497K 1 ovafmainstreetsmallcapvasum.htm

OPPENHEIMER

Main Street Small Cap Fund®/VA*

A series of Oppenheimer Variable Account Funds

Summary Prospectus      April 30, 2013

*Prior to April 30, 2013, the Fund was named "Oppenheimer Main Street Small- & Mid- Cap Fund/ VA."

Share Classes:

Non-Service Shares

Service Shares

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, Annual Report and other information about the Fund online at https://www.oppenheimerfunds.com/fund/MainStreetSmallCapFundVA. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1.800.225.5677 or by sending an email request to: info@oppenheimerfunds.com.

The Fund's prospectus and Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"), both dated April 30, 2013, and through page 29 of its most recent Annual Report, dated December 31, 2012, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus. You can access the Fund's prospectus and SAI at https://www.oppenheimerfunds.com/fund/MainStreetSmallCapFundVA. The Fund's prospectus is also available from financial intermediaries who are authorized to sell Fund shares.

Investment Objective. The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund. This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold or redeem shares of the Fund. The accompanying prospectus of the participating insurance company provides information on initial or contingent deferred sales charges, exchange fees or redemption fees for that variable life insurance policy, variable annuity or other investment product. The fees and expenses of those products are not charged by the Fund and are not reflected in this table. Expenses would be higher if those fees were included.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Non-Service

Service

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as % of offering price)

None

None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as % of the lower of original offering price or redemption proceeds)

None

None

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Non-Service

Service

Management Fees

0.69%

0.69%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

None

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.14%

0.14%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.83%

1.08%

     Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement*

(0.03%)

(0.03%)

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

0.80%

1.05%

* After discussions with the Fund's board, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse the Fund for certain expenses in order to limit "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement" (excluding any applicable dividend expense, taxes, interest and fees from borrowing, any subsidiary expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and certain other Fund expenses) to annual rates of 0.80% for Non-Service Shares and 1.05% for Service Shares as calculated on the daily net assets of the Fund. This fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement may not be amended or withdrawn for one year from the date of this prospectus, unless approved by the Board.


Example. The following Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in a class of shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your expenses would be as follows, whether or not you redeemed your shares:

1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Non-Service $ 82 $ 263 $ 459 $ 1,027
Service $ 108 $ 342 $ 596 $ 1,321

Portfolio Turnover. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 92% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, including any borrowings for investment purposes, in securities of "small-cap" companies. A company's "market capitalization" is the value of its outstanding common stock. The Fund considers small-cap companies to be those having a market capitalization in the range of the Russell 2500TM Index. The capitalization range of that index is subject to change at any time due to market activity or changes in the composition of the index. The range of the Russell 2500TM Index generally widens over time and it is reconstituted annually to preserve its market cap characteristics. The Fund measures a company's capitalization at the time the Fund buys a security and is not required to sell a security if the company's capitalization moves outside of the Fund's capitalization definition.
     Although the Fund mainly invests in U.S. companies, it can invest in securities issued by companies or governments in any country. The Fund primarily invests in common stock but may also invest in other types of securities that are consistent with its investment objective.    
     The portfolio managers use both fundamental research and quantitative models to identify investment opportunities. While the process may change over time or vary in particular cases, in general the selection process currently:

  • aims to maintain broad diversification across all major economic sectors;

  • uses quantitative models, including sector-specific factors, to rank securities within each economic sector;

  • uses a fundamental approach to analyze issuers based on factors such as a company's financial performance, competitive strength, industry position, business practices and management; and

  • considers market trends, current industry outlooks and general economic conditions.

     In constructing the portfolio, the Fund seeks to limit exposure to so-called "top-down" or "macro" risks, such as overall stock market movements, economic cycles, and interest rate or currency fluctuations. Instead, the portfolio managers seek to add value by selecting individual securities with superior company-specific fundamental attributes or relative valuations that they expect to outperform their industry and sector peers. This is commonly referred to as a "bottom-up" approach to portfolio construction.
     The portfolio managers consider stock rankings, benchmark weightings and capitalization outlooks in determining security weightings for individual issuers.  
     The portfolio managers might sell a security if the price is approaching their price target, if the company's competitive position has deteriorated or the company's management has performed poorly, or if they have identified more attractive investment prospects.

Principal Risks. The price of the Fund's shares can go up and down substantially. The value of the Fund's investments may change because of broad changes in the markets in which the Fund invests or because of poor investment selection, which could cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them. These risks mean that you can lose money by investing in the Fund.

Main Risks of Investing in Stock. The value of the Fund's portfolio may be affected by changes in the stock markets. Stock markets may experience significant short-term volatility and may fall sharply at times. Different stock markets may behave differently from each other and U.S. stock markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign stock markets.

The prices of individual stocks generally do not all move in the same direction at the same time and a variety of factors can affect the price of a particular company's stock. These factors may include, but are not limited to: poor earnings reports, a loss of customers, litigation against the company, general unfavorable performance of the company's sector or industry, or changes in government regulations affecting the company or its industry.

At times, the Fund may emphasize investments in a particular industry or economic or market sector. To the extent that the Fund increases its emphasis on investments in a particular industry or sector, the value of its investments may fluctuate more in response to events affecting that industry or sector, such as changes in economic conditions, government regulations, availability of basic resources or supplies, or other events that affect that industry or sector more than others.

Main Risks of Small-Cap Companies. Small-cap companies may be either established or newer companies, including "unseasoned" companies that have typically been in operation for less than three years. While smaller companies might offer greater opportunities for gain than larger companies, they also involve greater risk of loss. They may be more sensitive to changes in a company's earnings expectations and may experience more abrupt and erratic price movements. Smaller companies' securities often trade in lower volumes and it might be harder for the Fund to dispose of its holdings at an acceptable price when it wants to sell them. Small-cap companies may not have established markets for their products or services and may have fewer customers and product lines. They may have more limited access to financial resources and may not have the financial strength to sustain them through business downturns or adverse market conditions. Since small-cap companies typically reinvest a high proportion of their earnings in their business, they may lack liquidity in a declining market, particularly if they are newer companies. Small-cap companies may have unseasoned management or less depth in management skill than larger, more established companies. They may be more reliant on the efforts of particular members of their management team and management changes may pose a greater risk to the success of the business. It may take a substantial period of time before the Fund realizes a gain on an investment in a small-sized company, if it realizes any gain at all.

      Investing in Small Unseasoned Companies. The Fund can invest in the securities of small unseasoned companies. These are companies that have been in operation for less than three years, including the operations of any predecessors. In addition to the other risks of smaller issuers, these securities may have a very limited trading market, making it harder for the Fund to sell them at an acceptable price. The price of these securities may be very volatile, especially in the short term.

Who Is the Fund Designed For? The Fund's shares are available only as an investment option under certain variable annuity contracts, variable life insurance policies and investment plans offered through insurance company separate accounts of participating insurance companies. The Fund is designed primarily for investors seeking capital appreciation. Those investors should be willing to assume the greater risks of short-term share price fluctuations that are typical for a fund focusing on long-term capital appreciation of stocks of small sized companies. The Fund is not designed for investors needing current income. The Fund is not a complete investment program and may not be appropriate for all investors. You should carefully consider your own investment goals and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

The Fund's Past Performance. The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's Non-Service Shares performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Charges imposed by the insurance accounts that invest in the Fund are not included and the returns would be lower if they were. The Fund's past investment performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information is available by calling the toll-free number on the back of this prospectus and on the Fund's website at:
https://www.oppenheimerfunds.com/fund/MainStreetSmallCapFundVA

During the period shown, the highest return before taxes for a calendar quarter was 31.71% (2nd Qtr 09) and the lowest return before taxes for a calendar quarter was -27.25% (4th Qtr 08).


The following table shows the average annual total returns before taxes for each class of the Fund's shares.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended December 31, 2012

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Non-Service Shares (inception 5/1/98)

17.99%

3.96%

10.09%

Service Shares (inception 7/16/01)

17.67%

3.71%

9.85%

Russell 2500 Index*

17.88%

4.34%

10.49%

(reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Russell 2000 Index

16.35%

3.56%

9.72%

(reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

*The Fund has changed its performance benchmark from the Russell 2500 Index to the Russell 2000 Index, which it believes is a more appropriate measure of the Fund's performance. The Fund will not show performance for the Russell 2500 Index after April 2014.


Investment Adviser. OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (the "Manager") is the Fund's investment adviser.  OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (the "Sub-Adviser") is its sub-adviser. 

Portfolio Managers. Matthew P. Ziehl, CFA, has been lead portfolio manager and Vice President of the Fund since May 2009. Raymond Anello, CFA, has been co-portfolio manager of the Fund since April 2011 and Vice President of the Fund since May 2011. Raman Vardharaj, CFA, has been co-portfolio manager and Vice President of the Fund since May 2009. Joy Budzinski, Kristin Ketner Pak, Magnus Krantz and Adam Weiner have been co-portfolio managers and Vice Presidents of the Fund since April 2013.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares. Shares of the Fund may be purchased only by separate investment accounts of participating insurance companies as an underlying investment for variable life insurance policies, variable annuity contracts or other investment products. Individual investors cannot buy shares of the Fund directly. You may only submit instructions for buying or selling shares of the Fund to your insurance company or its servicing agent, not directly to the Fund or its Transfer Agent. The accompanying prospectus of the participating insurance company provides information about how to select the Fund as an investment option.

Taxes. Because shares of the Fund may be purchased only through insurance company separate accounts for variable annuity contracts, variable life insurance policies or other investment products, any dividends and capital gains distributions will be taxable to the participating insurance company, if at all. However, those payments may affect the tax basis of certain types of distributions from those accounts. Special tax rules apply to life insurance companies, variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance contracts. For information on federal income taxation of a life insurance company with respect to its receipt of distributions from the Fund and federal income taxation of owners of variable annuity or variable life insurance contracts, see the accompanying prospectus for the applicable contract.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Fund, the Sub-Adviser, or their related companies may make payments to financial intermediaries, including to insurance companies that offer shares of the Fund as an investment option. These payments for the sale of Fund shares and related services may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

For More Information About Oppenheimer Main Street Small- & Mid-Cap Fund/VA

You can access the Fund's prospectus and SAI at https://www.oppenheimerfunds.com/fund/MainStreetSmallCapFundVA. You can also request additional information about the Fund or your account:

By Telephone:

Call OppenheimerFunds Services toll-free: 1.800.988.8287

By Mail:

For requests by mail:
OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217-5270

For courier or express mail requests:
OppenheimerFunds Services
12100 East Iliff Avenue, Suite 300
Aurora, Colorado 80014

On the Internet:

You can read or download the Fund's Statement of Additional Information, Annual and Semi-Annual Reports, on the OppenheimerFunds website at: www.oppenheimerfunds.com

PR0297.001.0413