ck0001293967-20231031
PRIMECAP
ODYSSEY FUNDS
Telephone:
1-800-729-2307
STATEMENT
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
February
28, 2024
PRIMECAP
ODYSSEY STOCK FUND (POSKX)
PRIMECAP
ODYSSEY GROWTH FUND (POGRX)
PRIMECAP
ODYSSEY AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND (POAGX)
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Funds (the “Trust”) is a professionally managed, open‑end, management
investment company with multiple funds available for investment. Its investment
advisor is PRIMECAP Management Company (the “Advisor” or “PRIMECAP Management
Company”). This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) contains information
about the shares of all three of the Trust’s investment portfolios (each a
“Fund” and collectively the “Funds”).
This
SAI is not a prospectus. You should read this SAI in conjunction with the
Prospectus dated February 28, 2024. All terms defined in the
Prospectus have the same meanings in this SAI. You can order copies of the
Prospectus without charge by writing to the Funds c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund
Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701 or by calling the Funds’
Transfer Agent at 1‑800‑729‑2307. The audited financial statements for the Trust
for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, are incorporated
by reference
to the Trust’s October 31, 2023 Annual Report.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Funds (the “Trust”) is a professionally managed, open‑end, management
investment company with multiple funds available for investment and is
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”
or “Investment Company Act”). The Trust was organized as a statutory trust under
the laws of Delaware on June 8, 2004 and may issue an unlimited number of shares
of beneficial interest or classes of shares in one or more separate series.
Currently, the Trust offers shares of the three series described in the
Prospectus and this SAI. The Board may authorize the issuance of shares of
additional series or classes of shares of beneficial interest if it deems it
desirable.
Each
Fund’s investment objective of capital appreciation is a fundamental policy and
may not be changed without approval by a vote of the holders of a majority of
the Fund’s outstanding voting securities, as described under “General
Information - Shares of the Funds.” No assurance exists that any of the Funds
will achieve its investment objective.
The
investment restrictions described below apply to the Funds. The restrictions
designated as fundamental policies may not be changed without approval by the
shareholders of a majority of the relevant Fund’s outstanding shares. If the
Trust’s Board of Trustees determines, however, that a Fund’s investment
objective can best be achieved by a substantive change in a non‑fundamental
investment policy or strategy, the Trust’s Board may make such change without
shareholder approval and will disclose any such material change in the
then‑current Prospectus. Any policy that is not specified in the Funds’
Prospectus or in the SAI as being fundamental is non-fundamental.
If
a percentage limitation described below is satisfied at the time of investment,
a later increase or decrease in such percentage resulting from a change in the
value of a Fund’s portfolio securities or resulting from reorganizations,
consolidations, payments out of assets of the Fund, or redemptions of shares
will not constitute a violation of such limitation, except for investment
restriction (2) below.
Fundamental
Investment Restrictions
As
a matter of fundamental policy, each Fund is diversified. This means at least
75% of the value of the Fund’s total assets must be represented by cash and cash
items (including receivables), U.S. Government securities, securities of other
investment companies, and securities of issuers (each of which represents no
more than 5% of the value of the Portfolio’s total assets and no more than 10%
of the issuer’s outstanding voting securities).
The
Fund has adopted the fundamental investment restrictions below. These
restrictions may not be changed without the majority approval of the
shareholders. As a matter of fundamental policy, no Fund may do any of the
following:
(1)
Purchase the securities of issuers conducting their principal business
activities in the same industry if, immediately after the purchase and as a
result thereof, the value of the Fund’s investments in that industry would be
25% or more of the current value of the Fund’s total assets, provided that there
is no limitation with respect to investments in U.S. Government obligations and
repurchase agreements secured by such obligations.
(2)
Borrow money or issue senior securities as defined in the 1940 Act, except (a)
with regard to senior securities, as permitted pursuant to an order or a rule
issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); (b) each
Fund may borrow from banks up to 15% of the current value of its net assets for
temporary purposes only in order to meet redemptions, and these borrowings may
be secured by the pledge of up to 15% of the current value of its net assets
(but investments may not be purchased while any such outstanding borrowing in
excess of 5% of its net assets exists); (c) a Fund may make short sales of
securities; and (d) a Fund may enter into reverse repurchase
agreements.
(3)
Purchase or sell real estate (other than securities issued by companies that
invest in real estate or interests therein).
(4)
Purchase commodities or commodity contracts, except that each Fund may enter
into forward currency exchange transactions and futures contracts and may write
call options and purchase call and put options on futures contracts, in
accordance with its investment objective and policies.
(5)
Purchase securities on margin (except for short‑term credits necessary for the
clearance of transactions and except for margin payments in connection with
options, futures, and options on futures).
(6)
Underwrite securities of other issuers, except to the extent that the purchase
of permitted investments directly from the issuer or from an underwriter for an
issuer and the later disposition of such securities in accordance with a Fund’s
investment program may be deemed to be an underwriting.
(7)
Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.
Investments by a Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws
of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the
purpose of exercising control or management.
(8)
Lend money or portfolio securities, except that each Fund may lend portfolio
securities to or enter into repurchase agreements with certain brokers, dealers,
and financial institutions aggregating up to 33‑1/3% of the current value of the
lending Fund’s total assets.
(9)
Pledge, mortgage, or hypothecate more than 15% of its net assets.
Common
Stock
Each
Fund mainly invests in common stock. Common stock represents an equity or
ownership interest in an issuer. Common stock typically entitles the owner to
vote on the election of directors and other important matters as well as to
receive dividends on such stock. If an issuer is liquidated or declares
bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds, other debt holders, and owners of
preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock.
Common stock is subject to the market and other risks described in the
Prospectus.
Preferred
Stock
Each
Fund may invest in preferred stock, which is a class of capital stock that pays
dividends at a specified rate and that has preference over common stock in the
payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets. Although the dividend is set
at a fixed annual rate, in some circumstances it can be changed or omitted by
the issuer.
Dividends
on some preferred stock may be “cumulative” (requiring all or a portion of prior
unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends are paid on the issuer’s common
stock), non‑cumulative, participating (i.e., a type of preferred stock that
gives the holder the right to receive dividends at the stated rate as well as an
additional dividend based on some predetermined condition), or auction rate
(i.e.,
dividends are reset periodically through an auction process). If interest rates
rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stock may be less attractive, causing the
price of the preferred stock to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory
sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to
maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline. Preferred stock does
not ordinarily carry voting rights. The rights of preferred stock on the
distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of a liquidation are
generally subordinate to the rights associated with the corporation’s debt
securities.
Sector
Focus
Investing
a significant portion of a Fund’s assets in one sector of the market exposes the
Fund to greater market risk and potential monetary losses than if those assets
were spread among various sectors. If a Fund’s portfolio is
overweighted
in a certain sector, any negative development affecting that sector will have a
greater impact on the Fund than a fund that is not overweighted in that sector.
As of October 31, 2023, certain Funds had significant investments in the
information technology and health care sectors.
Companies
in the Health Care sector are subject to extensive government regulation, and
their profitability can be significantly affected by factors including
restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of
medical products and services, pricing pressure, and limited product lines.
Companies in the Health Care sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and
defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of
patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Health
Care companies may also be subject to extensive litigation based on product
liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete
due to industry innovation, changes in technologies, or other market
developments. Many new products in the Health Care sector require significant
research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of
which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will
come to market.
The
value of stocks of information technology companies is particularly vulnerable
to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence,
government regulation and competition (both domestically and internationally),
including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs.
Stocks of companies in the information technology sector, especially those of
smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall
market. information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and
intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely
affect profitability.
Market
Conditions
Events
in certain sectors historically have resulted, and may in the future result, in
an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic
and foreign. These events have included, but are not limited to: bankruptcies,
corporate restructurings, and other events related to the sub-prime mortgage
crisis; governmental efforts to limit short selling and high frequency trading;
measures to address U.S. federal and state budget deficits; social, political,
and economic instability in Europe; economic stimulus by the Japanese central
bank; steep declines in oil prices; dramatic changes in currency exchange rates;
pandemics, epidemics and other similar circumstances in one or more countries or
regions; China’s economic slowdown; Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and other wars
and international conflicts. Interconnected global economies and financial
markets increase the possibility that conditions in one country or region might
adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. Such events may cause
significant declines in the value and liquidity of many securities and other
instruments. It is impossible to predict whether such conditions will reoccur.
Because such situations may be widespread, it may be difficult to identify both
risks and opportunities using past models of the interplay of market forces, or
to predict the duration of such events.
The
COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extreme volatility in the financial markets,
economic downturns around the world, and severe losses, particularly to some
sectors of the economy and individual issuers, and reduced liquidity of certain
instruments. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused significant disruptions to
business operations, including business closures; strain on healthcare systems;
disruptions to supply chains and employee availability; large fluctuations in
consumer demand; large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of
government actions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic; and widespread
uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of the pandemic. High public debt in
the United States and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks
and policymaking uncertainty. Raising the ceiling on U.S. Government debt has
become increasingly politicized. Any failure to increase the total amount that
the U.S. Government is authorized to borrow could lead to a default on U.S.
Government obligations, with unpredictable consequences for economies and
markets in the United States and elsewhere, and the Funds’
investments.
Rates
of inflation have risen in recent years. Inflation has affected the global
economy and global financial markets. Inflation occurs when prices increase and
the purchasing power of money decreases. The value of assets or income from an
investment may be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of
money. As inflation increases, the real value of a portfolio’s assets can
decline as can the value of a portfolio’s distributions. Governments around
the
world, including the U.S. Government, have taken steps designed to manage
inflation, including by raising interest rates. Interest rates may remain
elevated or may rise further.
In
March 2023, the financial distress of certain financial institutions raised
economic concerns over disruption in the U.S. banking system and the solvency of
certain financial services firms. There can be no certainty that the actions
taken by the U.S. Government to strengthen public confidence in the U.S. banking
system will be effective in mitigating the effects of financial institution
failures on the economy and restoring public confidence in the U.S. banking
system.
Warrants,
Rights, and Convertible Securities
Each
Fund may invest in warrants and rights in connection with investment in other
securities or separately. A warrant gives the holder the right to subscribe by a
specified date to a stated number of shares of stock of the issuer at a fixed
price. Rights are similar to warrants but typically have a shorter duration and
are issued by a company to existing holders of its stock to provide those
holders the right to purchase additional shares of stock at a later date.
Warrants and rights do not carry with them the right to dividends or voting
rights with respect to the securities that they entitle their holder to
purchase, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing
company. The prices of warrants and rights tend to be more volatile than the
price of the underlying stock, and if at a warrant’s or right’s expiration date
the stock is trading at a price below the price set in the warrant or right, the
warrant or right will expire worthless. Conversely, if at the expiration date
the stock is trading at a price higher than the price set in the warrant or
right, the holder can acquire the stock at a price below its market value. As a
result of speculation or other factors, the prices of warrants and rights do not
necessarily correlate with the prices of the underlying securities. A Fund may
only purchase warrants or rights on securities in which the Fund may invest
directly. The market for warrants or rights may be very limited, and it may be
difficult to sell them promptly at an acceptable price.
Each
Fund may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security may be a fixed
income debt security or preferred stock and may be converted at a stated price
or stated rate within a specified period of time into a certain quantity of the
common stock of the same or another issuer. A convertible security, while
usually subordinated to nonconvertible debt securities of the same issuer, is
senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure. Convertible securities
may offer more flexibility by providing the investor with a steady income stream
(generally yielding a lower amount than nonconvertible securities of the same
issuer and a higher amount than common stocks) as well as the opportunity to
take advantage of increases in the price of the issuer’s common stock through
the conversion feature. Convertible security prices tend to be influenced by
changes in the market value of the issuer’s common stock as well as changes in
interest rates. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines,
convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis and thus may
not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common
stock.
Convertible
securities are purchased by the Funds primarily for their equity characteristics
and are not subject to rating criteria.
Foreign
Securities
Each
Fund may invest in foreign securities directly through securities traded on a
foreign exchange, through securities of foreign companies traded on a U.S. stock
exchange, or in the form of American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”), European
Depository Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”), or other
Depository Receipts (which, together with ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, are hereinafter
collectively referred to as “Depository Receipts”) to the extent such Depository
Receipts become available.
Depository
Receipts.
ADRs are publicly traded on exchanges or over-the-counter (“OTC”) in the United
States. GDRs, EDRs, and other types of Depository Receipts are typically issued
by foreign depositories, although they may also be issued by U.S. depositories
and evidence ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by
either a U.S. or foreign corporation. Depository Receipts may be “sponsored” or
“unsponsored.” In a sponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes the
obligation to pay some or all of the depository’s transaction fees. In an
unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligation and the
depository’s transaction fees are paid by the holders of the Depository
Receipts. Foreign issuers, whose securities underlie unsponsored Depository
Receipts,
are
not necessarily obligated to disclose material information in the markets in
which the unsponsored Depository Receipts are traded, and the market value of
the Depository Receipts may not be correlated with such information and may be
more volatile than the market for sponsored Depository Receipts.
General
Risks of Investing in Foreign Securities.
Investing on an international basis involves certain risks not involved in
domestic investments, including fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future
political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of exchange
controls, sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs), and
other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments. In
addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of
expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability,
or diplomatic developments which could affect investments in those countries.
Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from
the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rates of
inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self‑sufficiency, and balance of
payments position. Certain foreign investments may also be subject to foreign
withholding taxes.
Financial
problems in global economies may cause high volatility in global financial
markets. As global economies have become increasingly interconnected, the
possibility increases that conditions in one country or region might adversely
impact a different country or region. The severity or duration of these
conditions may also be affected by other policy changes made by governments or
quasi-governmental organizations.
Lack
of Information. Some
of the foreign securities held by the Funds may not be registered with the
Commission, nor will the issuers thereof be subject to the Commission’s
reporting requirements. Accordingly, there may be less publicly available
information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and such foreign
companies may not be subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting
standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are
subject. As a result, traditional investment measurements, such as
price/earnings ratios, as used in the United States, may not be applicable to
certain smaller capital markets. Foreign companies are not generally subject to
uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards or to practices
and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic
companies.
Foreign
Stock Markets.
Foreign markets have different settlement and clearance procedures than U.S.
markets. In certain foreign markets, settlements have at times failed to keep
pace with the volumes of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct
such transactions. For example, delays in settlement could result in temporary
periods when assets of a Fund are uninvested and no return is earned on those
assets. The inability of a Fund to make intended security purchases due to
settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment
opportunities. The inability to dispose of a portfolio security due to
settlement problems could result either in losses to a Fund due to subsequent
declines in the value of such portfolio security or could, if the Fund has
entered into a contract to sell the security, result in possible liability to
the purchaser.
Brokerage
commissions and other transaction costs on foreign securities exchanges are
generally higher than in the United States. There is generally less government
supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers, and issuers in foreign
countries than in the United States. These risks are often heightened for
investments in smaller capital markets and developing countries.
Foreign
Currencies.
Each Fund may invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other
than the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, changes in foreign currency exchange rates
will affect the values of those securities in a Fund’s portfolio and the
unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments insofar as U.S. investors
are concerned. A Fund may also hold foreign currency in connection with the
purchase and sale of foreign securities. To the extent a Fund holds foreign
currency, there may be a risk due to foreign currency exchange rate
fluctuations. Currency exchange rates generally are determined by the forces of
supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of
investments in different countries as viewed from an international perspective.
Currency exchange rates can also be affected unpredictably by intervention by
U.S. or foreign governments or central banks or by currency controls or
political developments in the United States or abroad.
Such
foreign currency will be held with the Funds’ custodian bank or by an approved
foreign subcustodian.
Investing
in Countries with Smaller Capital Markets.
Each Fund may invest in securities of companies located in developing countries.
The securities markets of developing countries are not as large as the U.S.
securities markets and have substantially less trading volume, resulting in a
lack of liquidity and high price volatility. Certain markets, such as those of
China, are in only the earliest stages of development. There may also be a high
concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of
issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high
concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Securities markets in
emerging markets may also be susceptible to manipulation or other fraudulent
trade practices, which could disrupt the functioning of these markets or
adversely affect the value of investments traded in these markets, including
investments of the Fund. Many such markets also may be affected by developments
with respect to more established markets in their region, such as in Japan.
Developing country brokers typically are fewer in number and less capitalized
than brokers in the United States.
Political
and social uncertainties exist for some developing countries. In addition, the
governments of many such countries have heavy roles in regulating and
supervising their respective economies. The political history of certain of
those countries has also been characterized by political uncertainty,
intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres, and political
corruption.
Another
risk common to most such countries is that the economies are heavily export
oriented and, accordingly, dependent upon international trade. The existence of
overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also presents risks
in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also
depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and,
therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices which, in turn, may be
affected by a variety of factors.
Archaic
legal systems in certain developing countries also may have an adverse impact on
a Fund investing in developing countries. For example, while the potential
liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to the acts of the
corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment,
the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain developing countries.
Similarly, the rights of investors in developing countries may be more limited
than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations, which may make it more
difficult or impossible for such investors to pursue legal remedies or to obtain
and enforce judgments in local courts.
Some
of the currencies of developing countries have experienced devaluations relative
to the U.S. dollar, and major adjustments have been made periodically in certain
of such currencies.
Some
developing countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments
in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities
such as the Funds. For example, certain countries may require governmental
approval prior to investments by foreign persons, limit the amount of investment
by foreign persons in a particular company, or limit investment by foreign
persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less
advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available
for purchase by nationals. Certain countries may restrict investment
opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national
interests.
The
manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain developing
countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse
impact on the operations of each Fund. For example, a Fund may be required in
certain of such countries to invest initially through a local broker or other
entity and then have the shares that were purchased reregistered in the name of
the Fund. Re-registration may in some instances not be able to occur on a timely
basis, resulting in a delay during which the Fund may be denied certain of its
rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of
certain corporate actions. There also may be instances where a Fund places a
purchase order but is subsequently informed, at the time of re-registration,
that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign investors has been
filled, depriving the Fund of the ability to make its desired investment at that
time.
Substantial
limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to a Fund’s ability to
repatriate investment income, capital, or the proceeds of sales of securities by
foreign investors. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a
refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of
capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on
investments. In addition, even where there is no outright restriction on
repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain
aspects of the operations of the Fund. For
example,
funds may be withdrawn from China only in U.S. or Hong Kong dollars and only at
an exchange rate established by the government once each week.
A
number of publicly traded closed-end investment companies have been organized to
facilitate indirect foreign investment in developing countries, and certain of
such countries have specifically authorized such funds. There also are
investment opportunities in certain of such countries in pooled vehicles that
resemble open‑end investment companies. A Fund’s investment in these companies
will be subject to certain percentage limitations of the 1940 Act. Shares of
certain investment companies may at times be acquired only at market prices
representing premiums to their net asset values.
In
certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the
leading companies to have actively traded securities. The 1940 Act restricts
each Fund’s investments in any equity securities of an issuer which, in its most
recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from
“securities-related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. These
provisions may restrict the Fund’s investments in certain foreign banks and
other financial institutions.
Inflation
accounting rules in some developing countries require a company that keeps tax
and accounting records in the local currency to restate certain assets and
liabilities on the company’s balance sheet in order to express items in terms of
currency of constant purchasing power. This inflation accounting may indirectly
generate losses or profits for certain companies in developing
countries.
Satisfactory
custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some
developing countries, which may result in a Fund incurring additional costs and
delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities
outside such countries.
There
may also be restrictions on imports from certain countries, such as Russia, and
dealings with certain state-sponsored entities. For example, following Russia’s
large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the President of the United States signed an
Executive Order in February 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from entering
transactions with the Central Bank of Russia and Executive Orders in March 2022
prohibiting U.S. persons from importing oil and gas from Russia as well as other
popular Russian exports, such as diamonds, seafood and vodka. There may also be
restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, the President of
the United States signed an Executive Order in June 2021 affirming and expanding
the U.S. policy prohibiting U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in
publicly-traded securities of companies identified by the U.S. Government as
“Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies.” The list of such companies can
change from time to time, and as a result of forced selling or an inability to
participate in an investment the Advisor otherwise believes is attractive, a
Fund may incur losses. Any of the factors discussed above may adversely affect a
Fund’s performance or the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment
objective.
Developments
in the China Region.
After
nearly 30 years of unprecedented growth, the rate of growth of the economy of
the People’s Republic of China has slowed. The real estate market, which many
observers believed to be inflated, has begun to decline. Local governments,
which had borrowed heavily to bolster growth, face high debt burdens and limited
revenue sources. As a result, demand for Chinese exports by the United States
and countries in Europe, and demands for Chinese imports from such countries,
may weaken due to the effects of more limited economic growth. Additionally,
Chinese actions to lay claim to disputed islands have caused relations with
China’s regional trading partners to suffer and could cause further disruption
to regional and international trade. From time to time, China has experienced
outbreaks of infectious illnesses, and the country may be subject to other
public health threats, infectious illnesses, diseases or similar issues in the
future. 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. In the long run, China’s ability to develop and
sustain a credible legal, regulatory, monetary, and socioeconomic system could
influence the course of outside investment.
Europe
- Recent Events.
The
European Union (the “EU”) currently faces major issues involving its membership,
structure, procedures and policies, including the successful political,
economic, and social integration of new
member
states, the EU’s resettlement and distribution of refugees, and resolution of
the EU’s problematic fiscal and democratic accountability. In addition, one or
more countries may abandon the Euro, the common currency of the EU, and/or
withdraw from the EU. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a
disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and
far-reaching.
On
January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom (the “UK”) formally withdrew from the EU
(commonly referred to as “Brexit”) and, after a transition period, left the EU
single market and customs union under the terms of a new trade agreement,
effective January 1, 2021. The agreement governs the relationship between the UK
and EU with respect to trading goods and services, but certain aspects of the
relationship remain unresolved and subject to further negotiation and agreement.
The effects of Brexit are also being shaped by the trade agreements that the UK
negotiates with other countries. Although the longer term political, regulatory,
and economic consequences of Brexit are uncertain, Brexit has caused volatility
in UK, EU, and global markets. The potential negative effects of Brexit on the
UK and EU economies and the broader global economy could include, among others,
business and trade disruptions, increased volatility and illiquidity, currency
fluctuations, and potentially lower economic growth of markets in the UK, EU,
and globally, which could negatively impact the value of a Fund’s investments.
Brexit could also lead to legal uncertainty and politically divergent national
laws and regulations while the relationship between the UK and EU continues to
be defined and the UK determines which EU laws to replace or
replicate.
Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the resulting responses by the United
States and other countries, and the potential for wider conflict, have increased
and may continue to increase volatility and uncertainty in financial markets
worldwide. The United States and other countries have imposed broad-ranging
economic sanctions on Russia and Russian entities and individuals, and may
impose additional sanctions, including on other countries that provide military
or economic support to Russia. These sanctions, among other things, restrict
companies from doing business with Russia and Russian issuers, and may adversely
affect companies with economic or financial exposure to Russia and Russian
issuers. The duration, extent, and repercussions of Russia’s military actions
are not yet fully known and may not be for some time. The invasion may widen
beyond Ukraine and may escalate, including through retaliatory actions and
cyberattacks by Russia and even other countries. These events may result in
further and significant market disruptions and may adversely affect regional and
global economies including those of Europe and the United States. Certain
industries and markets, such as those involving oil, natural gas and other
commodities, as well as global supply chains, may be particularly adversely
affected.
Whether
or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with
significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could
negatively affect the value and liquidity of that Fund’s investments due to the
interconnected nature of the global economy and capital markets. A Fund may also
be susceptible to these events to the extent that that Fund invests in municipal
obligations with credit support by non-U.S. financial institutions.
Options
and Other Derivatives
Each
Fund may use a variety of derivative financial instruments to hedge its
investments and to enhance its income or manage its cash flow (“derivatives”). A
derivative financial instrument is generally defined as an instrument whose
value is derived from, or based upon, some underlying index, reference rate
(such as an interest rate or currency exchange rate), security, commodity, or
other asset. In addition to the derivatives briefly described below, PRIMECAP
Management Company may discover additional opportunities in connection with
options and other hedging techniques. These new opportunities may become
available as PRIMECAP Management Company develops new techniques, as regulatory
authorities broaden the range of permitted transactions, and as new options, or
other techniques are developed. PRIMECAP Management Company may utilize these
opportunities with any of the Funds to the extent that they are consistent with
the Fund’s investment objectives and permitted by the Fund’s investment
limitations and applicable regulatory authorities. The Prospectus and this SAI
will be supplemented in the event that new products or techniques involve
materially different risks than those described below or in the
Prospectus.
The
use of derivatives is subject to applicable regulations of the Commission, the
several options exchanges upon which they are traded. In addition, a Fund’s
ability to use derivatives may be limited by tax considerations. See
“Federal
Tax Information.” The regulation of commodity and derivatives transactions in
the United States is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to ongoing
modification by government, self-regulatory, and judicial action. In October
2020, the Commission adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Derivatives
Rule”), which provides an updated, comprehensive framework for registered
investment companies’ use of derivatives. The Derivatives Rule requires
investment companies that enter into derivatives transactions and certain other
transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations to, among other
things, (i) comply with a value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limit, and (ii) adopt
and implement a comprehensive written derivatives risk management program. These
and other requirements apply unless (a) the fund qualifies as a "limited
derivatives user," which the Derivatives Rule defines as a fund that limits its
derivatives exposure to 10% of its net assets, or (b) the fund does not engage
in derivatives transactions as defined in the Derivatives Rule. As of the date
of this SAI, the Funds do not engage in derivatives transactions that require
compliance with the Derivatives Rule. PRIMECAP Management Company monitors the
Funds' investments to ensure that no Fund engages in derivatives transactions
without complying with the requirements of the Derivatives Rule. Complying with
the Derivatives Rule may increase the cost of a fund’s investments and cost of
doing business, which could adversely affect investors. The Derivatives Rule may
not be effective to limit a fund’s risk of loss. In particular, measurements of
VaR rely on historical data and may not accurately measure the degree of risk
reflected in a fund’s derivatives or other investments. The effect of any future
regulatory change on the Funds is impossible to predict but could adversely
affect the value, availability, and performance of derivatives, make them more
costly, and limit or restrict their use by the Funds.
Options
on Equity Securities.
A call option is a short-term contract pursuant to which the purchaser of the
option, in return for a premium, has the right to buy the security underlying
the option at a specified price at any time during the term of the option. The
writer of the call option, who receives the premium, has the obligation, upon
exercise of the option during the option term, to deliver the underlying
security against payment of the exercise price. A put option is a similar
contract that gives its purchaser, in return for a premium, the right to sell
the underlying security at a specified price during the option term. The writer
of the put option, who receives the premium, has the obligation, upon exercise
of the option during the option term, to buy the underlying security at the
exercise price.
Options
on Securities Indexes.
A securities index assigns relative values to the securities included in the
index and fluctuates with changes in the market values of those securities. A
securities index option operates in the same way as a stock option, except that
exercise of a securities index option is effected with cash payment and does not
involve delivery of securities. Thus, upon exercise of a securities index
option, the purchaser will realize, and the writer will pay, an amount based on
the difference between the exercise price and the closing price of the
securities index.
Foreign
Currency
Options.
A put or call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the
right to sell or purchase a foreign currency at the exercise price until the
option expires. Each Fund may use foreign currency options separately or in
combination to control currency volatility. Among the strategies that may be
employed to control currency volatility is an option collar. An option collar
involves the purchase of a put option and the simultaneous sale of a call option
on the same currency with the same expiration date but with different exercise
(or “strike”) prices. Generally the put option will have an out‑of‑the‑money
strike price, while the call option will have either an at‑the‑money strike
price or an in‑the‑money strike price.
Hedging
Strategies.
Hedging strategies can be broadly categorized as short hedges and long hedges. A
short hedge is a purchase or sale of a derivative intended partially or fully to
offset potential declines in the value of one or more investments held by a
Fund. Thus, in a short hedge, a Fund takes a position in a derivative whose
price is expected to move in the opposite direction of the price of the
investment being hedged. For example, a Fund might purchase a put option on a
security to hedge against a potential decline in the value of that security. If
the price of the security declines below the exercise price of the put, the Fund
could exercise the put and thus limit its loss below the exercise price to the
premium paid plus transaction costs. Alternatively, because the value of the put
option can be expected to increase as the value of the underlying security
declines, the Fund might be able to close out the put option and realize a gain
to offset the decline in the value of the security.
Conversely,
a long hedge is a purchase or sale of a derivative intended partially or fully
to offset potential increases in the acquisition cost of one or more investments
that a Fund intends to acquire. Thus, in a long hedge, a Fund takes a position
in a derivative whose price is expected to move in the same direction as the
price of the prospective investment being hedged. For example, a Fund might
purchase a call option on a security it intends to purchase in order to hedge
against an increase in the cost of the security. If the price of the security
increases above the exercise price of the call, the Fund could exercise the call
and thus limit its acquisition cost to the exercise price plus the premium paid
and transaction costs. Alternatively, the Fund might be able to offset the price
increase by closing out an appreciated call option and realizing a
gain.
Derivatives
on securities generally are used to hedge against price movements in one or more
particular securities positions that a Fund owns or intends to acquire.
Derivatives on stock indices, in contrast, generally are used to hedge against
price movements in broad equity market sectors in which a Fund has invested or
expects to invest. Derivatives on debt securities may be used to hedge either
individual securities or broad fixed income market sectors.
Special
Risks of Options and Other Derivatives.
The
use of derivatives involves special considerations and risks, including leverage
risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, market risk, counterparty risk, credit
risk, and others described below. In addition, derivatives expose the Funds to
additional risks such as operational risk (such as documentation issues and
settlement issues) and legal risk (such as insufficient documentation,
insufficient capacity or authority of a counterparty, and issues with the
legality or enforceability of a contract).
Successful
use of most derivatives depends in part upon the Advisor’s ability to forecast
correctly future market trends and other financial or economic factors or the
value of the underlying securities, currency, or interest rate, which requires
different skills than predicting changes in the price of individual securities.
There can be no assurance that any particular hedging strategy adopted will
succeed.
There
might be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between the price or
price movements of a derivative and the price or
price
movements of the investments being hedged. For example, if the value of a
derivative used in a short hedge increased by less than the decline in value of
the hedged investment, the hedge would not be fully successful. Such a lack of
correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of the investments
being hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the markets in which
derivatives are traded. The effectiveness of any hedge using derivatives on an
index will depend on the degree of correlation between price movements in the
index and price movements in the securities being hedged.
Hedging
strategies, if successful, can reduce risk of loss by wholly or partially
offsetting the negative effect of unfavorable price movements in the investments
being hedged. However, hedging strategies can also reduce opportunity for gain
by offsetting the positive effect of favorable price movements in the hedged
investments. For example, if a Fund entered into a short hedge because the
Advisor projected a decline in the price of a security held by the Fund, and the
price of that security increased instead, the gain from that increase might be
wholly or partially offset by a decline in the price of the derivative.
Moreover, if the price of the derivative declined by more than the increase in
the price of the security, the Fund could suffer a loss. In either such case,
the Fund would have been in a better position had it not hedged at
all.
Certain
derivatives transactions involve the risk of loss resulting from the insolvency
or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure by the counterparty to make
required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. In the
event of a default by a counterparty, a Fund may have contractual remedies
pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction, which may be limited by
applicable law in the case of bankruptcy.
Furthermore,
if a Fund were unable to close out its positions in such derivatives, it might
be required to make margin payments until the position expired or matured. These
requirements might impair the Fund’s ability to sell a portfolio security or
make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be favorable to do so, or
require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time. A
Fund’s ability to close out a position in a derivative prior to expiration or
maturity depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market or, in the
absence of such a market,
the
ability and willingness of a contra party to enter into a transaction closing
out the position. Therefore, there is no assurance that any hedging position can
be closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund.
Derivatives
may be purchased on established exchanges (“exchange-traded” derivatives) or
through privately negotiated transactions (“over-the-counter” derivatives).
Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency
which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. This guarantee usually
is supported by a daily payment system operated by the clearing agency in order
to reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency defaults,
there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with derivatives
purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency guarantees
over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-the-counter
derivative transaction bears the risk that the counterparty will default.
Accordingly, PRIMECAP Management Company will consider the creditworthiness of
counterparties to over-the-counter derivative transactions in the same manner as
it would review the credit quality of a security to be purchased by the Fund.
Over-the-counter derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives
since the other party to the transaction may be the only investor with
sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in bidding for
it.
Derivatives
may be difficult to value or may be valued subjectively. Inaccurate valuations
can result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of
value to a Fund.
Derivatives
used for non-hedging purposes may result in losses which would not be offset by
increases in the value of portfolio securities or declines in the cost of
securities to be acquired. If a Fund enters into a derivatives transaction as an
alternative to purchase or selling other investments, the Fund will be exposed
to the same risks that are incurred in purchasing or selling the other
investments directly as well as the risks of the derivatives transaction
itself.
Derivatives
transactions conducted outside the United States may not be conducted in the
same manner as those entered into on U.S. exchanges and may be subject to
different margin, exercise, settlement, or expiration procedures.
Other
Investment Companies
Each
Fund may also invest in securities issued by other investment companies (each,
an “Underlying Fund”), including (to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or
Commission rules) other investment companies managed by PRIMECAP Management
Company. A Fund may also invest in securities issued by other investment
companies by purchasing the securities of certain foreign investment funds or
trusts treated as passive foreign investment companies for U.S. federal income
tax purposes.
A
Fund’s investment in other investment companies may include shares of exchange
traded funds (collectively, “ETFs”). ETFs are generally not actively managed.
Rather, typically an ETF’s objective is to track the performance of a specified
index. Therefore, securities may be purchased, retained, and sold by ETFs at
times when an actively managed fund would not do so. As a result, there is a
greater risk of loss (and a correspondingly greater prospect of gain) from
changes in the value of the securities that are heavily weighted in the index
than would be the case if the ETF were not fully invested in such securities.
Because of this, an ETF’s price can be volatile, and a Fund may sustain sudden,
and sometimes substantial, fluctuations in the value of its investment in such
ETF. In addition, the results of an ETF will not match the performance of the
specified index due to reductions in the ETF’s performance attributable to
transaction and other expenses, including fees paid by the ETF to service
providers.
The
Funds limit their investments in securities issued by other investment companies
in accordance with the 1940 Act and Commission rules. Under Section 12(d)(1)(A)
of the 1940 Act, a Fund may acquire securities of an Underlying Fund in amounts
which, as determined immediately after the acquisition is made, do not exceed
(i) 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of such Underlying Fund, (ii) 5% of
the value of the Fund’s total assets, and (iii) 10% of the value of the Fund’s
total assets when combined with all other Underlying Fund securities held by the
Fund. The Fund may exceed these statutory limits when permitted by Commission
order or other applicable law, rule or regulatory guidance, such as is the case
with money market funds and many ETFs. In October 2020, the Commission adopted
certain regulatory changes and took other actions related to the ability of an
investment
company
to invest in the securities of another investment company. These changes
include, in part, the rescission of certain Commission exemptive orders
permitting investments in excess of the statutory limits, the withdrawal of
certain related Commission staff no-action letters, and the adoption of Rule
12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, which permits the Funds to invest in other investment
companies beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain conditions. Rule
12d1-4, among other things, (1) applies to both “acquired funds” and “acquiring
funds,” each as defined under the rule; (2) includes limits on control and
voting of acquired funds’ shares; (3) requires that the investment advisers of
acquired funds and acquiring funds relying on the rule make certain specified
findings based on their evaluation of the relevant fund of funds structure; (4)
requires acquired funds and acquiring funds that are relying on the rule, and
which do not have the same investment adviser, to enter into fund of funds
investment agreements, which must include specific terms; and (5) includes
certain limits on complex fund of funds structures.
Generally,
under Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act and Commission rules
adopted pursuant to the 1940 Act, a Fund may acquire the securities of
affiliated and unaffiliated Underlying Funds subject to the following guidelines
and restrictions:
•The
Fund may own an unlimited amount of the securities of any registered open-end
fund or registered unit investment trust that is affiliated with the Fund, so
long as any such Underlying Fund has a policy that prohibits it from acquiring
any securities of registered open-end funds or registered unit investment trusts
in reliance on certain sections of the 1940 Act.
•The
Fund and its “affiliated persons” may own up to 3% of the outstanding stock of
any fund, subject to the following restrictions:
i.the
Fund and each Underlying Fund, in the aggregate, may not charge a sales load
greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2830(d)(3) of the Conduct Rules of the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) applicable to funds of
funds;
ii.each
Underlying Fund is not obligated to redeem more than 1% of its total outstanding
securities during any period less than 30 days; and
iii.the
Fund is obligated either to (a) seek instructions from its shareholders with
regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to the Underlying Fund and to
vote in accordance with such instructions; or (b) to vote the shares of the
Underlying Fund held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other
shareholders of the Underlying Fund.
Underlying
Funds typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly
by the Fund. The Fund’s purchase of such investment company securities results
in the layering of expenses as Fund shareholders would indirectly bear a
proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies,
including advisory fees, in addition to paying Fund expenses. In addition, the
securities of other investment companies may also be leveraged and will
therefore be subject to certain leverage risks. The net asset value and market
value of leveraged securities will be more volatile, and the yield to
shareholders will tend to fluctuate more than the yield generated by unleveraged
securities. Investment companies may have investment policies that differ from
those of the Funds.
Under
certain circumstances, an open-end investment company in which a Fund invests
may determine to make payment of a redemption by the Fund wholly or in part by a
distribution in kind of securities from its portfolio, instead of in cash. As a
result, the Fund may hold such securities until the Advisor determines it is
appropriate to dispose of them. Such disposition will impose additional costs on
the Fund.
Investment
decisions by the investment advisors to the registered investment companies in
which a Fund invests are made independently of the Fund. At any particular time,
one Underlying Fund may be purchasing shares of an issuer whose shares are being
sold by another Underlying Fund. As a result, under these circumstances the Fund
indirectly would incur certain transactional costs without accomplishing any
investment purpose.
Repurchase
Agreements
Each
Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. Pursuant to a repurchase agreement,
which may be viewed as a type of secured lending, the seller of a security to a
Fund agrees to repurchase that security from the Fund at a mutually agreed upon
time and price. The period of maturity is usually quite short, often overnight
or a few days, although it may extend over a number of months. A Fund may enter
into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations that could otherwise
be purchased by the Fund. All repurchase agreements will be fully secured by
collateral in the possession of the Funds’ Custodian based on values that are
marked to market daily. The Fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with
financial institutions that, in the judgment of PRIMECAP Management Company,
present minimal risk of bankruptcy during the term of the agreement. If the
seller defaults and the value of the underlying securities has declined, the
Fund may incur a loss. In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with
respect to the seller of the security, the Fund’s disposition of the security
may be delayed or limited. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven
days are typically considered illiquid securities.
Illiquid
Securities
Each
Fund may invest in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities 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 securities. Illiquid securities
may be difficult to value, and a Fund may have difficulty or be unable to
dispose of such securities promptly or at reasonable prices.
Restricted
securities are securities that may not be sold freely to the public absent
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), or
an exemption from registration. If otherwise consistent with its investment
objective and policies, any of the Funds may purchase restricted securities.
While restricted securities are generally presumed to be illiquid, it may be
determined that a particular restricted security is liquid. Rule 144A under the
1933 Act establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the
1933 Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers.
Institutional markets for restricted securities sold pursuant to Rule 144A in
many cases provide both readily ascertainable values for restricted securities
and the ability to liquidate an investment to satisfy share redemption orders.
Such markets might include automated systems for the trading, clearance, and
settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers, such as
the PORTAL System sponsored by NASDAQ. An insufficient number of qualified
buyers interested in purchasing Rule 144A eligible restricted securities,
however, could adversely affect the marketability of such portfolio securities
and result in a Fund’s inability to dispose of such securities promptly or at
favorable prices.
Rule
22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Funds establish
a liquidity risk management program (“LRMP”) that is reasonably designed to
assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines “liquidity risk” as the
risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund
without significant dilution of the remaining investors’ interests in the fund.
The Funds have implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements.
Additionally, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees,
approved the designation of the Advisor as the Funds’ LRMP administrator to
administer such program and will review no less frequently than annually a
written report prepared by the Advisor that addresses the operation of the LRMP
and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other
things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a
“highly liquid investment,” “moderately liquid investment,” “less liquid
investment” or “illiquid investment.” The liquidity risk classifications of the
Funds’ investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into
account relevant market, trading, and investment-specific considerations. To the
extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an “illiquid investment” or a
“less liquid investment,” the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity
risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and
complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact a
Fund’s performance and its ability to seek its investment
objective.
As
of the date of this SAI, each Fund is classified as a primarily highly liquid
fund (which is defined by the LRMP as a fund with at least 55% of its net assets
invested in highly liquid investments).
No
Fund will purchase illiquid securities if, as a result of the purchase, more
than 15% of the Fund’s net assets are invested in such securities. If at any
time a portfolio manager and/or the Advisor determines that the value of
illiquid securities held by a Fund exceeds 15% of the Fund’s net assets, the
Fund’s portfolio managers and the Advisor will take such steps as they consider
appropriate to reduce the percentage as soon as reasonably
practicable.
Borrowings
Each
Fund may borrow from banks up to 15% of the current value of its net assets for
temporary purposes only in order to meet redemptions, and these borrowings may
be secured by the pledge of up to 15% of the current value of its net assets
(but investments may not be purchased while such outstanding borrowings in
excess of 5% of its net assets exist). Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, a
fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets
including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the
amount borrowed. If the Fund’s asset coverage for borrowings falls below 300% of
the amount borrowed, the Fund will take prompt action to reduce its borrowings.
If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or
other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to reduce
the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be
disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that
time.
Borrowing
for investment purposes is generally known as “leveraging.” Leveraging may
exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the
market value of the Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed for leveraging will be
subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of
the securities purchased. In addition, a Fund may be required to maintain
minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or pay a commitment
fee to maintain a line of credit, which would increase the cost of borrowing
over the stated interest rate.
Each
Fund may borrow funds for temporary purposes by entering into reverse repurchase
agreements, which are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act. Whenever
the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will either (i)
consistent with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, maintain asset coverage of at least
300% of the value of the repurchase agreement or (ii) treat the reverse
repurchase agreement as a derivatives transaction for purposes of Rule 18f-4,
including, as applicable, the VaR based limit on leverage risk. Reverse
repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities
sold by a Fund may decline below the price of the securities it is obligated to
repurchase. The Funds would pay interest on amounts obtained pursuant to a
reverse repurchase agreement.
Loans
of Portfolio Securities
Each
Fund may lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers, and financial
institutions (but not individuals) if liquid assets equal to the current market
value of the securities loaned (including accrued interest thereon) plus the
interest payable to the Fund with respect to the loan are maintained with the
Fund. In determining whether to lend a security to a particular broker, dealer,
or financial institution, the Advisor will consider all relevant facts and
circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the broker, dealer, or
financial institution. While no Fund currently lends its portfolio securities,
or has any present intention to lend portfolio securities having an aggregate
value in excess of 10% of the current value of the Fund’s total assets, each
Fund reserves the right to lend portfolio securities having an aggregate value
of up to 33‑1/3% of the current value of the Fund’s total assets. Any loans of
portfolio securities will be fully collateralized based on values that are
marked to market daily. Any securities that a Fund may receive as collateral
will not become part of the Fund’s portfolio at the time of the loan and, in the
event of a default by the borrower, the Fund will, if permitted by law, dispose
of such collateral except for such part thereof that is a security in which such
Fund may invest. During the time securities are on loan, the borrower will pay
the Fund any accrued income on those securities, and the Fund may invest the
cash collateral and earn additional income or receive an agreed‑upon fee from a
borrower that had delivered cash-equivalent collateral. Loans of securities by a
Fund will be subject to termination at the Fund’s or the borrower’s option. The
Funds may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a
securities loan and may pay a negotiated portion of the interest or fee earned
with respect to the collateral to the borrower or the placing broker. Borrowers
and placing brokers may not be affiliated, directly or indirectly, with the
Funds or the Advisor.
Short
Sales
Each
Fund may engage in “short sales against-the-box.” This technique involves
selling either a security that a Fund owns or a security equivalent in kind and
amount to the security sold short that the Fund has the right to obtain, for
delivery at a specified date in the future. A Fund may enter into a short sale
against-the-box to hedge against anticipated declines in the market price of
portfolio securities. If the value of the securities sold short increases prior
to the scheduled delivery date, the Fund loses the opportunity to participate in
the gain.
Temporary
Investments
Each
Fund may take temporary defensive measures that are inconsistent with the Fund’s
normal fundamental or non-fundamental investment policies and strategies in
response to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions as
determined by the Advisor. Such measures could include, but are not limited to,
investments in (1) highly liquid short-term fixed income securities issued
by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers, obligations of the U.S.
Government and its agencies, commercial paper, and bank certificates of deposit;
(2) shares of other investment companies which have investment objectives
consistent with those of the Fund; (3) repurchase agreements involving any
such securities; and (4) other money market instruments. There is no limit
on the extent to which a Fund may take temporary defensive measures. In taking
such measures, a Fund may fail to achieve its investment objective.
When
Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
Each
Fund may purchase securities on a “when issued” basis and may also purchase or
sell securities on a “forward commitment” basis. These transactions, which
involve a commitment by a Fund to purchase or sell particular securities with
payment and delivery taking place at a future date (perhaps one or two months
later), permit a Fund to lock in a price or yield on a security it owns or
intends to purchase, regardless of future changes in interest rates. When issued
and forward commitment transactions involve the risk, however, that the price
obtained in a transaction may be less favorable than the price available in the
market when the securities delivery takes place. No Fund intends to engage in
when issued purchases and forward commitments for speculative
purposes.
No
Fund will start earning interest or dividends on when issued securities until
they are received. The value of the securities underlying a when issued purchase
or a forward commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations
in their value, is taken into account when determining the net asset value of a
Fund starting on the date such Fund agrees to purchase the securities.
A
transaction in securities on a “when issued” or “forward commitment” basis would
be deemed not to involve a senior security (i.e., it will not be considered a
derivatives transaction or subject to asset segregation requirements), provided
that (i) the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction, and (ii) the
transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date. If such a transaction
were considered to be a derivatives transaction, it would be subject to the
requirements of the Derivatives Rule described in the “Options and Other
Derivatives” section of this SAI.
Cybersecurity
Investment
companies, such as the Funds, and their service providers may be subject to
operational and information security risks resulting from cyber attacks. Cyber
attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained
online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized
release of confidential information, or various other forms of cybersecurity
breaches. Cyber attacks affecting the Funds, the Advisor, the Funds’ Custodian,
the Funds’ Transfer Agent, intermediaries, and other third-party service
providers may adversely impact a Fund. For instance, cyber attacks may interfere
with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to
calculate its net asset value, cause the release of private shareholder
information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject a Fund
to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. The
Funds may also incur additional costs for cybersecurity risk management
purposes. Similar types of cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of
securities in which the Funds invest, which could result in material
adverse
consequences for such issuers and may cause a Fund’s investments in such
portfolio companies to lose value.
Special
Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”)
Each
Fund may invest in stock, warrants, and other securities of SPACs or similar
special purpose entities that pool money to seek potential merger or acquisition
opportunities. SPACs are collective investment structures formed to raise money
in an initial public offering for the purpose of merging with or acquiring one
or more operating companies (the “de-SPAC Transaction”). If a de-SPAC
Transaction that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a
pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s
shareholders, less certain permitted expenses, and any warrants issued by the
SPAC will expire worthless. Until a de-SPAC transaction is completed, a SPAC
generally invests its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market
securities, and cash. In connection with a de-SPAC Transaction, the SPAC may
complete a private investment in public equity (“PIPE”) offering with certain
investors. A Fund may enter into a contingent commitment with a SPAC to purchase
PIPE shares if and when the SPAC completes its de-SPAC Transaction.
As
SPACs and similar entities generally have no operating history or ongoing
business other than seeking mergers or acquisitions, the value of their
securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management
to identify and complete a profitable de-SPAC Transaction. Certain SPACs may
pursue mergers or acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which
may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, the securities issued
by a SPAC, which are typically traded either in the over-the-counter market or
on an exchange, may be considered illiquid, may be more difficult to value,
and/or may be subject to restrictions on resale. An investment in a SPAC is
subject to a variety of additional risks, including that (i) any proposed merger
or acquisition may be unable to obtain the requisite approval, if any, of SPAC
shareholders; (ii) an acquisition or merger, once effected, may prove
unsuccessful and an investment in the SPAC may lose value; (iii) a Fund may be
delayed in receiving any redemption or liquidation proceeds from a SPAC to which
it is entitled; (iv) an investment in a SPAC may be diluted by additional later
offerings of interests in the SPAC or by other investors exercising existing
rights to purchase shares of the SPAC; (v) only a thinly traded market for
shares of or interests in a SPAC may develop, or there may be no market at all,
leaving a Fund unable to sell its interest in a SPAC or to sell its interest
only at a price below what the Fund believes is the SPAC interest’s intrinsic
value; and (vi) the values of investments in SPACs may be highly volatile and
may depreciate significantly over time.
Purchased
PIPE shares will be restricted from trading until the registration statement for
the shares is declared effective. Upon registration, the shares can be freely
sold, but only pursuant to an effective registration statement or other
exemption from registration. Even if a Fund is able to have PIPE shares
registered or sell such shares through an exempt transaction, the Fund may not
be able to sell some or all of the securities on short notice, and the sale of
the securities could lower the market price of the securities.
LIBOR
Risk
The
Funds may from time to time invest in certain derivatives that use a floating
rate based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). In July 2017, UK’s
Financial Conduct Authority announced the gradual phase out of the LIBOR rate,
with nearly all LIBOR rate publications having ceased as of June 30, 2023 (some
LIBOR rates continue to be published, but only on a temporary and synthetic
basis). Alternatives to LIBOR have been established and others may be developed.
The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates
Committee, a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions,
has identified the Secured Overnight Funding Rate (“SOFR”) as the preferred
alternative rate to LIBOR. SOFR is a relatively new index calculated by
short-term repurchase agreements, backed by Treasury securities. There remains
uncertainty surrounding the nature of any replacement rates.
The
transition to a new reference rate may result in (i) increased volatility or
illiquidity in markets for instruments or contracts that previously relied on or
still rely on LIBOR; (ii) a reduction in the value of certain instruments or
contracts held by a Fund; (iii) reduced effectiveness of related Fund
transactions, such as hedging; (iv) additional
tax,
accounting and regulatory risks; or (v) costs incurred in connection with
closing out positions and entering into new trades. Any pricing adjustments to a
Fund’s investments resulting from a substitute reference rate may also adversely
affect the Fund’s performance and/or NAV. There is no assurance that the
composition or characteristics of any such alternative reference rate will be
similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence as LIBOR or that
instruments or contracts using an alternative rate will have the same volume or
liquidity.
The
Trustees are responsible for the overall management of the Trust, including
establishing the Funds’ policies and general supervision and review of their
investment activities. The Trust’s officers, who administer the Funds’ daily
operations, are appointed by the Board of Trustees.
Officers
and Trustees
Executive
Officers.
The table below sets forth certain information about each of the Trust’s
executive officers. The address for each executive officer is 177 East Colorado
Boulevard, 11th
Floor, Pasadena, California 91105.
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Name
Age |
Position(s)
Held with Trust |
Term
of Office; Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s)
During
Past 5 Years |
Theo
A. Kolokotrones
Age:
78 |
Co-Chief
Executive Officer |
Indefinite;
Since September 2004 |
Chairman,
Director, and Portfolio Manager, PRIMECAP Management Company |
Joel
P. Fried
Age:
62 |
Co-Chief
Executive Officer and Trustee |
Indefinite;
Since September 2004 |
President,
Director, and Portfolio Manager, PRIMECAP Management Company |
Alfred
W. Mordecai Age: 56 |
Co-Chief
Executive Officer |
Indefinite;
Since October 2012 |
Vice
Chairman, Director, and Portfolio Manager, PRIMECAP Management
Company |
Michael
J. Ricks1
Age:
46 |
Chief
Administrative Officer and Secretary |
Indefinite;
Since March 2011
|
Vice
President, PRIMECAP Management Company, Director of Fund Administration,
PRIMECAP Management Company (since March 2011); Chief Compliance Officer,
PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds (February 2019 - February 2020); Chief Compliance
Officer PRIMECAP Management Company (March 2019 - March
2020). |
Jennifer
Ottosen Age: 64 |
Chief
Compliance Officer, AML Compliance Officer
|
Indefinite;
Since February 2020 |
Chief
Compliance Officer, PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds (February 2020 - Present);
Chief Compliance Officer, PRIMECAP Management Company (March 2020 -
present); Sr. Compliance Officer, PRIMECAP Management Company (May 2019 to
March 2020); CCO Dividend Assets Capital, LLC (October 2016 - May
2019). |
Julietta
Martikyan1
Age:
40 |
Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer |
Indefinite;
since December 2023 |
Director
of Administration and Compliance, PRIMECAP Management Company (since
October 2021); Vice President U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (February
2010-October 2021).
|
1
Michael Ricks resigned as the Chief Financial Officer and Julietta
Martikyan was elected as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
effective December 11, 2023.
|
“Independent”
Trustees.
The
table below sets forth certain information about each of the Trustees of the
Trust who is not an “interested person” of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act
(“Independent Trustees”). The address for each Independent Trustee is 177 East
Colorado Boulevard, 11th
Floor, Pasadena, California 91105.
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Name
Age |
Position(s)
Held with Trust |
Term
of Office; Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s)
During
Past 5 Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee 1 |
Other
Directorships
Held
by
Trustee
During Past 5 Years |
Elizabeth
D. Obershaw
Age:
64 |
Chair
of the Board and Trustee |
Indefinite; Since
June 2008 |
Consultant;
Formerly, Managing Director, Horsley Bridge Partners, an investment
advisor |
3 |
None |
Wayne
H. Smith Age: 82 |
Chair
of the Audit Committee and Trustee |
Indefinite; Since
September 2004 |
Retired;
private investor |
3 |
None |
Joseph
G. Uzelac Age: 79 |
Trustee |
Indefinite; Since
October 2007 |
Retired;
private investor |
3 |
None |
Michael
Glazer
Age:
83 |
Trustee |
Indefinite;
Since October 2019 |
Retired;
Formerly, Partner and Senior Counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
LLP |
3 |
None |
Steven
Paul Cesinger
Age:
60 |
Trustee |
Indefinite;
Since October 2023 |
Global
Co-Founder and Chief Capital Officer, Valor Hospitality Partners, a
hospitality acquisition development and management company; Chairman of
the Board of Valor Hospitality Holdings, LLC |
3 |
None |
LeSans
Heard Montgomery
Age:
56 |
Trustee |
Indefinite;
Since October 2023 |
Licensed
Realtor and Real Estate Consultant, RE/MAX Select Realty; Member, Board of
Property Assessment Appeals and Review, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania;
Formerly Principal, Heard’s Tree Service |
3 |
None |
1
Fund
Complex includes any funds, series of funds, or trusts that share the same
advisor or that hold themselves out to investors as related
companies.
“Interested”
Trustees.
The table below sets forth certain information about the Trustees of the Trust
who are “interested persons” of the Trust as defined by the 1940 Act
(“Interested Trustees”). The address for the Interested Trustees is 177 East
Colorado Boulevard, 11th
Floor, Pasadena, California 91105.
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Name
Age |
Position(s)
Held with Trust |
Term
of Office; Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee1 |
Other
Directorships
Held
by
Trustee |
Joel
P. Fried2
Age:
62 |
Co-Chief
Executive Officer and Trustee |
Indefinite;
Since September 2004 |
President,
Director, and Portfolio Manager, PRIMECAP Management Company |
3 |
None |
Alfred
W. Mordecai2
Age:
56 |
Co-Chief
Executive Officer and Trustee |
Indefinite;
Since October 2023 |
Vice
Chairman, Director, and Portfolio Manager, PRIMECAP Management
Company |
3 |
None |
1
Fund Complex includes any funds, series of funds, or trusts that share the same
advisor or that hold themselves out to investors as related companies.
2
Messrs. Fried and Mordecai are “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined by
the 1940 Act, because of their employment with PRIMECAP Management Company, the
investment advisor to the Trust.
The
Board of Trustees
The
Board of Trustees has responsibility for the overall management and operations
of the Trust. The Board establishes the Trust’s policies and meets regularly to
review the activities of the officers, who are responsible for day-to-day
operations of the Trust.
The
current Trustees were selected with a view towards establishing a Board that
would have the broad experience needed to oversee a registered investment
company comprised of multiple series. As a group, the Board has extensive
experience in many different aspects of the financial services and asset
management industries.
The
Trustees were selected to join the Board based upon the following factors, among
others: character and integrity; willingness to serve and willingness and
ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Trustee; as to
each Trustee other than Messrs. Fried and Mordecai satisfying the criteria for
not being classified as an “interested person” of the Trust as defined in the
1940 Act and, as to Messrs. Fried and Mordecai, their positions with PRIMECAP
Management Company, the investment advisor to the Trust. In addition, the
following specific experience, qualifications, attributes, and/or skills apply
as to each Trustee: Ms. Obershaw, senior executive experience with Horsley
Bridge Partners, an investment advisor (2007 - 2021), and experience as chief
investment officer of Hewlett-Packard Company, a publicly traded operating
company (1991 - 2007); Mr. Smith, executive and financial officer experience
with Avery Dennison Corporation, a publicly traded operating company (1979 -
2002); Mr. Uzelac, executive experience with Lehman Brothers Global Investment
Bank, an investment bank and brokerage firm (1988 - 2007); Mr. Fried, investment
management experience as an executive and portfolio manager with PRIMECAP
Management Company (1986 - present); Mr. Cesinger, senior executive and
financial office experience with Valor Hospitality Partners (2012 - present);
Ms. Montgomery, finance and management experience as a licensed realtor and real
estate consultant at RE/MAX Select Realty and other firms (2004 - present) and
strategic planning and business experience from positions with various companies
(1989 - 2002); Mr. Glazer, legal experience with registered investment companies
as a partner and senior counsel with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (2014 -
September 2019) and other law firms (1988 - 2014); and Mr. Mordecai, investment
management experience as an executive and portfolio manager with PRIMECAP
Management Company (1997 - present).
In
its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board
considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual
Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition,
seeking to ensure that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and
appropriately diverse) skills and
experience
to oversee the business of the series of the Trust. The summaries set forth
above as to the qualifications, attributes, and skills of the Trustees are
required by the registration form adopted by the Commission, do not constitute
holding out the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or
experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any
such person or on the Board as a whole than would otherwise be the
case.
The
Independent Trustees comprise 75% of the Board, and Elizabeth D. Obershaw, an
Independent Trustee, serves as Chairman of the Board. The Chairman serves as a
key point person for dealings between the Trust’s management and the other
Independent Trustees. As noted below, through the committees of the Board, the
Independent Trustees consider and address important matters involving each Fund,
including those presenting conflicts or potential conflicts of interest. The
Independent Trustees also regularly meet outside the presence of management. The
Board has determined that its organization and leadership structure are
appropriate in light of its fiduciary and oversight obligations and the special
obligations of the Independent Trustees. The Board believes that its structure
facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent
Trustees from management.
Board
Committees
Audit
Committee.
The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee which oversees the Trust’s
accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal
controls, and the quality and objectivity of the Trust’s financial statements
and the audit thereof. The Committee also acts as the Trust’s “qualified legal
compliance committee.” The Audit Committee currently consists of each of the
Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee met twice during the Funds’ fiscal
year ended October 31, 2023.
Nominating
and Governance Committee.
The Board of Trustees has a Nominating and Governance Committee (the “Nominating
Committee”) which is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for
consideration as nominees for Trustees as is considered necessary from time to
time. The Nominating Committee is also responsible for reviewing policy matters
affecting the operation of the Board and Board Committees and makes such
recommendations to the Board as deemed appropriate by the Nominating Committee.
The Nominating Committee is comprised of each of the Independent Trustees. The
Nominating Committee met twice during the Funds’ fiscal year ended October 31,
2023.
The
Board has adopted the following procedures by which shareholders may recommend
nominees to the Board of Trustees. While the Nominating Committee normally is
able to identify from its own resources an ample number of qualified candidates,
it will consider shareholder suggestions of persons to be considered as nominees
to fill future vacancies on the Board, so long as the shareholder or shareholder
group submitting a proposed nominee (1) beneficially owns more than 5% of the
Trust’s voting shares; (2) has held such shares continuously for two years; and
(3) is not an adverse holder (i.e.,
the shareholder or shareholder group has acquired such shares in the ordinary
course of business and not with the purpose nor with the effect of changing or
influencing the control of the Trust). Such suggestions must be sent in writing
to the Trust’s Secretary and must be accompanied by the shareholder’s contact
information, the nominee’s contact information and number of Fund shares owned
by the nominee, all information regarding the nominee that would be required to
be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for elections of directors required
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a notarized letter
from the nominee stating his or her intention to serve as a nominee and be named
in the Trust’s proxy statement, if so designated by the Nominating Committee and
the Board of Trustees.
Risk
Management. Consistent
with its responsibility for oversight of the Trust in the interests of
shareholders, the Board among other things oversees risk management of the
Funds’ investment programs and business affairs directly and through the Audit
Committee. The Board has emphasized to PRIMECAP Management Company the
importance of maintaining vigorous risk management programs and
procedures.
The
Trust faces a number of risks, such as investment risk, valuation risk,
reputational risk, risk of operational failure or lack of business continuity,
and legal, compliance, and regulatory risk. Risk management seeks to identify
and address risks, i.e.,
events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the
business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance, or
reputation of the Trust or a Fund. Under the overall supervision of
the
Board, PRIMECAP Management Company and other service providers to the Trust
employ a variety of processes, procedures, and controls to identify various of
those possible events or circumstances, to ensure such risks are appropriate,
and where appropriate to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to
mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Different
processes, procedures, and controls are employed with respect to different types
of risks. Various personnel, including the Trust’s CCO, management of PRIMECAP
Management Company, and other service providers (such as the Trust’s independent
registered public accounting firm) make periodic reports to the Board or to the
Audit Committee with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board
recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Trust can be identified, that
it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain
risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as
investment-related risks) to achieve the Funds’ investment objectives, and that
the processes, procedures, and controls employed to address certain risks may be
limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to
risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. As
a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s risk management
oversight is subject to substantial limitations.
Trustee
Compensation.
The trustees of the Trust who are not officers or employees of the Trust or
PRIMECAP Management Company are entitled to receive from the Trust an annual
retainer of $110,000 paid in four equal installments. For their service to the
Funds, the Board Chairman and the Audit Committee Chairman receive an additional
$20,000 and $10,000, respectively, on an annual basis. All Trustees are
reimbursed for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at
meetings. No other compensation or retirement benefits are received by any
Trustee or officer from the Funds. The following table represents compensation
paid to Trustees during the fiscal year ended October 31,
2023:
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Name,
Position |
Aggregate
Compensation from the PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds |
Total
Compensation from Trust and Fund Complex1
Paid to Trustees |
Elizabeth
D. Obershaw, Independent Trustee |
$110,000 |
$110,000 |
Wayne
H. Smith, Independent Trustee |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
Joseph
G. Uzelac, Independent Trustee |
$110,000 |
$110,000 |
Michael
Glazer, Independent Trustee |
$110,000 |
$110,000 |
Steven
Paul Cesinger, Independent Trustee |
None |
None |
LeSans
Heard Montgomery, Independent Trustee |
None |
None |
Benjamin
F. Hammon2 |
$130,000 |
$130,000 |
J.
Blane Grinstead2 |
$110,000 |
$110,000 |
Joel
P. Fried, Interested Trustee and Co-Chief Executive Officer |
None |
None |
Alfred
W. Mordecai, Interested Trustee and Co-Chief Executive Officer |
None |
None |
1
Fund
Complex means two or more registered investment companies that hold themselves
out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor
services or have a common investment advisor or have an investment advisor that
is an affiliated person of the investment advisor of any of the other registered
investment companies.
2
Messrs. Hammon and Grinstead resigned as Trustees of the Trust, effective as of
October 19, 2023.
Trustee
Ownership of Securities.
The table below sets forth the extent of each Trustee’s beneficial interest in
shares of the Funds as of December 31, 2023. For purposes of this table,
beneficial interest includes any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in
securities issued by the Trust and includes shares of any of the Funds held by
members of a Trustee’s immediate family.
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Ownership
of Securities |
Joel
P. Fried, Interested Trustee |
Alfred
W. Mordecai, Interested Trustee |
Elizabeth
D. Obershaw, Independent Trustee |
Wayne
H. Smith, Independent Trustee |
Joseph
G. Uzelac, Independent Trustee |
Michael
Glazer, IndependentTrustee |
Steven
Paul Cesinger, Independent Trustee1
|
LeSans
Heard Montgomery, Independent Trustee1
|
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
e |
e |
d |
b |
e |
b |
d |
c |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
e |
e |
c |
c |
e |
c |
a |
a |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
e |
e |
a |
e |
e |
b |
a |
a |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies
Overseen by the Trustee in the Family of Investment Companies |
e |
e |
e |
e |
e |
c |
d |
c |
Note:
a
= None b = $1 - $10,000 c =$10,001 - $50,000 d = $50,001 - $100,000 e =Over
$100,000
1
Mr.
Cesinger and Ms. Montgomery were elected as Trustees on October 18, 2023.
As
of January 31, 2024, Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group beneficially
owned less than one percent of the outstanding shares of each of the PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund, the PRIMECAP Odyssey Growth Fund, and the PRIMECAP Odyssey
Aggressive Growth Fund.
Investment
Advisor
Pursuant
to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”), each Fund is
managed by PRIMECAP Management Company, located at 177 East Colorado Boulevard,
11th
Floor, Pasadena, California 91105, an investment advisor registered with the
Commission. PRIMECAP Management Company is controlled by Theo A. Kolokotrones
and Joel P. Fried. Messrs. Kolokotrones and Fried, together with Alfred W.
Mordecai, M. Mohsin Ansari, and James Marchetti, who also hold ownership
stakes in the Advisor, serve as directors of the firm. Mr. Kolokotrones serves
as its Chairman, Mr. Fried as its President, Mr. Mordecai as its Vice Chairman,
and Messrs. Ansari and Marchetti as its Executive Vice Presidents.
Subject
to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, PRIMECAP Management Company
provides a continuous investment program for the Funds, including investment
research and management with respect to all securities and investments and cash
equivalents in the Funds. PRIMECAP Management Company provides services under
the Advisory Agreement in accordance with each Fund’s investment objectives,
policies, and restrictions.
Effective
May 1, 2021, for its services to each Fund, PRIMECAP Management Company receives
a fee paid quarterly at the annual rate of 0.60% of the first $100 million of
the Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.55% of the next $9.9 billion of the
Fund’s average daily net assets, and 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily assets in
excess of $10 billion. Prior
to May 1, 2021, each Fund’s annual advisory fee rate was 0.60% of the first $100
million of the Fund’s average daily net assets and 0.55% of each Fund’s average
daily net assets in excess of $100 million. Advisory
fees paid by the Funds to the Advisor for the last three fiscal years were as
follows:
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Advisory
Fees |
Fiscal
Year Ended October 31, 2023 |
Fiscal
Year Ended October 31, 2022 |
Fiscal
Year Ended October 31, 2021 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
$31,324,073 |
$36,416,482 |
$41,000,753 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
$37,838,876 |
$45,180,706 |
$54,612,499 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
$38,428,954 |
$48,029,077 |
$63,128,547 |
The
Advisory Agreement provides that PRIMECAP Management Company will not be liable
for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the
Funds in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreement, except a
loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of
compensation
for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory
Agreement.
The
Advisory Agreement will continue in effect with respect to each Fund provided
the continuance is approved annually (1) by the holders of a majority of the
Fund’s outstanding voting securities or by the Trust’s Board of Trustees; and
(2) by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to the
Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any
such party. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Fund on
60 days’ written notice by either party and will terminate automatically if
assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Portfolio
Managers
Theo
A. Kolokotrones, Joel P. Fried, Alfred W. Mordecai, M. Mohsin Ansari, and James
Marchetti jointly manage the PRIMECAP Odyssey Stock Fund, the PRIMECAP Odyssey
Growth Fund, and the PRIMECAP Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund. These five
portfolio managers collectively have more than 160 years of investment
experience.
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Name |
Years
of Experience |
Theo
A. Kolokotrones |
54 |
Joel
P. Fried |
39 |
Alfred
W. Mordecai |
27 |
M.
Mohsin Ansari |
24 |
James
Marchetti |
18 |
The
table below illustrates other accounts for which each of the above-mentioned
five portfolio managers has significant day-to-day management responsibilities
as of October 31, 2023:
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Category
of Account |
Total
Number of Accounts Managed |
Total
Assets in Accounts Managed |
Number
of Accounts for which Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Assets
in Accounts for which Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Theo
A. Kolokotrones |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
4 |
$93.2
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
2 |
$1.6
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Accounts |
28 |
$6.9
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Joel
P. Fried |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
4 |
$93.2
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
2 |
$1.6
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Accounts |
28 |
$6.9
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Alfred
W. Mordecai |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
4 |
$93.2
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
2 |
$1.6
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Accounts |
28 |
$6.9
billion |
0 |
$0 |
M.
Mohsin Ansari |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
4 |
$93.2
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
2 |
$1.6
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Accounts |
28 |
$6.9
billion |
0 |
$0 |
James
Marchetti |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
4 |
$93.2
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
2 |
$1.6
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Accounts |
28 |
$6.9
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Portfolio
Manager Compensation.
Compensation
is paid solely by the Advisor. Each portfolio manager receives a fixed salary
that is in part based on industry experience as well as contribution to the
firm. On an annual basis, each portfolio manager’s compensation may be adjusted
according to market conditions and/or to reflect his past
performance.
In
addition, each portfolio manager may receive a bonus partially based on the
pre-tax return and value of assets managed by that portfolio manager. The
performance-based portions of bonuses are measured on a relative basis using the
S&P 500®
index
as the benchmark, and the bonuses are earned only when performance exceeds that
of the S&P 500®
index. The value of total assets managed by PRIMECAP Management Company overall
is not a factor in determination of a portfolio manager’s bonus. The
performance-based bonuses earned are accrued and paid ratably according to the
following schedule over rolling three year periods: 50% in year one, 33% in year
two, and 17% in year three. Although the performance-based bonus is determined
by pre-tax returns, portfolio managers consider tax consequences in taxable
accounts as part of their decision-making process.
The
portfolio managers do not receive deferred compensation but participate in a
profit-sharing plan available to all employees of the Advisor; amounts are
determined as a percentage of the employee’s eligible compensation for a
calendar year based on Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”)
limitations.
Each
portfolio manager is a principal of the Advisor and receives quarterly dividends
based on his equity in the company.
Conflicts
of Interest.
PRIMECAP
Management Company employs a multi-manager approach to managing its clients’
portfolios. In addition to mutual funds, the manager also manages separate
accounts for institutional clients. Conflicts of interest may arise with
aggregation or allocation of securities trades amongst the Funds and other
accounts. The investment objectives of the Funds and the strategies used to
manage the Funds may differ from other accounts, and the performance may be
impacted as well. Portfolio managers generally have day-to-day management
responsibilities with respect to more than one Fund or other account and may be
presented with several potential or actual conflicts of interest. For example,
the management of multiple Funds and/or other accounts may result in a portfolio
manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each Fund
and/or other account. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment
opportunity which may be suitable for more than one Fund or other account, a
Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an
allocation of filled purchase or sale orders across all eligible Funds and other
accounts managed by the portfolio managers. The Advisor has adopted best
execution and trade allocation policies and procedures to prevent potential
conflicts of interest that may arise between mutual funds and separate accounts
whereby a client or clients may be disadvantaged by trades executed in other
clients’ portfolios in the same security. These policies and procedures are
strictly monitored and are reviewed by the Advisor.
The
following table indicates the dollar range of beneficial ownership of shares by
each portfolio manager as of October 31, 2023:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund Beneficially Owned
(None,
$1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000, $50,001-$100,000,
$100,001
- $500,000, $500,001-$1,000,000, Over $1,000,000) |
| PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
Theo
A. Kolokotrones |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Joel
P. Fried |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Alfred
W. Mordecai |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
M.
Mohsin Ansari |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
James
Marchetti |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Over
$1,000,000 |
Administrator
and Distributor
Under
its Fund Administration Agreement with the Trust, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
(“Administrator”) furnishes the Trust with office facilities, together with
those ordinary clerical and bookkeeping services that are not being furnished by
PRIMECAP Management Company.
The
Fund Administration Agreement contains provisions limiting the liability of the
Administrator similar to those in the Advisory Agreement and requires the Trust
to indemnify the Fund Administrator against any loss suffered by the
Administrator in connection with the performance of the Administration
Agreement, except for a loss resulting from willful misconduct, bad faith, or
negligence on the Administrator’s part in the performance of its duties or from
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Fund Administration
Agreement.
The
Trust has also retained the Administrator to provide the Trust with certain fund
accounting services pursuant to a Fund Accounting Agreement. The term of the
Fund Accounting Agreement and its provisions regarding termination, limitation
of liability, and indemnification are similar to those of the Trust’s Fund
Administration Agreement.
Administration
fees for the Funds for the last three fiscal years ended October 31 were as
follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Administration
Fees |
Fiscal
Year Ended October 31, 2023 |
Fiscal
Year Ended October 31, 2022 |
Fiscal
Year Ended October 31, 2021 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
$604,620 |
$676,209 |
$712,159 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
$729,770 |
$839,682 |
$950,628 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
$742,799 |
$891,885 |
$1,107,407 |
ALPS
Distributors Inc. (“Distributor”), 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado
80203, has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust pursuant to
which it engages in a continuous distribution of shares of the Funds. The
Distributor receives a customary fee for its services from PRIMECAP Management
Company.
Pursuant
to the Distribution Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Distributor
for any loss or liability that may arise out of claims related to the
Distribution Agreement except for losses resulting solely from the gross
negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard or fraud by the
Distributor in the performance of the Distributor’s duties, obligations or
responsibilities, or with respect to its representations, warranties, or
indemnities.
Transfer
Agent
U.S.
Bank Global Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202,
serves as Transfer Agent for each Fund, for which it receives customary
fees.
Sub-Transfer
Agents
The
Funds enter into agreements with certain financial intermediaries under which
these intermediaries provide the shareholder servicing functions that might
otherwise be provided by the Funds’ Transfer Agent. For these services, the
intermediaries may be compensated for the shareholder services provided. These
services may include, but are not limited to, producing shareholder statements,
transaction processing reporting, tax reporting, maintenance of a call center to
facilitate shareholder transactions and other services, and maintenance of a
website providing shareholder access to account information. The following
intermediaries were compensated for their services to the Funds during the
fiscal year ended October 31, 2023:
|
| |
Firm
Name |
ADP,
LLC |
Amerprise
Financial, Inc. |
Ascensus |
BNY
Mellon |
Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. |
Corebridge
Financial, Inc. |
Edward
D. Jones & Co., LP |
Empower
Financial Services, Inc. |
Fidelity
Institutional Operations Co. |
Financial
Data Services, Inc. |
First
Clearing LLC (Wells Fargo) |
John
Hancock Retirement Plan Service |
J.P.
Morgan Securities LLC |
Lincoln
Financial Group |
LPL
Financial |
Mid
Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corp. |
Morgan
Stanley |
National
Financial Services, LLC |
NFS
Wealth Services |
Pershing
LLC |
Principal
Financial Group |
Raymond
James & Associates, Inc. |
Reliance
Trust Company |
TD
Ameritrade |
TIAA-CREF |
UBS
Financial Services, Inc. |
Vanguard
Brokerage Services |
Voya
Financial |
All
payments are subject to the oversight of the Advisor and are disclosed to the
Board of Trustees.
Retirement
Plan Recordkeepers
One
or more of the Funds may be an option for participants in a qualified defined
contribution employee benefit plan. Certain financial intermediaries act as
recordkeepers for these plans and also provide some or all of the shareholder
services classified under “Sub-Transfer Agents.” The Funds may compensate these
recordkeepers in an appropriate manner, subject to the supervision of the
Advisor and the Board of Trustees. The Advisor may also reimburse the Funds for
all or a portion of the recordkeeping fees charged by financial
intermediaries.
Codes
of Ethics
The
Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a Code of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of
the Investment Company Act (the “Code of Ethics”). The Code of Ethics restricts
the investing activities of certain Fund officers, Trustees, and advisory
persons and, as described below, imposes certain restrictions on Fund investment
personnel, except to the extent that those persons are employees of the Advisor
or other service providers to the Trust who are covered by other codes of ethics
approved by the Trustees.
All
persons covered by the Code of Ethics are required to pre-clear any personal
securities investment (with limited exceptions, such as investment in government
securities) and must comply with ongoing requirements concerning
recordkeeping
and disclosure of personal securities investments. The pre-clearance requirement
and associated procedures are designed to identify any prohibition or limitation
applicable to a proposed investment. In addition, each person covered by the
Code of Ethics is prohibited from purchasing or selling any security which, to
such person’s knowledge, is being purchased or sold (as the case may be), or is
being considered for purchase or sale, by a Fund. Investment personnel are
subject to additional restrictions such as a ban on acquiring securities in an
initial public offering, “blackout periods” which prohibit trading by investment
personnel of a Fund within periods of trading by the Fund in the same security,
and a ban on short-term trading in securities.
In
addition, the Advisor has adopted a Code of Ethics as required by Rule 17j-1 of
the Investment Company Act, which has been approved by the Board of Trustees of
the Trust and is similarly designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Advisor
from engaging in deceptive, manipulative, or fraudulent activities in connection
with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds.
The
Trust has adopted a Supplemental Code of Ethics for Principal Officers and
Senior Financial Officers (“Supplemental Code”). The Supplemental Code is
intended to deter wrongdoing and promote (1) honest and ethical conduct,
including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest
between personal and professional relationships; (2) full, fair, accurate,
timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents filed with the
Commission and in other public communications by the Trust; (3) compliance with
applicable laws; (4) prompt internal reporting of violations of the Supplemental
Code; and (5) accountability for adherence to the Supplemental
Code.
Portfolio
Holdings
The
Trust publishes the Funds’ complete portfolio schedules at the end of the second
and fourth fiscal quarters in its Semiannual and Annual Reports within 60 days
of the end of the quarter, and in filings of such Reports with the Commission on
Form N-CSR within ten days of mailing of such reports to shareholders. The Trust
files the Funds’ complete portfolio schedules as of the end of the first and
third fiscal quarters with the Commission on Form N‑PORT within 60 days of the
end of the quarter. In addition to the required regulatory filings, the Funds
may choose to disclose calendar quarter-end portfolio information, including
portfolio characteristics and a list of the top 10 holdings of each Fund,
approximately 10 days following each calendar quarter end. Approximately 30 days
following each calendar quarter end, each Fund’s full portfolio holdings are
posted to the Funds’ website. At the Fund’s and Advisor’s discretion, the Fund
may post month-end portfolio holdings data to the Funds’ website approximately
30 days after the month-end. After portfolio holdings are posted to the Funds’
website, the Advisor may provide the same data to any shareholder or financial
intermediary.
The
Board of Trustees has adopted a Policy on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings,
pursuant to which the securities activities engaged in or contemplated for the
Funds or the securities held by the Funds may not be disclosed to any person
except for the following disclosures: (1) to persons providing services to the
Trust who have a need to know such information in order to fulfill their
obligations to the Trust, such as portfolio managers, administrators,
custodians, and the Board of Trustees; (2) in connection with periodic reports
that are available to shareholders and the public; (3) pursuant to a regulatory
request or as otherwise required by law; or (4) to persons approved in writing
by the Chief Compliance Officer (the “CCO”) of the Trust. Any disclosure made
pursuant to item (4) above is subject to confidentiality requirements, may only
be made for legitimate business purposes, and will be reported to the Board of
Trustees at its next quarterly meeting.
The
release of all non-public information by the Trust is subject to confidentiality
requirements. With respect to persons providing services to the Trust,
information related to the Trust is required to be kept confidential pursuant to
the Trust’s agreements with such service providers. The Trust’s independent
registered public accounting firm and attorneys engaged by the Trust maintain
the confidentiality of such information pursuant to their respective
professional ethical obligations. The Trust provides portfolio holdings
information to mutual fund rating agencies only after such information is filed
with the Commission on Form N-CSR or Form N-PORT, as applicable.
As
of October 31, 2023, the Trust has ongoing business arrangements with the
following entities which involve making non-public portfolio holdings
information available to such entities as an incidental part of the business
services
they provide to the Trust: (1) U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, the
Administrator; (2) U.S. Bank National Association (the “Custodian”) pursuant to
agreements with such entities under which the Trust’s portfolio holdings
information is provided daily on a real-time basis;
(3) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Trust’s independent registered public
accounting firm; and (4) Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, attorneys engaged
by the Trust to whom the Trust provides portfolio holdings information as needed
with no lag times after the date of the information. In addition, the Funds’
portfolio holdings are disclosed to FactSet Research Systems, EZE Software
Group, and Glass, Lewis & Co. (“Glass Lewis”) on a daily basis as part of
ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes.
Neither
the Trust, the Advisor, nor any other person receives compensation or any other
consideration in connection with such arrangements (other than the compensation
paid by the Trust to such entities for the services provided by them to the
Trust). In the event of a conflict between the interests of Fund shareholders
and those of the Advisor, the Trust’s principal underwriter, or any affiliated
person of the Trust, the Advisor, or the Trust’s principal underwriter, the CCO
will make a determination in the best interests of the Funds’ shareholders and
will report such determination to the Board of Trustees at the end of the
quarter in which such determination was made.
The
Advisor provides investment advice to clients other than the Funds that have
investment objectives that may be substantially similar to those of the Funds.
These clients also may have portfolios consisting of holdings substantially
similar to those of a Fund and generally have access to current portfolio
holdings information for their accounts. These clients do not owe the Advisor or
the Funds a duty of confidentiality with respect to disclosure of their
portfolio holdings.
Proxy
Voting
The
Trust’s Board of Trustees has delegated the responsibility for voting proxies
relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds to the Advisor as a part of
the Advisor’s general management of the Funds, subject to the Board’s continuing
oversight.
The
Advisor’s proxy voting policies and procedures (the “Proxy Policies”) require
the Advisor to vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best
interests of its clients, including the Funds. The Proxy Policies also require
the Advisor to vote proxies in a prudent and diligent manner intended to enhance
the economic value of the assets of the Funds. However, the Proxy Policies
permit the Advisor to abstain from voting proxies in the event that a Fund’s
economic interest in the matter being voted upon is limited relative to the
Fund’s overall portfolio or the impact of the Fund’s vote will not have an
effect on its outcome or on the Fund’s economic interests.
The
Advisor utilizes the services of a third-party proxy voting firm, Glass Lewis,
to act as agent for the proxy process, to maintain records on proxy votes for
its clients, and to provide independent research on corporate governance, proxy,
and corporate responsibility issues. The proxy voting guidelines (the
“Guidelines”), attached as Appendix A to this Statement of Additional
Information, set forth the guidelines that the Advisor uses in voting specific
proposals.
Although
the Advisor expects that most proxy proposals will be voted in accordance with
the Guidelines, some proposals will require special consideration. The Advisor
will make a decision on a case-by-case basis in these situations.
A
conflict of interest may be deemed to occur when the Advisor or one of its
affiliated persons has a financial interest in a matter presented by a proxy to
be voted on behalf of a Fund, which may compromise the Advisor’s independence of
judgment and action in judging the proxy. If such a conflict occurs, the Advisor
is required to submit a report to the Board of Trustees indicating the nature of
the conflict of interest and how it was resolved. The Advisor will resolve such
conflicts as follows: (1) if the Advisor believes it is in the best
interest of the Fund to vote on the proposal in accordance with the Guidelines
it will do so; and (2) if the Advisor believes it is not in the best
interest of the Fund to vote on the proposal in accordance with the Guidelines,
the Advisor will disclose the conflict to the Board of Trustees and obtain its
consent to the proposed vote before voting the securities.
Information
on how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the
12-month period ended June 30 of each year will be available (1) without
charge, upon request, by calling 1‑800‑729‑2307; and (2) on the Securities
and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.
Net
asset value per share for each Fund is determined on each day that the New York
Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for trading and any other day (other than a
day on which no shares of that Fund are tendered for redemption and no order to
purchase shares is received) during which there is sufficient trading in the
Fund’s portfolio securities that the Fund’s net asset value per share might be
materially affected. The NYSE is closed on the following holidays: 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, and Christmas Day.
Securities
traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last reported sales
price at the close of regular trading on each day the exchanges are open for
trading. Securities traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers
Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”) are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price.
Over-the-counter securities that are not traded on NASDAQ are valued at the last
sale price in the over-the-counter market. In the absence of any sale of such
securities on the valuation date, the valuations are based on the mean between
the bid and asked prices. Quotations of foreign securities in a foreign currency
are valued daily in U.S. dollars on the basis of the foreign currency exchange
rates prevailing at the time such valuation is determined. Foreign currency
contracts are valued based on the applicable exchange rate as of the close of
the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Debt securities are valued by using
an evaluated mean price provided by a Pricing Service. Options listed on a
national exchange are valued at the composite price using the National Best Bid
and Offer quotes (“NBBO”). NBBO consists of the highest bid price and lowest ask
price across any of the exchanges on which an option is quoted. If there were no
trades for the option on a given business day, composite option pricing
calculates the mean of the highest bid and lowest ask price across the exchanges
where the option is traded. Rights and warrants listed on a national exchange
are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which they are traded at
the time a Fund calculates its net asset value. Investments in other funds are
valued at their respective net asset values as determined by those funds, in
accordance with the 1940 Act.
Because
trading in securities on most foreign exchanges is normally completed before the
close of the NYSE, the value of non-U.S. securities can change by the time a
Fund calculates its NAV. To address these changes, the Advisor may determine to
utilize adjustment factors provided by an independent pricing service to
systematically price non-U.S. securities at fair value. These adjustment factors
are based on movements and changes in securities indices, specific security
prices, and exchange rates in foreign markets.
All
other securities and other assets of the Funds for which current market
quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in
good faith by PRIMECAP Management Company in accordance with procedures approved
by the Trustees. Pursuant to those procedures, the Board of Trustees has
designated the Advisor as each Fund’s valuation designee (the “Valuation
Designee”) responsible for determining whether market quotations are readily
available and reliable, and making good faith determinations of fair value when
appropriate. The Valuation Designee carries out its responsibilities with
respect to fair value determinations through its Valuation Committee. As the
Valuation Designee, the Advisor is responsible for the establishment and
application, in a consistent manner, of appropriate methodologies for
determining the fair value of investments, periodically reviewing the selected
methodologies used for continuing appropriateness and accuracy, and making any
changes or adjustments to the methodologies as appropriate. The Valuation
Designee is also responsible for the identification, periodic assessment, and
management of material risks, including material conflicts of interest,
associated with fair value determinations, taking into account the Fund’s
investments, significant changes in the Fund’s investment strategies or
policies, market events, and other relevant factors. The Valuation Designee is
subject to the general oversight of the Board. Fair value pricing involves
subjective judgments, and there is no single standard for determining a
security’s fair value. As a result, different mutual funds could reasonably
arrive at a different fair value for the same security. It is possible that the
fair value determined for a security is materially different from the value that
could be realized upon the sale of that security or from the values that other
mutual funds may determine.
See
“Purchasing and Adding to Your Shares” in the Prospectus for certain information
regarding the purchase of Fund shares.
Each
Fund may, at the sole discretion of the Advisor, accept securities in exchange
for shares of the Fund. Securities which may be accepted in exchange for shares
of any Fund must: (1) meet the investment objectives and policies of the
Fund; (2) be acquired for investment and not for resale; (3) be liquid
securities which are not restricted as to transfer either by law or liquidity of
market, as determined by reference to the liquidity and pricing policies
established by the Board of Trustees; and (4) have a value which is readily
ascertainable as evidenced by, for example, a listing on a recognized stock
exchange or market quotations by third party broker-dealers.
The
Trust intends to pay in cash for all shares of a Fund redeemed but reserves the
right to make payment wholly or partly in shares of readily marketable
investment securities. In such cases, a shareholder may incur brokerage costs in
converting such securities to cash.
In
connection with its duties to arrange for the purchase and sale of each Fund’s
portfolio securities, PRIMECAP Management Company selects such broker-dealers
(“Broker‑Dealers”) that will, in its judgment, implement the policy of the Trust
to achieve quality execution at favorable prices through responsible
Broker-Dealers, and in the case of agency transactions, at competitive
commission rates. PRIMECAP Management Company may also deal directly with the
selling or purchasing principal or market maker. In most cases, in dealing with
a Broker-Dealer acting as principal or agent, the Trust pays a
commission.
In
allocating transactions to Broker-Dealers, PRIMECAP Management Company is
authorized to consider, in determining whether a particular Broker-Dealer will
provide best execution, the Broker-Dealer’s reliability, integrity, financial
condition, and risk in positioning the securities involved, as well as the
difficulty of the transaction in question. The Trust need not pay the lowest
spread or commission when PRIMECAP Management Company believes that another
Broker-Dealer would offer greater reliability or provide a better price or
execution. In addition, PRIMECAP Management Company has adopted a brokerage
allocation policy in reliance on Section 28(e) of the Securities and Exchange
Act of 1934 (“Section 28(e)”), permitting it to cause a Fund to pay commission
rates in excess of those another Broker-Dealer would have charged if PRIMECAP
Management Company determines in good faith that the amount of commission is
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services
provided by the Broker-Dealer, viewed either in terms of the particular
transaction or PRIMECAP Management Company’s overall responsibilities as to the
accounts over which it exercises investment discretion.
To
constitute eligible “research services,” such services must qualify as “advice,”
“analyses,” or “reports” as set out in Section 28(e)(3)(A) and (B). To determine
that a service constitutes research services, PRIMECAP Management Company must
conclude that it reflects the “expression of reasoning or knowledge” relating to
the value of securities, advisability of effecting transactions in securities or
analyses, or reports concerning issuers, securities, economic factors,
investment strategies, or the performance of accounts. To constitute eligible
“brokerage services,” such services must effect securities transactions and
functions incidental thereto, and include clearance, settlement, and related
custody services. Additionally, brokerage services have been interpreted to
include services relating to the execution of securities transactions. Because
PRIMECAP Management Company receives a benefit from research it receives from
Broker-Dealers, PRIMECAP Management Company may have an incentive to continue to
use those Broker-Dealers to effect transactions. Research services furnished by
Broker-Dealers through whom securities transactions are effected may be used in
servicing all of PRIMECAP Management Company’s accounts, but not all such
services may be used in connection with the account which paid commissions to
the Broker-Dealer providing such services. PRIMECAP Management Company does not
consider a Broker-Dealer’s sale of Fund shares when choosing a Broker-Dealer to
effect transactions.
PRIMECAP
Management Company may use brokerage commissions to acquire external research
through client commission agreements (“CCAs”) established with various
Broker-Dealers (“CCA Brokers”). Under these arrangements, when PRIMECAP
Management Company executes a trade through a CCA Broker, the CCA Broker retains
a portion of the brokerage commission as compensation for trade execution
services and segregates the remaining portion of the commission to pay for
research services. PRIMECAP Management Company may then request that the CCA
Broker pay for research services from the CCA Broker or other research providers
using the segregated CCA assets. All uses of CCAs by PRIMECAP Management Company
are subject to applicable law and its best execution obligations. The types of
research services that PRIMECAP Management Company may obtain through these
arrangements include (1) research reports providing fundamental, quantitative
and technical issuer, industry, sector, market, economic and policy research and
analysis; (2) portfolio strategy research; (3) meetings and calls with company
management; and (4) any other research that is permissible under Section 28(e).
By allocating brokerage business to the CCA Brokers that use a portion of the
commission paid to purchase appropriate and permissible research services from
third parties for use by PRIMECAP Management Company, PRIMECAP Management
Company believes that it is able to supplement its research and analysis and use
the views and information of other research organizations to make better
investment decisions on behalf of its clients, including the Funds.
PRIMECAP
Management Company believes that the research received through the CCA program
is consistent with Section 28(e) and assists the investment decision-making
process for all clients. Nevertheless, the use of soft dollars to pay for
research services also benefits PRIMECAP Management Company to the extent that
it allows PRIMECAP Management Company to obtain research services through the
CCA Brokers that it might otherwise have to pay for itself. This creates a
potential conflict of interest to the extent that it might create incentives for
PRIMECAP Management Company to continue to execute trades through a CCA Broker
rather than a non-CCA broker. PRIMECAP Management Company believes any such
conflicts of interest are mitigated by its use of a Best Execution Review
Committee consisting of senior executives (including the Trust’s Chief
Compliance Officer). The Best Execution Review Committee has been charged with
oversight of PRIMECAP’s trade execution, brokerage allocation including the use
of CCA brokers, and third-party research purchased through CCA arrangements. The
Best Execution Review Committee periodically analyzes the quality of execution
obtained from the Broker-Dealers with which PRIMECAP Management Company does
business, as well as the value of any research services provided by such
Broker-Dealers. In addition, the Board of Trustees receives quarterly reporting
on brokerage allocation for the Funds and third-party research purchased through
CCAs.
The
table below sets forth the amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Advisor
for each Fund for the last three fiscal years:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Brokerage
Commissions |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
$773,747 |
$936,886 |
$1,259,033 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
$1,308,694 |
$1,113,977 |
$1,872,275 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
$1,355,159 |
$1,649,330 |
$2,052,179 |
The
following was paid to firms for research, statistical or other services provided
to the Advisor for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023:
Brokerage
Commissions Used For Research:
|
|
|
|
| |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
$325,137 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
$660,326 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
$582,483 |
PRIMECAP
Management Company aggregates orders for purchases and sales of securities of
the same issuer on the same day among the Funds and its other managed accounts,
and the price paid to or received by the Funds and those accounts is the average
obtained in those orders. In some cases, such aggregation and allocation
procedures may adversely affect the price paid or received by the Funds or the
size of the position purchased or sold by the Funds.
“Regular
brokers or dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund are the
ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year (1) received the
greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Fund’s portfolio
transactions; (2) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of the
portfolio transactions of the Fund; or (3) sold the largest dollar amounts of
the Fund’s shares. On October 31, 2023, the Funds held securities of their
“regular brokers or dealers” as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Fund |
Security |
Amount |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
JPMorgan
Chase & Co. |
$53,593,724 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
Citigroup,
Inc. |
$43,670,017 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
Bank
of America Corp. |
$20,313,408 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
Morgan
Stanley |
$27,201,962 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
JPMorgan
Chase & Co. |
$18,453,262 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
Citigroup,
Inc. |
$12,656,545 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
Bank
of America Corp. |
$6,081,906 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
Morgan
Stanley |
$41,295,992 |
Portfolio
Turnover
As
a result of its investment policies, each Fund may engage in a substantial
number of portfolio transactions. While portfolio turnover is impossible to
predict, each Fund anticipates that its annual portfolio turnover will be less
than 50%. A high turnover rate for a Fund’s portfolio involves correspondingly
greater transaction costs in the form of brokerage commissions and dealer
spreads, which are borne directly by the Fund. The portfolio turnover rate will
not be a limiting factor when PRIMECAP Management Company deems portfolio
changes appropriate. The portfolio turnover rates for the Funds for the previous
two fiscal years were:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Portfolio
Turnover |
Fiscal
Years Ended October 31, |
| 2023 |
2022 |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Stock Fund |
4% |
4% |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Growth Fund |
7% |
4% |
PRIMECAP
Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
5% |
4% |
The
following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal (and, where noted, state
and local) income tax considerations affecting each Fund and its shareholders.
This discussion is very general and, except where noted, does not address
shareholders subject to special rules, such as shareholders who hold shares in a
Fund through an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged account. Current and
prospective shareholders are therefore urged to consult their own tax advisors
with respect to the specific federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences
of investing in a Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date
of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof,
all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive
effect.
Federal
Income Tax Consequences
Each
Fund is treated as a separate taxpayer for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Each Fund has qualified and intends to continue to qualify for treatment as a
regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for each taxable year by complying with
all applicable requirements regarding the source of its income, the
diversification of its assets, and the timing of its distributions.
Qualification by a Fund as a RIC under the Code generally requires, among other
things, that (1) at least 90% of the Fund’s annual gross income be derived
from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans,
gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign
currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options
or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such
stock,
securities, or currencies, and net income derived from interests in “qualified
publicly traded partnerships” (i.e.,
partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on
a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from
interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditionally permitted mutual
fund income); and (2) the Fund diversifies its holdings so that, at the end
of each quarter of the taxable year (i) at least 50% of the market value of
the Fund’s assets is represented by cash, U.S. Government securities, securities
of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with such other
securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than
5% of the Fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting
securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the
Fund’s assets is invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S.
Government securities and the securities of other regulated investment
companies), or of two or more issuers (other than the securities of other
regulated investment companies) which the Fund controls (i.e.,
owns, directly or indirectly, 20% of the voting stock) and which are determined
to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or
businesses, or in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded
partnerships.”
A
Fund’s investments in partnerships, if any, including in qualified publicly
traded partnerships, may result in that Fund being subject to state, local, or
foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.
As
a regulated investment company, a Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal
income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains
that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum
distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, a
Fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (1) 90% of its
“investment company taxable income” for the taxable year (i.e.,
generally, the taxable income of a RIC other than its net capital gain (the
excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), plus or
minus certain other adjustments, and computed without regard to the
dividends-paid deduction); and (2) 90% of its net tax‑exempt income for the
taxable year. Each Fund will be subject to income tax at the regular corporate
tax rate on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its
shareholders.
If,
for any taxable year, a Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment
company under Subchapter M of the Code or were to fail to meet the distribution
requirement, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and
distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in
computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify,
a Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current or
accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net capital
gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal
income tax purposes. However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any
generally applicable limitations (1) to be treated as qualified dividend income
in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals; and (2) for the
dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if
a Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it
would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year
in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. Under certain
circumstances, a Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a regulated
investment company, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant
Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. If a Fund
failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than
two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize any net
built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such
assets within five years of qualifying as a regulated investment company in a
subsequent year.
The
Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on a Fund to the extent it does not
distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (1) 98% of its
ordinary income for that year; and (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income
(both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general
rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, any ordinary income or
capital gain net income retained by a Fund that is subject to Fund-level income
tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the
minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax
will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or
overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous years. Each Fund intends
to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital
gains and thus expects not to be subject to the excise tax.
A
Fund’s transactions in zero coupon securities, foreign currencies, forward
contracts, options contracts (including options on foreign currencies), if any,
will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating
to
“hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the
character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (i.e.,
may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate
recognition of income to the Fund, and defer Fund losses. These rules could
therefore affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to
shareholders. These provisions also (1) will require a Fund to
“mark-to-market” certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e.,
require the Fund to treat all unrealized gains and losses with respect to those
positions as though they were realized at the end of each year); and
(2) may cause a Fund to recognize income prior to or without receiving cash
with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to
satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. In
order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the applicable Fund, that
Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise
have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or
loss. A Fund might also meet the distribution requirements by borrowing the
necessary cash, thereby incurring interest expenses. Each Fund will monitor its
transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections, and will make the
appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any zero coupon
securities, foreign currency, forward contract, option or hedged investment in
order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the
Fund as a regulated investment company.
A
Fund’s investments in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated
futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the
interbank market, and options on most stock indices are required to be marked to
their market value at the end of each Fund taxable year, and any unrealized gain
or loss on those positions will be included in the Fund’s income as if each
position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year.
The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by
the Fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable
year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a
“hedging transaction” or part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or
loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain
or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the
period of time the positions were actually held by the Fund.
In
general, gain or loss on a short sale is recognized when a Fund closes the sale
by delivering the borrowed property to the lender, not when the borrowed
property is sold. Gain or loss from a short sale is generally considered as
capital gain or loss to the extent that the property used to close the short
sale constitutes a capital asset in the Fund’s hands. Except with respect to
certain situations where the property used by a Fund to close a short sale has a
long-term holding period on the date of the short sale, special rules would
generally treat the gains on short sales as short-term capital gains. These
rules may also terminate the running of the holding period of “substantially
identical property” held by a Fund. Moreover, a loss on a short sale will be
treated as a long-term capital loss if, on the date of the short sale,
“substantially identical property” has been held by a Fund for more than one
year. In general, a Fund will not be permitted to deduct payments made to
reimburse the lender of securities for dividends paid on borrowed stock if the
short sale is closed on or before the 45th day after the short sale is entered
into.
A
Fund may be required to treat amounts as taxable income or gain, subject to the
distribution requirements referred to above, even though no corresponding
amounts of cash are received concurrently, as a result of
(1) mark-to-market rules, constructive sale rules, or rules applicable to
PFICs (as defined below) or partnerships or trusts in which the Fund invests or
to certain options, forward contracts, or “appreciated financial positions”;
(2) the inability to obtain cash distributions or other amounts due to
currency controls or restrictions on repatriation imposed by a foreign country
with respect to the Fund’s investments (including through depository receipts)
in issuers in such country; or (3) tax rules applicable to debt obligations
acquired with “original issue discount,” including zero-coupon or deferred
payment bonds and pay-in-kind debt obligations, or market discount. These rules
may also affect the amount, timing, and character of income and gain recognized
by the Funds and of distributions to shareholders. In order to distribute this
income and avoid a tax on the applicable Fund, that Fund might be required to
liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold,
potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss. A Fund might also meet
the distribution requirements by borrowing the necessary cash, thereby incurring
interest expenses.
If
a Fund owns shares in certain foreign entities, treated as “passive foreign
investment companies” or “PFICs” for federal income tax purposes, and does not
timely make certain elections, it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a
portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares
even if such income is
distributed
as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the
nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes
arising from such distributions or gains.
In
general, a PFIC is any foreign corporation in which (1) 75% or more of the gross
income for the taxable year is passive income; or (2) the average percentage of
the assets (generally by value, but by adjusted tax basis in certain cases) that
produce, or are held for the production of, passive income is at least 50%.
Generally, passive income for this purpose means dividends, interest (including
income equivalent to interest), royalties, rents, annuities, the excess of gains
over losses from certain property transactions and commodities transactions,
income from certain notional principal contracts, and foreign currency gains.
Passive income for this purpose does not include certain types of passive income
excepted by the Code and other guidance.
If
a Fund were to invest in a PFIC and timely elect to treat the PFIC as a
“qualified electing fund” under the Code for the first year of its holding
period in the PFIC stock, in lieu of the foregoing requirements in certain
cases, the Fund would generally be required each year to include in income a
portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing
fund, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts would be subject to
the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to
distribute this income and avoid a tax on the applicable Fund, that Fund might
be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have
continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss. A
Fund might also meet the distribution requirements by borrowing the necessary
cash, thereby incurring interest expenses. In order to make the “qualified
electing fund” election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual
information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or
impossible to obtain. Dividends paid by PFICs will not be eligible to be treated
as “qualified dividend income.”
If
a Fund were to invest in a PFIC and make a mark-to-market election, the Fund
would be treated as if it had sold and repurchased its stock in that PFIC at the
end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any such gains as ordinary
income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of
previously recognized gains. Such an election must be made separately for each
PFIC owned by a Fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent
taxable years of the Fund, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making
the election, a Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences
with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC but in any particular year
might be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives
from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund might have
to distribute such excess income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution
requirement for treatment as a regulated investment company and to avoid
imposition of the 4% excise tax. In order to distribute this income and avoid a
tax on the applicable Fund, that Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio
securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting
in additional taxable gain or loss.
Currency
transactions may be subject to Section 988 of the Code, under which foreign
currency gains or losses would generally be computed separately and treated as
ordinary income or losses.
Dividends,
interest, or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by
any of the Funds from sources within foreign countries may be subject to
withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax conventions between
certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. None
of the Funds expects to be eligible to “pass through” foreign taxes to its
shareholders for purposes of claiming a foreign tax credit with respect to such
taxes.
Taxation
of U.S. Shareholders
Dividends
and other distributions by a Fund are generally treated under the Code as
received by its shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made.
However, if any dividend or distribution is 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 but is actually paid during the following
January, such dividend or distribution will be deemed to have been received by
each shareholder on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was
declared.
Each
Fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its
investment company taxable income (computed without regard to any deduction for
dividends paid) and any net capital gain. However, if a Fund retains for
investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net capital gain, it will
be subject to a corporate tax on the amount retained. In that event, the Fund
will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gain in a notice
to its shareholders who (1) will be required to include in income for U.S.
federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate
shares of the undistributed amount; (2) will be entitled to credit their
proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed
amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim
refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any; and
(3) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income
tax purposes, in their shares of the Fund by an amount equal to the excess of
the amount of undistributed net capital gains included in their respective
income over their respective income tax credits. Organizations or persons not
subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a
refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the Fund upon timely filing
appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.
Dividends
of taxable net investment income and net realized short-term capital gains are
generally taxable to a U.S. shareholder as ordinary income, whether paid in cash
or in shares. Distributions of net capital gain, if any, that a Fund reports as
capital gain dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in
cash or in shares, and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of
the Fund. Such distributions will not be eligible for the dividends-received
deduction for a corporate shareholder.
Special
rules apply to certain dividends that are reported by a Fund as “qualified
dividend income,” when paid to noncorporate shareholders. Such dividends are
subject to tax at rates of up to 20%, provided that the distributing Fund and
the shareholder satisfy certain holding period and other requirements. Qualified
dividend income is not actually treated as capital gain, however, and thus
generally cannot be offset by capital losses. A Fund may report as qualified
dividend income: (1) 100% of the dividends (other than capital gain
dividends) paid by the Fund in a particular taxable year if 95% or more of the
Fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and
securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales
exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) in that taxable year is
attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund; or (2) the
portion of the dividends paid by the Fund to a noncorporate shareholder in a
particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income
received by the Fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income
accounts for less than 95% of the Fund’s gross income (ignoring gains
attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net
short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from
such sales) for that taxable year. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income”
generally means income from dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations
and qualified foreign corporations, provided that the Fund satisfies certain
holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has
not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. Qualified foreign
corporations are foreign corporations that are incorporated in a possession of
the United States or that are eligible for benefits under certain U.S. income
tax treaties. Certain other dividends received from foreign corporations will be
treated as qualified dividends if the stock with respect to which the dividends
are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United
States. Qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from
PFICs. Also, dividends received by the Fund from a real estate investment trust
(a “REIT”) or from another RIC generally are qualified dividend income only to
the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income
received by such REIT or RIC. In the case of securities lending transactions,
payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a
shareholder elects to treat Fund dividends as investment income for purposes of
the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends will
not be qualified dividend income.
If
an individual receives a dividend subject to tax at long-term capital gain rates
that constitutes an “extraordinary dividend” and the individual subsequently
recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the
extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to
the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An extraordinary dividend for this
purpose is generally a dividend (1) in an amount greater than or equal to
10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock,
aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period; or
(2) in an amount greater than 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading
value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within
a 365-day period.
Certain
dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations (generally, dividends
received by the Fund in respect of any share of stock (1) with a tax holding
period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that
is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that
dividend; and (2) that is held in an unleveraged position) and distributed and
appropriately so reported by the Fund may be eligible for the 50%
dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations under the Code.
Certain preferred stock must have a holding period of at least 91 days during
the 181-day period beginning on the date that is 90 days before the date on
which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend in order to be eligible.
Capital gain dividends distributed to a Fund from other RICs are not eligible
for the dividends-received deduction. In order to qualify for the deduction,
corporate shareholders must meet the minimum holding period requirement stated
above with respect to their shares, taking into account any holding period
reductions from certain hedging or other transactions or positions that diminish
their risk of loss with respect to their shares, and, if they borrow to acquire
or otherwise incur debt attributable to shares, they may be denied a portion of
the dividends-received deduction with respect to those shares.
If
a Fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends
payable with respect to such stock, such dividends will be included in the
Fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of
(1) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends
(i.e.,
the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the
declared, but unpaid, dividends); or (2) the date the Fund acquired such
stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, a
Fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated receipts, and
shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be
the case.
For
tax years beginning before January 1, 2026, a noncorporate taxpayer is generally
eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of the taxpayer’s “qualified REIT
dividends.” If a Fund receives dividends (other than capital gain dividends) in
respect of REIT shares, the Fund may report its own dividends as eligible for
the 20% deduction, to the extent the Fund’s income is derived from such
qualified REIT dividends, as reduced by allocable Fund expenses. In order for a
Fund’s dividends to be eligible for this deduction when received by a
noncorporate shareholder, the Fund must meet certain holding period requirements
with respect to the REIT shares on which the Fund received the eligible
dividends, and the noncorporate shareholder must meet certain holding period
requirements with respect to the Fund shares.
Under
Section 163(j) of the Code, a taxpayer’s business interest expense is generally
deductible to the extent of the taxpayer’s business interest income plus certain
other amounts. If a Fund earns business interest income, it may report a portion
of its dividends as “Section 163(j) interest dividends,” which its shareholders
may be able to treat as business interest income for purposes of Section 163(j)
of the Code. A Fund’s “Section 163(j) interest dividend” for a tax year will be
limited to the excess of its business interest income over the sum of its
business interest expense and other deductions properly allocable to its
business interest income. In general, a Fund’s shareholders may treat a
distribution reported as a Section 163(j) interest dividend as interest income
only to the extent the distribution exceeds the sum of the portions of the
distribution reported as other types of tax-favored income. To be eligible to
treat a Fund’s Section 163(j) interest dividend as interest income, a
shareholder may need to meet certain holding period requirements in respect of
its Fund shares and must not have hedged its position in its Fund shares in
certain ways.
Distributions
in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to
each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a
shareholder’s basis in his or her shares of the Fund, and as a capital gain
thereafter (if the shareholder holds his or her shares of the Fund as capital
assets). Each shareholder who receives dividends or other distributions in the
form of additional shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes
as if receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that
the shareholder would have received if he or she had instead elected to receive
cash distributions. The shareholder’s aggregate tax basis in shares of the
applicable Fund will be increased by such amount.
A
3.8% Medicare contribution tax generally applies to all or a portion of the net
investment income of a shareholder who is an individual and not a nonresident
alien for federal income tax purposes and who has adjusted gross income (subject
to certain adjustments) that exceeds a threshold amount ($250,000 if married
filing jointly or if considered a
“surviving
spouse” for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately,
and $200,000 in other cases). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of
the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates
and trusts. For these purposes, dividends, interest and certain capital gains
(among other categories of income) are generally taken into account in computing
a shareholder’s net investment income.
Certain
tax-exempt educational institutions are subject to a 1.4% tax on net investment
income. For these purposes, certain dividends and capital gain distributions,
and certain gains from the disposition of Fund shares (among other categories of
income), are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder’s net
investment income.
Investors
considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution
should be aware that, although the price of shares purchased at that time may
reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or
distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them.
Sales
of Shares
Upon
the sale or exchange of his or her shares, a shareholder will generally
recognize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount
realized and his or her basis in the shares. A redemption of shares by a Fund
will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as
capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands
and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than
one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year
or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange of shares of a Fund will be
disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including
replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions
in the Fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days
after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares
acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by
a shareholder on the sale of Fund shares held by the shareholder for six months
or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term
capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of
long-term capital gains received by the shareholder (including amounts credited
to the shareholder as undistributed capital gains) with respect to such shares.
If
a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a Fund’s shares of $2 million or
more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate
shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the
shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886.
Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this
reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated
investment company are not excepted. A shareholder who fails to make the
required disclosure to the IRS may be subject to adverse tax consequences,
including substantial penalties. The fact that a loss is so reportable does not
affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss
is proper.
Backup
Withholding
A
Fund may be required in certain circumstances to apply backup withholding on
dividends, other distributions and redemption proceeds payable to non-corporate
shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer
identification numbers or to make required certifications, or who have been
notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain
shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. The backup withholding rate is
currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax, and any amount
withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax
liability.
Capital
Loss Carry-Forwards
For
U.S. federal income tax purposes, net short-term and long-term capital losses
incurred by a Fund may be carried forward indefinitely to offset the Fund’s
capital gains in subsequent years. Carryforwards retain their character as
either short-term or long-term capital losses in subsequent years. Under certain
circumstances, a Fund may elect to treat certain losses as though they were
incurred on the first day of the taxable year immediately following the taxable
year in which they were actually incurred.
Notices
Shareholders
who hold Fund shares through direct accounts will receive, if appropriate,
various written notices after the close of the applicable Fund’s taxable year
regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions
and deemed distributions, and redemption proceeds that were paid (or that are
treated as having been paid) by the Fund to its shareholders during the
preceding taxable year.
For
sales or exchanges of shares of a Fund acquired (including through the
reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions) on or after
January 1, 2012, that Fund will report to shareholders and the IRS the
cost basis and holding period of the shares and the amount of gain or loss on
the sale or exchange. If a shareholder has a different basis for different
shares of a Fund in the same account (e.g.,
if a shareholder purchased Fund shares in the same account at different prices
per share), the Fund will calculate the basis of the shares sold using its
default method unless the shareholder has properly elected to use a different
method. For purposes of calculating and reporting basis, shares acquired on or
after January 1, 2012, are generally treated as held in a separate
account from shares acquired prior to January 1, 2012.
Each
Fund’s default method for calculating basis will be the average basis method
under which the basis of each Fund share in an account is the average of the
bases of all of the shareholder’s Fund shares in the account. A shareholder may
elect to use a method other than the average basis method, on an account by
account basis, by following procedures established by the Funds. If such an
election is made on or prior to the date of the first sale, exchange, or
redemption of shares in the account (including redemptions resulting from a
small account fee or other applicable fee), the new election will generally
apply as if the average basis method had never been in effect for such account.
If the election is made after shares have been sold, exchanged, or redeemed, the
shares in the account at the time of the election will retain their averaged
bases. Shareholders should contact their own tax advisors concerning the
consequences of applying the default method or choosing another method of bases
calculation.
If
you invest through a financial intermediary, the method of calculating basis may
differ from that selected by the Funds. Please contact your salesperson or visit
your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Other
Taxes
Dividends,
distributions, and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state,
local, and foreign taxes, depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.
Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the
particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds.
Non-U.S.
Shareholders
Ordinary
dividends and certain other payments made by a Fund to non-U.S. shareholders are
generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate (or such lower rate as may be
determined in accordance with any applicable treaty). In order to obtain a
reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide
an IRS Form W-8BEN or similar form certifying its entitlement to benefits under
a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a
non-U.S. shareholder who provides an IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that the
dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a
trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected
dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S.
shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving
effectively connected dividends may also be subject to an additional “branch
profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or a lower treaty rate). A non-U.S.
shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may
be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.
The
30% withholding tax described in the preceding paragraph generally will not
apply to distributions of net capital gains or to redemption proceeds. The 30%
withholding tax also will not apply to dividends that a Fund reports as
(1) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived
from the Fund’s “qualified net interest income”; or (2) short-term capital
gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund’s
“qualified short-term gain.” “Qualified net interest income” is a Fund’s net
income derived from U.S.-source
interest
and original issue discount, subject to certain exceptions and limitations.
“Qualified short-term gain” generally means the excess of the net short-term
capital gain of a Fund for the taxable year over its net long-term capital loss,
if any. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S.
shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements
relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form
W‑8BEN or other applicable form). Backup withholding will not be applied to
payments that are subject to this 30% withholding tax. In the case of shares
held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the
applicable Fund reports a payment as an interest-related dividend or a
short-term capital gain dividend. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their
intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their
accounts.
Non-U.S.
persons are subject to U.S. tax on disposition of a “United States real property
interest” (a “USRPI”). Gain on such a disposition is sometimes referred to as
“FIRPTA gain.” The Code provides a look-through rule for distributions of
“FIRPTA gain” if certain requirements are met. If the look-through rule applies,
certain distributions attributable to income received by the applicable Fund,
e.g., from REITs, may be treated as gain from the disposition of a USRPI,
causing distributions to be subject to U.S. withholding tax at rates of up to
21%, and requiring non-U.S. shareholders to file nonresident U.S. income tax
returns. Also, such gain may be subject to a 30% (or lower treaty rate) branch
profits tax in the hands of a non-U.S. shareholder that is treated as a
corporation for federal income tax purposes.
Unless
certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund shares comply with IRS requirements
that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons
investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may
apply to a Fund’s dividends payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may
be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable
intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided
that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms
of such agreement.
The
foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax
consequences (and, where noted, state and local tax consequences) affecting the
Funds and their shareholders. Prospective shareholders are advised to consult
their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them
of an investment in a Fund.
Average
Annual Total Return
Average
annual total return quotations used in the Funds’ Prospectus are computed by
finding the average annual compounded rates of return over the period that would
equate the initial amount invested to the ending redeemable value according to
the following formula:
P(1
+ T)(n) = ERV
Where:
“P” represents a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000; “T” represents
average annual total return; “n” represents the number of years; and “ERV”
represents the ending redeemable value at the end of the period of a
hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of the period. Dividends and
other distributions are assumed to be reinvested in shares at the prices in
effect on the reinvestment dates. ERV will be adjusted to reflect the effect of
any absorption of Fund expenses by the Advisor.
Under
the foregoing formula, the time periods used in the Prospectus will be based on
rolling calendar quarters.
Average
Annual Total Return (after taxes on distributions)
The
Funds’ quotations of average annual total returns (after taxes on distributions)
reflect the average annual compounded rate of return on an assumed investment of
$1,000 that equates the initial amount invested to the value of the investment
after taxes on distributions according to the following formula:
P(1
+ T)(n) = ATV(D)
Where:
“P” represents a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000; “T” represents
average annual total return (after taxes on distributions); “n” represents the
number of years; and “ATV(D)” represents the ending value of the hypothetical
initial investment after taxes on distributions, not after taxes on redemption.
Dividends and other distributions are assumed to be reinvested in shares at the
prices in effect on the reinvestment dates. ATV(D) will be adjusted to reflect
the effect of any absorption of Fund expenses by the Advisor.
Average
Annual Total Return (after taxes on distributions and redemption)
The
Funds’ quotations of average annual total returns (after taxes on distributions
and redemption) reflect the average annual compounded rate of return on an
assumed investment of $1,000 that equates the initial amount invested to the
ending redeemable value after taxes on distributions and redemptions according
to the following formula:
P
(1+ T)(n) = ATV(DR)
Where:
“P” represents a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000; “T” represents
average annual total return (after taxes on distributions and redemption); “n”
represents the number of years; and “ATV(DR)” represents the ending redeemable
value of the hypothetical initial investment after taxes on distributions and
redemption. Dividends and other distributions are assumed to be reinvested in
shares at the prices in effect on the reinvestment dates. ATV(DR) will be
adjusted to reflect the effect of any absorption of Fund expenses by the
Advisor.
Other
Information
Performance
data of the Funds quoted in advertising and other promotional materials
represents past performance and are not intended to predict or indicate future
results. The return and principal value of an investment in a Fund will
fluctuate, and an investor’s redemption proceeds may be more or less than the
original investment amount. In advertising and promotional materials, the Funds
may compare their performance with data published by Lipper, Inc., Thomson
Financial Investor Relations, Morningstar, Inc., and others. The Funds also may
refer in such materials to mutual fund performance rankings and other data (such
as comparative asset, expense, and fee levels) published by Lipper, Inc.,
Morningstar, Inc. and others. Advertising and promotional materials also may
refer to discussions of the Funds and comparative mutual fund data and ratings
reported in independent periodicals including, but not limited to, The Wall
Street Journal, Money Magazine, Forbes, and Barron’s.
Each
Trustee serves until the next meeting of shareholders, if any, called for the
purpose of electing trustees and until the election and qualification of his or
her successor or until death, resignation, declaration of bankruptcy, or
incompetence by a court of competent jurisdiction, or removal by a majority vote
of the shares entitled to vote (as described below) or of a majority of the
Trustees. In accordance with the 1940 Act, (1) the Trust will hold a
shareholder meeting for the election of trustees when less than a majority of
the trustees have been elected by shareholders; and (2) if, as a result of
a vacancy in the Board, less than two-thirds of the trustees have been elected
by the shareholders, that vacancy will be filled only by a vote of the
shareholders.
Shares
of the Funds
Each
share of a class of a Fund represents an equal proportional interest in that
Fund with each other share of the same class and is entitled to such dividends
and distributions out of the income earned on the assets belonging to
that
Fund as are declared in the discretion of the Trustees. The Agreement and
Declaration of Trust of the Trust (the “Declaration”) specifically authorizes
the Board to terminate the Trust (or any of its series) by notice to the
shareholders without shareholder approval. In the event of the liquidation or
dissolution of a Fund or the Trust, shareholders of the Fund are entitled to
receive the assets attributable to that Fund that are available for
distribution, and a distribution of any general assets not attributable to a
particular Fund that are available for distribution, in such manner and on such
basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion may determine. Shareholders are
not entitled to any preemptive rights. All shares, when issued, will be fully
paid and non-assessable by the Trust.
The
Trust is generally not required to hold shareholder meetings. However, as
provided in the Declaration and the Bylaws of the Trust, shareholder meetings
may be called by the Trustees for the purpose as may be prescribed by law, the
Declaration, or the Bylaws, or for the purpose of taking action upon any other
matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable, including changing
fundamental policies, electing or removing Trustees, and approving or amending
an investment advisory agreement. In addition, a Trustee may be removed by
shareholders at a special meeting called upon written request of shareholders
owning in the aggregate at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the
Trust.
The
Declaration provides that one-third of the shares entitled to vote shall be a
quorum for the transaction of business at a shareholders’ meeting, except when a
larger quorum is required by applicable law, by the Bylaws, or by the
Declaration. Any lesser number will be sufficient for adjournments. Any
adjourned session or sessions may be held within a reasonable time after the
date set for the original meeting without the necessity of further
notice.
When
certain matters affect one series or class but not another, the shareholders
will vote as a series or class regarding such matters. Subject to the foregoing,
on any matter submitted to a vote of shareholders, all shares then entitled to
vote will be voted in the aggregate unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act.
For example, a change in a Fund’s fundamental investment policies would be voted
upon only by shareholders of the Fund involved. Additionally, approval of the
advisory agreement is a matter to be determined separately by Fund. Approval by
the shareholders of one Fund is effective as to that Fund whether or not
sufficient votes are received from the shareholders of the other Funds to
approve the proposal as to those Funds.
As
used in the Prospectus and in this SAI, the term “majority,” when referring to
approvals to be obtained from shareholders of a Fund, means the vote of the
lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting if the
holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present in
person or by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the
Fund. The term “majority,” when referring to the approvals to be obtained from
shareholders of the Trust as a whole means the vote of the lesser of
(1) 67% of the Trust’s shares represented at a meeting if the holders of
more than 50% of the Trust’s outstanding shares are present in person or by
proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the Trust’s outstanding shares. Shareholders
are entitled to one vote for each full share held and fractional votes for
fractional shares held.
Control
Persons and Principal Shareholders
A
principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or
more of the outstanding shares of a Fund. A control person is one who owns
beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting
securities of a Fund or acknowledges the existence of control. The following
tables list record holders who are principal shareholders and control persons of
the Funds as of January 31, 2024. The Funds have no information regarding the
beneficial owners of Fund shares owned through accounts with financial
intermediaries.
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Principal
Holders of the PRIMECAP Odyssey Stock Fund |
Name
and Address |
%
Ownership |
Type
of Ownership |
Control
Person |
National
Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefit of its
Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th Floor 499 Washington
Boulevard Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
26.12% |
Record |
Yes |
Charles
Schwab Co. Reinvest Account 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA
94105-1901 |
24.05% |
Record |
No |
Edward
D. Jones & Co. Attn: Terrence Spencer For the Benefit of
Customers 12555 Manchester Road St. Louis, MO 63131-3710 |
18.13% |
Record |
No |
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Principal
Holders of the PRIMECAP Odyssey Growth Fund |
Name
and Address |
%
Ownership |
Type
of Ownership |
Control
Person |
Charles
Schwab Co. Reinvest Account 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA
94105-1901 |
27.24% |
Record |
Yes |
National
Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefit of its
Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th Floor 499 Washington
Boulevard Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
24.20% |
Record |
No |
Vanguard
Brokerage Services P.O. Box 1170 Valley Forge, PA
19482-1170 |
9.90% |
Record |
No |
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
7.16% |
Record |
No |
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn: Lindsay O Toole 4707
Executive Drive San Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
5.20% |
Record |
No |
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Principal
Holders of the PRIMECAP Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund |
Name
and Address |
%
Ownership |
Type
of Ownership |
Control
Person |
National
Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefit of its
Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th Floor 499 Washington
Boulevard Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
26.93% |
Record |
Yes |
Charles
Schwab Co. Reinvest Account 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA
94105-1901 |
20.62% |
Record |
No |
Vanguard
Brokerage Services P.O. Box 1170 Valley Forge, PA
19482-1170 |
15.29% |
Record |
No |
Master
Foods Investments LLC Formation in Delaware U/A 05/27/1998 6885
Elm Street McLean, VA 22101-6031 |
5.26% |
Record |
No |
Custodian
U.S.
Bank National Association serves as custodian for the Funds. The Custodian’s
address is 1555 North RiverCenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212.
With regard to each Fund, the Custodian, among other things, maintains a custody
account or accounts in the name of the Fund, receives and delivers all assets
for the Fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity, collects and receives all
income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the
Fund, and pays all expenses of the Fund. For its services, the Custodian
receives a customary fee.
Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm and Counsel
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP provides audit services and tax return preparation
and assistance. Its office is located at 601 South Figueroa Street, Suite 900,
Los Angeles, California 90017.
Morgan,
Lewis & Bockius LLP serves as legal counsel for the Trust and the
Independent Trustees. Its office is located at 600 Anton Boulevard, Suite 1800,
Costa Mesa, California 92626-7653.
Anti-Money
Laundering Program
The
Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “AML
Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing
Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA
PATRIOT Act”). In order to ensure compliance with this law, the Trust’s AML
Program provides for the development and implementation of internal practices,
procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance
officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to
determine the effectiveness of the AML Program.
Procedures
to implement the AML Program include, but are not limited to, determining that
the Funds’ Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money
laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, checking
shareholder names against designated government lists (including lists
maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control), and a complete and thorough
review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact
business with any person or legal entity whose identity and beneficial owners,
if applicable, cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA
PATRIOT Act.
Financial
Statements
The
Annual Report to shareholders for the Funds for the fiscal year ended October
31, 2023, is a separate document supplied upon request, and the financial
statements, accompanying notes, and report of the independent registered public
accounting firm appearing therein are incorporated
by reference
in this SAI.
PRIMECAP
MANAGEMENT COMPANY PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
PRIMECAP
Management Company (“PRIMECAP”) acts as discretionary investment adviser for
various clients, including investment companies registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and clients governed by the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). PRIMECAP’s authority to vote proxies or act with
respect to other shareholder actions is established through the delegation of
discretionary authority under our investment advisory contracts. Therefore,
unless a client (including a “named fiduciary” under ERISA) specifically
reserves the right, in writing, to vote its own proxies or to take shareholder
action with respect to other corporate actions requiring shareholder actions,
PRIMECAP will vote all proxies and act on all other actions in a timely manner
as part of its full discretionary authority over client assets in accordance
with these guidelines.
Policy
PRIMECAP
maintains a policy of voting proxies in a way which, in PRIMECAP’s opinion, best
serves the interest of its clients in their capacity as shareholders of a
company. PRIMECAP believes that this is consistent with Commission and U.S.
Department of Labor guidelines, which state that an investment manager’s primary
responsibility as a fiduciary is to vote in the best interest of its clients. As
an investment manager, PRIMECAP is primarily concerned with maximizing the value
of its clients’ investment portfolios.
PRIMECAP
believes the best interests of clients are served by voting proxies in a way
that maximizes long-term shareholder value. Therefore, the investment
professionals responsible for voting proxies have the discretion to make the
best decision given the individual facts and circumstances of each issue. Proxy
issues are evaluated on their merits and considered in the context of the
analyst’s knowledge of a company, its current management, management’s past
record, and PRIMECAP’s general position on each issue.
PRIMECAP
believes that management, subject to the oversight of the relevant Board of
Directors, is often in the best position to make decisions that serve the
interests of shareholders. However, PRIMECAP votes against management on
proposals where it perceives a conflict may exist between management and client
interests or where the facts and circumstances indicate the proposal is not in
its clients’ best interests.
Conflicts
of Interest
From
time to time conflicts of interest may exist in the proxy voting decision
process where (a) portfolio companies are also clients of, or vendors to,
PRIMECAP, (b) shareholder proposals are submitted by clients, or (c) proxies for
which clients have publicly supported or actively solicited PRIMECAP to support
a particular position. When a proxy proposal raises a potential material
conflict of interest, possible conflict resolutions may include, but are not
limited to: (a) vote in accordance with the guidelines to the extent that
PRIMECAP has little or no discretion to deviate from the guidelines; (b) vote
according to the recommendations of an independent proxy service firm retained
by PRIMECAP; (c) vote in proportion to other shareholders; (d) disclose the
conflict of interest to the client and obtain the client’s consent before
voting; or (e) vote in other ways that are consistent with PRIMECAP’s obligation
to vote in the clients’ best interest. Conflict resolution is determined based
on the facts and circumstances of the potential or actual conflict of interest.
Procedures
Proxy
Review Process
PRIMECAP’s
Director of Research is responsible for coordinating the voting of proxies in a
timely manner, consistent with PRIMECAP’s determination of the client’s best
interests. PRIMECAP utilizes the services of a third-party proxy voting firm to
act as agent for the proxy process, to maintain records on proxy votes for its
clients, and to provide independent research on corporate governance, proxy, and
corporate responsibility issues.
The
Director of Research reviews each proxy ballot for routine and non-routine
items. Routine proxy items are typically voted with management unless the
Director of Research or research analyst who follows the company determines
additional review is necessary. Routine items currently include the uncontested
election of directors, ratifying auditors, adopting reports and accounts,
setting and payment of dividends, approval of financial statements, and certain
other administrative items. All other
items
are voted in accordance with the decision of the Director of Research, research
analysts, or portfolio managers, depending on merits of each proposal, taking
into account its effects on the specific company in question and on the company
within its industry.
Limitations
PRIMECAP
seeks to vote all of its clients’ proxies. In certain circumstances, in
accordance with a client’s investment advisory contract (or other written
directive) or where PRIMECAP has determined that it is in the client’s best
interest, PRIMECAP will not vote proxies received. These circumstances may
include, but are not limited to: when clients maintain proxy voting authority,
when an account has been terminated, when a client has a securities lending
arrangement with its custodian and the securities are out on loan, or when a
proxy vote results in an extended share lockup period precluding PRIMECAP from
selling the shares.
Proxy
Voting Guidelines
PRIMECAP
has developed proxy voting guidelines that reflect its general position and
practice on various issues. To preserve the ability of decision makers to make
the best decision in each case, these guidelines are intended only to provide
context and are not intended to dictate how the issue must be voted. The
guidelines are reviewed and updated as necessary by the Director of
Research.
•Corporate
Governance:
PRIMECAP supports strong corporate governance practices and generally votes
against proposals that serve as anti-takeover devices or diminish shareholder
rights, and generally supports proposals that encourage responsiveness to
shareholders. PRIMECAP evaluates board size, structure, and compensation on a
case-by-case basis though generally believes the Directors and management of
companies are in the best position to determine an efficient, functional
structure for the Board of Directors. Mergers and acquisitions, reincorporations
and other corporate restructurings are considered on a case-by-case basis, based
on the investment merits of each proposal.
•Compensation:
PRIMECAP generally supports the concept of stock-related compensation plans as a
way to align employee and shareholder interests. However, plans that include
features which undermine the connection between employee and shareholder
interests generally are not supported. When voting on proposals related to new
plans or changes to existing plans, PRIMECAP considers, among other things: the
size of the overall plan and/or the size of the increase, the historical
dilution rate, whether the plan permits option repricing, the duration of the
plan, and the needs of the company. PRIMECAP generally supports employee stock
purchase plans and the establishment of 401(k) plans.
•Capital
Structure:
PRIMECAP generally supports increases to capital stock for legitimate financing
needs but generally does not support changes in capital stock that can be used
as an anti-takeover device, such as the creation of or increase in blank-check
preferred stock or of a dual class capital structure with different voting
rights. PRIMECAP generally supports share repurchases.
•Environmental
and Social Issues:
PRIMECAP votes on these issues based on their potential to improve the prospects
for long-term success of a company and investment returns. PRIMECAP expects
companies to comply with applicable laws and regulations with regards to
environment and social standards.
Proxy
Voting Records
Upon
client request, PRIMECAP will provide reports of its proxy voting record as it
relates to the securities held in the client’s account(s) for which PRIMECAP has
proxy voting authority. PRIMECAP utilizes the services of a third-party proxy
voting firm to maintain records on proxy votes for its clients.
Annual
Assessment
PRIMECAP
will conduct an annual assessment of this proxy voting policy and related
procedures and will notify clients for which it has proxy voting authority of
any material changes to the policy.
Information
on how the Funds voted Proxies relating to portfolio securities during the
12-month period ended June 30th of each year will be available (1) without
charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-729-2307; and (2) on the Securities and
Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.