The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of emerging and frontier markets.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in companies located in countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities either directly or indirectly (such as through depositary receipts or participatory notes) and may invest in preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants. The Fund is not constrained with respect to market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings (“IPOs”). In addition, investment is permitted in securities offerings that are not registered in the U.S. The portfolio managers have flexibility to gain exposure to one or more emerging markets through investing in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that track relevant equity indices.

The portfolio managers select companies without being constrained by the MSCI Emerging Markets ex China benchmark. The portfolio managers may reference the benchmark to set limits on the relative weighting of countries in the portfolio. The intended investment universe comprises primarily issuers located in countries with emerging market economies, with the exception of China, though the Fund may gain limited exposure to the Chinese economy, as a consequence of the indirect exposure that companies in other emerging market countries have to China. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long-term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, and relationships with industry thought leaders and academic institutions. Stock ideas are normally researched to assess a range of factors, including: long-term growth potential, geographic and industry positioning, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation.

Under normal circumstances, the intended outcome is a portfolio typically consisting of between 40 and 80 growth companies with the potential to outperform the Fund’s benchmark over the long term. The Fund intends to operate as a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries, or sectors. The process can result in significant exposure to a single country or a small number of countries, which in recent periods has included Taiwan. The Fund aims to hold securities for long periods (typically at least 5 years), which generally results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the portfolio managers’ long-term investment outlook. When assessing a company’s long-term growth prospects, the portfolio managers seek to identify and to incorporate a range of factors that are material to managing the Fund’s investment risks and maximizing capital appreciation. Such factors potentially include the environmental, social, and/or governance characteristics of the company, such as stewardship, sustainable business practices, and/or corporate culture.

The portfolio managers primarily employ a bottom-up stock-picking approach that seeks to make long-term investments in well-managed businesses with genuine and sustainable competitive advantages. The portfolio managers can also consider macro-economic factors when identifying potential investments. The portfolio managers seek to identify companies that they believe are likely to generate above average growth in earnings and cash flows, based on fundamental research.

The portfolio managers may sell a holding if they determine there has been a material deterioration in the investment case or as appropriate to make other investments or meet redemptions.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund does not expect to engage in currency hedging and thus expects to be fully exposed to currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.