The Fund invests principally in equity securities (such as common stock) issued by small-to-medium capitalization U.S. companies. The Fund employs a “core equity” investment strategy that seeks to meet the Fund’s investment objective by investing in both growth- and value-oriented equity securities. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes, if any) in the equity securities of small-to-medium capitalization U.S. companies. (If the Fund changes this investment policy, the Fund will notify shareholders at least 60 days in advance of the change.) For purposes of the 80% test, equity securities include securities such as common stock, preferred stock, and other securities that are not debt securities, cash or cash equivalents. For purposes of this investment policy, the Fund considers “small to medium capitalization U.S. companies” to be U.S. companies with market capitalizations between $25 million and the largest company included in the Russell 2500® Index (as of June 30, 2024, $24 billion). The Fund may invest in derivative instruments, such as exchange-listed equity futures contracts, to gain market exposure on cash balances or to reduce market exposure in anticipation of liquidity needs. Investments in derivatives may be applied toward meeting a requirement to invest in a particular kind of investment if the derivatives have economic characteristics similar to that investment.

In addition, certain subadvisers may employ a quantitative investment process in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.