XML 11 R2.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1
Investor Class | Wasatch Core Growth Fund
WASATCH CORE GROWTH FUND® — SUMMARY
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES
The Fund’s primary investment objective is long-term growth of capital.
Income is a secondary objective, but only when consistent with long-term growth of capital. Currently, we do not expect the Fund’s investments to generate substantial income.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, sell or hold Investor Class shares of the Fund.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT)
Shareholder Fees
Investor Class
Wasatch Core Growth Fund
Investor Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a % of offering price) none
Redemption Fee (as a % of amount redeemed on shares held 60 days or less) 2.00%
Exchange Fee none
Maximum Account Fee none
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (EXPENSES THAT YOU PAY EACH YEAR AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENT)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
Investor Class
Wasatch Core Growth Fund
Investor Class Shares
Management Fee 1.00%
Distribution/Service (12b-1) Fee none
Other Expenses 0.21%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.21% [1]
[1] Wasatch Advisors, Inc. (Advisor), the Fund’s investment advisor, has contractually agreed to reimburse the Investor Class shares of the Fund for Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses in excess of 1.50% of average daily net assets until at least January 31, 2019 (excluding interest, dividend expense on short sales/interest expense, taxes, brokerage commissions, other investment related costs, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business). The Board of Trustees is the only party that can terminate the contractual limitation prior to the contract’s expiration. The Advisor can rescind the contractual limitation on expenses at any time after its expiration date.
EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Investor Class of the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 in the Investor Class of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that operating expenses (as a percentage of net assets) of the Fund’s Investor Class remained the same. This example reflects contractual fee waivers and reimbursements through January 31, 2019. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Investor Class | Wasatch Core Growth Fund | Investor Class | USD ($) 123 384 665 1,465
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). Higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when 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 the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
The Fund invests primarily in smaller growing companies at reasonable prices.

Under normal market conditions, we will invest at least 65% of the Fund’s net assets in the equity securities of growing companies. The companies in which we invest are usually small to mid-size with market capitalizations of less than $5 billion at the time of purchase.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets at the time of purchase in securities issued by foreign companies in developed, emerging markets, or frontier markets. Securities issued by companies incorporated outside the United States whose securities are principally traded in the United States are not defined as foreign companies and are not subject to this limitation.

We focus on companies that we consider to be high quality. We use a process of “bottom-up” fundamental analysis to look for individual companies that we believe are stable and have the potential to grow steadily for long periods of time. Our analysis may include studying a company’s financial statements, building proprietary financial models, visiting company facilities, and meeting with executive management, suppliers and customers.

The Fund seeks to purchase stocks at prices we believe are reasonable relative to our projection of a company’s long-term earnings growth rate. The Fund’s secondary objective of income is achieved when fast growing portfolio companies pay dividends, generated by cash flow, typically after achieving growth targets.

The Fund may invest a large percentage of its assets in a few sectors. The current list of recognized sectors includes consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health care, industrials, information technology, materials, real estate, telecommunication services, and utilities.
PRINCIPAL RISKS
All investments carry some degree of risk that will affect the value of the Fund, its investment performance and the price of its shares. As a result, you may lose money if you invest 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 (FDIC) or any other government agency.

The Fund is subject to the following principal investment risks:

Stock Market Risk. The Fund’s investments may decline in value due to movements in the overall stock market.

Stock Selection Risk. The Fund’s investments may decline in value even when the overall stock market is not in a general decline.

Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities represent ownership in a company. Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equity securities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in declines or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. The value of equity securities may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or an increase in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, the value may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.

Foreign Securities Risk. Foreign securities are generally more volatile and less liquid than U.S. securities. Further, foreign securities may be subject to additional risks not associated with investments in U.S. securities. Differences in the economic and political environment, the amount of available public information, the degree of market regulation, and financial reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and, in the case of foreign currency-denominated securities, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, can have a significant effect on the value of a foreign security. Additionally, certain countries may utilize formal or informal currency-exchange controls or “capital controls.” Capital controls may impose restrictions on the Fund’s ability to repatriate investments or income. Such capital controls can also have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s holdings.

Emerging Markets Risk. In addition to the risks of investing in foreign securities in general, the risks of investing in the securities of companies domiciled in emerging market countries include increased political or social instability, economies based on only a few industries, unstable currencies, runaway inflation, highly volatile and less liquid securities markets, unpredictable shifts in policies relating to foreign investments, lack of protection for investors against parties that fail to complete transactions, and the potential for government seizure of assets or nationalization of companies.

Frontier Markets Risk. In addition to the risks of investing in foreign securities and emerging markets, frontier market securities involve unique risks, such as exposure to economies less diverse and mature than those of the U.S. or more established foreign markets. Economic or political instability may cause larger price changes in frontier market securities than in securities of issuers based in more developed foreign countries, including securities of issuers in larger emerging markets. Frontier markets generally receive less investor attention than developed markets or larger emerging markets. These risks can result in the potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity.

Smaller Company Stock Risk. Small- and mid-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns. In particular, the issuers of small company stocks have more narrow markets for their products and services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of small companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell these stocks at a desirable time or price may be more limited.

Growth Stock Risk. Growth stock prices may be more sensitive to changes in companies’ current or expected earnings than the prices of other stocks, and growth stock prices may fall or may not appreciate in step with the broader securities markets.

Sector and Industry Weightings Risk. To the extent the Fund emphasizes, from time to time, investments in a particular sector, the Fund will be subject to a greater degree to the risks particular to that sector, including the sectors described below. Market conditions, interest rates, and economic, regulatory, or financial developments could significantly affect all the securities in a single sector. If the Fund invests in a few sectors, it may have increased exposure to the price movements of securities in those sectors. The Fund may also from time to time make significant investments in an industry or industries within a particular sector. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events. Adverse conditions in such industry or industries could have a correspondingly adverse effect on the financial condition of issuers. These conditions may cause the value of the Fund’s shares to fluctuate more than the values of shares of funds that invest in a greater variety of investments.

Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The consumer discretionary sector includes companies in industries such as, consumer and household durables, hotels, restaurants, media, retailing, and automobiles. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector may be significantly impacted by the performance of the overall domestic and global economy and interest rates. The consumer discretionary sector relies heavily on disposable household income and spending. Companies in this sector may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their respective profitability. The retail industry can be significantly affected by changes in demographics and consumer tastes, which can also affect the demand for, and success of, consumer products and services in the marketplace. The automotive industry is highly cyclical and can be significantly affected by labor relations and fluctuating component prices. The media industry can be significantly affected by technological advances and government regulation.

Consumer Staples Sector Risk. The consumer staples sector includes companies in the food and staples retailing, food, beverage and tobacco, and household and personal products industry groups. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be affected by demographics and product trends, competitive pricing, food fads, marketing campaigns, environmental factors, changes in consumer demands, the performance of the overall domestic and global economy, interest rates, consumer confidence and spending, and changes in commodity prices. Consumer staples companies may be subject to government regulations that may affect the permissibility of using various food additives and production methods. Tobacco companies may be adversely affected by regulation, legislation and/or litigation.

Energy Sector Risk. The energy sector includes companies in energy equipment and services, and oil, gas and consumable fuels industry groups. The value of companies in these industry groups is particularly vulnerable to developments in the energy sector, fluctuations in the price and supply of energy fuels, energy conservation, the supply of, and demand for, specific energy-related products or services, and tax policy and other government regulation. Oil and gas companies develop and produce crude oil and natural gas and provide related resources such as production and distribution related services. Stock prices for oil and gas companies in particular are affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for energy products in general. The price of oil and gas, exploration and production spending, government regulation, world events and economic conditions will likewise affect the performance of these companies. Correspondingly, companies in the energy sector are subject to swift price and supply fluctuations caused by events relating to international politics, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, and tax and other governmental regulatory policies. Weak demand for energy companies' products or services or for energy products and services in general, as well as negative developments in these other areas, would adversely impact the energy stocks in which the Fund invests and the Fund’s performance. Oil and gas exploration and production companies can be significantly affected by natural disasters as well as changes in exchange rates, interest rates, government regulation, world events and economic conditions, and the companies may be at risk for environmental damage claims.

Financials Sector Risk. The financials sector includes companies in the banks, capital markets, diversified financials, and insurance industry groups. Companies in the financials sector are subject to extensive government regulation, can be subject to relatively rapid change due to increasingly blurred distinctions between service segments, and can be significantly affected by the availability and cost of capital funds, changes in interest rates, the rate of corporate and consumer debt defaults, and price competition. Banking companies may be affected by extensive government regulation which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers can negatively affect banking companies. Banks may also be subject to severe price competition. Competition is high among banking companies and failure to maintain or increase market share may result in lost market value. Capital markets may be affected by extensive governmental regulation, economic and other financial events that could cause fluctuations in the stock market, impacting the overall value of investments. The insurance industry may be affected by extensive government regulation and can be significantly affected by interest rates, general economic conditions, and price and marketing competition. Different segments of the insurance industry can be significantly affected by natural disasters, mortality and morbidity rates and environmental clean-up.

Health Care Sector Risk. The health care sector includes companies in the health care equipment and services, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology and life sciences industry groups. Health care companies are strongly affected by worldwide scientific or technological developments. Their products may rapidly become obsolete. Many health care companies are also subject to significant government regulation and may be affected by changes in government policies. Companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences industry group in particular are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of such companies. These companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and other similar claims. Many new products are subject to government approval and the process of obtaining government approval can be long and costly, and even approved products are susceptible to obsolescence. These companies are also subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to increase prices, or that may lead to price reductions.

Industrials Sector Risk. The industrials sector includes companies in the commercial and professional services and transportation industry groups, including companies engaged in the business of human capital management, business research and consulting, air freight and logistics, airlines, maritime shipping and transportation, railroads and trucking, transportation infrastructure, and aerospace and defense. Companies in the industrials sector can be significantly affected by general economic trends, including such factors as employment and economic growth, interest rate changes, changes in consumer spending, legislative and government regulation and spending, import controls, commodity prices, and worldwide competition. Changes in the economy, fuel prices, labor agreements, and insurance costs may result in occasional sharp price movements in transportation securities. Aerospace and defense companies rely, to a significant extent, on government demand for their products and services. The financial condition of, and investor interest in, aerospace and defense companies are heavily influenced by governmental defense spending policies.

Information Technology Sector Risk. The information technology sector includes companies in the software and services, technology hardware and equipment and semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry groups. Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid obsolescence of existing technology, short product cycles, falling prices and profits, competition from new market entrants, and general economic conditions. Stocks of companies in the information technology sector, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Technological developments, fixed rate pricing, and the ability to retain skilled employees can significantly affect the software industry. Additionally, the success of companies in the software industry is subject to the continued demand for internet services.

Materials Sector Risk. The materials sector includes companies in the chemicals, construction materials, containers and packaging, paper products, and mining industry groups. Changes in world events, political, environmental and economic conditions, energy conservation, environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in currency exchange rates, imposition of import and export controls, increased competition, and labor relations may adversely affect companies engaged in the production and distribution of materials. Other risks may include liabilities for environmental damage, depletion of resources, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control. Companies in the chemicals industry may be subject to risks associated with the production, handling and disposal of hazardous components. Mining could be affected by supply and demand and operational costs.

Real Estate Sector Risk. The real estate sector includes companies involved in real estate management and development and issuers of real estate investment trusts (REITs). Securities of companies in the real estate sector may be adversely affected by, among other things, rental income fluctuation, depreciation, property tax value changes, differences in real estate market values, overbuilding and extended vacancies, increased competition, costs of materials, operating expenses or zoning laws, costs of environmental clean-up or damages from natural disasters, cash flow fluctuations, and defaults by borrowers and tenants.

Telecommunication Services Sector Risk. The telecommunications services sector includes diversified telecommunications services and wireless telecommunication services. The telecommunications services industry is subject to government regulation and can be significantly affected by intense competition and technology changes, which may make the products and services of certain companies obsolete. The wireless industry can be significantly affected by failure or delays in obtaining financing or regulatory approval, intense competition, product incompatibility, changing consumer preferences, rapid obsolescence, significant capital expenditures, and heavy debt burdens.

Utilities Sector Risk. The utilities sector includes electric utilities, gas utilities, water utilities, multi-utilities (electric, gas and water), and independent power and renewable electricity producers. Companies in the utilities sector are affected by supply and demand, consumer incentives, operating costs, government regulation, environmental factors, liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities, and rate caps or rate changes. The value of regulated utility company stocks may have an inverse relationship to the movement of interest rates. Also, certain utility companies have experienced full or partial deregulation in recent years, which may permit them to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business. Conversely, companies that remain heavily regulated may be at a competitive disadvantage, making them less profitable. In addition, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, government intervention or other factors may render a utility company’s equipment unusable and may have an adverse impact on profitability. Utility companies are subject to the high cost of borrowing to finance capital construction during inflationary periods, restrictions on operations and increased costs and delays associated with compliance with environmental and nuclear safety regulations, and the difficulties involved in obtaining natural gas for resale or fuel for generating electricity at reasonable prices. Other risks include those related to the construction and operation of nuclear power plants, the effects of energy conservation and the effects of regulatory changes.
HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE
The following tables provide information on how the Investor Class of the Fund has performed over time. The past performance, before and after taxes, of the Fund’s Investor Class is not necessarily an indication of how these shares will perform in the future. The bar chart below is intended to provide you with an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the Fund’s performance from year to year, as represented by the Investor Class of the Fund. The table below is designed to help you evaluate your risk tolerance by showing the best and worst quarterly performance of the Fund’s Investor Class for the calendar years shown in the bar chart. The average annual total returns table below allows you to compare the Fund’s performance over the time periods indicated to that of a broad-based market index and an additional index composed of securities similar to those held by the Fund. Performance information is updated regularly and is available on the Fund’s website www.WasatchFunds.com.
WASATCH CORE GROWTH FUND — INVESTOR CLASS
Year by Year Total Returns
Bar Chart
Best and Worst Quarterly Returns
Best — 6/30/2009 29.50%
Worst — 12/31/2008 -27.03%
Average Annual Total Returns — (as of 12/31/17)
Average Annual Total Returns - Investor Class - Wasatch Core Growth Fund
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Investor Class 24.29% 14.55% 9.57%
Investor Class | Return After Taxes on Distributions 22.56% 13.40% 8.97%
Investor Class | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 15.18% 11.54% 7.76%
Russell 2000® Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) [1] 14.65% 14.12% 8.71%
Russell 2000® Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) [1] 22.17% 15.21% 9.19%
[1] Russell Investment Group is the source and owner of the trademarks, service marks and copyrights related to the Russell indexes. Russell® is a trademark of Russell Investment Group.
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 the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.