The fund seeks capital appreciation in the long term by investing in mid-and large-size companies 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 stocks of companies located in developed market countries excluding the More

The fund seeks capital appreciation in the long term by investing in mid-and large-size companies 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 stocks of companies located in developed market countries excluding the United States.

However, the fund may also invest in stocks issued by companies located in emerging markets.

Developed market countries include, but are not limited to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The fund considers any country that is not a developed market country to be an emerging market country.

Next, the team utilizes a proprietary model that ranks stocks of foreign companies headquartered and trading in certain foreign countries.

The stocks are ranked based on factors that are indicative of stocks’ performance potential.

Also, the team assesses a company’s valuation, balance sheet strength, future earnings power and trading activity to identify companies expected to outperform the broader equity market. 

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.

In addition, the manager seeks to allocate the fund’s investments across different countries and geographic regions in an effort to manage the economic and socio-political risks associated with investing in a single country or limited number of countries.

The portfolio seeks to outperform the benchmark index.

The fund has the flexibility to invest across all market capitalizations.

Also, the fund may invest in exchange-traded funds and stocks of real estate investment trusts. The fund may also invest in depository receipts, including American Depositary Receipts, Global Depositary Receipts, and European Depositary Receipts.

In addition, the fund may lend portfolio securities to earn additional income.

For temporary defensive purposes during unusual economic or market conditions or for liquidity purposes, the fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments, repurchase agreements and other short-term obligations.