The fund seeks capital growth and appreciation by investing in small-size companies outside the United States.
The sub-advisers’ 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.
The process utilizes a blend strategy to research for both growth and value stocks, or to stocks with characteristics of both.
Next, the research team focuses on companies located in developed markets outside the United States and Canada. The team also may invest in companies located in emerging markets.
Then the team looks for attractively-valued companies that demonstrate growth at a reasonable price prospects.
In addition the team also considers companies that possess innovative and cost-effective products and services, with future growth potential.
Also, the team favors companies with a durable competitive advantage operated with proven management teams.
As part of its research process, the team also meets company management.
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.
Many of the companies in which the manager may invest have diverse operations, with products or services in foreign markets. The fund may focus a portion of its investments in a particular sector or sectors of the economy.
Additionally, the fund may invest in depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts, European Depositary Receipts and Global Depositary Receipts of foreign issuers.