Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities, and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics and provide investment exposure similar to equity securities. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, and securities convertible into common stocks, as well as equity-related instruments and other investments with similar economic characteristics. The Fund seeks income by investing in equity securities and equity-related instruments, including common stocks with dividend yields that the investment manager believes are attractive, while seeking capital appreciation and a lower level of volatility than the broader equity market as measured by the S&P 500® Index. “Volatility” is a statistical measurement of the frequency and level of up and down fluctuations of a fund’s returns over time. Therefore, in this context, seeking to provide a lower level of volatility than the broader equity market means that the Fund seeks returns that fluctuate less than the returns of the S&P 500® Index.

The Fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in equity-linked notes (ELNs). ELNs are hybrid instruments that are specially designed to combine the characteristics of one or more reference securities (usually a common stock or broad market equity index) and a related equity derivative, such as a put or call option, in a single note form. The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities, either directly or through depositary receipts.

The Fund maintains the flexibility to invest in securities of companies from a variety of sectors, but from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant investments in particular sectors.

The Fund may, from time to time, use a variety of equity-related derivatives and complex equity securities, which may include purchasing or selling call and put options on equity securities and equity security indices, futures on equity securities and equity indices, and options on equity index futures and equity volatility futures for various purposes including enhancing Fund returns, increasing liquidity, gaining exposure to particular instruments in more efficient or less expensive ways and/or hedging risks relating to changes in certain equity markets. The Fund also may, from time to time, use currency-related derivatives, such as forward foreign currency exchange contracts and currency futures contracts to hedge currency risks. The use of such derivative transactions may allow the Fund to obtain net long or net short exposures to selected markets. The investment manager considers various factors, such as availability and cost, in deciding whether to use a particular

derivative instrument or strategy. Moreover, investors should bear in mind that the Fund is not obligated to actively engage in any derivative transactions.

The Fund’s investment manager searches for undervalued or out-of-favor securities it believes offer opportunities for current income and significant growth potential. In analyzing equity securities, the investment manager considers a variety of factors, including:

·a security’s relative value based on such factors as anticipated cash flow, interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage, and earnings prospects;

·the experience and strength of the company’s management;

·the company’s changing financial condition and market recognition of the change;

·the company’s sensitivity to changes in interest rates and business conditions; and

·the company’s debt maturity schedules and borrowing requirements.

When choosing investments for the Fund, the investment manager applies a fundamental, income-oriented approach, focusing on the market price of a company’s securities relative to the investment manager’s evaluation of the company’s long-term earnings, asset value and cash flow potential. The investment manager also considers a company’s price/earnings ratio, profit margins and liquidation value.