The Fund typically invests in a focused portfolio of common stocks of small companies and, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of U.S. issuers that are small companies. This 80% policy to invest in small companies may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ notice to shareholders. The Adviser considers small companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of purchase, are generally within the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index. This policy does not require the Fund to sell the security of a small company if such company’s market capitalization moves outside the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index; however, additional purchases of such security will be subject to the 20% limitation for securities outside of the Fund’s small company portfolio. As of April 30, 2024, the weighted average market capitalization of the Fund’s holdings was approximately $5.23 billion.

The Adviser uses an intensive fundamental research process to identify companies that it believes have certain attractive characteristics, which typically reflect of an underlying competitive advantage. Those characteristics associated with the Fund’s growth style of investing include: (i) consistent and sustainable high return on capital, (ii) strong earnings growth and free cash flow generation, (iii) strong balance sheets typically with low or no net debt to total capital and (iv) competent and shareholder-oriented management teams. The Fund invests in companies that the Adviser believes have a sustainable competitive advantage within an industry with high barriers to entry. The Adviser believes that such companies not only have the potential to contribute greater returns to the Fund, but also may hold less risk of loss of capital.

The Adviser believes that consistent earnings growth is the primary driver of long-term stock price appreciation. Accordingly, the Adviser focuses its efforts on identifying and investing in a concentrated portfolio of high-quality small capitalization growth companies that, in the Adviser’s opinion, are able to deliver sustainable above average earnings growth driven by a sustainable competitive advantage. The Adviser integrates material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into research analysis as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a company’s long-term financial sustainability.

The Fund is non-diversified, which means that a significant portion of the Fund’s assets may be invested in the securities of a single or small number of companies and/or in a more limited number of sectors than a diversified mutual fund. Although the Fund may not “concentrate” (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, the Fund may focus its investments from time to time in one or more sectors of the economy or stock market.

The Fund will usually sell a security if, in the view of the Adviser, there is a potential threat to the company’s competitive advantage or a degradation in its prospects for strong, long-term earnings growth. The Adviser may also sell a security if it is believed by the Adviser to be overvalued or if a more attractive investment opportunity exists. Although the Adviser may purchase and then sell a security in a shorter period of time, the Adviser typically invests in securities with the expectation of holding those investments on a long-term basis.