497K 1 d325255d497k.htm NATIXIS FUNDS TRUST I Natixis Funds Trust I
Summary Prospectus
May 1, 2012
Absolute Asia Dynamic Equity Fund Ticker Symbol: Class A (DEFAX), Class C (DEFCX) and Class Y (DEFYX)
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 and other information about the Fund online at ngam.natixis.com/funddocuments. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800-225-5478 or by sending an e-mail request to NatixisFunds@ngam.natixis.com. The Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, each dated May 1, 2012 are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.
Investment Goal The Fund seeks to maximize total return. Fund Fees & Expenses The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Natixis Fund Complex. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section “How Sales Charges Are Calculated” on page 90 of the Prospectus and on page 122 in the section “Reduced Sales Charges” of the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Shareholder Fees(fees paid directly from your investment) Class A Class C Class Y
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) 5.75% None None
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, as applicable) None 1.00% None
Redemption fees None None None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) Class A Class C Class Y
Management fees 1.00% 1.00% 1.00%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees 0.25% 1.00% 0.00%
Other expenses(restated to reflect current expenses) 4.71% 4.99% 4.91%
Total annual fund operating expenses 5.96% 6.99% 5.91%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1 4.21% 4.49% 4.41%
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 1.75% 2.50% 1.50%
Example This 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 the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods (except where indicated). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same, except that the example is based on Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement for the first year and on the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses for the remaining years. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
If shares are redeemed:
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years
Class A $743 $1,891 $3,018 $5,742
Class C $353 $1,658 $3,007 $6,152
Class Y $153 $1,365 $2,555 $5,437




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If shares are not redeemed:
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years
Class C $253 $1,658 $3,007 $6,152
1 The Fund’s investment adviser has given a binding contractual undertaking to the Fund to limit the amount of the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses to 1.75%, 2.50% and 1.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Class Y shares, respectively, exclusive of brokerage expenses, interest expense, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, organizational and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and indemnification expenses. This undertaking is in effect through April 30, 2013 and may be terminated before then only with the consent of the Fund’s Board of Trustees. The Fund’s investment adviser will be permitted to recover, on a class by class basis, management fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed to the extent that expenses in later periods fall below 1.75%, 2.50% and 1.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Class Y shares, respectively. The Fund will not be obligated to repay any such waived/reimbursed fees and expenses more than one year after the end of the fiscal year in which the fees or expenses were waived/reimbursed.
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 and may result in higher taxes for you if your Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recently ended fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 27% of the average value of its portfolio. Investments, Risks and Performance Principal Investment Strategies Under normal market conditions, the Fund expects to invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity securities of issuers domiciled or principally operating throughout Asia (excluding Japan). Equity securities purchased by the Fund may include common stocks, preferred stocks, depositary receipts, warrants, securities convertible into common or preferred stocks, interests in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and/or real estate-related securities, and other equity-like interests in an issuer.The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer and may invest in fewer issuers than a diversified fund. The Fund expects to invest in a stock portfolio, which normally will consist of equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 issuers domiciled or principally operating in countries in Asia, which may include, among others, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Depending on the fund’s size, the Fund may invest in more or less than the aforementioned number of issuers. The Fund may invest in companies with any market capitalization although, at times, it may focus its investments in small-capitalization companies. Currently, the Fund defines a small-capitalization company as one whose market capitalization at the time of purchase is $1 billion or less.
Absolute Asia expects to use a “bottom up” approach to stock selection using fundamental analysis to identify companies that it believes will benefit from emerging local and global economic trends. Stocks are analyzed within an industry-specific context both relative to the market and corporate peers as well as from a total return perspective. The valuation metrics utilized will vary by industry. In selecting investments for the Fund, Absolute Asia generally will focus on factors such as product/service innovation, profitability, production/service facilities, competitive edge, business development, resource means and quality of management and valuation. Absolute Asia may consider a number of factors when deciding whether to sell a security including fundamental deterioration (less promising industry outlook, loss of management focus or deteriorating financial position), overvaluation (relative to growth potential, peers or historical levels) or the identification of more attractive investment alternatives. Principal Risks The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The Fund does not represent a complete investment program. You may lose money by investing in the Fund. Currency Risk: Fluctuations in the exchange rates between different currencies may negatively affect an investment. The Fund may elect not to hedge currency risk, or may hedge such risk imperfectly, which may cause the Fund to incur losses that would not have been incurred had the risk been hedged. Emerging Markets Risk: Investing in emerging markets companies, which may be smaller and have shorter operating histories than companies in developed markets, involves risks in addition to, and greater than, those generally associated with investing in companies in developed foreign markets. The extent of economic development, political stability, market depth, infrastructure, capitalization and regulatory oversight in emerging market economies is generally less than in more developed markets. Equity Securities Risk: The value of the Fund’s investments in equity securities could be subject to unpredictable declines in the value of individual securities and periods of below-average performance in individual securities or in the equity market as a whole. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of the issuer’s bonds and preferred stock generally take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock. Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in foreign securities may be subject to greater political, economic, environmental, credit and information risks. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities are subject to foreign currency fluctuations. Foreign securities may be subject to higher volatility than U.S. securities, varying degrees of regulation and limited liquidity.



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Liquidity Risk: Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from transacting in these illiquid securities at an advantageous price or time. A lack of liquidity may also cause the value of investments to decline. Illiquid investments may also be difficult to value. Investments in foreign securities tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. Management Risk: A strategy used by the Fund’s portfolio managers may fail to produce the intended result. Market Risk: The market value of a security will move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based upon a change in an issuer’s financial condition, as well as overall market and economic conditions. Non-Diversification Risk: Compared with other mutual funds, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer and may invest in fewer issuers. Therefore, the Fund may have more risk because changes in the value of a single security or the impact of a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence may have a greater adverse impact on the Fund’s net asset value. Real Estate Risk: Investments in the real estate industry, including REITs, are particularly senitive to economic downturns, sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values, property taxes and tax laws, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use and rents, and the management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry also may be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws. In addition, the value of a REIT is affected by changes in the value of the properties owned by the REIT or mortgage loans held by the REIT. REITs are also subject to default and prepayment risk. Many REITs are highly leveraged, increasing their risk. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests in addition to the expenses of the Fund. Small- and Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to large-capitalization companies, small- and mid-capitalization companies are more likely to have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Stocks of these companies often trade less frequently and in limited volume and their prices may fluctuate more than stocks of large-cap companies. As a result, it may be relatively more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities of small- and mid-cap companies. Special Considerations Regarding Asia: The Asian countries in which the Fund may invest include countries in all stages of economic development. Many Asian economies are characterized by overextension of credit; frequent currency fluctuations, devaluations and restrictions; rising unemployment; rapid fluctuation in, among other things, inflation; reliance on exports; and less efficient markets. Currency devaluations in any one country in the region may have a significant effect on currencies and economies throughout the entire region. The legal systems in many Asian countries are still developing, making it more difficult to obtain and/or enforce judgments. Recently, the securities markets of many Asian countries have suffered significant downturns as well as significant volatility. Social, political and economic conditions in one Asian country could significantly affect the markets or economy of the entire region. Similarly, increased political and social unrest in some Asian countries could cause further economic and market uncertainty in other Asian countries. Risk/Return Bar Chart and Table The bar chart and table shown below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the Fund’s performance in the first full year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one-year and life-of-Fund periods compare to those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at ngam.natixis.com and/or by calling the Fund toll-free at 800-225-5478. Total Returns for Class A Shares
Highest Quarterly Return:
Fourth Quarter 2011, 3.48%
Lowest Quarterly Return:
Third Quarter 2011, -22.35%




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Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Past 1 Year Life of
Fund
(02/26/10)
Absolute Asia Dynamic Equity Fund
Class A – Return Before Taxes
-23.66% -3.93%
Return After Taxes on Distributions -23.58% -3.97%
Return After Taxes on Distributions & Sale of Fund Shares -15.22% -3.28%
Class C – Return Before Taxes -20.39% -1.39%
Class Y – Return Before Taxes -18.74% -0.39%
MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan Index (Net) -15.60% 2.73%
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans, qualified plans, education savings accounts, such as 529 plans, or individual retirement accounts. The after-tax returns are shown for only one class of the Fund. After-tax returns for the other classes of the Fund will vary. Index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. The Return After Taxes on Distributions & Sale of Fund Shares for the 1-year and life-of-fund periods exceeds the Return Before Taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. Management Investment Adviser NGAM Advisors, L.P. (“NGAM Advisors”) Subadviser Absolute Asia Asset Management Limited (“Absolute Asia”) Portfolio Managers Bill Sung, Director, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Absolute Asia, has served as co-portfolio manager of the Fund since 2010. Joyce Toh, CFA and Senior Portfolio Manager of Absolute Asia, has served as co-portfolio manager of the Fund since 2010. Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares Class A and Class C Shares The following chart shows the investment minimums for various types of accounts:
Type of Account Minimum Initial
Purchase
Minimum
Subsequent
Purchase
Any account other than those listed below $2,500 $100
For shareholders participating in Natixis Funds’ Investment Builder Program $1,000 $50
For Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Rollover IRA, SEP-IRA and Keogh plans using the Natixis Funds’ prototype document (direct accounts, not held through intermediary) $1,000 $100
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts $500 $100
Class Y Shares Class Y shares of the Fund may be purchased by the following entities at the following investment minimums. A minimum initial investment of $100,000 and the minimum subsequent investment of $100 for:
  • Other mutual funds, endowments, foundations, bank trust departments or trust companies.
There is no initial or subsequent investment minimum for:
  • Wrap Fee Programs of certain broker-dealers, the advisers or NGAM Distribution, L.P. (the “Distributor”). Please consult your financial representative to determine if your wrap free program is subject to additional or different conditions or fees.
  • Retirement Plans such as 401(a), 401(k) or 457 plans.
  • Certain Individual Retirement Accounts if the amounts invested represent rollover distributions from investments by any of the retirement plans invested in the Fund as set forth above.




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  • Registered Investment Advisers investing on behalf of clients in exchange for an advisory, management or consulting fee.
  • Fund Trustees, former Fund trustees, employees of affiliates of the Natixis Funds and other individuals who are affiliated with any Natixis Fund (this also applies to any spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and in-laws of those mentioned) and Natixis affiliate employee benefit plans.
Due to operational limitations at your financial intermediary, certain wrap fee programs, retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and accounts of registered investment advisers may be subject to the investment minimums described above. Please consult your financial representative for more information. The Fund’s shares are available for purchase (and are redeemable on any business day) through your investment dealer, directly from the Fund by writing to the Fund at Natixis Funds, P.O. Box 219579, Kansas City, MO 64121-9579, by exchange, by wire, by internet at ngam.natixis.com, through the Automated Clearing House system, or, in the case of redemptions, by telephone at 800-225-5478 or by the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. Tax Information Fund distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, except for distributions to retirement plans and other investors that qualify for tax-exempt treatment under U.S. federal income tax law generally. Investments in such tax-advantaged plans will generally be taxed only upon withdrawal of monies from the tax-exempt arrangement. Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
UADE77-0512

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