.82
)
(2.82
)
6.64
Year Ended October 31, 2021
8.45
(0.03
)
4.27
4.24
(1.01
)
(1.01
)
11.68
Year Ended October 31, 2020
7.92
(g)
1.00
1.00
(0.01
)
(0.46
)
(0.47
)
8.45
Year Ended October 31, 2019
7.11
0.03
1.14
1.17
(0.36
)
(0.36
)
7.92
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
6.97
0.01
(0.68
)
(0.67
)
6.30
Year Ended October 31, 2022
12.21
(0.02
)
(2.31
)
(2.33
)
(2.91
)
(2.91
)
6.97
Year Ended October 31, 2021
8.78
(0.01
)
4.45
4.44
(1.01
)
(1.01
)
12.21
Year Ended October 31, 2020
8.20
0.01
1.04
1.05
(0.01
)
(0.46
)
(0.47
)
8.78
Year Ended October 31, 2019
7.34
0.04
1.18
1.22
(0.36
)
(0.36
)
8.20
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
184   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01% for Class A, Class C, Class R, Institutional Service Class and Institutional Class for the years ended October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020.
(g) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   185

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Focused U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund (formerly, abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Smaller Companies Fund) (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
(9.86
%)
$6,278
1.24
%
(e)
2.33
%
(e)
(0.25
%)
16.83
%
(25.40
%)
8,220
1.24
%
2.34
%
(0.59
%)
55.89
%
53.27
%
10,032
1.22
%
(f)
2.42
%
(f)
(0.45
%)
157.35
%
12.88
%
7,618
1.24
%
(f)
2.13
%
(f)
(0.17
%)
45.98
%
17.62
%
8,481
1.25
%
2.09
%
0.20
%
54.04
%
(10.22
%)
2,013
1.53
%
(e)
2.62
%
(e)
(0.55
%)
16.83
%
(25.57
%)
2,286
1.56
%
2.67
%
(0.91
%)
55.89
%
52.76
%
3,071
1.55
%
(f)
2.75
%
(f)
(0.78
%)
157.35
%
12.54
%
1,952
1.43
%
(f)
2.32
%
(f)
(0.37
%)
45.98
%
17.39
%
1,924
1.55
%
2.39
%
(0.09
%)
54.04
%
(9.79
%)
224
1.05
%
(e)
2.14
%
(e)
(0.06
%)
16.83
%
(25.16
%)
276
1.05
%
2.16
%
(0.47
%)
55.89
%
53.56
%
159
1.05
%
(f)
2.25
%
(f)
(0.33
%)
157.35
%
12.96
%
340
1.04
%
(f)
1.93
%
(f)
0.02
%
45.98
%
17.96
%
480
1.05
%
1.89
%
0.45
%
54.04
%
(9.61
%)
2,934
0.90
%
(e)
2.13
%
(e)
0.11
%
16.83
%
(25.17
%)
5,182
0.90
%
2.15
%
(0.25
%)
55.89
%
53.85
%
5,531
0.90
%
(f)
2.24
%
(f)
(0.12
%)
157.35
%
13.14
%
3,451
0.90
%
(f)
1.94
%
(f)
0.17
%
45.98
%
18.10
%
4,580
0.90
%
1.89
%
0.58
%
54.04
%
186   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$30.19
$(0.17
)
$(2.55
)
$(2.72
)
$–
$(1.69
)
$(1.69
)
$25.78
Year Ended October 31, 2022
49.57
(0.25
)
(9.33
)
(9.58
)
(9.80
)
(9.80
)
30.19
Year Ended October 31, 2021
33.55
(0.24
)
18.64
18.40
(2.38
)
(2.38
)
49.57
Year Ended October 31, 2020
33.19
(0.20
)
3.08
2.88
(2.52
)
(2.52
)
33.55
Year Ended October 31, 2019
35.39
(0.10
)
1.78
1.68
(f)
(3.88
)
(3.88
)
33.19
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
22.59
(0.25
)
(1.87
)
(2.12
)
(1.69
)
(1.69
)
18.78
Year Ended October 31, 2022
39.79
(0.36
)
(7.04
)
(7.40
)
(9.80
)
(9.80
)
22.59
Year Ended October 31, 2021
27.48
(0.42
)
15.11
14.69
(2.38
)
(2.38
)
39.79
Year Ended October 31, 2020
27.79
(0.33
)
2.54
2.21
(2.52
)
(2.52
)
27.48
Year Ended October 31, 2019
30.53
(0.27
)
1.41
1.14
(3.88
)
(3.88
)
27.79
Class R Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
25.92
(0.21
)
(2.16
)
(2.37
)
(1.69
)
(1.69
)
21.86
Year Ended October 31, 2022
44.07
(0.31
)
(8.04
)
(8.35
)
(9.80
)
(9.80
)
25.92
Year Ended October 31, 2021
30.12
(0.32
)
16.65
16.33
(2.38
)
(2.38
)
44.07
Year Ended October 31, 2020
30.14
(0.27
)
2.77
2.50
(2.52
)
(2.52
)
30.12
Year Ended October 31, 2019
32.64
(0.19
)
1.57
1.38
(3.88
)
(3.88
)
30.14
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
33.38
(0.10
)
(2.85
)
(2.95
)
(1.69
)
(1.69
)
28.74
Year Ended October 31, 2022
53.65
(0.19
)
(10.28
)
(10.47
)
(9.80
)
(9.80
)
33.38
Year Ended October 31, 2021
36.06
(0.15
)
20.12
19.97
(2.38
)
(2.38
)
53.65
Year Ended October 31, 2020
35.41
(0.12
)
3.29
3.17
(2.52
)
(2.52
)
36.06
Year Ended October 31, 2019
37.39
(0.01
)
1.93
1.92
(0.02
)
(3.88
)
(3.90
)
35.41
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
33.50
(0.05
)
(2.87
)
(2.92
)
(1.69
)
(1.69
)
28.89
Year Ended October 31, 2022
53.75
(0.15
)
(10.30
)
(10.45
)
(9.80
)
(9.80
)
33.50
Year Ended October 31, 2021
36.09
(0.10
)
20.14
20.04
(2.38
)
(2.38
)
53.75
Year Ended October 31, 2020
35.40
(0.09
)
3.30
3.21
(2.52
)
(2.52
)
36.09
Year Ended October 31, 2019
37.37
0.01
1.92
1.93
(0.02
)
(3.88
)
(3.90
)
35.40
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   187

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
(9.50
%)
$83,828
1.39
%
(e)
1.43
%
(e)
(0.57
%)
29.74
%
(23.82
%)
108,078
1.35
%
(e)
1.35
%
(e)
(0.74
%)
59.08
%
56.92
%
172,963
1.35
%
1.35
%
(0.56
%)
78.38
%
8.97
%
124,673
1.40
%
(e)
1.40
%
(e)
(0.62
%)
60.67
%
7.15
%
159,391
1.41
%
(e)
1.41
%
(e)
(0.33
%)
55.00
%
(10.08
%)
16,007
2.00
%
(e)
2.15
%
(e)
(1.17
%)
29.74
%
(24.30
%)
25,068
1.99
%
(e)
2.06
%
(e)
(1.38
%)
59.08
%
55.93
%
44,295
1.99
%
2.06
%
(1.20
%)
78.38
%
8.25
%
36,621
2.05
%
(e)
2.10
%
(e)
(1.26
%)
60.67
%
6.41
%
48,382
2.10
%
(e)
2.10
%
(e)
(0.99
%)
55.00
%
(9.73
%)
2,773
1.64
%
(e)
1.68
%
(e)
(0.82
%)
29.74
%
(24.04
%)
3,286
1.65
%
(e)
1.65
%
(e)
(1.03
%)
59.08
%
56.50
%
5,408
1.63
%
1.63
%
(0.84
%)
78.38
%
8.59
%
3,554
1.75
%
(e)
1.75
%
(e)
(0.96
%)
60.67
%
6.78
%
5,272
1.75
%
(e)
1.75
%
(e)
(0.65
%)
55.00
%
(9.27
%)
28,529
1.13
%
(e)
1.17
%
(e)
(0.31
%)
29.74
%
(23.64
%)
31,893
1.11
%
(e)
1.11
%
(e)
(0.50
%)
59.08
%
57.33
%
41,568
1.11
%
1.11
%
(0.31
%)
78.38
%
9.24
%
31,548
1.13
%
(e)
1.13
%
(e)
(0.35
%)
60.67
%
7.44
%
40,476
1.12
%
(e)
1.12
%
(e)
(0.04
%)
55.00
%
(9.14
%)
233,893
1.00
%
(e)
1.14
%
(e)
(0.16
%)
29.74
%
(23.54
%)
559,518
0.99
%
(e)
1.07
%
(e)
(0.38
%)
59.08
%
57.48
%
931,614
0.99
%
1.06
%
(0.21
%)
78.38
%
9.37
%
536,973
1.04
%
(e)
1.10
%
(e)
(0.27
%)
60.67
%
7.48
%
607,103
1.11
%
(e)
1.11
%
(e)
0.03
%
55.00
%
188   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$22.74
$0.06
$(1.32
)
$(1.26
)
$–
$–
$–
$21.48
Year Ended October 31, 2022
37.76
0.01
(14.09
)
(14.08
)
(0.94
)
(0.94
)
22.74
Year Ended October 31, 2021
33.90
(0.11
)
4.50
4.39
(0.53
)
(0.53
)
37.76
Year Ended October 31, 2020
25.61
0.08
9.29
9.37
(g)
(1.08
)
(1.08
)
33.90
Year Ended October 31, 2019
19.86
0.07
5.72
5.79
(0.04
)
(0.04
)
25.61
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
21.25
(0.10
)
(1.20
)
(1.30
)
19.95
Year Ended October 31, 2022
35.58
(0.22
)
(13.17
)
(13.39
)
(0.94
)
(0.94
)
21.25
Year Ended October 31, 2021
32.18
(0.31
)
4.24
3.93
(0.53
)
(0.53
)
35.58
Year Ended October 31, 2020
24.52
(0.09
)
8.83
8.74
(1.08
)
(1.08
)
32.18
Year Ended October 31, 2019
19.12
(0.21
)
5.61
5.40
24.52
Class R Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
22.03
(0.03
)
(1.25
)
(1.28
)
20.75
Year Ended October 31, 2022
36.71
(0.06
)
(13.68
)
(13.74
)
(0.94
)
(0.94
)
22.03
Year Ended October 31, 2021
33.07
(0.23
)
4.40
4.17
(0.53
)
(0.53
)
36.71
Year Ended October 31, 2020
25.08
(0.06
)
9.13
9.07
(1.08
)
(1.08
)
33.07
Year Ended October 31, 2019
19.48
0.02
5.58
5.60
25.08
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
22.96
0.12
(1.33
)
(1.21
)
21.75
Year Ended October 31, 2022
38.05
0.05
(14.18
)
(14.13
)
(0.02
)
(0.94
)
(0.96
)
22.96
Year Ended October 31, 2021
34.11
(0.04
)
4.53
4.49
(0.02
)
(0.53
)
(0.55
)
38.05
Year Ended October 31, 2020
25.75
0.15
9.34
9.49
(0.05
)
(1.08
)
(1.13
)
34.11
Year Ended October 31, 2019
19.98
0.11
5.76
5.87
(0.10
)
(0.10
)
25.75
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
23.10
0.15
(1.35
)
(1.20
)
21.90
Year Ended October 31, 2022
38.24
0.06
(14.23
)
(14.17
)
(0.03
)
(0.94
)
(0.97
)
23.10
Year Ended October 31, 2021
34.26
0.12
4.43
4.55
(0.04
)
(0.53
)
(0.57
)
38.24
Year Ended October 31, 2020
25.85
0.05
9.51
9.56
(0.07
)
(1.08
)
(1.15
)
34.26
Year Ended October 31, 2019
20.03
0.26
5.64
5.90
(0.08
)
(0.08
)
25.85
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to 0.03% for the year ended October 31, 2023. Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01% for the years ended October 31, 2022, October 31, 2021, October 31, 2020, and October 31, 2019, respectively.
(f) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
(g) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   189

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn China A Share Equity Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
(5.54
%)
$7,929
1.38
%
(e)
1.79
%
(e)
0.23
%
36.32
%
(38.20
%)
9,609
1.33
%
(e)
1.78
%
(e)
0.04
%
23.60
%
12.98
%
(f)
18,476
1.32
%
(e)
1.58
%
(e)
(0.28
%)
45.21
%
38.06
%
(f)
10,888
1.32
%
(e)
2.55
%
(e)
0.28
%
56.48
%
29.21
%
8,685
1.60
%
(e)
3.19
%
(e)
0.30
%
115.09
%
(6.12
%)
986
2.02
%
(e)
2.49
%
(e)
(0.42
%)
36.32
%
(38.62
%)
1,533
1.99
%
(e)
2.51
%
(e)
(0.76
%)
23.60
%
12.23
%
3,782
1.99
%
(e)
2.33
%
(e)
(0.86
%)
45.21
%
37.13
%
587
1.99
%
(e)
3.37
%
(e)
(0.37
%)
56.48
%
28.24
%
839
2.38
%
(e)
3.99
%
(e)
(0.96
%)
115.09
%
(5.81
%)
2,382
1.67
%
(e)
2.08
%
(e)
(0.12
%)
36.32
%
(38.37
%)
2,356
1.61
%
(e)
2.06
%
(e)
(0.22
%)
23.60
%
12.63
%
(f)
4,557
1.64
%
(e)
1.90
%
(e)
(0.62
%)
45.21
%
37.63
%
(f)
3,215
1.62
%
(e)
2.85
%
(e)
(0.23
%)
56.48
%
28.75
%
2,682
1.92
%
(e)
3.52
%
(e)
0.07
%
115.09
%
(5.27
%)
349
1.12
%
(e)
1.53
%
(e)
0.47
%
36.32
%
(38.07
%)
349
1.10
%
(e)
1.55
%
(e)
0.15
%
23.60
%
13.21
%
959
1.08
%
(e)
1.34
%
(e)
(0.10
%)
45.21
%
38.37
%
639
1.09
%
(e)
2.32
%
(e)
0.55
%
56.48
%
29.52
%
543
1.40
%
(e)
2.96
%
(e)
0.45
%
115.09
%
(5.19
%)
12,440
1.03
%
(e)
1.49
%
(e)
0.56
%
36.32
%
(37.99
%)
16,915
0.99
%
(e)
1.51
%
(e)
0.19
%
23.60
%
13.33
%
60,300
0.99
%
(e)
1.33
%
(e)
0.32
%
45.21
%
38.55
%
4,919
0.99
%
(e)
2.34
%
(e)
0.20
%
56.48
%
29.59
%
1,336
1.16
%
(e)
2.97
%
(e)
1.09
%
115.09
%
190   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$9.24
$0.11
$0.49
$0.60
$(0.14
)
$–
$(0.14
)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
18.83
0.04
(5.77
)
(5.73
)
(0.01
)
(3.85
)
(3.86
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
15.74
0.02
3.07
3.09
(f)
(f)
Year Ended October 31, 2020
14.68
(f)
1.21
1.21
(0.15
)
(0.15
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.28
0.12
1.57
1.69
(0.29
)
(0.29
)
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
8.40
0.06
0.43
0.49
(f)
(f)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
17.58
(0.04
)
(5.29
)
(5.33
)
(3.85
)
(3.85
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
14.79
(0.11
)
2.90
2.79
Year Ended October 31, 2020
13.76
(0.08
)
1.12
1.04
(0.01
)
(0.01
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.44
0.03
1.48
1.51
(0.19
)
(0.19
)
Class R Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
8.62
0.08
0.46
0.54
(0.11
)
(0.11
)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
17.87
(5.40
)
(5.40
)
(3.85
)
(3.85
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
14.98
(0.02
)
2.91
2.89
Year Ended October 31, 2020
13.97
(0.03
)
1.14
1.11
(0.10
)
(0.10
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.65
0.08
1.50
1.58
(0.26
)
(0.26
)
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
9.53
0.15
0.51
0.66
(0.18
)
(0.18
)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
19.25
0.08
(5.93
)
(5.85
)
(0.02
)
(3.85
)
(3.87
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
16.08
0.08
3.14
3.22
(0.05
)
(0.05
)
Year Ended October 31, 2020
15.00
0.06
1.22
1.28
(0.20
)
(0.20
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.58
0.17
1.60
1.77
(0.35
)
(0.35
)
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
9.59
0.17
0.51
0.68
(0.17
)
(0.17
)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
19.34
0.09
(5.97
)
(5.88
)
(0.02
)
(3.85
)
(3.87
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
16.15
0.09
3.15
3.24
(0.05
)
(0.05
)
Year Ended October 31, 2020
15.06
0.06
1.23
1.29
(0.20
)
(0.20
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.63
0.17
1.61
1.78
(0.35
)
(0.35
)
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) Includes interest expense that amounts to 0.02% for Class C and Institutional class. Includes interest expense that amounts to 0.01% for Class A, Class R and Institutional Service Class.
(h) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
Financial Highlights   191

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
$9.70
6.44
%
$10,222
1.51
%
(e)
1.73
%
(e)
1.08
%
27.11
%
9.24
(37.00
%)
11,345
1.48
%
(e)
1.63
%
(e)
0.33
%
29.36
%
18.83
19.65
%
23,898
1.46
%
(e)
1.46
%
(e)
0.11
%
120.50
%
15.74
8.24
%
21,418
1.49
%
(e)
1.49
%
(e)
0.02
%
37.50
%
14.68
13.13
%
24,719
1.52
%
(g)
1.52
%
(g)
0.89
%
28.30
%
8.89
5.86
%
32
2.11
%
(e)
2.47
%
(e)
0.58
%
27.11
%
8.40
(37.41
%)
206
2.10
%
(e)
2.36
%
(e)
(0.35
%)
29.36
%
17.58
18.86
%
1,159
2.11
%
(e)
2.21
%
(e)
(0.59
%)
120.50
%
14.79
7.56
%
(h)
2,432
2.10
%
(e)
2.20
%
(e)
(0.55
%)
37.50
%
13.76
12.43
%
(h)
4,330
2.12
%
(g)
2.24
%
(g)
0.21
%
28.30
%
9.05
6.22
%
2,379
1.74
%
(e)
1.96
%
(e)
0.84
%
27.11
%
8.62
(37.15
%)
2,365
1.76
%
(e)
1.91
%
(e)
0.02
%
29.36
%
17.87
19.29
%
6,126
1.74
%
(e)
1.74
%
(e)
(0.10
%)
120.50
%
14.98
7.97
%
3,244
1.74
%
(e)
1.74
%
(e)
(0.22
%)
37.50
%
13.97
12.80
%
3,992
1.79
%
(g)
1.79
%
(g)
0.58
%
28.30
%
10.01
6.85
%
50,678
1.17
%
(e)
1.39
%
(e)
1.41
%
27.11
%
9.53
(36.80
%)
52,901
1.16
%
(e)
1.31
%
(e)
0.67
%
29.36
%
19.25
20.02
%
94,132
1.16
%
(e)
1.16
%
(e)
0.41
%
120.50
%
16.08
8.58
%
(h)
83,121
1.15
%
(e)
1.15
%
(e)
0.36
%
37.50
%
15.00
13.49
%
(h)
85,934
1.16
%
(g)
1.16
%
(g)
1.23
%
28.30
%
10.10
6.97
%
6,850
1.11
%
(e)
1.42
%
(e)
1.52
%
27.11
%
9.59
(36.78
%)
46,516
1.10
%
(e)
1.31
%
(e)
0.70
%
29.36
%
19.34
20.06
%
91,084
1.11
%
(e)
1.15
%
(e)
0.45
%
120.50
%
16.15
8.63
%
(h)
107,158
1.10
%
(e)
1.13
%
(e)
0.41
%
37.50
%
15.06
13.55
%
(h)
99,475
1.12
%
(g)
1.13
%
(g)
1.21
%
28.30
%
192   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$12.38
$0.12
$0.70
$0.82
$(0.11
)
$(2.81
)
$(2.92
)
$10.28
Year Ended October 31, 2022
18.17
0.08
(3.93
)
(3.85
)
(1.94
)
(1.94
)
12.38
Year Ended October 31, 2021
13.21
(0.06
)
5.02
4.96
18.17
Year Ended October 31, 2020
12.87
(0.01
)
0.77
0.76
(0.08
)
(0.34
)
(0.42
)
13.21
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.75
0.08
1.08
1.16
(0.09
)
(0.95
)
(1.04
)
12.87
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
11.24
0.05
0.62
0.67
(0.03
)
(2.81
)
(2.84
)
9.07
Year Ended October 31, 2022
16.77
(0.02
)
(3.57
)
(3.59
)
(1.94
)
(1.94
)
11.24
Year Ended October 31, 2021
12.27
(0.15
)
4.65
4.50
16.77
Year Ended October 31, 2020
11.98
(0.08
)
0.71
0.63
(0.34
)
(0.34
)
12.27
Year Ended October 31, 2019
11.93
0.01
0.99
1.00
(0.95
)
(0.95
)
11.98
Class R Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
11.59
0.08
0.65
0.73
(0.04
)
(2.81
)
(2.85
)
9.47
Year Ended October 31, 2022
17.19
0.02
(3.68
)
(3.66
)
(1.94
)
(1.94
)
11.59
Year Ended October 31, 2021
12.54
(0.11
)
4.76
4.65
17.19
Year Ended October 31, 2020
12.21
(0.05
)
0.73
0.68
(0.01
)
(0.34
)
(0.35
)
12.54
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.15
0.03
1.01
1.04
(0.03
)
(0.95
)
(0.98
)
12.21
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
12.66
0.14
0.72
0.86
(0.15
)
(2.81
)
(2.96
)
10.56
Year Ended October 31, 2022
18.49
0.11
(4.00
)
(3.89
)
(1.94
)
(1.94
)
12.66
Year Ended October 31, 2021
13.41
(0.02
)
5.10
5.08
18.49
Year Ended October 31, 2020
13.05
0.02
0.80
0.82
(0.12
)
(0.34
)
(0.46
)
13.41
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.94
0.11
1.08
1.19
(0.13
)
(0.95
)
(1.08
)
13.05
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
12.50
0.16
0.72
0.88
(0.17
)
(2.81
)
(2.98
)
10.40
Year Ended October 31, 2022
18.27
0.08
(3.91
)
(3.83
)
(1.94
)
(1.94
)
12.50
Year Ended October 31, 2021
13.24
(g)
5.03
5.03
18.27
Year Ended October 31, 2020
12.88
0.03
0.79
0.82
(0.12
)
(0.34
)
(0.46
)
13.24
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.77
0.13
1.06
1.19
(0.13
)
(0.95
)
(1.08
)
12.88
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
(g) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   193

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
7.41
%
$20,114
1.46
%
(e)
2.36
%
(e)
1.12
%
36.00
%
(23.84
%)
19,947
1.48
%
(e)
2.17
%
(e)
0.55
%
129.38
%
37.55
%
27,814
1.53
%
2.17
%
(0.35
%)
21.98
%
5.93
%
(f)
22,455
1.53
%
(e)
2.17
%
(e)
(0.06
%)
29.04
%
10.40
%
(f)
26,719
1.53
%
(e)
2.07
%
(e)
0.66
%
32.68
%
6.64
%
154
2.11
%
(e)
3.17
%
(e)
0.48
%
36.00
%
(24.32
%)
135
2.14
%
(e)
3.05
%
(e)
(0.12
%)
129.38
%
36.67
%
195
2.19
%
3.03
%
(1.01
%)
21.98
%
5.24
%
205
2.19
%
(e)
3.04
%
(e)
(0.68
%)
29.04
%
9.62
%
638
2.19
%
(e)
2.95
%
(e)
0.05
%
32.68
%
7.07
%
519
1.80
%
(e)
2.70
%
(e)
0.74
%
36.00
%
(24.12
%)
588
1.88
%
(e)
2.57
%
(e)
0.13
%
129.38
%
37.08
%
903
1.87
%
2.51
%
(0.69
%)
21.98
%
5.58
%
898
1.91
%
(e)
2.55
%
(e)
(0.42
%)
29.04
%
9.83
%
1,554
1.94
%
(e)
2.48
%
(e)
0.26
%
32.68
%
7.63
%
58
1.20
%
(e)
2.10
%
(e)
1.17
%
36.00
%
(23.62
%)
236
1.23
%
(e)
1.92
%
(e)
0.78
%
129.38
%
37.88
%
343
1.29
%
1.93
%
(0.12
%)
21.98
%
6.25
%
250
1.29
%
(e)
1.93
%
(e)
0.18
%
29.04
%
10.56
%
265
1.29
%
(e)
1.83
%
(e)
0.88
%
32.68
%
7.86
%
20,168
1.11
%
(e)
2.13
%
(e)
1.44
%
36.00
%
(23.57
%)
3,740
1.13
%
(e)
1.88
%
(e)
0.61
%
129.38
%
37.99
%
1,583
1.19
%
1.88
%
(0.02
%)
21.98
%
6.39
%
1,409
1.19
%
(e)
1.88
%
(e)
0.27
%
29.04
%
10.71
%
1,390
1.19
%
(e)
1.77
%
(e)
1.01
%
32.68
%
194   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$11.29
$0.13
$0.66
$0.79
$(0.17
)
$–
$(0.17
)
$11.91
Year Ended October 31, 2022
20.15
0.06
(6.98
)
(6.92
)
(0.02
)
(1.92
)
(1.94
)
11.29
Year Ended October 31, 2021
16.79
0.04
3.46
3.50
(0.14
)
(0.14
)
20.15
Year Ended October 31, 2020
15.30
0.01
1.71
1.72
(0.22
)
(0.01
)
(0.23
)
16.79
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.12
0.07
2.26
2.33
(0.13
)
(0.02
)
(0.15
)
15.30
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
11.09
0.06
0.65
0.71
(0.06
)
(0.06
)
11.74
Year Ended October 31, 2022
19.90
(0.01
)
(6.88
)
(6.89
)
(1.92
)
(1.92
)
11.09
Year Ended October 31, 2021
16.68
(0.08
)
3.44
3.36
(0.14
)
(0.14
)
19.90
Year Ended October 31, 2020
15.18
(0.06
)
1.69
1.63
(0.12
)
(0.01
)
(0.13
)
16.68
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.97
(g)
2.24
2.24
(0.01
)
(0.02
)
(0.03
)
15.18
Class R Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
11.11
0.11
0.66
0.77
(0.16
)
(0.16
)
11.72
Year Ended October 31, 2022
19.89
0.04
(6.90
)
(6.86
)
(g)
(1.92
)
(1.92
)
11.11
Year Ended October 31, 2021
16.60
0.01
3.42
3.43
(0.14
)
(0.14
)
19.89
Year Ended October 31, 2020
15.14
(g)
1.68
1.68
(0.21
)
(0.01
)
(0.22
)
16.60
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.00
0.07
2.21
2.28
(0.12
)
(0.02
)
(0.14
)
15.14
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
11.34
0.18
0.66
0.84
(0.23
)
(0.23
)
11.95
Year Ended October 31, 2022
20.26
0.11
(7.01
)
(6.90
)
(0.10
)
(1.92
)
(2.02
)
11.34
Year Ended October 31, 2021
16.85
0.12
3.46
3.58
(0.03
)
(0.14
)
(0.17
)
20.26
Year Ended October 31, 2020
15.37
0.07
1.70
1.77
(0.28
)
(0.01
)
(0.29
)
16.85
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.19
0.23
2.16
2.39
(0.19
)
(0.02
)
(0.21
)
15.37
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
11.40
0.20
0.66
0.86
(0.23
)
(0.23
)
12.03
Year Ended October 31, 2022
20.34
0.14
(7.05
)
(6.91
)
(0.11
)
(1.92
)
(2.03
)
11.40
Year Ended October 31, 2021
16.90
0.14
3.48
3.62
(0.04
)
(0.14
)
(0.18
)
20.34
Year Ended October 31, 2020
15.39
0.09
1.72
1.81
(0.29
)
(0.01
)
(0.30
)
16.90
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.20
0.13
2.27
2.40
(0.19
)
(0.02
)
(0.21
)
15.39
 
(a) Net investment income is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
(f) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(g) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   195

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
6.93
%
(e)
$42,710
1.60
%
(f)
1.60
%
(f)
1.04
%
30.01
%
(37.56
%)
(e)
63,232
1.60
%
(f)
1.63
%
(f)
0.39
%
36.82
%
20.87
%
116,268
1.56
%
(f)
1.56
%
(f)
0.20
%
37.26
%
11.31
%
107,572
1.59
%
(f)
1.59
%
(f)
0.09
%
26.13
%
17.89
%
134,382
1.59
%
(f)
1.59
%
(f)
0.46
%
14.86
%
6.36
%
2,081
2.10
%
(f)
2.20
%
(f)
0.50
%
30.01
%
(37.87
%)
4,162
2.10
%
(f)
2.21
%
(f)
(0.09
%)
36.82
%
20.16
%
10,662
2.10
%
(f)
2.13
%
(f)
(0.38
%)
37.26
%
10.74
%
11,786
2.10
%
(f)
2.19
%
(f)
(0.40
%)
26.13
%
17.26
%
15,611
2.10
%
(f)
2.20
%
(f)
(0.03
%)
14.86
%
6.87
%
94,625
1.75
%
(f)
1.75
%
(f)
0.88
%
30.01
%
(37.71
%)
92,428
1.75
%
(f)
1.78
%
(f)
0.26
%
36.82
%
20.68
%
133,696
1.72
%
(f)
1.72
%
(f)
0.04
%
37.26
%
11.13
%
113,707
1.73
%
(f)
1.73
%
(f)
0.01
%
26.13
%
17.72
%
108,487
1.75
%
(f)
1.75
%
(f)
0.48
%
14.86
%
7.30
%
477,809
1.25
%
(f)
1.25
%
(f)
1.37
%
30.01
%
(37.37
%)
494,873
1.25
%
(f)
1.28
%
(f)
0.79
%
36.82
%
21.29
%
476,046
1.21
%
(f)
1.21
%
(f)
0.56
%
37.26
%
11.64
%
(e)
362,229
1.24
%
(f)
1.24
%
(f)
0.50
%
26.13
%
18.38
%
(e)
297,466
1.24
%
(f)
1.24
%
(f)
1.55
%
14.86
%
7.44
%
1,159,535
1.10
%
(f)
1.19
%
(f)
1.52
%
30.01
%
(37.26
%)
1,606,819
1.10
%
(f)
1.22
%
(f)
0.90
%
36.82
%
21.45
%
4,184,781
1.10
%
(f)
1.14
%
(f)
0.69
%
37.26
%
11.86
%
3,414,059
1.10
%
(f)
1.18
%
(f)
0.59
%
26.13
%
18.45
%
4,420,838
1.10
%
(f)
1.16
%
(f)
0.91
%
14.86
%
196   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund (formerly, abrdn Global Absolute Return Strategies Fund)
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023*
$8.83
$0.30
$(1.07
)
$(0.77
)
$(0.07
)
$ —
$(0.07
)
$7.99
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.29
(—
)
(g)
(1.07
)
(1.07
)
(0.02
)
(0.37
)
(0.39
)
8.83
Year Ended October 31, 2021
10.29
(0.03
)
0.05
0.02
(0.02
)
(0.02
)
10.29
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.13
0.04
0.29
0.33
(0.17
)
(0.17
)
10.29
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.41
0.17
0.25
0.42
(0.60
)
(0.10
)
(0.70
)
10.13
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023*
8.92
0.33
(1.08
)
(0.75
)
(0.10
)
(0.10
)
8.07
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.36
0.02
(1.08
)
(1.06
)
(0.01
)
(0.37
)
(0.38
)
8.92
Year Ended October 31, 2021
10.35
(0.02
)
0.06
0.04
(0.03
)
(0.03
)
10.36
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.20
0.06
0.29
0.35
(0.20
)
(0.20
)
10.35
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.47
0.19
0.27
0.46
(0.63
)
(0.10
)
(0.73
)
10.20
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023*
9.00
0.33
(1.08
)
(0.75
)
(0.10
)
(0.10
)
8.15
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.44
0.03
(1.07
)
(1.04
)
(0.03
)
(0.37
)
(0.40
)
9.00
Year Ended October 31, 2021
10.43
(—
)
(g)
0.05
0.05
(0.04
)
(0.04
)
10.44
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.30
0.08
0.26
0.34
(0.21
)
(0.21
)
10.43
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.55
0.20
0.27
0.47
(0.62
)
(0.10
)
(0.72
)
10.30
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
(f) Interest expense is less than 0.001%.
(g) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   197

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Infrastructure Debt Fund (formerly, abrdn Global Absolute Return Strategies Fund) (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
(8.71
%)
(e)
$ 9,017
1.05
%
(f)
1.58
%
(f)
3.45
%
140.60
%
(10.81
%)
(e)
$13,569
1.04
%
1.86
%
(0.05
%)
180.82
%
0.18
%
22,522
0.96
%
2.93
%
(0.31
%)
424.59
%
3.26
%
1,078
0.97
%
(f)
2.52
%
(f)
0.35
%
238.35
%
4.41
%
802
1.18
%
(f)
3.04
%
(f)
1.69
%
53.05
%
(8.41
%)
(e)
4,198
0.78
%
(f)
1.31
%
(f)
3.80
%
140.60
%
(10.62
%)
(e)
5,153
0.78
%
1.60
%
0.23
%
180.82
%
0.33
%
(e)
6,929
0.78
%
2.75
%
(0.20
%)
424.59
%
3.45
%
(e)
8,148
0.80
%
(f)
2.35
%
(f)
0.62
%
238.35
%
4.72
%
8,934
1.00
%
(f)
2.86
%
(f)
1.86
%
53.05
%
8.35
%)
(e)
12,964
0.66
%
(f)
1.31
%
(f)
3.80
%
140.60
%
(10.42
%)
(e)
22,843
0.65
%
1.58
%
0.26
%
180.82
%
0.46
%
62,007
0.65
%
2.65
%
(0.04
%)
424.59
%
3.34
%
(e)
11,885
0.66
%
(f)
2.24
%
(f)
0.74
%
238.35
%
4.82
%
(e)
2,876
0.86
%
(f)
2.84
%
(f)
1.98
%
53.05
%
198   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn International Small Cap Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$23.78
$0.13
$(0.05
)
$0.08
$(0.40
)
$–
$(0.40
)
$23.46
Year Ended October 31, 2022
42.73
0.28
(16.37
)
(16.09
)
(2.86
)
(2.86
)
23.78
Year Ended October 31, 2021
30.18
(0.20
)
12.75
12.55
42.73
Year Ended October 31, 2020
28.11
(0.09
)
3.63
3.54
(0.34
)
(1.13
)
(1.47
)
30.18
Year Ended October 31, 2019
29.23
0.23
3.03
3.26
(0.65
)
(3.73
)
(4.38
)
28.11
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
20.94
(0.03
)
(0.04
)
(0.07
)
(0.21
)
(0.21
)
20.66
Year Ended October 31, 2022
38.21
0.09
(14.50
)
(14.41
)
(2.86
)
(2.86
)
20.94
Year Ended October 31, 2021
27.16
(0.39
)
11.44
11.05
38.21
Year Ended October 31, 2020
25.43
(0.25
)
3.27
3.02
(0.16
)
(1.13
)
(1.29
)
27.16
Year Ended October 31, 2019
26.73
(0.04
)
2.84
2.80
(0.37
)
(3.73
)
(4.10
)
25.43
Class R Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
22.06
0.06
(0.04
)
0.02
(0.37
)
(0.37
)
21.71
Year Ended October 31, 2022
39.97
0.21
(15.26
)
(15.05
)
(2.86
)
(2.86
)
22.06
Year Ended October 31, 2021
28.31
(0.28
)
11.94
11.66
39.97
Year Ended October 31, 2020
26.46
(0.15
)
3.40
3.25
(0.27
)
(1.13
)
(1.40
)
28.31
Year Ended October 31, 2019
27.74
0.12
2.88
3.00
(0.55
)
(3.73
)
(4.28
)
26.46
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
24.12
0.22
(0.05
)
0.17
(0.48
)
(0.48
)
23.81
Year Ended October 31, 2022
43.15
0.44
(16.61
)
(16.17
)
(2.86
)
(2.86
)
24.12
Year Ended October 31, 2021
30.37
(0.06
)
12.84
12.78
43.15
Year Ended October 31, 2020
28.25
0.01
3.65
3.66
(0.41
)
(1.13
)
(1.54
)
30.37
Year Ended October 31, 2019
29.33
0.27
3.11
3.38
(0.73
)
(3.73
)
(4.46
)
28.25
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
Financial Highlights   199

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn International Small Cap Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
0.21
%
$50,828
1.34
%
(e)
1.49
%
(e)
0.49
%
35.89
%
(40.18
%)
(f)
58,262
1.35
%
(e)
1.43
%
(e)
0.91
%
46.90
%
41.58
%
(f)
112,408
1.34
%
(e)
1.42
%
(e)
(0.54
%)
42.63
%
13.02
%
90,560
1.40
%
1.61
%
(0.33
%)
29.65
%
13.93
%
75,754
1.49
%
(e)
1.82
%
(e)
0.86
%
35.37
%
(0.44
%)
308
1.99
%
(e)
2.32
%
(e)
(0.14
%)
35.89
%
(40.56
%)
(f)
349
1.99
%
(e)
2.23
%
(e)
0.35
%
46.90
%
40.68
%
(f)
561
1.99
%
(e)
2.18
%
(e)
(1.15
%)
42.63
%
12.27
%
554
2.05
%
2.38
%
(1.02
%)
29.65
%
13.21
%
829
2.15
%
(e)
2.59
%
(e)
(0.17
%)
35.37
%
(0.04
%)
1,546
1.60
%
(e)
1.75
%
(e)
0.27
%
35.89
%
(40.36
%)
1,913
1.64
%
(e)
1.72
%
(e)
0.76
%
46.90
%
41.19
%
2,535
1.62
%
(e)
1.70
%
(e)
(0.80
%)
42.63
%
12.68
%
1,649
1.69
%
1.90
%
(0.61
%)
29.65
%
13.62
%
1,945
1.80
%
(e)
2.13
%
(e)
0.47
%
35.37
%
0.57
%
75,604
0.99
%
(e)
1.24
%
(e)
0.81
%
35.89
%
(39.96
%)
(f)
117,960
0.99
%
(e)
1.18
%
(e)
1.44
%
46.90
%
42.08
%
(f)
191,244
0.99
%
(e)
1.15
%
(e)
(0.15
%)
42.63
%
13.41
%
46,330
1.04
%
1.35
%
0.03
%
29.65
%
14.39
%
35,248
1.15
%
(e)
1.57
%
(e)
1.01
%
35.37
%
200   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$8.50
$0.27
$(0.21
)
$0.06
$(0.27
)
$–
$(0.27
)
$8.29
Year Ended October 31, 2022
9.83
0.24
(1.33
)
(1.09
)
(0.24
)
(0.24
)
8.50
Year Ended October 31, 2021
9.73
0.24
0.12
0.36
(0.24
)
(0.02
)
(0.26
)
9.83
Year Ended October 31, 2020
9.92
0.26
(0.18
)
0.08
(0.26
)
(0.01
)
(0.27
)
9.73
Year Ended October 31, 2019
9.54
0.28
0.38
0.66
(0.28
)
(f)
(0.28
)
9.92
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
8.51
0.29
(0.21
)
0.08
(0.30
)
(0.30
)
8.29
Year Ended October 31, 2022
9.84
0.27
(1.34
)
(1.07
)
(0.26
)
(0.26
)
8.51
Year Ended October 31, 2021
9.74
0.26
0.12
0.38
(0.26
)
(0.02
)
(0.28
)
9.84
Year Ended October 31, 2020
9.93
0.28
(0.18
)
0.10
(0.28
)
(0.01
)
(0.29
)
9.74
Year Ended October 31, 2019
9.54
0.30
0.40
0.70
(0.31
)
(f)
(0.31
)
9.93
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
8.51
0.30
(0.22
)
0.08
(0.30
)
(0.30
)
8.29
Year Ended October 31, 2022
9.84
0.26
(1.33
)
(1.07
)
(0.26
)
(0.26
)
8.51
Year Ended October 31, 2021
9.74
0.26
0.12
0.38
(0.26
)
(0.02
)
(0.28
)
9.84
Year Ended October 31, 2020
9.93
0.28
(0.18
)
0.10
(0.28
)
(0.01
)
(0.29
)
9.74
Year Ended October 31, 2019
9.55
0.30
0.39
0.69
(0.31
)
(f)
(0.31
)
9.93
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Interest expense is less than 0.001%.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   201

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Intermediate Municipal Income Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
0.59
%
$4,024
0.80
%
(e)
1.23
%
(e)
3.07
%
79.85
%
(11.24
%)
4,919
0.76
%
(e)
1.13
%
(e)
2.59
%
20.98
%
3.62
%
6,028
0.76
%
1.12
%
2.38
%
53.74
%
0.83
%
6,670
0.76
%
(e)
1.09
%
(e)
2.63
%
55.63
%
7.05
%
7,526
0.76
%
(e)
1.16
%
(e)
2.84
%
58.33
%
0.77
%
18
0.51
%
(e)
0.94
%
(e)
3.36
%
79.85
%
(10.98
%)
18
0.50
%
(e)
0.87
%
(e)
2.87
%
20.98
%
3.90
%
20
0.50
%
0.86
%
2.64
%
53.74
%
1.09
%
20
0.50
%
(e)
0.83
%
(e)
2.87
%
55.63
%
7.43
%
19
0.50
%
(e)
0.90
%
(e)
3.10
%
58.33
%
0.77
%
38,647
0.51
%
(e)
0.97
%
(e)
3.38
%
79.85
%
(10.99
%)
41,587
0.50
%
(e)
0.88
%
(e)
2.84
%
20.98
%
3.90
%
54,707
0.50
%
0.87
%
2.64
%
53.74
%
1.10
%
58,015
0.50
%
(e)
0.84
%
(e)
2.89
%
55.63
%
7.32
%
63,256
0.50
%
(e)
0.90
%
(e)
3.11
%
58.33
%
202   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$9.38
$0.01
$0.27
$0.28
$–
$(0.04
)
$(0.04
)
$9.62
Year Ended October 31, 2022
17.32
(0.05
)
(3.52
)
(3.57
)
(4.37
)
(4.37
)
9.38
Year Ended October 31, 2021
13.79
(0.05
)
5.31
5.26
(1.73
)
(1.73
)
17.32
Year Ended October 31, 2020
12.95
(0.03
)
2.17
2.14
(0.01
)
(1.29
)
(1.30
)
13.79
Year Ended October 31, 2019
12.53
0.01
1.79
1.80
(0.02
)
(1.36
)
(1.38
)
12.95
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
6.76
(0.04
)
0.18
0.14
(0.04
)
(0.04
)
6.86
Year Ended October 31, 2022
13.77
(0.09
)
(2.55
)
(2.64
)
(4.37
)
(4.37
)
6.76
Year Ended October 31, 2021
11.36
(0.12
)
4.26
4.14
(1.73
)
(1.73
)
13.77
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.94
(0.10
)
1.81
1.71
(1.29
)
(1.29
)
11.36
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.87
(0.06
)
1.49
1.43
(1.36
)
(1.36
)
10.94
Institutional Service Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
10.56
0.04
0.30
0.34
(0.04
)
(0.04
)
10.86
Year Ended October 31, 2022
18.91
(0.03
)
(3.95
)
(3.98
)
(4.37
)
(4.37
)
10.56
Year Ended October 31, 2021
14.89
(0.02
)
5.77
5.75
(1.73
)
(1.73
)
18.91
Year Ended October 31, 2020
13.88
(–
)
(f)
2.34
2.34
(0.04
)
(1.29
)
(1.33
)
14.89
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.33
0.04
1.92
1.96
(0.05
)
(1.36
)
(1.41
)
13.88
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
10.65
0.04
0.31
0.35
(0.04
)
(0.04
)
10.96
Year Ended October 31, 2022
19.03
(0.02
)
(3.99
)
(4.01
)
(4.37
)
(4.37
)
10.65
Year Ended October 31, 2021
14.96
(0.01
)
5.81
5.80
(1.73
)
(1.73
)
19.03
Year Ended October 31, 2020
13.93
0.01
2.35
2.36
(0.04
)
(1.29
)
(1.33
)
14.96
Year Ended October 31, 2019
13.37
0.04
1.93
1.97
(0.05
)
(1.36
)
(1.41
)
13.93
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
Financial Highlights   203

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn U.S. Sustainable Leaders Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
3.00
%
$208,286
1.19
%
(e)
1.27
%
(e)
0.11
%
31.62
%
(27.49
%)
222,190
1.19
%
(e)
1.24
%
(e)
(0.43
%)
44.12
%
41.35
%
345,638
1.19
%
1.23
%
(0.33
%)
111.07
%
17.50
%
264,977
1.19
%
1.26
%
(0.24
%)
49.68
%
17.60
%
247,926
1.19
%
1.27
%
0.06
%
47.13
%
2.09
%
327
1.90
%
(e)
2.09
%
(e)
(0.55
%)
31.62
%
(27.96
%)
229
1.90
%
(e)
2.08
%
(e)
(1.14
%)
44.12
%
40.20
%
329
1.90
%
2.07
%
(1.01
%)
111.07
%
16.71
%
1,143
1.90
%
2.08
%
(0.94
%)
49.68
%
16.75
%
1,428
1.90
%
2.11
%
(0.58
%)
47.13
%
3.23
%
101,341
0.96
%
(e)
1.04
%
(e)
0.33
%
31.62
%
(27.32
%)
106,068
0.97
%
(e)
1.02
%
(e)
(0.20
%)
44.12
%
41.61
%
158,581
0.97
%
1.01
%
(0.11
%)
111.07
%
17.79
%
121,611
0.97
%
1.04
%
(0.01
%)
49.68
%
17.84
%
113,600
0.97
%
1.05
%
0.29
%
47.13
%
3.30
%
7,555
0.90
%
(e)
1.04
%
(e)
0.39
%
31.62
%
(27.29
%)
8,644
0.90
%
(e)
1.01
%
(e)
(0.14
%)
44.12
%
41.77
%
14,953
0.90
%
1.00
%
(0.05
%)
111.07
%
17.89
%
10,982
0.90
%
1.01
%
0.05
%
49.68
%
17.90
%
8,839
0.90
%
1.03
%
0.34
%
47.13
%
204   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Tax Return of Capital
Total Distributions
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$3.75
$0.21
$0.04
$0.25
$(0.23
)
$–
$–
(e)
$(0.23
)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
4.74
0.20
(g)
(0.95
)
(0.75
)
(0.22
)
(0.01
)
(0.01
)
(0.24
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
3.68
0.23
1.06
1.29
(0.23
)
(0.23
)
Year Ended October 31, 2020
3.99
0.20
(0.28
)
(0.08
)
(0.23
)
(0.23
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
3.85
0.23
0.14
0.37
(0.23
)
(0.23
)
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
3.75
0.22
0.04
0.26
(0.24
)
(e)
(0.24
)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
4.74
0.21
(g)
(0.95
)
(0.74
)
(0.23
)
(0.01
)
(0.01
)
(0.25
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
3.69
0.24
1.05
1.29
(0.24
)
(0.24
)
Year Ended October 31, 2020
4.00
0.21
(0.28
)
(0.07
)
(0.24
)
(0.24
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
3.85
0.24
0.15
0.39
(0.24
)
(0.24
)
 
(a) Net investment income is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Less than $0.005 per share.
(f) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(g) Included within Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets reflects the effects of a liability accrued on February 28, 2022 relating to withholding tax refunds that the Fund previously received and recorded which are being contested by the local tax authority. The accrued liability resulted in a decrease in net assets of approximately 0.87% as of October 31, 2022. (See Note 2i of the Notes to Financial Statements). If such amounts were excluded, the Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets for Class A Shares would have been $0.24, (15.67%), and 5.49%, respectively. For Institutional Class Shares, these amounts would have been $0.24, (15.45%), and 5.67%, respectively.
(h) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
Financial Highlights   205

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Dynamic Dividend Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
$3.77
6.41
%
$3,619
1.56
%
(f)
1.69
%
(f)
5.16
%
62.85
%
3.75
(16.34
%)
(g)
4,094
1.50
%
1.61
%
4.62
%
(g)
78.51
%
4.74
35.40
%
4,986
1.50
%
1.66
%
5.03
%
59.28
%
3.68
(2.04
%)
(h)
3,885
1.50
%
1.60
%
5.20
%
85.01
%
3.99
10.02
%
(h)
4,399
1.50
%
1.61
%
6.00
%
105.70
%
3.77
6.67
%
87,929
1.31
%
(f)
1.42
%
(f)
5.42
%
62.85
%
3.75
(16.12
%)
(g)
96,362
1.25
%
1.34
%
4.81
%
(g)
78.51
%
4.74
35.36
%
123,166
1.25
%
1.39
%
5.26
%
59.28
%
3.69
(1.77
%)
100,350
1.25
%
1.35
%
5.37
%
85.01
%
4.00
10.60
%
122,197
1.25
%
1.33
%
6.21
%
105.70
%
206   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Tax Return of Capital
Total Distributions
Redemption Fees
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$20.62
$0.53
$(0.36
)
$0.17
$(0.59
)
$(0.39
)
$–
$(0.98
)
$–
Year Ended October 31, 2022
24.18
0.41
(3.00
)
(2.59
)
(0.71
)
(0.26
)
(0.97
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
19.03
0.45
5.41
5.86
(0.71
)
(0.71
)
Year Ended October 31, 2020
21.93
0.53
(2.59
)
(2.06
)
(0.56
)
(0.14
)
(0.14
)
(0.84
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
18.82
0.30
3.48
3.78
(0.64
)
(0.03
)
(0.67
)
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
20.66
0.59
(0.36
)
0.23
(0.64
)
(0.39
)
(1.03
)
Year Ended October 31, 2022
24.22
0.47
(3.01
)
(2.54
)
(0.76
)
(0.26
)
(1.02
)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
19.05
0.52
5.41
5.93
(0.76
)
(0.76
)
Year Ended October 31, 2020
21.97
0.58
(2.60
)
(2.02
)
(0.62
)
(0.14
)
(0.14
)
(0.90
)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
18.85
0.34
3.50
3.84
(0.69
)
(0.03
)
(0.72
)
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
Financial Highlights   207

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Global Infrastructure Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
$19.81
0.53
%
$10,028
1.24
%
(e)
1.58
%
(e)
2.45
%
20.33
%
20.62
(11.04
%)
11,350
1.24
%
1.58
%
1.81
%
23.33
%
24.18
31.09
%
13,227
1.24
%
1.63
%
1.95
%
30.75
%
19.03
(9.49
%)
9,206
1.33
%
1.55
%
2.61
%
23.76
%
21.93
20.41
%
12,776
1.45
%
1.59
%
1.46
%
31.62
%
19.86
0.80
%
(f)
30,458
0.99
%
(e)
1.33
%
(e)
2.71
%
20.33
%
20.66
(10.82
%)
(f)
35,645
0.99
%
1.33
%
2.05
%
23.33
%
24.22
31.43
%
45,076
0.99
%
1.38
%
2.25
%
30.75
%
19.05
(9.30
%)
32,640
1.08
%
1.27
%
2.90
%
23.76
%
21.97
20.73
%
87,441
1.20
%
1.31
%
1.68
%
31.62
%
208   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$9.05
$0.23
$(0.22
)
$0.01
$(0.24
)
$(0.24
)
$8.82
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.26
0.22
(1.20
)
(0.98
)
(0.23
)
(0.23
)
9.05
Year Ended October 31, 2021
9.99
0.22
0.27
0.49
(0.22
)
(0.22
)
10.26
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.25
0.29
(0.27
)
0.02
(0.28
)
(0.28
)
9.99
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.07
0.30
0.18
0.48
(0.30
)
(0.30
)
10.25
Class C Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
9.05
0.16
(0.21
)
(0.05
)
(0.17
)
(0.17
)
8.83
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.27
0.15
(1.22
)
(1.07
)
(0.15
)
(0.15
)
9.05
Year Ended October 31, 2021(h)
10.13
0.12
0.14
0.26
(0.12
)
(0.12
)
10.27
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
9.05
0.25
(0.22
)
0.03
(0.26
)
(0.26
)
8.82
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.26
0.24
(1.20
)
(0.96
)
(0.25
)
(0.25
)
9.05
Year Ended October 31, 2021
9.99
0.24
0.27
0.51
(0.24
)
(0.24
)
10.26
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.25
0.31
(0.26
)
0.05
(0.31
)
(0.31
)
9.99
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.07
0.32
0.18
0.50
(0.32
)
(0.32
)
10.25
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Amount is less than 0.005%.
(f) Includes interest expense that amounts to 0.05% for the year ended October 31, 2023. Includes interest expense that amounts to 0.03% for the year ended October 31, 2022. Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01% for the year ended October 31, 2020.
(g) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
(h) For the period from December 21, 2020 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2021.
Financial Highlights   209

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Short Duration High Yield Municipal Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
-
(e)
$7,871
0.95
%
(f)
1.26
%
(f)
2.48
%
57.71
%
(9.71
%)
14,399
0.93
%
(f)
1.17
%
(f)
2.27
%
57.98
%
4.92
%
21,907
0.90
%
1.14
%
2.14
%
95.56
%
0.25
%
22,417
0.90
%
(f)
1.12
%
(f)
2.84
%
149.01
%
4.78
%
27,577
0.90
%
1.13
%
2.96
%
104.52
%
(0.63
%)
(g)
24
1.70
%
(f)
2.01
%
(f)
1.73
%
57.71
%
(10.47
%)
(g)
27
1.68
%
(f)
1.87
%
(f)
1.57
%
57.98
%
2.52
%
27
1.65
%
1.86
%
1.33
%
95.56
%
0.25
%
106,425
0.70
%
(f)
1.01
%
(f)
2.73
%
57.71
%
(9.48
%)
180,805
0.68
%
(f)
0.90
%
(f)
2.49
%
57.98
%
5.18
%
424,689
0.65
%
0.88
%
2.37
%
95.56
%
0.51
%
270,153
0.65
%
(f)
0.87
%
(f)
3.07
%
149.01
%
5.05
%
229,716
0.65
%
0.90
%
3.19
%
104.52
%
210   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Net Realized Gains
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$10.84
$0.27
$(0.65
)
$(0.38
)
$(0.26
)
$(0.67
)
$(0.93
)
$9.53
Year Ended October 31, 2022
15.68
0.15
(2.72
)
(2.57
)
(0.31
)
(1.96
)
(2.27
)
10.84
Year Ended October 31, 2021
12.40
0.11
4.84
4.95
(0.13
)
(1.54
)
(1.67
)
15.68
Year Ended October 31, 2020
17.98
0.25
(3.17
)
(2.92
)
(0.60
)
(2.06
)
(2.66
)
12.40
Year Ended October 31, 2019
21.38
0.32
3.28
3.60
(0.52
)
(6.48
)
(7.00
)
17.98
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
10.89
0.30
(0.65
)
(0.35
)
(0.29
)
(0.67
)
(0.96
)
9.58
Year Ended October 31, 2022
15.74
0.20
(2.75
)
(2.55
)
(0.34
)
(1.96
)
(2.30
)
10.89
Year Ended October 31, 2021
12.44
0.14
4.86
5.00
(0.16
)
(1.54
)
(1.70
)
15.74
Year Ended October 31, 2020
18.02
0.28
(3.16
)
(2.88
)
(0.64
)
(2.06
)
(2.70
)
12.44
Year Ended October 31, 2019
21.41
0.36
3.29
3.65
(0.56
)
(6.48
)
(7.04
)
18.02
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Excludes sales charge.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%, 0.01%, 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.03% for Class A and Institutional Class for the years ended October 31, 2023, October 31, 2022, October 31, 2021, October 31, 2020, October 31, 2019, respectively.
Financial Highlights   211

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Realty Income & Growth Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(b)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
(3.88
%)
$266
1.26
%
(e)
1.75
%
(e)
2.58
%
23.77
%
(19.45
%)
397
1.25
%
(e)
1.67
%
(e)
1.13
%
23.36
%
44.07
%
1,090
1.26
%
(e)
1.72
%
(e)
0.80
%
32.52
%
(18.12
%)
1,971
1.30
%
(e)
1.71
%
(e)
1.84
%
22.61
%
25.65
%
2,341
1.28
%
(e)
1.71
%
(e)
1.83
%
20.70
%
(3.67
%)
34,351
1.01
%
(e)
1.47
%
(e)
2.82
%
23.77
%
(19.24
%)
41,592
1.00
%
(e)
1.42
%
(e)
1.53
%
23.36
%
44.41
%
56,593
1.01
%
(e)
1.47
%
(e)
1.01
%
32.52
%
(17.85
%)
46,235
1.05
%
(e)
1.48
%
(e)
2.05
%
22.61
%
25.97
%
75,232
1.03
%
(e)
1.39
%
(e)
2.10
%
20.70
%
212   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$10.06
$0.32
(d)
$0.01
$0.33
$(0.32
)
$(0.32
)
$10.07
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.09
0.05
(d)
(0.02
)
0.03
(0.06
)
(0.06
)
10.06
Year Ended October 31, 2021
10.09
(d)(f)
(–
)
(f)
(–
)
(f)
(f)
(f)
10.09
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.10
0.07
(d)
(f)
0.07
(0.08
)
(0.08
)
10.09
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.09
0.13
(d)
0.01
0.14
(0.13
)
(0.13
)
10.10
Class A1 Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
10.06
0.32
(d)
0.02
0.34
(0.32
)
(0.32
)
10.08
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.10
0.05
(d)
(0.03
)
0.02
(0.06
)
(0.06
)
10.06
Year Ended October 31, 2021
10.10
(d)(f)
(–
)
(f)
(–
)
(f)
(f)
(f)
10.10
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.10
0.03
(d)
0.05
0.08
(0.08
)
(0.08
)
10.10
Year Ended October 31, 2019(g)
10.10
0.08
(f)
0.08
(0.08
)
(0.08
)
10.10
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
10.00
0.35
(d)
0.02
0.37
(0.35
)
(0.35
)
10.02
Year Ended October 31, 2022
10.04
0.07
(d)
(0.03
)
0.04
(0.08
)
(0.08
)
10.00
Year Ended October 31, 2021
10.03
0.01
(d)
0.01
0.02
(0.01
)
(0.01
)
10.04
Year Ended October 31, 2020
10.04
0.10
(d)
(0.01
)
0.09
(0.10
)
(0.10
)
10.03
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.04
0.15
(d)
0.15
(0.15
)
(0.15
)
10.04
 
(a) Excludes sales charge.
(b) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(d) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(e) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) For the period from February 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2019.
Financial Highlights   213

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Ultra Short Municipal Income Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return(a)
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(b)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(c)
3.36
%
$104,837
0.70
%
(e)
0.98
%
(e)
3.22
%
231.34
%
0.30
%
123,920
0.60
%
(e)
0.95
%
(e)
0.52
%
320.87
%
0.02
%
161,362
0.54
%
(e)
0.96
%
(e)
0.02
%
261.23
%
0.69
%
263,068
0.70
%
(e)
0.94
%
(e)
0.72
%
299.40
%
1.36
%
204,501
0.70
%
0.95
%
1.25
%
231.49
%
3.47
%
270
0.70
%
(e)
0.92
%
(e)
3.22
%
231.34
%
0.20
%
261
0.60
%
(e)
0.89
%
(e)
0.52
%
320.87
%
0.02
%
510
0.54
%
(e)
0.89
%
(e)
0.02
%
261.23
%
0.79
%
558
0.70
%
(e)
0.90
%
(e)
0.34
%
299.40
%
0.81
%
35
0.70
%
0.94
%
1.13
%
231.49
%
3.73
%
517,955
0.45
%
(e)
0.74
%
(e)
3.46
%
231.34
%
0.37
%
561,780
0.44
%
(e)
0.71
%
(e)
0.71
%
320.87
%
0.21
%
793,264
0.45
%
(e)
0.71
%
(e)
0.11
%
261.23
%
0.94
%
928,424
0.45
%
(e)
0.71
%
(e)
0.98
%
299.40
%
1.51
%
680,881
0.45
%
0.72
%
1.50
%
231.49
%
214   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund (formerly, abrdn International Sustainable Leaders Fund)
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Total Return
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$22.17
$0.06
$1.82
$1.88
$(1.77
)
$(1.77
)
$22.28
8.33
%
Year Ended October 31, 2022
34.93
0.34
(f)
(13.10
)
(12.76
)
22.17
(36.53
%)
(f)(g)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
26.19
(0.12
)
9.05
8.93
(0.19
)
(0.19
)
34.93
34.20
%
Year Ended October 31, 2020
26.95
0.17
0.29
0.46
(1.22
)
(1.22
)
26.19
1.63
%
(h)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
23.64
0.81
(i)
2.70
3.51
(0.20
)
(0.20
)
26.95
15.02
%
(i)
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
22.88
0.17
1.84
2.01
(1.87
)
(1.87
)
23.02
8.61
%
Year Ended October 31, 2022
35.96
0.42
(f)
(13.50
)
(13.08
)
22.88
(36.37
%)
(f)(g)
Year Ended October 31, 2021
26.98
(0.04
)
9.32
9.28
(0.30
)
(0.30
)
35.96
34.56
%
Year Ended October 31, 2020
27.74
0.24
0.30
0.54
(1.30
)
(1.30
)
26.98
1.86
%
(h)
Year Ended October 31, 2019
24.27
0.91
(i)
2.77
3.68
(0.21
)
(0.21
)
27.74
15.34
%
(i)
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Beginning with the year ended October 31, 2022, income taxes on recovered refunds were included in foreign tax withholding on the Statement of Operations and, as such, are not included within the ratios of expenses to average net assets. Income taxes on recovered refunds for years prior to October 31, 2022 were reflected as expenses on the Statement of Operations and included within the ratios of expenses to average net assets.
(c) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
(d) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(f) Included within Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets are the effects of withholding tax refunds and income taxes on recovered refunds (See Note 2i of the Notes to Financial Statements). If such amounts were excluded, the Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets for Class A Shares would have been $0.07, (37.36%), and 0.24%, respectively. For Institutional Class Shares, these amounts would have been $0.08, (37.18%), and 0.29%, respectively.
(g) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
(h) Included within Total Return is the effect of withholding tax refunds and income taxes on recovered refunds (See Note 2i of the Notes to Financial Statements). If such amounts were excluded, the Total Return for Class A Shares would have been (0.38%). For Institutional Class Shares, this amount would have been (0.11%).
(i) Included within Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets are the effects of withholding tax refunds and income taxes on recovered refunds (See Note 2i of the Notes to Financial Statements). If such amounts were excluded, the Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets for Class A Shares would have been $0.28, 12.13%, and 1.13%, respectively. For Institutional Class Shares, these amounts would have been $0.37, 12.41%, and 1.42%, respectively.
Financial Highlights   215

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Fund (formerly, abrdn International Sustainable Leaders Fund) (concluded)
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers Excluding Accruals for Estimated Tax Due on Foreign Tax Refund Recoveries) to Average Net Assets(b)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets(b)(c)
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(b)(c)(d)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(e)
$63,667
1.30
%
1.30
%
1.62
%
0.26
%
23.45
%
68,067
1.18
%
1.18
%
1.60
%
1.26
%
(f)
38.19
%
120,080
1.38
%
1.38
%
1.62
%
(0.36
%)
113.67
%
100,780
1.38
%
1.38
%
1.71
%
0.67
%
34.20
%
120,472
1.44
%
2.99
%
3.06
%
3.24
%
(i)
131.52
%
7,653
1.04
%
1.04
%
1.34
%
0.67
%
23.45
%
13,946
0.93
%
0.93
%
1.27
%
1.50
%
(f)
38.19
%
25,253
1.13
%
1.13
%
1.31
%
(0.11
%)
113.67
%
20,047
1.13
%
1.13
%
1.33
%
0.90
%
34.20
%
27,390
1.18
%
2.77
%
2.82
%
3.53
%
(i)
131.52
%
216   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
$13.07
$0.07
$0.13
$0.20
$(0.66
)
$(0.66
)
$12.61
Year Ended October 31, 2022
18.45
0.39
(e)
(5.77
)
(5.38
)
(f)
(f)
13.07
Year Ended October 31, 2021
13.14
5.37
5.37
(0.06
)
(0.06
)
18.45
Year Ended October 31, 2020
11.59
0.05
1.77
1.82
(0.27
)
(0.27
)
13.14
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.29
0.18
(i)
1.30
1.48
(0.18
)
(0.18
)
11.59
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023
13.12
0.11
0.13
0.24
(0.71
)
(0.71
)
12.65
Year Ended October 31, 2022
18.49
0.41
(e)
(5.77
)
(5.36
)
(0.01
)
(0.01
)
13.12
Year Ended October 31, 2021
13.18
0.04
5.37
5.41
(0.10
)
(0.10
)
18.49
Year Ended October 31, 2020
11.62
0.08
1.79
1.87
(0.31
)
(0.31
)
13.18
Year Ended October 31, 2019
10.30
0.21
(i)
1.30
1.51
(0.19
)
(0.19
)
11.62
 
(a) Net investment income is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Beginning with the year ended October 31, 2022, income taxes on recovered refunds were included in foreign tax withholding on the Statement of Operations and, as such, are not included within the ratios of expenses to average net assets. Income taxes on recovered refunds for years prior to October 31, 2022 were reflected as expenses on the Statement of Operations and included within the ratios of expenses to average net assets.
(c) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(e) Included within Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets are the effects of withholding tax refunds and income taxes on recovered refunds (See Note 2i of the Notes to Financial Statements). If such amounts were excluded, the Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets for Class A Shares would have been $0.07, (30.98%) and 0.47%, respectively. For Institutional Class Shares, these amounts would have been $0.07, (30.83%) and 0.49%, respectively.
(f) Less than $0.005 per share.
(g) The total return shown above includes the impact of financial statement rounding of the NAV per share and/or financial statement adjustments.
(h) Included within Total Return is the effect of withholding tax refunds and income taxes on recovered refunds (See Note 2i of the Notes to Financial Statements). If such amounts were excluded, the Total Return for Class A Shares would have been 15.82%. For Institutional Class Shares, this amount would have been 16.12%.
(i) Included within Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets are the effects of withholding tax refunds and income taxes on recovered refunds (See Note 2i of the Notes to Financial Statements). If such amounts were excluded, the Net Investment Income per share, Total Return, and Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets for Class A Shares would have been $0.08, 13.56%, and 0.77%, respectively. For Institutional Class Shares, these amounts would have been $0.11, 13.81%, and 1.03%, respectively.
Financial Highlights   217

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn Global Equity Impact Fund (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers Excluding Accruals for Estimated Tax Due on Foreign Tax Refund Recoveries) to Average Net Assets(b)
Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets(b)(c)
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(b)(c)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(d)
1.13
%
$25,480
1.40
%
1.40
%
1.81
%
0.53
%
30.88
%
(29.14
%)
(e)(g)
26,986
1.17
%
1.17
%
1.72
%
2.59
%
(e)
36.90
%
40.95
%
43,059
1.38
%
1.38
%
1.73
%
0.02
%
17.40
%
15.93
%
(h)
32,180
1.41
%
1.41
%
1.92
%
0.40
%
32.11
%
14.76
%
(i)
34,933
1.53
%
2.21
%
2.47
%
1.69
%
(i)
125.21
%
1.39
%
17,299
1.14
%
1.14
%
1.55
%
0.77
%
30.88
%
(28.99
%)
(e)(g)
19,384
0.92
%
0.92
%
1.44
%
2.71
%
(e)
36.90
%
41.23
%
32,312
1.13
%
1.13
%
1.45
%
0.24
%
17.40
%
16.30
%
(h)
27,839
1.16
%
1.16
%
1.61
%
0.65
%
32.11
%
14.99
%
(i)
27,937
1.28
%
1.97
%
2.20
%
1.95
%
(i)
125.21
%
218   Financial Highlights

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund (formerly, abrdn Global High Income Fund)
 
 
Investment Activities
Distributions
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a)
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments
Total from Investment Activities
Net Investment Income
Tax Return of Capital
Total Distributions
Net Asset Value, End of Period
Class A Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023*
$7.18
$0.41
$0.04
$0.45
$(0.52
)
$(0.01
)
$(0.53
)
$7.10
Year Ended October 31, 2022
8.84
0.38
(1.63
)
(1.25
)
(0.41
)
(0.41
)
7.18
Year Ended October 31, 2021
8.45
0.39
0.40
0.79
(0.40
)
(0.40
)
8.84
Year Ended October 31, 2020
8.71
0.40
(0.28
)
0.12
(0.38
)
(0.38
)
8.45
Year Ended October 31, 2019
8.74
0.44
0.19
0.63
(0.58
)
(0.08
)
(0.66
)
8.71
Year Ended October 31, 2018
9.23
0.50
(0.56
)
(0.06
)
(0.43
)
(0.43
)
8.74
Institutional Class Shares
Year Ended October 31, 2023*
6.57
0.39
0.04
0.43
(0.55
)
(0.01
)
(0.56
)
6.44
Year Ended October 31, 2022
8.13
0.36
(1.48
)
(1.12
)
(0.44
)
(0.44
)
6.57
Year Ended October 31, 2021
7.81
0.38
0.37
0.75
(0.43
)
(0.43
)
8.13
Year Ended October 31, 2020
8.08
0.39
(0.25
)
0.14
(0.41
)
(0.41
)
7.81
Year Ended October 31, 2019
8.16
0.43
0.17
0.60
(0.61
)
(0.07
)
(0.68
)
8.08
Year Ended October 31, 2018
8.65
0.49
(0.53
)
(0.04
)
(0.45
)
(0.45
)
8.16
 
(a) Net investment income/(loss) is based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such waivers/reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing among the classes of shares.
(d) Includes interest expense that amounts to less than 0.01%.
Financial Highlights   219

 
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Financial Highlights 
Selected Data for Each Share of Capital Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated
abrdn High Income Opportunities Fund (formerly, abrdn Global High Income Fund) (concluded)
 
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total Return
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s)



Ratio of Expenses (Net of Reimbursements/ Waivers) to Average Net Assets(b)
Ratio of Expenses (Prior to Reimbursements) to Average Net Assets(b)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets
Portfolio Turnover(c)
6.45
%
$55,312
1.00
%
(d)
1.34
%
(d)
5.64
%
74.58
%
(14.49
%)
$61,410
1.00
%
1.41
%
4.73
%
96.73
%
9.46
%
81,980
1.00
%
1.40
%
4.41
%
98.16
%
1.55
%
87,358
1.00
%
(d)
1.45
%
(d)
4.76
%
99.46
%
7.65
%
116,126
1.00
%
(d)
1.33
%
(d)
5.14
%
98.17
%
(0.66
%)
131,219
1.00
%
(d)
1.22
%
(d)
5.56
%
36.77
%
6.69
%
27,270
0.75
%
(d)
1.05
%
(d)
5.87
%
74.58
%
(14.20
%)
40,298
0.75
%
1.11
%
4.94
%
96.73
%
9.73
%
55,335
0.75
%
1.09
%
4.65
%
98.16
%
1.86
%
58,237
0.75
%
(d)
1.10
%
(d)
5.01
%
99.46
%
7.91
%
101,888
0.75
%
(d)
1.05
%
(d)
5.39
%
98.17
%
(0.43
%)
89,839
0.75
%
(d)
0.95
%
(d)
5.80
%
36.77
%
220   Financial Highlights

 
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Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies 
Merrill Lynch:
Purchases or sales of front-end (i.e. Class A) or level-load (i.e., Class C) mutual fund shares through a Merrill platform or account will be eligible only for the following sales load waivers (front-end, contingent deferred, or back-end waivers) and discounts, which differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus. Purchasers will have to buy mutual fund shares directly from the mutual fund company or through another intermediary to be eligible for waivers or discounts not listed below.
It is the client’s responsibility to notify Merrill at the time of purchase or sale of any relationship or other facts that qualify the transaction for a waiver or discount. A Merrill representative may ask for reasonable documentation of such facts and Merrill may condition the granting of a waiver or discount on the timely receipt of such documentation.
Additional information on waivers and discounts is available in the Merrill Sales Load Waiver and Discounts Supplement (the “Merrill SLWD Supplement”) and in the Mutual Fund Investing at Merrill pamphlet at ml.com/funds. Clients are encouraged to review these documents and speak with their financial advisor to determine whether a transaction is eligible for a waiver or discount.
Front-end Load Waivers Available at Merrill
Shares of mutual funds available for purchase by employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation, and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans provided the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans
Shares purchased through a Merrill investment advisory program
Brokerage class shares exchanged from advisory class shares due to the holdings moving from a Merrill investment advisory program to a Merrill brokerage account
Shares purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform
Shares purchased through the systematic reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same mutual fund in the same account
Shares exchanged from level-load shares to front-end load shares of the same mutual fund in accordance with the description in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
Shares purchased by eligible employees of Merrill or its affiliates and their family members who purchase shares in accounts within the employee's Merrill Household (as defined in the Merrill SLWD Supplement)
Shares purchased by eligible persons associated with the fund as defined in this prospectus (e.g. the fund's officers or trustees)
Shares purchased from the proceeds of a mutual fund redemption in front-end load shares provided (1) the repurchase is in a mutual fund within the same fund family; (2) the repurchase occurs within 90 calendar days from the redemption trade date, and (3) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e. systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill's account maintenance fees are not eligible for Rights of Reinstatement
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("CDSC") Waivers on Front-end, Back-end, and Level Load Shares Available at Merrill
Shares sold due to the client's death or disability (as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 22I(3))
Shares sold pursuant to a systematic withdrawal program subject to Merrill's maximum systematic withdrawal limits as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
Shares sold due to return of excess contributions from an IRA account
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the investor reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulation
Front-end or level-load shares held in commission-based, non-taxable retirement brokerage accounts (e.g. traditional, Roth, rollover, SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans) that are transferred to fee-based accounts or platforms and exchanged for a lower cost share class of the same mutual fund
Discounts Available at Merrill: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent
Breakpoint discounts, as described in this prospectus, where the sales load is at or below the maximum sales load that Merrill permits to be assessed to a front-end load purchase, as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
Rights of Accumulation (ROA), as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement, which entitle clients to breakpoint discounts based on the aggregated holdings of mutual fund family assets held in accounts in their Merrill Household
Letters of Intent (LOI), which allow for breakpoint discounts on eligible new purchases based on anticipated future eligible purchases within a fund family at Merrill, in accounts within your Merrill Household, as further described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies   221

 
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Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies 
Morgan Stanley:
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Transactional Brokerage Accounts
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account will be eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in these Funds’ Prospectus or SAI.
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans
 
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley’s account linking rules
 
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund
 
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account
 
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s share class conversion program
 
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge.
 
Raymond James:
Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account, or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment adviser for which Raymond James provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund’s prospectus or SAI.
Front-end sales load waivers on Class A shares available at Raymond James
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program.
 
Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).
 
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James.
 
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement).
 
A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James.
 
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C shares available at Raymond James
Death or disability of the shareholder.
 
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s prospectus.
 
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account.
 
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the fund’s prospectus.
 
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James.
 
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.
 
Front-end load discounts available at Raymond James: breakpoints, and/or rights of accumulation
Breakpoints as described in this prospectus.
 
Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.
 
Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.
 
222   Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies

 
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Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies 
Janney Montgomery Scott:
Effective May 1, 2020, if you purchase fund shares through a Janney Montgomery Scott LLC (“Janney”) brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”), or back-end sales charge, waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund’s Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end sales charge* waivers on Class A shares available at Janney
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).
 
Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney.
 
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e., right of reinstatement).
 
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans.
 
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.
 
Class C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Janney’s policies and procedures.
 
CDSC waivers on Class A and C shares available at Janney
Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder.
 
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s Prospectus.
 
Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account.
 
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and other retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the fund’s Prospectus.
 
Shares sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney.
 
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.
 
Shares exchanged into the same share class of a different fund.
 
Front-end sales charge* discounts available at Janney: breakpoints, rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent
Breakpoints as described in the fund’s Prospectus.
 
Rights of accumulation (“ROA”), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Janney. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.
 
Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney Montgomery Scott may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.
 
  *Also referred to as an “initial sales charge”
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (“OPCO”):
Effective June 18, 2020, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an OPCO platform or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at OPCO
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan
 
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan
 
Shares purchased through an OPCO affiliated investment advisory program
 
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family)
 
Shares purchased form the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement)
 
Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies   223

 
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Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies 
A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of OPCO
 
Employees and registered representatives of OPCO or its affiliates and their family members
 
Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this prospectus
 
CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares available at OPCO
Death or disability of the shareholder
 
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus
 
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account
 
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 72 (70½ if you reach 70½ before January 1, 2020) as described in the prospectus
 
Shares sold to pay OPCO fees but only if the transaction is initiated by OPCO
 
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement
 
Front-end load Discounts Available at OPCO: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent
Breakpoints as described in this prospectus.
 
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at OPCO. Eligible fund family assets not held at OPCO may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
 
Baird:
Effective June 18, 2020, shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Baird platform or account will only be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus or the SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A shares Available at Baird
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing share of the same fund
 
Share purchased by employees and registered representatives of Baird or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Baird
 
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions from another abrdn Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as rights of reinstatement)
 
A shareholder in the Funds’ Class C Shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird
 
Employer-sponsored retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs
 
CDSC Waivers on Class A and C shares Available at Baird
Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder
 
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus
 
Shares bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA Account
 
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 72 as described in the Fund’s prospectus
 
Shares sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird
 
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement
 
Front-End Sales Charge Discounts Available at Baird: Breakpoints and/or Rights of Accumulations
Breakpoints as described in this prospectus
 
Rights of accumulations which entitles shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of abrdn Funds assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Baird. Eligible abrdn Funds assets not held at Baird may be included in the rights of accumulations calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
 
224   Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies

 
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Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies 
Letters of Intent (LOI) allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of abrdn Funds through Baird, over a 13-month period of time
 
Ameriprise Financial:
Class A Shares Front-End Sales Charge Waivers Available at Ameriprise Financial:
The following information applies to Class A shares purchases if you have an account with or otherwise purchase Fund shares through Ameriprise Financial:
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial brokerage account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus or SAI:
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs.
 
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family).
 
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 7-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares or conversion of Class C shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply.
 
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members.
 
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisor’s spouse, advisor’s lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisor’s lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, stepdaughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant.
 
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement).
 
Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies   225

 
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Broker-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies 
Please read this prospectus before you invest, and keep it with your records. The following documents – which may be obtained free of charge – contain additional information about the Funds:
Statement of Additional Information (incorporated by reference into this prospectus)
 
Annual Reports (which, when available, will contain discussions of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance)
 
Semi-Annual Reports (when available)
 
While this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information of the Trust describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this prospectus nor the Statement of Additional Information represents a contract between the Trust or a Fund and any shareholder or any other party.
To obtain any of the above documents free of charge (when available), to request other information about the Funds, or to make other shareholder inquiries, contact us at the address or number listed below. You can also access and download the annual and semi-annual reports (when available) and the Statement of Additional Information at the Funds’ website https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature.
To reduce the volume of mail you receive, only one copy of financial reports, prospectuses, other regulatory materials and other communications will be mailed to your household (if you share the same last name and address). You can call us at 866-667-9231, or write to us at the address listed below, to request (1) additional copies free of charge, or (2) that we discontinue our practice of mailing regulatory materials together.
If you wish to receive regulatory materials and/or account statements electronically, you can sign-up for our free e-delivery service. Please visit the Funds’ website at https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature or call 866-667-9231 for additional information.
For Additional Information Contact:
By Regular Mail:
abrdn Funds
P.O. Box 219534
Kansas City MO 64121-9534
By Overnight Mail:
abrdn Funds
c/o SS&C GIDS, Inc.
430 W. 7th Street, Ste. 219534
Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
For 24-hour Access:
866-667-9231 (toll free)
Customer Service Representatives are available 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Call after 7 p.m. Eastern Time for closing share prices.
Also, visit the Funds’ website at https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/us/investor/fund-centre#literature.
Information from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) You can obtain information about the Funds, including the SAI from the SEC:
on the SEC’s EDGAR database via the Internet at www.sec.gov; or
 
by electronic request to [email protected] (the SEC charges a fee for this service).
 
THE TRUST’S INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO.: 811-22132
226   Information from abrdn Funds