Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of small capitalization companies. The Fund primarily invests in common stocks of U.S. companies. The Fund may also invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). The Fund’s advisor considers small capitalization companies to be companies with market capitalizations within the range of those companies included in the Russell 2000® Index at the time of purchase. Because small capitalization companies are defined by reference to an index, the range of market capitalization of companies in which the Fund invests may vary with market conditions. As of March 31, 2024, the market capitalizations of companies included in the Russell 2000® Index were between $16.55 million and $58.43 billion. Investments in companies that move above or below the capitalization range of the Russell 2000® Index may continue to be held by the Fund in the Fund advisor’s sole discretion.

The Fund’s advisor uses a bottom-up approach that seeks to identify companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in the rate of return on invested capital and assets. The advisor’s investment process seeks companies that are industry leaders with sustainable competitive advantages; corporate cultures emphasizing strong, quality and experienced management; little or no debt; attractive relative valuations; and potential for asset base growth. The Fund’s advisor employs a dynamic process to analyze corporate performance and valuation, which includes evaluating the current trajectory and outlook for each company held by the Fund, as well as the value the market is assigning to the cash flow the company can generate. In selecting securities, the Fund’s advisor also considers other factors including, among others, political risk, monetary policy risk, and regulatory risk.