The fund seeks capital appreciation in the long term by investing in companies across any size outside the United States.

The investment process starts with a list of companies in the benchmark index and the research team utilizes quantitative techniques and fundamental analysis to identify investment opportunities.

Next, the research team focuses on securities of emerging market companies.

The team considers a co More

The fund seeks capital appreciation in the long term by investing in companies across any size outside the United States.

The investment process starts with a list of companies in the benchmark index and the research team utilizes quantitative techniques and fundamental analysis to identify investment opportunities.

Next, the research team focuses on securities of emerging market companies.

The team considers a company to be an emerging market company if at least 50% of the company’s assets are located in emerging market countries, or at least 50% of the company’s revenue is generated in emerging market countries.

Other factors in consideration would be if the company is organized, conducts its principal operations, or maintains its principal place of business or principal manufacturing facilities in an emerging market country.

In addition, the team considers the company’s securities that are traded principally in an emerging market country, or the company’s assets that are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of emerging market countries.

Emerging market countries generally include every country in the world except the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the countries in Western Europe.

The team looks to capitalize on market inefficiencies created as a result of the judgmental biases of investors.

In addition, the team relies on a proprietary screening process to identify companies based on factors such as rates of return on equity and total capital, margin stability and profitability.

The team then narrows the investable universe to a list of companies that are reasonably priced exhibiting consistent earnings growth characteristics.

The research process is driven by fundamental analysis of one stock at a time. In selecting securities for the portfolio, the research team focuses on growth stocks, which demonstrate above-average rates of earnings growth.

Then the manager constructs a portfolio of stocks from a list of companies favored by the research team and allocates capital based on its conviction level.

Also, the fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors in the portfolio construction process.

From time to time, the fund may focus its investments in a particular country or geographic region.

Also, the fund may invest in A Shares of companies based in the People’s Republic of China that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange through the Shanghai – Hong Kong and Shenzhen – Hong Kong Stock Connect programs.

The fund may invest in initial public offerings.