As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 2021

File No.: 333-

File No.: 811-05186

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM N-14

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x

Pre-Effective Amendment No. o

Post-Effective Amendment No. o

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

Advanced Series Trust

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

(203) 926-1888

(Area Code and Telephone Number)

655 Broad Street

Newark, New Jersey 07102

Address of Principal Executive Offices:

(Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code)

Andrew R. French

Secretary, Advanced Series Trust

655 Broad Street

Newark, New Jersey 07102

Name and Address of Agent for Service:

(Number and Street) (City) (State) (Zip Code)

Copies to:

Christopher E. Palmer, Esq.

Goodwin Procter LLP

1900 N Street, NW

Washington, DC 20036

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:

As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective

under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective on the 30th day after filing pursuant to Rule 488 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Title of the securities being registered: Shares of AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio of Advanced Series Trust.

No filing fee is due because Registrant is relying on Section 24(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Advanced Series Trust
655 Broad Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Telephone 888-778-2888

August 4, 2021

Dear Contract Owner,

As a contract owner who beneficially owns shares of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the “Target Portfolio”) of the Advanced Series Trust (the “Trust” or “AST”), you are cordially invited to a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of the Target Portfolio to be held on September 9, 2021, at 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time. Generally, we hold special meetings in person. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have, and recommendations that public health officials may issue, relating to the evolving situation with respect to the novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”). As a result, the Meeting will be conducted solely by means of remote communication. Shareholders will not be able to attend the Meeting in person. Any shareholders wishing to participate in the Meeting by means of remote communication can do so at: https://www.viewproxy.com/pru/broadridgevsm/.

The Meeting is very important to the future of the Target Portfolio. At the Meeting, the shareholders of the Target Portfolio will be asked to approve or disapprove a Plan of Reorganization of the Target Portfolio (the “Plan”). As more fully explained in the attached Prospectus/Proxy Statement, the Plan provides for the transfer of all of the Target Portfolio’s assets to the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio”) of the Trust in exchange for (i) the Acquiring Portfolio’s assumption of all of the Target Portfolio’s liabilities, and (ii) the Acquiring Portfolio’s issuance to the Target Portfolio of shares of beneficial interest in the Acquiring Portfolio (the “Reorganization”). The fund resulting from the Reorganization is referred to herein as the “Combined Portfolio.”

If the Plan is approved and the Reorganization is completed, you will beneficially own shares of the Acquiring Portfolio, rather than shares of the Target Portfolio. It is expected that the Reorganization, if approved, would be completed on or about October 18, 2021.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has approved the Reorganization and recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposal. Although the Board has determined that the proposal is in your best interest, the final decision is yours. Based on information available as of December 31, 2020, the Reorganization is expected to benefit shareholders for several reasons, including that:

· The Combined Portfolio will be larger than the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio;

· The contractual and effective investment management fee rate for the Combined Portfolio will be lower than the contractual and effective investment management fee rate for the Target Portfolio;

· The total net operating expense ratio for the Acquiring Portfolio and the Combined Portfolio is lower than the ratio for the Target Portfolio;

· The performance of the Acquiring Portfolio is better than the investment performance of the Target Portfolio for the one-, three-, and five-year periods ended December 31, 2020, performance that reflects the Acquiring Portfolio implemented in April 2020 a new multi-subadvised structure;

· The annualized estimated Target Portfolio shareholder savings from the Reorganization will be approximately $2.9 million, based on average portfolio assets for the one-year period ended December 31, 2020; and

· The Reorganization will mitigate the impact of anticipated net outflows from the Target Portfolio and the Acquired Portfolio, which otherwise may lead to an increase in total net expenses over time.

The following pages include important information on the proposed Reorganization in a question and answer format. The pages that follow include the full Prospectus/Proxy Statement with detailed information regarding the Reorganization. Please read the full document, including the detailed description of the factors considered by the Board.

Your vote is important no matter how large or small your investment. We urge you to read the attached Prospectus/Proxy Statement thoroughly and to indicate your voting instructions on the enclosed voting instruction card, date and sign it, and return it promptly in the envelope provided. Alternatively, you may submit your vote by telephone by calling toll-free 800-690-6903 or you may vote over the Internet by going to www.proxyvote.com. Your voting instructions must be received by the Trust prior to September 9, 2021. The Target Portfolio shares that you beneficially own will be voted in accordance with the most current instructions received from you. All shares of the Target Portfolio, including Target Portfolio shares owned by a participating insurance company in its general account or otherwise, for which instructions are not received from contract owners will be voted by the participating insurance companies in the same proportion as the votes actually cast by contract owners regarding the Reorganization. Please see the Voting Information section of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement for additional information.

By voting now, you can help avoid additional costs that would be incurred with follow-up letters and calls.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND AND VOTE ON THE PROPOSAL

Please read the attached Prospectus/Proxy Statement for a complete description of the proposal. However, as a quick reference, the following questions and answers provide a brief overview of the proposal.

Q1. WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS PROXY STATEMENT?

A. You have received these proxy materials and are being asked to provide voting instructions to your insurance company on the proposal because you are the beneficial owner of shares of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the “Target Portfolio”), which is a series of the Advanced Series Trust (the “Trust” or “AST”). The Target Portfolio is seeking shareholder consideration and approval of an important proposal.

Q2. WHAT PROPOSAL AM I BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON?

A. The purpose of the proxy is to ask you to vote on the reorganization (the “Reorganization”) of the Target Portfolio into the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio”), which is a series of the Trust. The proposal is recommended by PGIM Investments LLC and AST Investment Services, Inc., which serve as the investment managers of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, and has been approved by the Board of the Trust. The fund resulting from the Reorganization is referred to herein as the “Combined Portfolio.”

Q3. HOW WILL THE PROPOSAL IMPACT FEES AND EXPENSES?

A. If the proposal is approved, it is expected that the total net operating expense ratio of the Combined Portfolio will be lower than the total net operating expense ratio of the Target Portfolio, meaning that shareholders of the Target Portfolio will receive a reduction in the operating expenses that they pay. As a result, it is expected that Target Portfolio shareholders will benefit from decreased expenses. Please read the attached Prospectus/Proxy Statement for a complete description of the fees and expenses.

Q4. HOW WILL THE REORGANIZATION BENEFIT SHAREHOLDERS?

A. Based on information available as of December 31, 2020, the Reorganization is expected to benefit Target Portfolio shareholders for a number of reasons, including:

· The Combined Portfolio will be larger than the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio;

· The contractual and effective investment management fee rate for the Combined Portfolio will be lower than the contractual and effective investment management fee rate for the Target Portfolio;

· The total net operating expense ratio for the Acquiring Portfolio and the Combined Portfolio is lower than the ratio for the Target Portfolio;

Please read pages [ ] of the attached Prospectus/Proxy Statement for a complete description of each of the factors the Board considered.

Q5. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE TARGET PORTFOLIO’S CURRENT INVESTMENTS?

A. The Combined Portfolio will be subadvised by the Acquiring Portfolio’s subadviser and will be managed in accordance with the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment objective, strategies and policies. The extent to which the securities of the Target Portfolio will be maintained by the Acquiring Portfolio will be determined consistent with the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment objective, strategies and policies. It is estimated that approximately 63% of the Target Portfolio’s securities will be transitioned to the Acquiring Portfolio in the Reorganization. Please read pages [ ] of the attached Prospectus/Proxy Statement for a complete description of the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment objective, strategies and policies.

Q6. HAS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST APPROVED THE PROPOSAL?

A. Yes. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has approved the proposal and unanimously recommends that you vote in favor of the proposal. See pages [ ] of the attached Prospectus/Proxy Statement for the complete list of factors considered by the Board in making its recommendation.

Q7. WHO IS PAYING FOR THE COSTS OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT?

A. All costs incurred in entering into and carrying out the terms and conditions of the Reorganization, regardless of whether approved by shareholders, including (without limitation) outside legal counsel and independent registered public accounting firm costs and costs incurred in connection with the printing and mailing of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement and related materials, will be paid by Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. or its affiliates, not the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio. These costs are expected to be approximately $30,000. Transaction costs, including spreads and brokerage commissions, will be paid by the transacting portfolio. It is expected that all or substantially all of the transaction costs of the Reorganization will be borne by the Target Portfolio.

Q8. HOW MANY VOTES AM I ENTITLED TO SUBMIT?

A. The record date is June 11, 2021. As a contract owner, you are entitled to give your voting instructions equivalent to one vote for each full share and a fractional vote for each fractional share related to your indirect investment in the Target Portfolio as of the record date.

Q9. WHEN WILL THE SHAREHOLDER MEETING TAKE PLACE?

A. The shareholder meeting (the “Meeting”) is scheduled to take place on September 9, 2021, at 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time.

Generally, we hold special meetings in person. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have, and recommendations that public health officials may issue, relating to the evolving situation with respect to the novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”). As a result, the Meeting will be conducted solely by means of remote communication. Shareholders will not be able to attend the Meeting in person. Any shareholders wishing to participate in the Meeting by means of remote communication can do so at https://www.viewproxy.com/pru/broadridgevsm/.

Q10. HOW DO I VOTE?

A. Your vote is very important. You can vote in the following ways:

· Attending the Meeting via remote communication at https://www.viewproxy.com/pru/broadridgevsm/. Please visit the Meeting website no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day before the Meeting to register. Shareholders will need to register for the Meeting by entering the control number found on the proxy card or voting instruction form on the Meeting website;

· Completing and signing the enclosed voting instruction card, and mailing it in the enclosed postage paid envelope. Voting instruction cards must be received by the day before the Meeting;

· Calling toll-free 800-690-6903 and following the instructions. Voting instructions submitted by telephone must be submitted by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on the day before the Meeting; or

· Online at www.proxyvote.com and following the instructions. Voting instructions submitted over the Internet must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day before the Meeting.

Q11. HOW CAN I CHANGE MY VOTING INSTRUCTIONS?

A. Previously submitted voting instructions may be revoked or changed by any of the voting methods described above, subject to the voting deadlines also discussed above. Please see the Voting Information section of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement for additional information.

Q12. WHEN WILL THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION TAKE PLACE?

A. If approved, the proposed Reorganization is currently expected to go into effect on or about October 18, 2021.

Q13. CAN THE PROXY STATEMENT BE VIEWED ONLINE?

A. Yes. The proxy statement can be viewed at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios.

Q14. WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION?

A. If you require assistance or have any questions regarding the proxy statement, please call 1-800-752-6342 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Thursday, or between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Fridays.

Q15. WILL SHAREHOLDERS BE ALLOWED TO TRANSFER OUT OF THE TARGET PORTFOLIO WITHOUT PENALTY AND WITHOUT BEING REQUIRED TO USE ONE OF THEIR ALLOTTED TRANSFERS?

A. Yes. Contract owners will be allowed one free transfer out of the Target Portfolio during the period within sixty (60) days of the effective date of the Reorganization (i.e., from 60 days before to 60 days after the effective date of the Reorganization).

AST QMA US EQUITY ALPHA PORTFOLIO
A SERIES OF THE ADVANCED SERIES TRUST

655 Broad Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2021

To the Shareholders of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio, a series of the Advanced Series Trust:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the “Target Portfolio”), a series of the Advanced Series Trust (the “Trust” or “AST”), will be held on September 9, 2021, at 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time.

The purposes of the Meeting are as follows:

I. To approve a Plan of Reorganization of the Trust on behalf of the Target Portfolio (the “Plan”) regarding the proposed reorganization of the Target Portfolio into the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio”), a series of the Trust.

As described in more detail below, the Plan provides for the transfer of all of the Target Portfolio’s assets to the Acquiring Portfolio in exchange for (i) the Acquiring Portfolio’s assumption of all of the Target Portfolio’s liabilities, and (ii) the Acquiring Portfolio’s issuance to the Target Portfolio of shares of beneficial interest in the Acquiring Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio Shares”). The Acquiring Portfolio Shares received by the Target Portfolio will have an aggregate net asset value that is equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Target Portfolio shares that are outstanding immediately prior to the reorganization transaction. As a result of such transaction, the Target Portfolio will be completely liquidated, and contract owners will beneficially own shares of the Acquiring Portfolio having an aggregate value equal to their Target Portfolio shares. A vote in favor of the Plan by shareholders of the Target Portfolio will constitute a vote in favor of the liquidation of the Target Portfolio and the termination of the Target Portfolio as a separate series of the Trust. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) unanimously recommends that you vote in favor of the proposal.

II. To transact such other business as may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

A copy of the Plan is attached as Exhibit A to the Prospectus/Proxy Statement.

The acquisition of the assets of the Target Portfolio by the Acquiring Portfolio in exchange for the Acquiring Portfolio’s assumption of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio, and the issuance of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the Target Portfolio and its shareholders is referred to herein as the “Reorganization.” If shareholders of the Target Portfolio approve the Plan and the Reorganization is consummated, they will become shareholders of the Acquiring Portfolio.

The matters referred to above are discussed in detail in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement attached to this notice. The Board has fixed the close of business on June 11, 2021, as the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting, or any adjournment thereof, and only holders of record of shares of the Target Portfolio at the close of business on that date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. Each full share of the Target Portfolio is entitled to one vote on the proposal and each fractional share of the Target Portfolio is entitled to a corresponding fractional vote on the proposal.

You are cordially invited to attend the Meeting. If you do not expect to attend the Meeting, you are requested to complete, date and sign the enclosed voting instruction card relating to the Meeting and return it promptly in the envelope provided for that purpose. Alternatively, you may vote by telephone or over the Internet as described in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement attached to this notice. The enclosed voting instruction card is being solicited on behalf of the Board.

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL YOUR INVESTMENT MAY BE. IN ORDER TO AVOID THE UNNECESSARY EXPENSE OF FURTHER SOLICITATION, WE URGE YOU TO INDICATE VOTING INSTRUCTIONS ON THE ENCLOSED VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD, DATE AND SIGN IT, AND RETURN IT PROMPTLY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED. ALTERNATIVELY, YOU MAY VOTE BY TELEPHONE BY CALLING 800-690-6903 AND FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS. YOU MAY ALSO VOTE OVER THE INTERNET AT WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM. YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO THE MEETING.

By order of the Board of Trustees of the Advanced Series Trust.

The information in this Prospectus/Proxy Statement is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Prospectus/Proxy Statement is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS/PROXY STATEMENT DATED AUGUST 4, 2021

PROXY STATEMENT
for
AST QMA US EQUITY ALPHA PORTFOLIO
A SERIES OF THE ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
and
PROSPECTUS
for
AST LARGE-CAP CORE PORTFOLIO
A SERIES OF ADVANCED SERIES TRUST

Dated August 4, 2021

655 Broad Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Telephone 888-778-2888

Reorganization of AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio
into AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio

This Prospectus/Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the “Target Portfolio”), a series of Advanced Series Trust (the “Trust” or “AST”). At the Meeting, you will be asked to consider and approve a Plan of Reorganization of the Trust (the “Plan”) that provides for the reorganization of the Target Portfolio into the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio,” and together with the Target Portfolio, the “Portfolios”), a series of the Trust.

As described in more detail below, the Plan provides for the transfer of the Target Portfolio’s assets to the Acquiring Portfolio in exchange for (i) the Acquiring Portfolio’s assumption of the Target Portfolio’s liabilities, and (ii) the Acquiring Portfolio’s issuance to the Target Portfolio of shares of beneficial interest in the Acquiring Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio Shares”). The Acquiring Portfolio Shares received by the Target Portfolio in a reorganization transaction will have an aggregate net asset value that is equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Target Portfolio shares that are outstanding immediately prior to the reorganization transaction. As a result of such transaction, the Target Portfolio will be completely liquidated, and contract owners will beneficially own shares of the Acquiring Portfolio having an aggregate value equal to their Target Portfolio shares. A vote in favor of the Plan by shareholders of the Target Portfolio will constitute a vote in favor of the liquidation of the Target Portfolio and the termination of the Target Portfolio as a separate series of the Trust.

The acquisition of the assets of the Target Portfolio by the Acquiring Portfolio, in exchange for the Acquiring Portfolio’s assumption of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio, and the issuance of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the Target Portfolio and its shareholders is referred to herein as the “Reorganization.” If shareholders of the Target Portfolio approve the Plan and the Reorganization is consummated, they will become shareholders of the Acquiring Portfolio.

The Meeting will be held on September 9, 2021, at 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) is soliciting these voting instructions on behalf of the Target Portfolio and has fixed the close of business on June 11, 2021 (the “Record Date”), as the record date for determining Target Portfolio shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. Only holders of record shares of the Target Portfolio at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. This Prospectus/Proxy Statement is first being sent to contract owners on or about August 4, 2021.

The investment objectives of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are to seek long-term capital appreciation. The Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio both serve as underlying mutual funds for variable annuity contracts (the “Contracts”) issued by life insurance companies (“Participating Insurance Companies”). The Participating Insurance Companies include Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation and Allstate Life Insurance Company. Each Participating Insurance Company holds assets invested in these Contracts in various separate accounts, each of which is divided into sub-accounts investing exclusively in a mutual fund or in a portfolio of a mutual fund. Therefore, Contract owners who have allocated their account values to applicable sub-accounts are indirectly invested in the Target Portfolio through the Contracts and should consider themselves shareholders of the Target Portfolio for purposes of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement. Each Participating Insurance Company is required to offer Contract owners the opportunity to instruct it, as owner of record of shares held in the Target Portfolio by its separate or general accounts, how it should vote on the Plan at the Meeting and at any adjournments thereof.

This Prospectus/Proxy Statement gives the information about the Reorganization and the issuance of the Acquiring Portfolio Shares that you should know before investing or voting on the Plan. You should read it carefully and retain it for future reference. A copy of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement is available on the internet at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios. Additional information about the Acquiring Portfolio has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including:

SUMMARY

This section is only a summary of certain information contained in this Prospectus/Proxy Statement. You should read the more complete information in the rest of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement, including the Plan (Exhibit A) and the Prospectus for the Acquiring Portfolio (Exhibit B).

As explained in more detail below, you are being asked to consider and approve the Plan with respect to the Target Portfolio for which you are a beneficial shareholder. Shareholder approval of the Plan and consummation of the Reorganization will have the effect of reorganizing the Target Portfolio into the Acquiring Portfolio, resulting in a single mutual fund.

As further explained in “Management of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio,” PGIM Investments LLC (“PGIM Investments”) and AST Investment Services, Inc. (“ASTIS,” and together with PGIM Investments, the “Manager”) serve as investment managers to the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio. The portfolio resulting from the Reorganization is sometimes referred to herein as the “Combined Portfolio.”

Both the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are managed under a manager-of-managers structure, which means that the Manager has engaged each subadviser listed below to conduct the investment program of the relevant Portfolio, including the purchase, retention, and sale of portfolio securities and other financial instruments. Both the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio have the same distribution and purchase procedures and exchange rights, and redemption procedures.

Portfolio		Subadvisers
AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio		QMA LLC (“QMA”)
AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio		QMA; J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. (“J.P. Morgan”); and Massachusetts Financial Services Company (“MFS”)

Because of the federal tax-deferred treatment applicable to the Contracts, completion of the Reorganization is not expected to result in taxable gains or losses or capital gains or losses, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to Contract owners that beneficially own shares of the Target Portfolio immediately prior to the Reorganization.

Comparison of Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies of the Portfolios

The investment objectives of the Target Portfolio and Acquiring Portfolio are the same. The investment objectives of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are to seek long-term capital appreciation. The investment objectives of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are non-fundamental, meaning that they can be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

The Target Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of US issuers. For purposes of this investment policy, US issuers are issuers whose primary listing is on a securities exchange or market inside the United States. The Acquiring Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of large-capitalization companies. Equity and equity-related securities include common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities convertible into common stock, securities having common stock characteristics, futures contracts and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants or options to purchase common stock. For purposes of this investment policy, a large-cap company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $684.7 billion and $2.04 trillion as of February 28, 2021). Both the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio utilize a variety of different investment strategies in allocating assets across equity investments, and each of the Portfolios is subject to similar principal risks. The Target Portfolio is structured as a 130/30 extension strategy where 30% of the Portfolio is invested short and 130% of the Portfolio is invested long for a net 100% equity exposure. The Target Portfolio is allocated to a single strategy managed by QMA. As noted above, the Acquiring Portfolio is a long-only strategy that allocates to three underlying strategies managed by QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS. As part of the Acquiring Portfolio’s strategy, SIRG is responsible for allocations to QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS. As a result, while the QMA strategy on the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio both utilize QMA’s quantitative team-based approach, the QMA strategy on the Acquiring Portfolio does not include shorting and therefore is a long-only strategy.

As explained above, as of the effective date of the Reorganization, the Combined Portfolio will be managed by the Acquiring Portfolio’s subadvisers, QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS, according to the investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Acquiring Portfolio.

Principal Risks of the Portfolios

The principal risks associated with the Acquiring Portfolio are similar to those of the Target Portfolio, as both Portfolios are subject to asset transfer program risk, derivatives risk, economic and market events risk, equity securities risk, expense risk, liquidity and valuation risk, market and management risk, quantitative model risk, redemption risk, and regulatory risk. In addition, the Target Portfolio, but not the Acquiring Portfolio, is subject to leverage risk, short sales risk, and value style risk as principal risks. The Acquiring Portfolio, but not the Target Portfolio, is subject to blend style risk, exchange-traded funds risk, and large company risk as principal risks. The Combined Portfolio will be subject to the same risks as the Acquiring Portfolio once the Reorganization is complete. Detailed descriptions of the principal risks associated with the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are set forth in (i) this Prospectus/Proxy Statement under the caption “Comparison of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio—Principal Risks of the Portfolios;” and (ii) the summary prospectus for the Acquiring Portfolio attached as Exhibit B to this Prospectus/Proxy Statement.

There is no guarantee that shares of the Combined Portfolio will not lose value. This means that the value of the Combined Portfolio’s investments, and therefore, the value of the Combined Portfolio’s shares, may fluctuate.

Comparison of Investment Management Fees and Total Fund Operating Expenses

The contractual and current effective investment management fee rates for the Acquiring Portfolio are lower than the contractual and current effective investment management fee rates for the Target Portfolio, and they are expected to remain lower than that of the Target Portfolio after the Reorganization is completed. Contractual investment management fees are the management fees paid to the Manager and do not reflect any waivers or reimbursements. Effective investment management fees are the management fees paid to the Manager that take into account any applicable waiver or reimbursement. Additionally, assuming completion of the Reorganization on December 31, 2020, based on assets under management for each of the Portfolios on that date, the pro forma annualized total net expense ratio of the Combined Portfolio is lower than the annualized total net expense ratio of the Target Portfolio, and is expected to remain lower following completion of the Reorganization. This means that Target Portfolio shareholders will benefit from a reduced total net expense ratio.

The following table describes the fees and expenses that owners of certain annuity contracts (the “Contracts”) may pay if they invest in the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio, as well as the projected fees and expenses of the Combined Portfolio after the Reorganization. The following table does not reflect any Contract charges. Because Contract charges are not included, the total fees and expenses that you will incur will be higher than the fees and expenses set forth below. The Contract charges will not change as a result of the Reorganization. See your Contract prospectus for more information about Contract charges.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)

	Target Portfolio		Acquiring Portfolio		Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	NA	*	NA	*	NA	*
Maximum deferred sales charge (load)	NA	*	NA	*	NA	*
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	NA	*	NA	*	NA	*
Redemption Fee	NA	*	NA	*	NA	*
Exchange Fee	NA	*	NA	*	NA	*

* Because shares of both the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are purchased through Contracts, the relevant Contract prospectus should be carefully reviewed for information on the charges and expenses of the Contract. This table does not reflect any such charges; and the expenses shown would be higher if such charges were reflected.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (as of 12/31/20)
(expenses that are deducted from Portfolio assets)

	Target Portfolio		Acquiring Portfolio		Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving)
Management Fees	0.83	%	0.56	%	0.56	%
Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees)	0.25	%	0.25	%	0.25	%
Other Expenses	—		0.01	%	0.01	%
Dividend Expense on Short Sales	0.08	%	—		—
Broker Fees and Expenses on Short Sales	0.25	%	—		—
Remainder of Other Expenses	0.04	%	—		—
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	1.45	%	0.82	%	0.82	%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	(0.00	)%	(0.01	)%(1)	(0.01	)%(2)
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	1.45	%	0.81	%	0.81	%

(1) The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.015% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2022. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Acquiring Portfolio so that the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Acquiring Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.810% of the Acquiring Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2022. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

2022. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (as of June 17, 2021)(1)
(expenses that are deducted from Portfolio assets)

	Target Portfolio		Acquiring Portfolio		Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving)
Management Fees	0.83	%	0.58	%	0.57	%
Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 Fees)	0.25	%	0.25	%	0.25	%
Other Expenses	—		0.09	%	0.04	%
Dividend Expense on Short Sales	0.08	%	—		—
Broker Fees and Expenses on Short Sales	0.25	%	—		—
Remainder of Other Expenses	0.05	%	—		—
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	1.46	%	0.92	%	0.86	%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	(0.00	)%	(0.11	)%(2)	(0.05	)%(3)
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	1.46	%	0.81	%	0.81	%

(1) On June 17, 2021, certain portfolios of AST, the investments of which previously comprised a substantial majority of the Target Portfolio and Acquiring Portfolio's assets, moved their investments from the Target and Acquiring Portfolios to other portfolios of AST. As a result, the Target Portfolio and Acquiring Portfolio experienced a reduction in assets.

(2) The Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.015% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2022. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Acquiring Portfolio so that the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Acquiring Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.810% of the Acquiring Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2022. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

(3) To the extent the Reorganization is approved, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.015% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2022. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Combined Portfolio so that the Combined Portfolio’s investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Combined Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.810% of the Combined Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2022. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

Expense Examples

The examples assume that you invest $10,000 in each of the Portfolios for the time periods indicated. The examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year, that each Portfolio’s total operating expenses remain the same, and include the contractual expense cap only for the one-year period for the Target Portfolio, the Acquiring Portfolio and the Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving). These examples do not reflect any charges or expenses for the Contracts. The expenses shown below would be higher if these charges or expenses were included. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

	One Year		Three Years		Five Years		Ten Years
Target Portfolio(1)	$	148	$	459	$	792	$	1,735
Acquiring Portfolio(1)	$	83	$	261	$	454	$	1,013
Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving)(1)	$	83	$	261	$	454	$	1,013

(1) Based on total annual operating expense ratios reflected in the summary section of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement entitled “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (as of December 31, 2020).”

	One Year		Three Years		Five Years		Ten Years
Target Portfolio(1)	$	149	$	462	$	797	$	1,746
Acquiring Portfolio(1)	$	83	$	282	$	499	$	1,121
Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving)(1)	$	83	$	269	$	472	$	1,056

(1) Based on total annual operating expense ratios reflected in the summary section of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement entitled “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (as of June 17, 2021).”

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolios pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when each 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 annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect a portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, the Target Portfolio’s turnover rate was 126% of the average value of its portfolio, and the Acquiring Portfolio’s turnover rate was 127% of the average value of its portfolio.

Reorganization Details and Reasons for the Reorganization

Assuming completion of the Reorganization, shareholders of the Target Portfolio will have their shares exchanged for shares of the Acquiring Portfolio of equal dollar value based upon the value of the shares at the time the Target Portfolio’s assets are transferred to the Acquiring Portfolio and the Target Portfolio’s liabilities are assumed by the Acquiring Portfolio. After the transfer of assets, assumption of liabilities, and exchange of shares have been completed, the Target Portfolio will be liquidated and dissolved. As a result of the Reorganization, you will cease to be a beneficial shareholder of the Target Portfolio and will become a beneficial shareholder of the Acquiring Portfolio.

Both the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio serve as underlying mutual funds for the Contracts issued by “Participating Insurance Companies.” Each Participating Insurance Company holds assets invested in these Contracts in various separate accounts, each of which is divided into sub-accounts investing exclusively in a mutual fund or in a portfolio of a mutual fund. Therefore, Contract owners who have allocated their account values to applicable sub-accounts are indirectly invested in the applicable Portfolio through the Contracts and should consider themselves shareholders of the applicable Portfolio for purposes of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement.

For the reasons set forth in the “Information About the Reorganization—Reasons for the Reorganization” section, the Board has determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the shareholders of each of the Portfolios, and has also concluded that no dilution in value would result to the shareholders of either Portfolio as a result of the Reorganization.

The Board of Trustees of the Advanced Series Trust, on behalf of the Target Portfolio, has approved the Plan and unanimously recommends that you vote to approve the Plan.

In deciding whether to vote to approve the Plan, you should consider the information considered by the Board and the information provided in this Prospectus/Proxy Statement.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE REORGANIZATION

This section describes the Reorganization for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio. This section is only a summary of the Plan. You should read the actual Plan attached as Exhibit A.

Reasons for the Reorganization

Based on a recommendation of the Manager of the Target Portfolio, the Board, including the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (collectively, the “Independent Trustees”), has unanimously approved the Reorganization. The Manager is recommending the Reorganization because the Target Portfolio, and the insurance product that utilizes it, have struggled to grow. Thus, the Manager does not believe that the Target Portfolio is viable in the long term. The Board also unanimously recommends that the beneficial shareholders of the Target Portfolio approve the Reorganization. The Board also unanimously determined that the Reorganization would be in the best interests of the beneficial shareholders of each of the Portfolios, and that the interests of the shareholders of each of the Portfolios would not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization.

Based on detailed information the Manager provided the Board regarding the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio as of December 31, 2020, the Reorganization is expected to benefit Target Portfolio shareholders for a number of reasons, including:

· The Combined Portfolio will be larger than the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio;

· The contractual and effective investment management fee rate for the Combined Portfolio will be lower than the contractual and effective investment management fee rate for the Target Portfolio;

· The total net operating expense ratio for the Acquiring Portfolio and the Combined Portfolio is lower than the ratio for the Target Portfolio;

Because of the federal tax-deferred treatment applicable to the Contracts, completion of the Reorganization is not expected to result in taxable gains or losses, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to Contract owners that beneficially own shares of the Target Portfolio immediately prior to the Reorganization.

The Manager provided, and the Board considered, information regarding any potential adverse impact to shareholders as a result of the Reorganization. In connection with the Reorganization, there will be purchases and sales of securities, which will result in costs, such as

brokerage commissions. The Manager currently expects that all or substantially all of the Target Portfolio’s assets will be transferred in-kind into the Acquiring Portfolio and all or substantially all of the transactions will be made by the Target Portfolio prior to the Reorganization. Any costs for transactions prior to the Reorganization will be borne by the Target Portfolio shareholders, and any costs for transactions after the Reorganization will be borne by the Combined Portfolio shareholders. Actual portfolio sales and purchases after the Reorganization will depend on portfolio composition, market conditions and other factors at the time of the Reorganization. The Manager currently estimates that portfolio repositioning after the Reorganization will result in negligible commission costs to the Combined Portfolio. Commission costs may vary from this estimate.

For the reasons discussed above, the Board of Trustees of the Advanced Series Trust unanimously recommends that you vote FOR the Plan.

If shareholders of the Target Portfolio do not approve the Plan, the Board will consider other possible courses of action, including, among others, consolidation of the Target Portfolio with one or more portfolios of the Trust other than the Acquiring Portfolio, or unaffiliated funds, or the liquidation of the Target Portfolio.

Closing of the Reorganization

If shareholders of the Target Portfolio approve the Plan, the Reorganization will take place after various conditions are satisfied by the Trust on behalf of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, including the preparation of certain documents. The Trust will determine a specific date for the actual Reorganization to take place, which is presently expected to occur on or about October 18, 2021. This is called the “Closing Date.” If the shareholders of the Target Portfolio do not approve the Plan, the Reorganization will not take place for the Target Portfolio, and the Board will consider alternative courses of actions, as described above.

If the shareholders of the Target Portfolio approve the Plan, the Target Portfolio will deliver to the Acquiring Portfolio all of its assets on the Closing Date, the Acquiring Portfolio will assume all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio on the Closing Date, and the Acquiring Portfolio will issue the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the Target Portfolio. The Acquiring Portfolio Shares received by the Target Portfolio will have an aggregate net asset value that is equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Target Portfolio shares that are outstanding immediately prior to the Reorganization. The Participating Insurance Companies then will make a conforming exchange of units between the applicable sub-accounts in their separate accounts. As a result, shareholders of the Target Portfolio will beneficially own shares of the Acquiring Portfolio that, as of the date of the exchange, have an aggregate value equal to the dollar value of the assets delivered to the Target Portfolio. The stock transfer books of the Target Portfolio will be permanently closed on the closing date. Requests to transfer or redeem assets allocated to the Target Portfolio may be submitted at any time before the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the Closing Date, and requests that are received in proper form prior to that time will be effected prior to the closing.

To the extent permitted by law, the Trust may amend the Plan without shareholder approval. The Trust may also agree to terminate and abandon the Reorganization at any time before or, to the extent permitted by law, after the approval by shareholders of the Target Portfolio.

Expenses of the Reorganization

All costs incurred in entering into and carrying out the terms and conditions of the Reorganization, including (without limitation) outside legal counsel and independent registered public accounting firm costs and costs incurred in connection with the printing and mailing of this Prospectus/Proxy Statement and related materials, will be paid by Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. or its affiliates, not the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio. The estimated expenses for this Proxy Statement, including printing and mailing, the shareholder meeting, any proxy solicitation expenses, prospectus updates and proxy solicitation is approximately $30,000. Transaction costs, including spreads and brokerage commissions, will be paid by the transacting portfolio. It is expected that all or substantially all of the transaction costs of the Reorganization will be borne by the Target Portfolio.

Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations

Both Portfolios are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a Partnership, each Portfolio’s income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits are proportionately distributed to the Participating Insurance Companies and retain the same character for Federal Income tax purposes. Distributions may be made to the various separate accounts of the Participating Insurance Companies in the form of additional shares (not in cash).

Contract owners should consult the prospectuses of their respective Contracts for information on the federal income tax consequences to such owners. In addition, Contract owners may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in one of the Portfolios, including the application of state and local taxes.

Each of the Portfolios complies with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

The Reorganization may entail various consequences, which are discussed below under the caption “Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization.”

Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization

The following discussion is applicable to the Reorganization. The Reorganization is intended to qualify for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a tax-free transaction under the Code. In addition, assuming that the Contracts qualify for the federal tax-deferred treatment applicable to certain variable insurance products, Contract owners generally should not have any reportable gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax

purposes even if the Reorganization did not qualify as a tax-free transaction. It is a condition to each Portfolio’s obligation to complete the Reorganization that the Portfolios will have received an opinion from Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel to the Portfolios, based upon representations made by the Trust on behalf of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, and upon certain assumptions, substantially to the effect that the transactions contemplated by the Plan should constitute a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

As set forth above, both Portfolios are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Based on such treatment and certain representations made by the Trust on behalf of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio relating to the Reorganization, for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 721 and 731 of the Code and related Code Sections (references to “shareholders” are to the Participating Insurance Companies):

1. The transfer by the Target Portfolio of all of its assets to the Acquiring Portfolio, in exchange solely for the Acquiring Portfolio Shares, the assumption by the Acquiring Portfolio of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio, and the distribution of the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio in complete liquidation of the Target Portfolio, should be tax-free to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio.

2. The shareholders of the Target Portfolio should not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of all of their shares solely for Acquiring Portfolio Shares, as described in this Prospectus/Proxy Statement and the Plan.

3. No gain or loss should be recognized by the Target Portfolio upon the transfer of its assets to the Acquiring Portfolio in exchange solely for Acquiring Portfolio Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Portfolio of the liabilities, if any, of the Target Portfolio. In addition, no gain or loss should be recognized by the Target Portfolio on the distribution of such Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio (in liquidation of the Target Portfolio).

4. No gain or loss should be recognized by the Acquiring Portfolio upon the acquisition of the assets of the Target Portfolio in exchange solely for Acquiring Portfolio Shares and the assumption of the liabilities, if any, of the Target Portfolio.

5. The Acquiring Portfolio’s tax basis for the assets acquired from the Target Portfolio should be the same as the tax basis of these assets when held by the Target Portfolio immediately before the transfer, and the holding period of such assets acquired by the Acquiring Portfolio should include the holding period of such assets when held by the Target Portfolio.

6. A Target Portfolio shareholder’s tax basis for the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be received by it pursuant to the Reorganization should be the same as its tax basis in the Target Portfolio shares exchanged therefore reduced or increased by any net decrease or increase, as the case may be, in such shareholder’s share of the liabilities of the Portfolios as a result of the Reorganization.

7. The holding period of the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be received by shareholders of the Target Portfolio should include the holding period of their Target Portfolio shares exchanged therefor, provided such shares were held as capital assets on the date of exchange.

An opinion of counsel is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service or the courts. Shareholders of the Target Portfolio should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences to them of the Reorganization in light of their individual circumstances.

A Contract owner should consult the prospectus for his or her Contract on the federal tax consequences of owning the Contract. Contract owners should also consult their tax advisors as to state and local tax consequences, if any, of the Reorganization, because this discussion only relates to U.S. federal income tax consequences.

Characteristics of Acquiring Portfolio Shares

The Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be distributed to Target Portfolio shareholders will have substantially identical legal characteristics as shares of beneficial interest of the Target Portfolio with respect to such matters as voting rights, accessibility, conversion rights, and transferability.

The Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are each organized as a series of a Massachusetts business trust. There are no material differences between the rights of shareholders of the Portfolios.

COMPARISON OF THE TARGET PORTFOLIO, THE ACQUIRING PORTFOLIO AND THE COMBINED PORTFOLIO

Additional information regarding the Acquiring Portfolio’s investments and risks, the management of the Acquiring Portfolio, the purchase and sale of Acquiring Portfolio shares, annual portfolio operating expenses, certain U.S. federal income tax considerations, and financial intermediary compensation is set forth in Exhibit B to this Prospectus/Proxy Statement.

Analysis of Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies of the Portfolios

Target Portfolio

Acquiring Portfolio

Combined Portfolio

Investment Objective:

The investment objective of the Target Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation.

The investment objective of the Acquiring Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation

The investment objective of the Combined Portfolio is to seek long-term capital appreciation

Principal Investment Strategies:

In pursuing its investment objective, the Target Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of US issuers. For purposes of this non-fundamental investment policy, US issuers are issuers whose primary listing is on a securities exchange or market inside the United States.

The Target Portfolio uses a long/short investment strategy in seeking to achieve its investment objective. This means the Target Portfolio shorts a portion of the Target Portfolio and uses the proceeds of the shorts, or other borrowings, to purchase additional stocks long. By employing this long/short strategy, the Target Portfolio seeks to produce returns that exceed those of its benchmark index, the Russell 1000® Index (i.e., the Target Portfolio seeks additional alpha, often quantified by a fund’s excess return above a benchmark

In pursuing its investment objective, the Acquiring Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of large-capitalization companies. Equity and equity-related securities include common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities convertible into common stock, securities having common stock characteristics, futures contracts and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants or options to purchase common stock. For purposes of the Acquiring Portfolio, a large-cap company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $684.7 billion and $2.04 trillion as of February 28, 2021).

QMA employs a quantitatively driven investment process, which uses an adaptive model that evaluates stocks

In pursuing its investment objective, the Combined Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities of large-capitalization companies. Equity and equity-related securities include common and preferred stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), securities convertible into common stock, securities having common stock characteristics, futures contracts and other derivative instruments whose value is based on common stock, such as rights, warrants or options to purchase common stock. For purposes of the Combined Portfolio, a large-cap company is a company with a market capitalization in the range of companies in the S&P 500 Index (between $684.7 billion and $2.04 trillion as of February 28, 2021).

QMA employs a quantitatively driven investment process, which uses an adaptive model that evaluates stocks

Target Portfolio

Acquiring Portfolio

Combined Portfolio

index). The Russell 1000® Index is composed of stocks representing more than 90% of the market cap of the US market and includes the largest 1000 securities in the Russell 3000® Index.

In general, for its long positions, the Target Portfolio may overweight issuers that it believes may outperform the Russell 1000® Index and may underweight those issuers it believes may underperform the Russell 1000® Index, while managing the Target Portfolio’s active risk. The Target Portfolio will generally sell securities short that it believes may underperform the Russell 1000® Index or may not perform as well as comparable securities. The Target Portfolio may also sell securities short to manage the Target Portfolio’s active risk.

In rising markets, the Target Portfolio expects that its long positions generally will appreciate more rapidly than the short positions, and in declining markets, that its short positions generally will decline faster than the long positions. Short sales allow the Target Portfolio to seek to earn returns on securities that the Target Portfolio believes may underperform, and also allows the Target Portfolio to maintain additional long positions. The Target Portfolio will target approximately 100% net market exposure, similar to a “long-only” strategy, to US equities.

Operational Complexities; Relationship with Prime Broker. Selling short and investing the proceeds from the short sale in additional long positions will require a prime broker to hold the short position in the Target Portfolio’s prime brokerage account, with the custodian bank holding collateral to satisfy the collateral requirements relating to the short positions at the prime broker. As such, a tri-party custody and pledge agreement is required between the custodian bank, the prime broker, and the Target Portfolio. This structure requires setting up a pledge account with the custodian bank, which is used to satisfy the collateral requirements relating to the short positions at the prime broker. The custodian bank holds the securities from the Target

based on their growth expectations and seeks to identify the most attractive stocks, subject to risk constraints. J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. and Massachusetts Financial Services Company use fundamental investment processes seeking to identify high-quality stocks at reasonable prices through bottom-up research and stock selection. The Strategic Investment Research Group of the Manager determines the allocation of assets among the subadvisers based on its analysis, taking into account market conditions, risks and other factors.

J.P. Morgan is responsible for managing a portion of the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets. J.P. Morgan’s strategy follows a multi-step process. Within each sector, the strategy focuses on those equity securities that it considers most undervalued and seeks to outperform the S&P 500 through superior stock selection. By emphasizing undervalued equity securities, the strategy seeks to produce returns that exceed those of the S&P 500 Index. In managing the strategy, J.P. Morgan employs a three-step process that combines research, valuation and stock selection. In addition, J.P. Morgan buys and sells equity securities, using the research and valuation rankings as a basis. In general, J.P. Morgan buys equity securities that are identified as undervalued and considers selling them when they appear to be overvalued. Along with attractive valuation, the adviser often considers a number of other criteria: (i) catalysts that could trigger a rise in a stock’s price, (ii) high potential reward compared to potential risk; and (iii) temporary mispricings caused by apparent market overreactions.

MFS is responsible for managing a portion of the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets. MFS normally invests the portion of the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets assigned to it primarily in equity securities. In selecting investments for the portion of the Acquiring Portfolio assigned to MFS, MFS is not constrained by any particular investment style. MFS may invest the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets in the stocks of companies that MFS believes to have above average earnings growth

J.P. Morgan is responsible for managing a portion of the Combined Portfolio’s assets. J.P. Morgan’s strategy follows a multi-step process. Within each sector, the strategy focuses on those equity securities that it considers most undervalued and seeks to outperform the S&P 500 through superior stock selection. By emphasizing undervalued equity securities, the strategy seeks to produce returns that exceed those of the S&P 500 Index. In managing the strategy, J.P. Morgan employs a three-step process that combines research, valuation and stock selection. In addition, J.P. Morgan buys and sells equity securities, using the research and valuation rankings as a basis. In general, J.P. Morgan buys equity securities that are identified as undervalued and considers selling them when they appear to be overvalued. Along with attractive valuation, the adviser often considers a number of other criteria: (i) catalysts that could trigger a rise in a stock’s price, (ii) high potential reward compared to potential risk; and (iii) temporary mispricings caused by apparent market overreactions.

MFS is responsible for managing a portion of the Combined Portfolio’s assets. MFS normally invests the portion of the Combined Portfolio’s assets assigned to it primarily in equity securities. In selecting investments for the portion of the Combined Portfolio assigned to MFS, MFS is not constrained by any particular investment style. MFS may invest the Combined Portfolio’s assets in the stocks of companies that MFS believes to have above average earnings growth

Target Portfolio

Acquiring Portfolio

Combined Portfolio

Portfolio’s long position as collateral. The tri-party agreement provides for substitution of collateral, as well as for release of collateral in excess of applicable margin requirements. The tri-party structure requires a more complicated and costly support structure.

Short Sales. If a security sold short increases in price, the Target Portfolio may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Target Portfolio will have substantial short positions and must borrow those securities to make delivery to the buyer. The Target Portfolio may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell long positions before it otherwise intends to do so.

Until the short sale is closed, the broker effecting the short sale typically requires the proceeds or other securities to serve as collateral to secure the Target Portfolio’s obligation to cover the short position. However, the Target Portfolio may use all or a portion of the cash proceeds that it receives in connection with short sales to purchase securities or for other Target Portfolio purposes. If the Target Portfolio does this, it must pledge replacement collateral as security to the broker and may use securities that it owns to meet any such collateral obligations. Additionally, the Target Portfolio must maintain sufficient liquid assets (less any additional collateral held by the broker), marked-to-market daily, to cover the short sale obligation.

When borrowing a security for delivery to a buyer, the Target Portfolio also may be required to pay a premium and other transaction costs, which would increase the cost of the security sold short. The Target Portfolio must normally repay to the lender an amount equal to any dividends or interest that accrues while the loan is outstanding. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premium, dividends, interest or expenses the Target

potential compared to other companies (growth companies), in the stocks of companies it believes are undervalued compared to their perceived worth (value companies), or in a combination of growth and value companies. While MFS may invest the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets in companies of any size, MFS primarily invests in securities of companies with large capitalizations. MFS may invest the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets in foreign securities. MFS normally invests the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets across different industries and sectors, but MFS may invest a significant percentage of the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets in issuers in a single industry or sector. MFS uses an active bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling investments for the Acquiring Portfolio. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and their potential in light of their financial condition, and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered may include analysis of an issuer’s earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability. MFS may also consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in its fundamental investment analysis. Quantitative screening tools that systematically evaluate an issuer’s valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality, and other factors, may also be considered.

potential compared to other companies (growth companies), in the stocks of companies it believes are undervalued compared to their perceived worth (value companies), or in a combination of growth and value companies. While MFS may invest the Combined Portfolio’s assets in companies of any size, MFS primarily invests in securities of companies with large capitalizations. MFS may invest the Combined Portfolio’s assets in foreign securities. MFS normally invests the Combined Portfolio’s assets across different industries and sectors, but MFS may invest a significant percentage of the Combined Portfolio’s assets in issuers in a single industry or sector. MFS uses an active bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling investments for the Combined Portfolio. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and their potential in light of their financial condition, and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered may include analysis of an issuer’s earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability. MFS may also consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in its fundamental investment analysis. Quantitative screening tools that systematically evaluate an issuer’s valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality, and other factors, may also be considered.

Target Portfolio

Acquiring Portfolio

Combined Portfolio

(ADSs) and other similar receipts or shares traded in US markets, which are considered to be US securities. Additional investments may include ETFs. The Target Portfolio may invest in derivatives, such as futures contracts or equity swaps, for hedging purposes (to seek to reduce risk) and for non-hedging purposes (to seek to increase return consistent with the Target Portfolio’s investment objective).

In addition, the Target Portfolio may also (1) hold common stock or warrants received as the result of an exchange or tender offer, (2) buy or sell securities on a forward commitment basis, (3) lend its portfolio securities, (4) invest in options, futures, forwards and equity swaps, (5) engage in reverse repurchase agreements for investment purposes, (6) borrow money for investment purposes, and (7) borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes.

Principal Risks of the Portfolios

The table below compares the principal risks of investing in the Portfolios. All investments have risks to some degree, and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in each of the Portfolios. As previously noted, the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio have the same investment objectives and similar principal investment strategies. An investment in the Target Portfolio involves similar risks as an investment in the Acquiring Portfolio. The Combined Portfolio will be subject to the same risks as the Acquiring Portfolio once the Reorganization is complete, as noted below. An investment in each of the Portfolios is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While each of the Portfolios makes every effort to achieve its objective, it can’t guarantee success.

Principal Risks	Target Portfolio	Acquiring Portfolio	Combined Portfolio
Asset Transfer Program Risk. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio, which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The asset flows could remove all or substantially all of the assets of the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blend Style Risk. The Portfolio’s blend investment style may subject the Portfolio to risks of both value and growth investing. The portion of the Portfolio’s portfolio that makes investments pursuant to a growth strategy may be subject to above-average fluctuations as a result of seeking high quality stocks with good future growth prospects. The portion of	No	Yes	Yes

Principal Risks	Target Portfolio	Acquiring Portfolio	Combined Portfolio
the Portfolio’s portfolio that makes investments pursuant to a value strategy may be subject to the risk that the market may not recognize a security’s intrinsic value for long periods of time or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced. Issuers of value stocks may have experienced adverse business developments or may be subject to special risks that have caused the stock to be out of favor. If the Portfolio’s assessment of market conditions or a company’s value is inaccurate, the Portfolio could suffer losses or produce poor performance relative to other funds. Historically, growth stocks have performed best during later stages of economic expansion and value stocks have performed best during periods of economic recovery. Therefore, both styles may over time go in and out of favor with the markets. At times when a style is out of favor, that portion of the portfolio may lag the other portion of the portfolio, which may cause the overall Portfolio to underperform the market in general, its benchmark and other mutual funds. Growth and value stocks have historically produced similar long-term results, though each category has periods when it outperforms the other.
Derivatives Risk. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains; and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Economic and Market Events Risk. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers worldwide.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Equity Securities Risk. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF) Risk. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a mutual fund that has the same investment objective, strategies and policies. In addition, the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below its net asset value and there may not be an active trading market for an ETF’s shares. The Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down.	No	Yes	Yes
Expense Risk. The actual cost of investing in the Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” table for a variety of reasons, including, for example, if the Portfolio’s average net assets decrease.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Large Company Risk. Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Portfolio to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization stocks. Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.	No	Yes	Yes
Leverage Risk. Using leverage, the investment of borrowed cash, may amplify the Portfolio’s gains and losses and cause the Portfolio to be more volatile and riskier than if it had not been leveraged.	Yes	No	No
Liquidity and Valuation Risk. The Portfolio may hold one or more securities for which there are no or few buyers and sellers or the securities are subject to limitations on	Yes	Yes	Yes

Principal Risks	Target Portfolio	Acquiring Portfolio	Combined Portfolio
transfer. The Portfolio may be unable to sell those portfolio holdings at the desired time or price, and may have difficulty determining the value of such securities for the purpose of determining the Portfolio’s net asset value. In such cases, investments owned by the Portfolio may be valued at fair value pursuant to guidelines established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. No assurance can be given that the fair value prices accurately reflect the value of the security. The Portfolio is subject to a liquidity risk management program, which limits the ability of the Portfolio to invest in illiquid investments.
Market and Management Risk. Markets in which the Portfolio invests may experience volatility and go down in value, and possibly sharply and unpredictably. Investment techniques, risk analyses and investment strategies, which may include quantitative models or methods, used by a subadviser in making investment decisions for the Portfolio are subject to human error and may not produce the intended or desired results. The value of the Portfolio’s investments may be negatively affected by the occurrence of domestic or global events, including war, terrorism, environmental disasters, natural disasters or events, political or civil instability, and public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics, or epidemics), among others. Such events may reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and significantly adversely impact the economy. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quantitative Model Risk. The Portfolio and certain Underlying Portfolios, if applicable, may use quantitative models as part of its investment process. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each factor, and changing sources of market returns. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will produce the desired results or enable the Portfolio to achieve its objective.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Redemption Risk. A Portfolio that serves as an underlying fund for a fund of funds is subject to certain risks. When a fund of funds reallocates or rebalances its investments, an underlying fund may experience relatively large redemptions or investments. These transactions may cause the Portfolio serving as the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to invest cash from such investments, at times that it would not otherwise do so, and may as a result increase transaction costs or adversely affect Portfolio performance.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Regulatory Risk. The Portfolio is subject to a variety of laws and regulations which govern its operations. The Portfolio is subject to regulation by the SEC, and depending on the Portfolio, the CFTC. Similarly, the businesses and other issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to considerable regulation. Changes in laws and regulations may materially impact the Portfolio, a security, business, sector or market.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Short Sale Risk. A short sale involves the risk that the price of a borrowed security or derivative will increase during the time the Portfolio has borrowed the security or derivative and the Portfolio will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the third party. Short sales may result in losses that are greater than the cost of the investment. In addition, the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio.	Yes	No	No
Value Style Risk. Value style investing attempts to identify companies that are believed to be undervalued. Value stocks typically have prices that are low relative to factors such as the company’s earnings, cash flow or dividends. Since the Portfolio may invest significantly in value stocks or use a value investment style, there is the risk that value stocks or the value style may be out of favor for a period of time, that the market will not recognize a security’s intrinsic value for a long time or at all or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or overvalued. Value investing style	Yes	No	No

Principal Risks		Target Portfolio		Acquiring Portfolio		Combined Portfolio
may perform better or worse than equity portfolios that focus on growth stocks or that have a broader investment style.

Performance of Target Portfolio

A number of factors, including risk, can affect how the Target Portfolio performs. The information below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Target Portfolio by showing changes in its performance from year to year, and by showing how its average annual returns over various time periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Target Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.

The annual returns and average annual returns shown in the chart and tables are after deduction of expenses and do not include Contract charges. If Contract charges were included, the returns shown would have been lower than those shown. Consult your Contract prospectus for information about Contract charges.

Annual Total Returns

2011	3.46	%
2012	18.81	%
2013	32.43	%
2014	17.21	%
2015	3.08	%
2016	14.84	%
2017	22.25	%
2018	-8.22	%
2019	24.47	%
2020	-5.19	%

BEST QUARTER: 21.75% (2nd quarter of 2020) WORST QUARTER: -28.20% (1st quarter of 2020)

Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/20)

	1 YEAR		5 YEARS		10 YEARS
Target Portfolio	-5.19	%	8.74	%	11.58	%
Russell 1000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)	20.96	%	15.60	%	14.01	%

Performance of Acquiring Portfolio

A number of factors, including risk, can affect how the Acquiring Portfolio performs. The information below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Acquiring Portfolio by showing changes in its performance from year to year, and by showing how its average annual returns over various time periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not mean that the Acquiring Portfolio will achieve similar results in the future.

Annual Total Returns

2014	15.24	%
2015	1.54	%
2016	10.85	%
2017	21.41	%
2018	-7.15	%
2019	25.19	%
2020	11.15	%

BEST QUARTER: 19.56% (2nd Quarter of 2020) WORST QUARTER: -22.43% (1st Quarter of 2020)

Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/20)

	1 YEAR		5 YEARS		SINCE INCEPTION (4/29/13)*
Acquiring Portfolio	11.15	%	11.70	%	12.10	%
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)	18.40	%	15.21	%	14.09	%

* Since Inception returns for the Index are measured from the month-end closest to the inception date.

Capitalizations of Target Portfolio and Acquiring Portfolio Before and After Reorganization

The following tables set forth, as of December 31, 2020: (i) the capitalization of the Target Portfolio, (ii) the capitalization of the Acquiring Portfolio, and (iii) the capitalization of the Combined Portfolio as adjusted to give effect to the Reorganization.

	Target Portfolio (unaudited)		Acquiring Portfolio (unaudited)		Adjustments			Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving) (unaudited)
Net assets	$	456,069,338	$	3,609,588,135	$	—		$	4,065,657,473
Total shares outstanding	13,782,121		150,200,329		5,197,044		(a)	169,179,494
Net asset value per share	$	33.09	$	24.03	$	—		$	24.03

(a) Reflects the change in shares of the Target Portfolio upon conversion into the Acquiring Portfolio. Shareholders of the Target Portfolio would become shareholders of the Acquiring Portfolio, receiving shares of the Acquiring Portfolio equal to the value of their holdings in the Target Portfolio immediately prior to the Reorganization.

The following tables set forth, as of June 17, 2021: (i) the capitalization of the Target Portfolio, (ii) the capitalization of the Acquiring Portfolio, and (iii) the capitalization of the Combined Portfolio as adjusted to give effect to the Reorganization.

	Target Portfolio (unaudited)		Acquiring Portfolio (unaudited)		Adjustments			Combined Portfolio (Pro Forma Surviving) (unaudited)
Net assets	$	437,982,626	$	269,491,258	$	—		$	707,473,884
Total shares outstanding	11,065,800		9,842,433		4,930,644		(a)	25,838,877
Net asset value per share	$	39.58	$	27.38	$	—		$	27.38

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS

This section provides more information about: (i) PGIM Investments and ASTIS, (ii) QMA, (iii) J.P. Morgan, and (iv) MFS. QMA serves as subadviser to the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio and J.P. Morgan, and MFS serve as subadvisers to the Acquiring Portfolio.

Investment Management Arrangements

The Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are managed by PGIM Investments, 655 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102, and ASTIS, One Corporate Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484. As previously noted, the term Manager is used to refer to both PGIM Investments and ASTIS.

As of March 31, 2021, PGIM Investments served as the investment manager to all of the Prudential US and offshore open-end investment companies, and as administrator to closed-end investment companies, with aggregate assets of approximately $358.9 billion. PGIM Investments is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PIFM Holdco, LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM Holding Company LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential). PGIM Investments has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1996.

As of March 31, 2021, ASTIS served as the investment manager to certain of the Prudential US open-end investment companies with aggregate assets of approximately $175.6 billion. ASTIS is a subsidiary of Prudential Annuities Holding Company, Inc., which is a subsidiary of Prudential Annuities, Inc., a subsidiary of Prudential. ASTIS has been in the business of providing advisory services since 1992.

The Investment Management Agreements between the Manager and the Trust on behalf of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio (the “Management Agreements”), provides that the Manager will furnish the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio with investment advice and administrative services subject to the oversight of the Board and in conformity with the stated principal investment strategies of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio. The Manager must also provide, or obtain and supervise, the executive, administrative, accounting, custody, transfer agent, and shareholder servicing services that are deemed advisable by the Trustees.

The Trust uses a “manager-of-managers” structure. That means that the Manager has engaged the subadvisers to conduct the investment programs of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, including the purchase, retention and sale of portfolio securities and other financial instruments. The Manager is responsible for monitoring the activities of the subadvisers and reporting on such activities to the Trustees. The Trust has obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Manager, subject to approval by the Board, to hire or change subadvisers for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio by entering into new subadvisory agreements with affiliated and non-affiliated subadvisers, without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes. This exemptive order (which is similar to exemptive orders granted to other investment companies that are organized in a manner similar to the Trust) is intended to facilitate the efficient supervision and management of the subadvisers by the Manager and the Trustees.

If there is more than one subadviser for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, the Manager will normally determine the division of the assets for each of the Portfolios among the applicable subadvisers. All daily cash inflows (that is, purchases and reinvested distributions) and outflows (that is, redemptions and expense items) will be divided among such subadvisers as the Manager deems appropriate. The Manager may, in its discretion, change the target allocation of assets among subadvisers, transfer assets between subadvisers, or change the allocation of cash inflows or cash outflows among subadvisers for any reason and at any time without notice. As a consequence, the Manager may allocate assets or cash flows from a portfolio segment that has appreciated more to another portfolio segment.

Reallocations of assets among the subadvisers and the Manager may result in additional costs since sales of securities may result in higher portfolio turnover. Also, because the subadvisers and the Manager select portfolio securities independently, it is possible that a security held by a portfolio segment may also be held by another portfolio segment of the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio or that certain subadvisers or the Manager may simultaneously favor the same industry. The Manager will monitor the overall portfolio to ensure that any such overlaps do not create an unintended industry concentration. In addition, if a subadviser buys a security as another subadviser or the Manager sells it, the net position of the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio in the security may be approximately the same as it would have been with a single portfolio and no such sale and purchase, but the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio will have incurred additional costs. The Manager will consider these costs in determining the allocation of assets or cash flows. The Manager will consider the timing of asset and cash flow reallocations based upon the best interests of each of the Portfolios and its shareholders.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approvals of the Trust’s Management Agreements and the subadvisory agreements are available in the Trust’s semi-annual reports (for agreements approved during the six-month period ended June 30) and in the Trust’s annual reports (for agreements approved during the six-month period ended December 31).

Subadvisers of the Portfolios. The Target Portfolio is subadvised by QMA, and the Acquiring Portfolio is subadvised by QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS. The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of each of the Portfolios, the portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts that each portfolio manager manages, and ownership of portfolio securities by each portfolio manager. If the Reorganization is approved, the Combined Portfolio will be managed by QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS.

Descriptions of the subadvisers and the portfolio managers are set forth below:

Target Portfolio and Acquiring Portfolio (QMA Segment)

QMA a registered investment adviser, is a wholly-owned and independently-operated subsidiary of PGIM, the global investment management businesses of Prudential Financial, Inc. QMA began managing multi-asset portfolios for institutional investors in 1975. As of March 31, 2021, QMA managed approximately $[ billion] in quantitative equity and global multi-asset solutions for a global client base of pension funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds and subadvisory accounts. With offices in Newark, San Francisco and London, QMA’s primary address is Gateway Center Two, 100 Mulberry Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.

QMA uses a team of portfolio managers and analysts to manage the Portfolio. The following portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for managing the Portfolio’s day-to-day activities:

Devang Gambhirwala is a Principal and Portfolio Manager for QMA working within the Quantitative Equity team. In this capacity, he is responsible for portfolio management, analysis and research. Prior to joining QMA, Devang worked as a Quantitative Research Analyst and Assistant Portfolio Manager for PGIM, Inc. He earned a BS in computer and information sciences from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA from Rutgers University.

Stacie L. Mintz, CFA, is a Managing Director, Co-Head of the Quantitative Equity team and Portfolio Manager for QMA. In this capacity, she leads the portfolio managers on the Quantitative Equity team. She is responsible for enhancements to the Quantitative Equity models and portfolio analytic tools. Prior to her current role, she served as the Head of Equity Portfolio Management for QMA. Previously, Stacie was a member of the former Asset Allocation team where she was responsible for several retail and institutional portfolios. During that time, she was also responsible for managing the overall asset allocation for the Prudential Pension Plan. She earned a BA in economics from Rutgers University and an MBA in finance from the New York University Stern School of Business.

Acquiring Portfolio

J.P. Morgan is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of J.P. Morgan Chase Co., a publicly held bank holding company and global financial services firm. J.P. Morgan manages assets for governments, corporations, endowments, foundations and individuals worldwide. As of March 31, 2021, J.P. Morgan and its affiliated companies had approximately $[ trillion] in assets under management worldwide. J.P. Morgan’s address is 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179.

J.P. Morgan Segment. The J.P. Morgan co-portfolio managers who are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by J.P. Morgan are Scott Davis and Susan Bao.

Scott B. Davis, managing director, is a portfolio manager in the U.S. Equity Group. An employee since 2006, Scott was previously a media and internet analyst in the U.S. Equity Research Group. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Scott was an analyst at Jennison Associates, First Union, and Schroder Wertheim. He holds a B.S. from Drexel University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.

Susan Bao, managing director, is a portfolio manager in the U.S. Equity Group. An employee since 1997, Susan manages the Large Cap Tax Aware Equity strategy and co-manages the Large Cap Core and Large Cap Core 130/30 strategies. Previously, she was responsible for the

U.S. equity analyst portfolios and served as a member of the Disciplined Equity team. Susan holds a B.S. from Centenary College and an M.B.A. in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. She is also a holder of the CFA designation.

MFS is the oldest US mutual fund organization. MFS and its predecessor organizations have managed money since 1924 and founded the first mutual fund in the United States. MFS is a subsidiary of Sun Life of Canada (U.S.) Financial Services Holdings, Inc., which in turn is an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of Sun Life Financial Inc. (a diversified financial services company). The principal address of MFS is 111 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02199. Net assets under management of the MFS organization were approximately $[ billion] as of March 31, 2021.

MFS Segment. The MFS co-portfolio managers who are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the segment of the Portfolio managed by MFS are Kevin Beatty, Ted Maloney and Alison O’Neill Mackey.

Kevin Beatty, Co-Chief Investment Officer of Equity-Americas at MFS, is a co-portfolio manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2002. Effective September 30, 2021, Kevin Beatty will no longer be a portfolio manager of the Portfolio.

Ted Maloney, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of MFS, is a co-portfolio manager of the Portfolio. He has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2005.

Alison O’Neill Mackey, Co-Chief Investment Officer of Equity-Americas of MFS, is a co-portfolio manager of the Portfolio. She has been employed in the investment area of MFS since 2005.

Additional Information About the Portfolio Managers—Compensation and Conflicts of Interest. For each portfolio manager that is primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, the SAI of the Trust contains an explanation of the structure of, and method(s) used by each of QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS to determine portfolio manager compensation. For each such portfolio manager for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, the SAI of the Trust also contains an explanation of any material conflicts of interest that may arise between a portfolio manager’s management of the Target Portfolio’s and Acquiring Portfolio’s investments and investments in other accounts.

Portfolio Managers: Other Accounts—Additional Information About the Portfolio Managers—Other Accounts and Share Ownership. The SAI of the Trust provides additional information about the compensation for each portfolio manager that is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Target Portfolio, the Acquiring Portfolio, other accounts managed by those portfolio managers, and ownership of Trust securities by those portfolio managers.

Contractual and Effective Investment Management Fee Rates for the Portfolios

The contractual investment management fee rates for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are set forth below:

AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio

0.8325% of average daily net assets to $300 million;
0.8225% on next $200 million of average daily net assets;
0.8125% on next $250 million of average daily net assets;
0.8025% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets;
0.7925% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets;
0.7625% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets;
0.7425% over $10 billion of average daily net assets

AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio

0.5825% of average daily net assets up to $300 million;
0.5725% on next $200 million of average daily net assets;
0.5625% on next $250 million of average daily net assets;
0.5525% on next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets;
0.5425% on next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets;
0.5125% on next $4 billion of average daily net assets;
0.4925% over $10 billion of average daily net assets

Assuming completion of the Reorganization and based on the assets under management for each of the Portfolios as of December 31, 2020, the effective management fee rate for the Combined Portfolio would be 0.55% based on the contractual investment management fee rate of the Acquiring Portfolio. Additionally, based on the current assets under management for each of the Portfolios as of December 31, 2020, and assuming completion of the Reorganization on that date, the pro forma annualized total net expense ratio for the Combined Portfolio is lower than the annualized total net expense ratio of the Target Portfolio, and is expected to continue to be lower following completion of the Reorganization.

VOTING INFORMATION

Approval of the Reorganization requires approval by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Target Portfolio, as defined by the 1940 Act. For purposes of the 1940 Act, a majority of the Target Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities is the lesser of (i) 67% of the Target Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the Target Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities are present in person or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the Target Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities. Each Contract owner will be entitled to give voting instructions equivalent to one vote for each full share, and a fractional vote for each fractional

share, of the Target Portfolio beneficially owned at the close of business on the Record Date. If sufficient votes to approve the Reorganization are not received by the date of the Meeting, the Meeting may be adjourned to permit further solicitations of voting instructions. Pursuant to the Trust’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, the holders of one-third of the outstanding voting shares present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of Trust shareholders.

In accordance with requirements of the SEC, each Participating Insurance Company, as record owner of the shares of the Target Portfolio, will vote all shares of the Target Portfolio, including Target Portfolio shares owned by a Participating Insurance Company in its general account or otherwise, for which it does not receive instructions from the Contract owner beneficially owning the shares, and the Participating Insurance Company will vote those shares (for the respective Proposal, against the respective Proposal, or abstain) in the same proportion as the votes actually cast in accordance with instructions received from Contract owners (“Shadow Voting”). The presence at a Meeting of the Participating Insurance Companies affiliated with the Manager will be sufficient to constitute a quorum. Therefore, this Shadow Voting procedure may result in a relatively small number of Contract owners determining the outcome of the vote. No minimum response is required from the Contract owners before Shadow Voting is applied. An abstention is not counted as an affirmative vote of the type necessary to approve a Proposal and, therefore, instructions to the applicable Participating Insurance Company to abstain will have the same effect as a vote against the Proposal.

How to Vote

You can vote your shares in any one of four ways:

· By mail, with the enclosed voting instruction card;

· Over the Internet;

· By phone.

If you simply sign and date the voting instruction card but give no voting instructions, your shares will be voted by the Participating Insurance Company in favor of the Plan and in accordance with the views of management upon any unexpected matters that come before the Meeting or adjournment thereof.

Revoking Voting Instructions

Contract owners executing and returning voting instructions may revoke such instructions at any time prior to exercise of those instructions by written notice of such revocation to the Secretary of the Trust, by execution of subsequent voting instructions. In addition, you may revoke such instructions by attending the Meeting via remote communication at https://www.viewproxy.com/pru/broadridgevsm/. Please visit the Meeting website no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day before the Meeting to register. Shareholders will need to register for the Meeting by entering the control number found on the proxy card or voting instruction form on the Meeting website.

Other Matters

The Board does not intend to bring any matters before the Meeting other than those described in this Prospectus/Proxy Statement. The Board is not aware of any other matters to be brought before the Meeting by others. If any other matter legally comes before the Meeting, it is intended that the Participating Insurance Companies will vote in accordance with their judgment.

Solicitation of Voting Instructions

Voting instructions will be solicited principally by mailing this Prospectus/Proxy Statement and its enclosures, but instructions also may be solicited by telephone, facsimile, through electronic means such as email, or in person by officers or representatives of the Trust or the Participating Insurance Company. If the record owner of a Contract is a custodian, nominee, or fiduciary, the Trust may send proxy materials to the record owner for any beneficial owners that such record owner may represent. The Trust may reimburse custodians, nominees, and fiduciaries for their reasonable expenses incurred in connection with proxy solicitations of such beneficial owners.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TARGET PORTFOLIO
AND THE ACQUIRING PORTFOLIO

Each of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio is a separate series of the Trust, which is also an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC under the 1940 Act. Each of the Portfolios is, in effect, a separate mutual fund.

Additional information about the Acquiring Portfolio is included in Exhibit B to this Prospectus/Proxy Statement. Additional information about the Target Portfolio is included in the prospectus and SAI for the Trust under file number 033-24962, dated April 26, 2021, and the portions of that prospectus and SAI relating to the Target Portfolio are incorporated herein by reference. Further information about the Acquiring Portfolio is included in the SAI. The SAI is incorporated herein by reference. These documents are available upon request and without charge by calling 800-778-2255 or by writing to the Trust or to AST at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.

The Trust, on behalf of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, files proxy materials, reports, and other information with the SEC in accordance with the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the 1940 Act. The Trust also prepares annual reports, which include the management discussion and analysis. The annual report is available both from the SEC and from the Trust. These materials can be inspected and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549, and at the Regional Offices of the SEC located in New York City at 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279. Also, copies of such material can be obtained from

the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-6009, upon payment of prescribed fees, or from the SEC’s Internet address at http://www.sec.gov.

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SHARES

As of the Record Date, the Target Portfolio had 12,779,002.277 shares outstanding. As of the Record Date, the Acquiring Portfolio had 9,839,871.764 shares outstanding.

As of the Record Date, all of the shares of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are owned as of record by various Participating Insurance Company separate accounts related to the Contracts. As noted above, the Participating Insurance Companies are required to offer Contract owners the opportunity to instruct them as to how to vote Target Portfolio shares. The table below sets forth, as of the Record Date, each shareholder that owns beneficially more than 5% of the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio.

Target Portfolio	Beneficial Owner Name*	Address	Shares/% Ownership
AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio	Pruco Life Insurance Company Plaz Annuity Attn: Separate Accounts, 7th Floor	213 Washington Street Newark, NJ 07102-0000	6,237,007.511 / 48.81%
	Pru Annuity Life Assurance Corp PALAC Annuity Attn: Separate Accounts, 7th Floor	213 Washington Street Newark, NJ 07102-0000	3,874,205.316 / 30.32%
	Advanced Series Trust AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio	655 Broad Street, 17th Floor Newark, NJ 07102	1,685,253.856 / 13.19%
	Pruco Life Insurance Company PLNJ Annuity Attn: Separate Accounts, 7th Floor	213 Washington Street Newark, NJ 07102-0000	816,352.238 / 6.39%

Acquiring Portfolio	Beneficial Owner Name*	Address	Shares/% Ownership
AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio	Advanced Series Trust AST Quantitative Modeling Portfolio Attn: Edward Campbell	655 Broad Street, 17th Floor Newark, NJ 07102	7,626,806.110 / 77.51
	Pruco Life Insurance Company Plaz Annuity Attn: Separate Accounts, 7th Floor	213 Washington Street Newark, NJ 07102-0000	1,731,172.310 / 17.59%

* As defined by the SEC, a security is beneficially owned by a person if that person has or shares voting power or investment power with respect to the security.

As of the Record Date, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust, each as a group, beneficially owned less than 1% of the outstanding voting shares of either of the Portfolios.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The financial highlights, which follow will help you evaluate the financial performance of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio. The total return in each chart represents the rate that a shareholder earned on an investment in the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions. The charts do not reflect any charges under any Contract. Because Contract charges are not included, the actual return that you will receive will be lower than the total return.

The financial highlights for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 are derived from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm for such fiscal year, whose reports thereon were unqualified. The information for the fiscal years or periods (as applicable) prior to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 was audited by KPMG LLP, the Trust’s prior independent registered public accounting firm. The Trust’s financial statements are included in the Trust’s annual reports to shareholders, which are available upon request.

	AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio
	Year Ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018			2017			2016
Per Share Operating Performance(a):
Net Asset Value, beginning of year	$	34.90		$	28.04		$	30.55		$	24.99		$	21.76
Income (Loss) From Investment Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	0.25			0.23			0.18			0.13			0.22
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment and foreign currency transactions	(2.06		)	6.63			(2.69		)	5.43			3.00
Total from investment operations	(1.81		)	6.86			(2.51		)	5.56			3.22
Capital Contributions	—			—		(b)(c)	—		(c)(i)	—			0.01		(d)
Net Asset Value, end of year	$	33.09		$	34.90		$	28.04		$	30.55		$	24.99
Total Return(e)	(5.19		)%	24.47		%(f)	(8.22		)%(f)	22.25		%	14.84		%(j)
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
Net assets, end of year (in millions)	$	456		$	619		$	584		$	738		$	655
Average net asset (in millions)	$	456		$	632		$	713		$	681		$	589
Ratios to average net assets(g):
Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement	1.45		%(k)	1.54		%(k)	1.57		%(k)	1.61		%(k)	1.67		%(k)
Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement	1.45		%(k)	1.54		%(k)	1.57		%(k)	1.61		%(k)	1.67		%(k)
Net investment income (loss)	0.80		%	0.74		%	0.59		%	0.49		%	0.97		%
Portfolio turnover rate(h)	126		%	105		%	83		%	89		%	94		%

(a) Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year.

(b) Represents payment received by the Target Portfolio, from the Manager, in connection for costs incurred due to a portfolio allocation error.

(c) Amount rounds to zero.

(d) Represents payment received by the Target Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.

(e) Total return is calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to GAAP.

(f) Total return for the year includes the impact of the capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.

(g) Does not include expenses of the underlying funds in which the Target Portfolio invests.

(h) The Target Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated in accordance with regulatory requirements, without regard to transactions involving short-term investments and certain derivatives. If such transactions were included, the Target Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.

(i) Represents payment received by the Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to timely compensate the Target Portfolio for the excess foreign withholding tax withheld on dividends and interest from certain countries due to the Target Portfolio’s tax status as a partnership

(j) Total return for the year includes the impact of the capital contribution. Excluding the capital contribution, the total return would have been 14.79%.

(k) The expense ratio includes dividend expense and broker fees and expenses on short sales of 0.33%, 0.43%, 0.47%, 0.51% and 0.56% for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

	AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio
	Year Ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018			2017			2016
Per Share Operating Performance(a):
Net Asset Value, beginning of year	$	21.62		$	17.27		$	18.60		$	15.32		$	13.82
Income (Loss) From Investment Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	0.20			0.25			0.19			0.17			0.19
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment and foreign currency transactions	2.21			4.10			(1.52		)	3.11			1.31
Total from investment operations	2.41			4.35			(1.33		)	3.28			1.50
Capital Contributions	—			—		(b)(c)	—		(c)(d)	—			—		(c)(e)
Net Asset Value, end of year	$	24.03		$	21.62		$	17.27		$	18.60		$	15.32
Total Return(f)	11.15		%	25.19		%(g)	(7.15		)%(g)	21.41		%	10.85		%(g)
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
Net assets, end of year (in millions)	$	3,610		$	2,113		$	2,110		$	2,654		$	2,947
Average net asset (in millions)	$	2,675		$	2,211		$	2,535		$	2,770		$	2,863
Ratios to average net assets(h):
Expenses After Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement	0.81		%	0.81		%	0.81		%	0.81		%	0.80		%
Expenses Before Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement	0.82		%	0.83		%	0.82		%	0.82		%	0.82		%
Net investment income (loss)	0.96		%	1.26		%	0.98		%	1.05		%	1.34		%
Portfolio turnover rate(i)	127		%	93		%	82		%	87		%	90		%

(a) Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year.

(b) Represents payment received by the Acquiring Portfolio, from the Manager, in connection for costs incurred due to a portfolio allocation error.

(c) Amount rounds to zero.

(d) Represents payment received by the Acquiring Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to timely compensate the Acquiring Portfolio for the excess foreign withholding tax withheld on dividends and interest from certain countries due to the Acquiring Portfolio’s tax status as a partnership.

(e) Represents payment received by the Acquiring Portfolio, from Prudential, in connection with the failure to maximize securities lending income due to a restriction that benefited Prudential.

(f) Total return is calculated assuming a purchase of a share on the first day and a sale on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any, and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract charges. Total return does not reflect expenses associated with the separate account such as administrative fees, account charges and surrender charges which, if reflected, would reduce the total returns for all years shown. Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns may reflect adjustments to conform to GAAP.

(g) Total return for the year includes the impact of the capital contribution, which was not material to the total return.

(h) Does not include expenses of the underlying funds in which the Acquiring Portfolio invests.

(i) The Acquiring Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated in accordance with regulatory requirements, without regard to transactions involving short-term investments and certain derivatives. If such transactions were included, the Acquiring Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.

Exhibit A

ADVANCED SERIES TRUST

FORM OF PLAN OF REORGANIZATION

THIS PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (the “Plan”) of Advanced Series Trust, a Massachusetts business trust having its principal place of business at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102 (“AST”), on behalf of the acquiring portfolio listed in Schedule A to this Plan (the “Acquiring Portfolio”) and the target portfolio listed in Schedule A to this Plan (the “Target Portfolio”), is made as of this day of , 2021. Together, the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are referred to herein as the “Portfolios.”

The reorganization for the Target Portfolio (hereinafter referred to as the “Reorganization”) is intended to constitute a tax-free transaction for federal income tax purposes and will consist of: (i) the acquisition by the Acquiring Portfolio of all of the assets of the Target Portfolio and the assumption by the Acquiring Portfolio of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio in exchange solely for full and fractional shares of the Acquiring Portfolio (“Acquiring Portfolio Shares”); (ii) the distribution of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio according to their respective interests in complete liquidation of the Target Portfolio; and (iii) the dissolution of the Target Portfolio as soon as practicable after the closing (as defined in Section 3, hereinafter called the “Closing”), all upon and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan hereinafter set forth.

In order to consummate the Plan, the following actions shall be taken by AST on behalf of the Acquiring Portfolio and the Target Portfolio, as applicable:

1. Sale and Transfer of Assets, Liquidation and Dissolution of Target Portfolio.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, AST shall: (i) transfer all of the assets of the Target Portfolio, as set forth in Section 1(b) hereof, to the Acquiring Portfolio; and (ii) cause the Acquiring Portfolio to assume all the liabilities of the Target Portfolio as set forth in Section 1(b) hereof. Such transactions shall take place at the Closing.

(b) The assets of the Target Portfolio to be acquired by the Acquiring Portfolio (collectively, the “Assets”) shall consist of all property, including, without limitation, all cash, securities, commodities and futures interests, and dividends or interest receivable that are owned by the Target Portfolio, and any deferred or prepaid expenses shown as an asset on the books of the Target Portfolio on the Closing date (as defined in Section 3, hereinafter the “Closing Date”). All liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves of the Target Portfolio, to the extent that they exist at or after the Closing, shall after the Closing attach to the Acquiring Portfolio and may be enforced against the Acquiring Portfolio to the same extent as if the same had been incurred by the Acquiring Portfolio.

(c) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, AST on behalf of the Acquiring Portfolio shall at the Closing deliver to the Target Portfolio the number of Acquiring Portfolio Shares, determined by dividing the net asset value per share of the shares of the Target Portfolio (“Target Portfolio Shares”) on the Closing Date by the net asset value per share of the Acquiring Portfolio Shares, and multiplying the result thereof by the number of outstanding Target Portfolio Shares as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) on the Closing Date. All such values shall be determined in the manner and as of the time set forth in Section 2 hereof.

(d) Immediately following the Closing, the Target Portfolio shall distribute pro rata to its shareholders of record as of the close of business on the Closing Date, the Acquiring Portfolio Shares received by the Target Portfolio pursuant to this Section 1 and then shall terminate and dissolve. Such liquidation and distribution shall be accomplished by the establishment of accounts on the share records of AST relating to the Acquiring Portfolio and noting in such accounts the type and amounts of Acquiring Portfolio Shares that former Target Portfolio shareholders are due based on their respective holdings of the Target Portfolio as of the close of business on the Closing Date. Fractional Acquiring Portfolio Shares shall be carried to the third decimal place. The Acquiring Portfolio shall not issue certificates representing the Acquiring Portfolio shares in connection with such exchange.

2. Valuation.

(a) The value of the Target Portfolio’s Assets to be transferred to the Acquiring Portfolio hereunder shall be computed as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the Closing Date (the “Valuation Time”) using the valuation procedures set forth in AST’s current effective prospectus.

(b) The net asset value of a share of the Acquiring Portfolio shall be determined to the second decimal point as of the Valuation Time using the valuation procedures set forth in AST’s current effective prospectus.

(c) The net asset value of a share of the Target Portfolio shall be determined to the fourth decimal point as of the Valuation Time using the valuation procedures set forth in AST’s current effective prospectus.

3. Closing and Closing Date.

The consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall take place at the Closing (the “Closing”). The date of the Closing (the “Closing Date”) shall be [October 18, 2021], or such other date as determined in writing by AST’s officers. The Closing shall take place at the principal office of AST at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the Closing Date. AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio shall have provided for delivery as of the Closing of the Target Portfolio’s Assets to the account of the Acquiring Portfolio at the Acquiring Portfolio’s custodians. Also, AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio shall produce at the Closing a list of names and addresses of the shareholders of record of the Target Portfolio Shares and the number of full and fractional shares owned by each such shareholder, all as of the Valuation Time, certified by its transfer agent or by its President to the best of its or his or her knowledge and belief. AST on behalf of the Acquiring Portfolio shall

issue and deliver a confirmation evidencing the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be credited to the Target Portfolio’s account on the Closing Date to the Secretary of AST, or shall provide evidence satisfactory to the Target Portfolio that the Acquiring Portfolio Shares have been registered in an account on the books of the Acquiring Portfolio in such manner as AST on behalf of Target Portfolio may request.

4. Representations and Warranties by AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio.

AST makes the following representations and warranties about the Target Portfolio:

(a) The Target Portfolio is a series of AST, a business trust organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of that jurisdiction. AST is duly registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end, management investment company and all of the Target Portfolio Shares sold were sold pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

(b) AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio is authorized to issue an unlimited number of the Target Portfolio shares, each outstanding share of which is fully paid, non-assessable, freely transferable and has full voting rights.

(c) The financial statements appearing in AST’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, fairly present the financial position of the Target Portfolio as of such date and the results of its operations for the periods indicated in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis.

(d) AST has the necessary power and authority to conduct the Target Portfolio’s business as such business is now being conducted.

(e) AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio is not a party to or obligated under any provision of AST’s Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, or any contract or any other commitment or obligation, and is not subject to any order or decree, that would be violated by its execution of or performance under this Plan.

(f) The Target Portfolio does not have any unamortized or unpaid organizational fees or expenses.

(g) The Target Portfolio has elected to be, and is, treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Target Portfolio has satisfied the diversification and look-through requirements of Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), since its inception and will continue to satisfy such requirements at the Closing.

(h) The Target Portfolio, or its agents, (i) holds a valid Form W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Withholding (or other appropriate series of Form W-8, as the case may be), or Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, for the Target Portfolio shareholder of record, which Form W-8 or Form W-9 can be associated with reportable payments made by the Target Portfolio to such shareholder, and/or (ii) has otherwise timely instituted the appropriate nonresident alien or foreign corporation or backup withholding procedures with respect to such shareholder as provided by Sections 1441, 1442, and 3406 of the Code.

(i) At the Closing, the Target Portfolio will have good and marketable title to all of the securities and other assets shown on the statement of assets and liabilities referred to above, free and clear of all liens or encumbrances of any nature whatsoever, except such imperfections of title or encumbrances as do not materially detract from the value or use of the assets subject thereto, or materially adversely affect title thereto.

(j) Except as may be disclosed in AST’s current effective prospectus, there is no material suit, judicial action, or legal or administrative proceeding pending or threatened against the Target Portfolio.

(k) There are no known actual or proposed deficiency assessments with respect to any taxes payable by the Target Portfolio.

(l) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Plan have been duly authorized by all necessary actions of AST’s Board of Trustees, and this Plan constitutes a valid and binding obligation enforceable in accordance with its terms.

5. Representations and Warranties by AST on behalf of the Acquiring Portfolio.

AST makes the following representations and warranties about the Acquiring Portfolio:

(a) The Acquiring Portfolio is a series of AST, a business trust organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts validly existing and in good standing under the laws of that jurisdiction. AST is duly registered under the 1940 Act as an open-end, management investment company and all of the Acquiring Portfolio Shares sold have been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the 1933 Act.

(b) AST on behalf of the Acquiring Portfolio is authorized to issue an unlimited number of the Acquiring Portfolio shares, each outstanding share of which is fully paid, non-assessable, freely transferable and has full voting rights.

(c) The financial statements appearing in AST’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, fairly present the financial position of the Acquiring Portfolio as of such date and the results of its operations for the periods indicated in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis.

(d) AST has the necessary power and authority to conduct the Acquiring Portfolio’s business as such business is now being conducted.

(e) AST on behalf of the Acquiring Portfolio is not a party to or obligated under any provision of AST’s Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, or any contract or any other commitment or obligation, and is not subject to any order or decree, that would be violated by its execution of or performance under this Plan.

(f) The Acquiring Portfolio has elected to be, and is, treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. The Acquiring Portfolio has satisfied the diversification and look-through requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code since its inception and will continue to satisfy such requirements at the Closing.

(g) The statement of assets and liabilities to be created by AST for the Acquiring Portfolio as of the Valuation Time for the purpose of determining the number of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be issued pursuant to this Plan will accurately reflect the Assets in the case of the Target Portfolio and the net asset value in the case of the Acquiring Portfolio, and outstanding shares, as of such date, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis.

(h) At the Closing, the Acquiring Portfolio will have good and marketable title to all of the securities and other assets shown on the statement of assets and liabilities referred to above, free and clear of all liens or encumbrances of any nature whatsoever, except such imperfections of title or encumbrances as do not materially detract from the value or use of the assets subject thereto, or materially affect title thereto.

(i) Except as may be disclosed in AST’s current effective prospectus, there is no material suit, judicial action, or legal or administrative proceeding pending or threatened against the Acquiring Portfolio.

(j) There are no known actual or proposed deficiency assessments with respect to any taxes payable by the Acquiring Portfolio.

(k) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Plan have been duly authorized by all necessary actions of AST’s Board of Trustees, and this Plan constitutes a valid and binding obligation enforceable in accordance with its terms.

(l) AST anticipates that consummation of this Plan will not cause the Acquiring Portfolio to fail to conform to the requirements of Section 817(h) at the end of each tax quarter.

6. Intentions of AST on behalf of the Portfolios.

(a) At the Closing, AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio, intends to have available a copy of the shareholder ledger accounts, certified by AST’s transfer agent or its President or a Vice President to the best of its or his or her knowledge and belief, for all the shareholders of record of Target Portfolio Shares as of the Valuation Time who are to become shareholders of the Acquiring Portfolio as a result of the transfer of assets that is the subject of this Plan.

(b) AST intends to operate each Portfolio’s respective business as presently conducted between the date hereof and the Closing.

(c) AST intends that the Target Portfolio will not acquire the Acquiring Portfolio Shares for the purpose of making distributions thereof to anyone other than the Target Portfolio’s shareholders.

(d) AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio intends, if this Plan is consummated, to liquidate and dissolve the Target Portfolio.

(e) AST intends that, by the Closing, each Portfolio’s Federal and other tax returns and reports required by law to be filed on or before such date shall have been filed, and all Federal and other taxes shown as due on said returns shall have either been paid or adequate liability reserves shall have been provided for the payment of such taxes.

(f) AST intends to mail to each shareholder of the Target Portfolio entitled to vote at the meeting of its shareholders at which action on this Plan is to be considered, in sufficient time to comply with requirements as to notice thereof, a Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus that complies in all material respects with the applicable provisions of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 20(a) of the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations, respectively, thereunder.

(g) AST intends to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form N-14 under the 1933 Act relating to the Acquiring Portfolio Shares issuable hereunder (“Registration Statement”), and will use its best efforts to provide that the Registration Statement becomes effective as promptly as practicable. At the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, it will: (i) comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (ii) not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, at the time of the shareholders’ meeting of the Target Portfolio, and at the Closing Date, the prospectus and statement of additional information included in the Registration Statement will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

7. Conditions Precedent to be Fulfilled by AST on behalf of the Portfolios.

The consummation of the Plan with respect to the Acquiring Portfolio and the Target Portfolio shall be subject to the following conditions:

(a) That: (i) all the representations and warranties contained herein concerning the Portfolios shall be true and correct as of the Closing with the same effect as though made as of and at such date; (ii) performance of all obligations required by this Plan to be performed by AST on behalf of the Portfolios shall occur prior to the Closing; and (iii) AST shall execute a certificate signed by the President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or equivalent officer to the foregoing effect.

(b) That the form of this Plan shall have been adopted and approved by the appropriate action of the Board of Trustees of AST on behalf of the Portfolios.

(c) That the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shall not have issued an unfavorable management report under Section 25(b) of the 1940 Act or instituted or threatened to institute any proceeding seeking to enjoin consummation of the Plan under Section 25(c) of the 1940 Act. And, further, that no other legal, administrative or other proceeding shall have been instituted or threatened that would materially affect the financial condition of a Portfolio or would prohibit the transactions contemplated hereby.

(d) That at or immediately prior to the Closing, the Target Portfolio shall have declared and paid a dividend or dividends which, together with all previous such dividends, shall have the effect of distributing to the Target Portfolio’s shareholders all of such Target Portfolio’s investment company taxable income for taxable years ending at or prior to the Closing and all of its net capital gain, if any, realized in taxable years ending at or prior to the Closing (after reduction for any capital loss carry-forward).

(e) That there shall be delivered to AST on behalf of the Portfolios an opinion from Goodwin Procter LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to AST, substantially to the effect that the transactions contemplated by this Plan should constitute a tax-free transaction for federal income tax purposes. Such opinion shall contain at a minimum the conclusion that the transfer by the Target Portfolio of all of its assets to the Acquiring Portfolio, in exchange solely for Acquiring Portfolio Shares, the assumption by the Acquiring Portfolio of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio, and the distribution of the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio in complete liquidation of the Target Portfolio, should be tax-free to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

In giving the opinion set forth above, counsel may state that it is relying on certificates of the officers of AST with regard to matters of fact.

(f) That the Registration Statement with respect to the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be delivered to the Target Portfolio’s shareholders in accordance with this Plan shall have become effective, and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, shall have been issued prior to the Closing Date, or shall be in effect at Closing, and no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall be pending or threatened on that date.

(g) That the Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be delivered hereunder shall be eligible for sale by the Acquiring Portfolio with each state commission or agency with which such eligibility is required in order to permit the Acquiring Portfolio Shares lawfully to be delivered to each shareholder of the Target Portfolio.

8. Expenses.

(a) AST represents and warrants that there are no broker or finders’ fees payable by it in connection with the transactions provided for herein.

(b) All costs incurred in entering into and carrying out the terms and conditions of this Plan, including (without limitation) outside legal counsel and independent registered public accounting firm costs and costs incurred in connection with the printing and mailing of the relevant combined prospectus and proxy statement and related materials, shall be paid by Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. or its affiliates, not the Target Portfolio or the Acquiring Portfolio. Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions, shall be paid by the Portfolio entering into the transaction.

9. Termination; Postponement; Waiver; Order.

(a) Anything contained in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, this Plan may be terminated and abandoned at any time (whether before or after approval thereof by the shareholders of a Target Portfolio) prior to the Closing, or the Closing may be postponed by AST on behalf of a Portfolio by resolution of the Board of Trustees of AST if circumstances develop that, in the opinion of the Board, make proceeding with the Plan inadvisable.

(b) If the transactions contemplated by this Plan have not been consummated by [December 31, 2021], the Plan shall automatically terminate on that date, unless a later date is agreed to by the officers of AST on behalf of the Portfolios.

(c) In the event of termination of this Plan pursuant to the provisions hereof, the Plan shall become void and have no further effect with respect to the Acquiring Portfolio or Target Portfolio, and neither AST, the Acquiring Portfolio nor the Target Portfolio, nor the trustees, officers, agents or shareholders shall have any liability in respect of this Plan.

(d) At any time prior to the Closing, any of the terms or conditions of this Plan may be waived by the party who is entitled to the benefit thereof by action taken by AST’s Board of Trustees if, in the judgment of such Board of Trustees, such action or waiver will not have a material adverse affect on the benefits intended under this Plan to its shareholders, on behalf of whom such action is taken.

(e) If any order or orders of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to this Plan shall be issued prior to the Closing and shall impose any terms or conditions that are determined by action of the Board of Trustees of AST on behalf of the Portfolios to be acceptable, such terms and conditions shall be binding as if a part of this Plan without further vote or approval of the shareholders of the Target Portfolio, unless such terms and conditions shall result in a change in the method of computing the number of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to be issued the Target Portfolio, in which event, unless such terms and conditions shall have been included in the proxy solicitation material furnished to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio prior to the meeting at which the transactions contemplated by this Plan shall have been approved, this Plan shall not be consummated and shall terminate, unless AST on behalf of the Target Portfolio shall call a special meeting of shareholders at which such conditions so imposed shall be submitted for approval.

10. Entire Plan and Amendments.

This Plan embodies the entire plan of AST on behalf of the Portfolios, and there are no agreements, understandings, restrictions, or warranties between the parties other than those set forth or provided for herein. This Plan may be amended only by AST. Neither this Plan nor any interest herein may be assigned without the prior written consent of AST on behalf of the Portfolio corresponding to the Portfolio making the assignment.

11. Notices.

Any notice, report, or demand required or permitted by any provision of this Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given if delivered or mailed, first class postage prepaid, addressed to AST at 655 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102, Attention: Secretary.

The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DATED AUGUST 4, 2021

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

TO PROSPECTUS/PROXY STATEMENT

Dated August 4, 2021

655 Broad Street

Newark, New Jersey 07102

Reorganization of AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio into the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) expands upon and supplements information contained in the combined Proxy Statement of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the “Target Portfolio”), a series of the Advanced Series Trust (the “Trust” or “AST”), and the Prospectus of the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio”, and together with the Target Portfolio, the “Portfolios”), a series of the Trust, dated August 4, 2021 (such combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus being referred to herein as the “Prospectus/Proxy Statement”).

This SAI relates specifically to the proposed transfer of all of the Target Portfolio’s assets to the Acquiring Portfolio in exchange for (i) the Acquiring Portfolio’s assumption of all of the Target Portfolio’s liabilities, and (ii) the Acquiring Portfolio’s issuance to the Target Portfolio of shares of beneficial interest in the Acquiring Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio Shares”). The Acquiring Portfolio Shares received by the Target Portfolio will have an aggregate net asset value that is equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Target Portfolio shares that are outstanding immediately prior to the reorganization transaction. As a result of such transaction, the Target Portfolio will be completely liquidated, and Contract owners will beneficially own shares of the Acquiring Portfolio having an aggregate value equal to their Target Portfolio shares. A vote in favor of the Plan by the shareholders of the Target Portfolio will constitute a vote in favor of the liquidation of the Target Portfolio and the termination of such Portfolio as a separate series of the Trust.

The acquisition of the assets of the Target Portfolio by the Acquiring Portfolio in exchange for the Acquiring Portfolio’s assumption of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio, and the issuance of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the Target Portfolio and its shareholders, is referred to herein as the “Reorganization.” If shareholders of the Target Portfolio approve the Plan and the Reorganization is consummated, they will become shareholders of the Acquiring Portfolio.

This SAI consists of: (i) this Cover Page, (ii) a comparison of the investment restrictions of the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, and (iii) pro forma financial information relating to the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio. Additional information relating to the Trust is included in the Statement of Additional Information of the Trust, under file number 033-24962, dated April 26, 2021 (the “Trust SAI”), which is hereby incorporated by reference. Those portions of the SAI of the Trust relating to the Target Portfolio are incorporated herein by reference.

Audited financial statements and accompanying notes for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, and the independent auditors’ report thereon, dated February 22, 2021 and February 16, 2021, respectively, are incorporated herein by reference from the Trust’s Annual Report to Shareholders under file number 811-05186.

This SAI is not a Prospectus; you should read this SAI in conjunction with the Prospectus/Proxy Statement, which relates to the Reorganization. You can request a copy of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement by calling 800-778-2255 or by writing to AST at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. In addition, a copy of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement is available on the internet at www.prudential.com/variableinsuranceportfolios. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains this SAI and other material incorporated by reference and considered part of this SAI and the Prospectus/Proxy Statement, together with other information regarding AST.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

Set forth below are certain investment restrictions applicable to the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio. Fundamental restrictions may not be changed by the Board without a majority vote of shareholders as required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Non-fundamental restrictions may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

Fundamental Investment Restrictions Applicable to the Target Portfolio

Under its fundamental investment restrictions, the Target Portfolio will not:

1. Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

2. Borrow money, except that the Target Portfolio may borrow money from banks provided that the Target Portfolio maintains a ratio of assets to borrowings at all times in the manner set forth in the 1940 Act. Notwithstanding the above limitation, the Target Portfolio may borrow money from any person to the extent permitted by applicable law, including the 1940 Act, or to the extent permitted by any exemption from the 1940 Act that may be granted by the SEC, or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.

3. Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the Target Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) in connection with the purchase and sale of Target Portfolio securities.

4. Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Target Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.

5. Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Target Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Target Portfolio’s investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.

6. Make loans, except that the Target Portfolio may (i) lend Target Portfolio securities in accordance with the Target Portfolio’s investment policies in amounts up to 331/3% of the total assets of the Target Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.

7. Purchase any security if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Target Portfolio’s assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto).

8. With respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value of the Target Portfolio’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be held by the Target Portfolio.

If a restriction on the Target Portfolio’s investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Target Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the Target Portfolio’s investment Portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Target Portfolio’s total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.

With respect to investment restrictions (2) and (6), the Target Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such transactions.

With respect to investment restriction (6), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit the Target Portfolio’s investments in loan participations and assignments.

Fundamental Investment Restrictions Applicable to the Acquiring Portfolio

Under its fundamental investment restrictions, the Acquiring Portfolio may not:

1. Issue senior securities or borrow money or pledge its assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations. For purposes of this restriction, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, short sales, derivative and hedging transactions such as interest rate swap transactions, and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and transactions similar to any of the foregoing and collateral arrangements with respect thereto, and obligations of the Acquiring Portfolio to Trustees pursuant to any deferred compensation arrangements are not deemed to be a pledge of assets or the issuance of a senior security.

2. Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the Acquiring Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter (within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.

3. Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Acquiring Portfolio from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.

4. Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Acquiring Portfolio from (i) engaging in permissible options and futures transactions and forward foreign currency contracts in accordance with the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment policies, or (ii) investing in securities of any kind.

5. Make loans, except that the Acquiring Portfolio may (i) lend portfolio securities in accordance with the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment policies in amounts up to 33 1/3% of the total assets of the Acquiring Portfolio taken at market value, (ii) purchase money market securities and enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) acquire publicly distributed or privately placed debt securities, and (iv) make loans of money to other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any exemption there from that may be granted by the SEC or any SEC releases, no-action letters or similar relief or interpretive guidance.

6. Purchase any security if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets would be invested in the securities of issuers having their principal business activities in the same industry; provided that this restriction does not apply to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or to municipal securities (or repurchase agreements with respect thereto). For purposes of this limitation, investments in other investment companies shall not be considered an investment in any particular industry.

7. With respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the US Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value of the Acquiring Portfolio’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be held by the Acquiring Portfolio.

If a restriction on the Acquiring Portfolio’s investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of the Acquiring Portfolio assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the Acquiring Portfolio’s investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Acquiring Portfolio’s total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.

With respect to investment restrictions (1) and (5), the Acquiring Portfolio will not borrow or lend to any other fund unless it applies for and receives an exemptive order from the SEC, if so required, or the SEC issues rules permitting such transactions.

With respect to investment restriction (6), the Acquiring Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security for purposes of determining the percentage of the Acquiring Portfolio’s assets invested in the securities of issuers in a particular industry.

With respect to investment restriction (5), the restriction on making loans is not considered to limit Acquiring Portfolio’s investments in loan participations and assignments.

PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The Reorganization is intended to consolidate the Target Portfolio into the Acquiring Portfolio. The portfolio resulting from the Reorganization is referred to herein as the “Combined Portfolio.” The unaudited pro forma information set forth below for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2020, is intended to present ratios and supplemental data as if the Reorganization had been consummated at January 1, 2020. Such unaudited pro forma information should be read in conjunction with the Trust’s Annual Report to Shareholders under file number 811-05186, dated December 31, 2020, relating to the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio, which is on file with the SEC and is available at no charge.

For the 12-months ended December 31, 2020, the average daily net assets of the Target Portfolio were approximately $456 million, and the average daily net assets of the Acquiring Portfolio were approximately $2,675 million. The pro forma average daily net assets of the Combined Portfolio for the 12-months ended December 31, 2020, would have been approximately $3,131 million.

The Portfolios have the same custodian, transfer agent and shareholder servicing agent, sub-transfer agent, and independent registered public accounting firm. Each of these service providers has entered into an agreement with the Trust and PGIM Investments LLC (“PGIM Investments”) and AST Investment Services, Inc. (“ASTIS”, and together with PGIM Investments, the “Manager”) on behalf of the Portfolios, which governs the provision of services to the Portfolio. Such agreements contain the same terms with respect to the Portfolios.

The Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are both managed by PGIM Investments and ASTIS. The subadviser for the Target Portfolio is QMA LLC (“QMA”) and the subadvisers for the Acquiring Portfolio are QMA, J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. (“J.P. Morgan”), and Massachusetts Financial Services Company (“MFS”).

The contractual investment management fee rates for the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio are set forth below:

AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio

AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (year ended 12/31/20)

	Target Portfolio					Acquiring Portfolio					Combined Portfolio*
	Amount			Percentage of Average Net Assets		Amount			Percentage of Average Net Assets		Amount			Percentage of Average Net Assets
Management Fee	$	3,780,681		0.83	%	$	14,933,178		0.56	%	$	17,452,632		0.56	%
Distribution and/or Service Fees (l2b-l Fees)	1,140,025			0.25	%	6,686,958			0.25	%	7,826,983			0.25	%
Other Expenses	—			—		397,747			0.01	%	447,626			0.01	%
Dividend Expense on Short Sales	348,934			0.08	%	—			—		—			—
Broker Fees and Expenses on Short Sales	1,144,234			0.25	%	—			—		—			—
Remainder of Other Expenses	217,916			0.04	%	—			—		—			—
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	$	6,631,790		1.45	%	$	22,017,883		0.82	%	$	25,727,241		0.82	%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	(0.00		)	(0.00	)%	(401,217		)	(0.01	)%(1)	(469,619		)	(0.01	)%(2)
Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	$	6,631,790		1.45	%	$	21,616,666		0.81	%	$	25,257,622		0.81	%

(2) To the extent the Reorganization is approved, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive 0.015% of its investment management fee through June 30, 2022. In addition, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment management fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Combined Portfolio so that the Combined Portfolio’s investment management fee plus other expenses (exclusive, in all cases of, interest, brokerage, taxes (such as income and foreign withholding taxes, stamp duty and deferred tax expenses), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other Combined Portfolio expenses such as dividend and interest expense and broker charges on short sales) do not exceed 0.810% of the Combined Portfolio’s average daily net assets through June 30, 2022. Expenses waived/reimbursed by the Manager may be recouped by the Manager within the same fiscal year during which such waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (as of June 17, 2021)(1)

	Target Portfolio					Acquiring Portfolio					Combined Portfolio*
	Amount			Percentage of Average Net Assets		Amount			Percentage of Average Net Assets		Amount			Percentage of Average Net Assets
Management Fee	$	3,632,407		0.83	%	$	1,569,787		0.58	%	$	4,059,541		0.57	%
Distribution and/or Service Fees (l2b-l Fees)	1,094,957			0.25	%	673,728			0.25	%	1,768,685			0.25	%
Other Expenses	—			—		237,203			0.09	%	292,125			0.04	%
Dividend Expense on Short Sales	335,140			0.08	%	—			—		—			—
Broker Fees and Expenses on Short Sales	1,098,999			0.25	%	—			—		—			—
Remainder of Other Expenses	228,903			0.05	%	—			—		—			—
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	$	6,390,406		1.46	%	$	2,480,718		0.92	%	$	6,120,351		0.86	%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	(0		)	(0.00	)%	(297,839		)	(0.11	)%(2)	(389,813		)	(0.05	)%(3)
Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	$	6,390,406		1.46	%	$	2,182,879		0.81	%	$	5,730,538		0.81	%

waiver/reimbursement is made if such recoupment can be realized without exceeding the expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment for that fiscal year. These arrangements may not be terminated or modified without the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. (“PAD”) serves as the distributor of each portfolio of the Trust, including the Acquiring Portfolio and the Target Portfolio. PAD is an affiliate of PGIM Investments. For the 12-month period ended December 31, 2020, the 12b-1 fee paid by the Acquiring Portfolio to PAD was 0.25%. The distribution and service (12b-1) fee paid by the Acquiring Portfolio to PAD is intended to compensate PAD and its affiliates for various administrative services, including but not limited to the filing, printing and delivery of the Trust’s prospectus and statement of additional information, annual and semi-annual shareholder reports, and other required regulatory documents, responding to shareholder questions and inquiries relating to the Acquiring Portfolio, and related functions and services. In addition, pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan, the fee is intended to compensate PAD and its affiliates for various services rendered and expenses incurred in connection with activities intended to result in the sale or servicing of the shares of the Acquiring Portfolio.

Generally, as the asset size of a portfolio increases, the Other Expenses, as a percentage of net assets, decrease. Given that the Combined Portfolio is expected to be larger than the Target Portfolio, the Other Expenses of the Combined Portfolio would have been lower than the Other Expenses of the Target Portfolio had the Reorganization occurred on June 30, 2020 as a percentage of net assets.

No significant accounting policies will change as a result of the Reorganization, specifically, policies regarding valuation of portfolio securities, or compliance with Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The performance history of the Target Portfolio will terminate upon the completion of the Reorganization.

The Reorganization is expected to be tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This means that no gain or loss should be recognized by the Target Portfolio or its shareholders (i.e., the Participating Insurance Companies) as a result of the completion of the Reorganization. However, gain or loss will be recognized on any related sale of the Target Portfolio’s holdings. The aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Portfolio shares received by the shareholders of the Target Portfolio in connection with the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Target Portfolio shares held immediately before the Reorganization.

Additional Information Relating to the Acquiring Portfolio and the Combined Portfolio

Introduction

Additional information relating specifically to the Acquiring Portfolio is set forth below.

Subadvisory Agreements for Acquiring Portfolio and Combined Portfolio

The Manager has entered into a subadvisory agreement with QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS, pursuant to which PGIM Investments and ASTIS (and not the Acquiring Portfolio) will pay QMA, J.P. Morgan, and MFS the annualized fees shown below.

Subadviser		Contractual Subadvisory Fee Rate
QMA		0.15% of average daily net assets to $1.5 billion; 0.14% of average daily net assets over $1.5 billion
J.P. Morgan		0.20% of average daily net assets to $500 million; 0.18% of average daily net assets on the next $500 million; 0.17% of average daily net assets over $1 billion
MFS		0.21% of average daily net assets to $500 million; 0.195% of average daily net assets on the next $500 million; 0.185% of average daily net assets over $1 billion

QMA: QMA has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver agreement (the QMA Waiver) that applies to the following AST Portfolios subadvised by QMA: AST Academic Strategies Asset Allocation Portfolio, AST Prudential Flexible Multi-Strategy Portfolio (130/30 sleeve and market neutral sleeve), AST Prudential Growth Allocation Portfolio (QMA sleeve), AST QMA International Core Equity Portfolio, AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (QMA sleeve) and AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the Six Portfolios).

The QMA Waiver discounts QMA’s combined annualized subadvisory fees that it receives with respect to the assets it manages in the Six Portfolios. The size of the fee discount varies depending on the amount of such combined annual subadvisory fees.

Combined Annualized Subadviser Fees Received		Percentage Fee Waiver
Up to $5 million		0% Fee Reduction
$	5 million to $7.5 million	2.5% Fee Reduction
$7.5 million to $10 million		5% Fee Reduction
$10 million to $12.5 million		7.5% Fee Reduction
$12.5 million to $15 million		12.5% Fee Reduction
Over $15 million		15% Fee Reduction

MFS: MFS has agreed to a voluntary subadvisory fee waiver arrangement that applies across each of the following portfolios or sleeves of portfolios managed by MFS:

· AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (sleeve managed by MFS)

· AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio

· AST MFS Growth Allocation Portfolio

· AST MFS Growth Portfolio

· AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio

· AST Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio (sleeve managed by MFS)

· AST Mid-Cap Value Portfolio (sleeve managed by MFS)

MFS has agreed to voluntarily reduce the monthly subadvisory fees paid by ASTIS and/or PGIM Investments to MFS for each portfolio listed above (or the sleeve thereof subadvised by MFS) by the following percentages and with respect to the subadvisory fees otherwise payable on the incremental assets of the combined average daily net assets of the portfolios (or the sleeve thereof subadvised by MFS) that fall into the tiers listed below during any calendar month. To the extent the fee waiver is triggered for any particular calendar month, the resulting incremental discount will be applied pro rata across each of the portfolios (or the portion thereof subadvised by MFS). In the event that the combined average daily net assets of the above listed portfolios are $5 billion or less during any particular calendar month, then this voluntary fee reduction will not be applicable for the respective month. MFS reserves the right to withdraw this waiver by delivery of a written notice to the Co-Managers, which withdrawal shall become effective 30 days after such delivery.

Combined Average Daily Net Assets		Percentage Fee Waiver
First $5 billion		No Fee Reduction
Over $5 million and up to $7.5 billion		5% Fee Reduction
Over $7.5 million and up to $10 billion		7.5% Fee Reduction
Over $10 million and up to $20 billion		10% Fee Reduction
Over $20 billion and to $30 billion		15% Fee Reduction
Over $30 billion		20% Fee Reduction

Portfolio Managers: Other Accounts

Additional Information About the Portfolio Managers—Other Accounts and Share Ownership—Acquiring Portfolio

The following table sets forth information about the Acquiring Portfolio and accounts other than the Acquiring Portfolio for which the portfolio managers are primarily responsible for day-to-day portfolio management as of March 31, 2021. The table shows, for each such portfolio manager, the number of accounts managed and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts whose fees are based on performance is indicated in italics typeface. The table also sets forth the dollar range of equity securities of each portfolio of the Trust beneficially owned by the portfolio managers as of March 31, 2021.

Subadviser	Portfolio Managers	Registered Investment Companies	Other Pooled Investment Vehicles	Other Accounts	Ownership of Fund Securities
PGIM Investments	Brian Ahrens	[TO BE ADDED BY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT]
	Andrei O. Marinich, CFA
	Todd L. Kerin
	Saleem Z. Banatwala
QMA	Devang Gambhirwala*
	Stacie L. Mintz, CFA*
J.P. Morgan	Scott Davis
	Susan Bao
MFS	Kevin Beatty
	Ted Maloney
	Alison O’Neill Mackey

QMA

“Other Pooled Investment Vehicles” includes commingled insurance company separate accounts, commingled trust funds and other commingled investment vehicles. “Other Accounts” includes single client accounts, managed accounts (which are counted as one account per managed account platform), asset allocation clients, and accounts of affiliates. The assets in certain accounts have been estimated due to the availability of information only at the end of calendar quarters.

* Accounts are managed on a team basis. If a portfolio manager is a member of a team, any account managed by that team is included in the number of accounts and total assets for such portfolio manager (even if such portfolio manager is not primarily involved in the day-to-day management of the account).

Additional Information About the Portfolio Managers—Compensation and Conflicts of Interest—Acquiring Portfolio

QMA LLC (QMA)

COMPENSATION. QMA’s investment professionals are compensated through a combination of base salary, a performance-based annual cash incentive bonus and an annual long-term incentive grant. QMA regularly utilizes third party surveys to compare its compensation program against leading asset management firms to monitor competitiveness.

An investment professional’s incentive compensation, including both the annual cash bonus and long-term incentive grant, is largely driven by a person’s contribution to QMA’s goal of providing investment performance to clients consistent with portfolio objectives, guidelines and risk parameters, as well as such person’s qualitative contributions to the organization. An investment professional’s long-term incentive grant is currently divided into two components: (i) 80% of the value of the grant is subject to increase or decrease based on the performance of certain QMA strategies, and (ii) 20% of the value of the grant consists of restricted stock of Prudential Financial, Inc. (QMA’s ultimate parent company). The long-term incentive grants are subject to vesting requirements. The incentive compensation of each investment professional is not based solely or directly on the performance of a fund (or any other individual account managed by QMA) or the value of the assets of a fund (or any other individual account managed by QMA).

The annual cash bonus pool is determined quantitatively based on two primary factors: 1) investment performance of composites representing QMA’s various investment strategies on a 1-year and 3-year basis relative to appropriate market peer groups and the indices against which QMA’s strategies are managed, and 2) business results as measured by QMA’s pretax income.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. Like other investment advisers, QMA is subject to various conflicts of interest in the ordinary course of its business. QMA strives to identify potential risks, including conflicts of interest, that are inherent in its business, and conducts annual conflict of interest reviews. When actual or potential conflicts of interest are identified, QMA seeks to address such conflicts through one or more of the following methods:

· Elimination of the conflict;

· Disclosure of the conflict; or

· Management of the conflict through the adoption of appropriate policies and procedures.

QMA follows Prudential Financial’s policies on business ethics, personal securities trading, and information barriers. QMA has adopted a code of ethics, allocation policies and conflicts of interest policies, among others, and has adopted supervisory procedures to monitor compliance with its policies. QMA cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent, or result in the disclosure of, each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.

Side-by-Side Management of Accounts and Related Conflicts of Interest. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts can create incentives for QMA to favor one account over another. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how QMA addresses these conflicts.

· Asset-Based Fees vs. Performance-Based Fees; Other Fee Considerations. QMA manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. Asset-based fees are calculated based on the value of a client’s portfolio at periodic measurement dates or over specified periods of time. Performance-based fees are generally based on a share of the total return of a portfolio, and may offer greater upside potential to QMA than asset-based fees, depending on how the fees are structured. This side-by-side management could create an incentive for QMA to favor one account over another. Specifically, QMA could have the incentive to favor accounts for which it receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in order to bolster performance and increase its fees. In addition, since fees are negotiable, one client may be paying a higher fee than another client with similar investment objectives or goals. In negotiating fees, QMA takes into account a number of factors including, but not limited to, the investment strategy, the size of a portfolio being managed, the relationship with the client, and the required level of service. Fees may also differ based on account type. For example, fees for commingled vehicles, including those that QMA subadvises, may differ from fees charged for single client accounts.

· Long Only/Long-Short Accounts. QMA manages accounts that only allow it to hold securities long as well as accounts that permit short selling. QMA may, therefore, sell a security short in some client accounts while holding the same security long in other client accounts, creating the possibility that QMA is taking inconsistent positions with respect to a particular security in different client accounts.

· Compensation/Benefit Plan Accounts/Other Investments by Investment Professionals. QMA manages certain funds and strategies whose performance is considered in determining long-term incentive plan benefits for certain investment professionals. Investment professionals involved in the management of those accounts in these strategies have an incentive to favor them over other accounts they manage in order to increase their compensation. Additionally, QMA’s investment professionals may have an interest in funds in those strategies if the funds are chosen as options in their 401(k) or deferred compensation plans offered by Prudential or if they otherwise invest in those funds directly.

· Affiliated Accounts. QMA manages accounts on behalf of its affiliates as well as unaffiliated accounts. QMA could have an incentive to favor accounts of affiliates over others.

· Non-Discretionary Accounts or Model Portfolios. QMA provides non-discretionary model portfolios to some clients and manages other portfolios on a discretionary basis. When QMA manages accounts on a non-discretionary basis, the investment team will typically deliver a model portfolio to a non-discretionary client at or around the same time as executive discretionary trades in the same strategy. The non-discretionary clients may be disadvantaged if QMA delivers the model investment portfolio to them after it initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa.

· Large Accounts/Higher Fee Strategies. Large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts and certain strategies have higher fees than others. As a result, a portfolio manager has an incentive when allocating investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for QMA.

· Securities of the Same Kind or Class. QMA sometimes buys or sells or directs or recommends that one client buy or sell, securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client, at prices that may be different. Although such pricing differences could appear as preferences for one client over another, QMA’s trade execution in each case is driven by its consideration of a variety of factors as we seek the most advantageous terms reasonably attainable in the circumstances. Although

such pricing differences could appear as preferences for one client over another, QMA’s trade execution in each case is driven by its consideration of a variety of factors as we seek the most advantageous terms reasonably attainable in the circumstances. QMA may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account, or not trade in any other account. Opposite way trades are generally due to differences in investment strategy, portfolio composition, or client direction.

How QMA Addresses These Conflicts of Interest. The conflicts of interest described above with respect to different types of side-by-side management could influence QMA’s allocation of investment opportunities as well as its timing, aggregation and allocation of trades.

QMA has developed policies and procedures designed to address these conflicts of interest. QMA’s Conflicts of Interest and related policies stress that investment decisions are to be made in accordance with the fiduciary duties owed to each account without giving consideration to QMA or QMA personnel’s pecuniary, investment or other financial interests.

In keeping with its fiduciary obligations, QMA’s policies with respect to allocation and aggregation are to treat all of its accounts fairly and equitably over time. QMA’s investment strategies generally require that QMA invest its clients’ assets in securities that are publicly traded. QMA generally does not participate in initial public offerings. QMA’s investment strategies are team managed, reducing the likelihood that one portfolio would be favored over other portfolios managed by the team. These factors reduce the risk that QMA could favor one client over another in the allocation of investment opportunities. QMA’s compliance procedures with respect to these policies include independent reviews by its compliance unit of the timing, allocation and aggregation of trades, the allocation of investment opportunities and the performance of similarly managed accounts. These procedures are designed to detect patterns and anomalies in QMA’s side-by-side management and trading so that QMA may take measures to correct or improve its processes. QMA’s Trade Management Oversight Committee, which consists of senior members of QMA’s management team, reviews, among other things, trading patterns, execution impact on client accounts and broker performance, on a periodic basis.

QMA rebalances portfolios periodically with frequencies that vary with market conditions and investment objectives and may differ across portfolios in the same strategy based on variations in portfolio characteristics and constraints. QMA may choose to aggregate trades for all portfolios rebalanced on any given day, where appropriate and consistent with its duty of best execution. Orders are generally allocated at the time of the transaction or as soon as possible thereafter, on a pro rata basis equal to each account’s appetite for the issue when such appetite can be determined.

With respect to QMA’s management of long-short and long only accounts, the security weightings (positive or negative) in each account are always determined by a quantitative algorithm. An independent review is performed by the compliance unit to assess whether any such positions would represent a departure from the quantitative algorithm used to derive the positions in each portfolio. QMA’s review is intended to identify situations where QMA would seem to have conflicting views of the same security in different portfolios, although such views may actually be reasonable and consistent due to differing portfolio constraints.

QMA’s Relationships with Affiliates and Related Conflicts of Interest. As an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, QMA is part of a diversified, global financial services organization. It is affiliated with many types of U.S. and non-U.S. financial service providers, including insurance companies, broker-dealers, commodity trading advisors, commodity pool operators and other investment advisers. Some of its employees are officers of and/or provide services to some of these affiliates.

Conflicts Related to QMA’s Affiliations.

Conflicts Arising Out of Legal Restrictions. QMA may be restricted by law, regulation or contract as to how much, if any, of a particular security it may purchase or sell on behalf of a client, and as to the timing of such purchase or sale. Sometimes these restrictions apply as a result of QMA’s relationship with Prudential Financial and its other affiliates. For example, QMA’s holdings of a security on behalf of its clients are required under certain regulations, to be aggregated with the holdings of that security by other Prudential Financial affiliates. These holdings could, on an aggregate basis, exceed certain reporting thresholds. Prudential tracks these aggregate holdings and QMA may restrict purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict, forego or limit the exercise of rights to avoid crossing such thresholds because of the potential consequences to QMA, Prudential or QMA’s clients if such thresholds are exceeded. In addition, QMA could receive material, non-public information with respect to a particular issuer from an affiliate and, as a result, be unable to execute purchase or sale transactions in securities of that issuer for its clients. QMA is generally able to avoid receiving material, non-public information from its affiliates by maintaining information barriers to prevent the transfer of information between affiliates. QMA’s trading of Prudential Financial common stock for its clients’ portfolios also presents a conflict of interest and, consequently, QMA does so only when permitted by its clients.

The Fund may be prohibited from engaging in transactions with its affiliates even when such transactions may be beneficial for the Fund. Certain affiliated transactions are permitted in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund and reviewed by the independent board members of the Fund.

Conflicts Related to QMA’s Multi-Asset Class Services. QMA performs asset allocation services as subadviser for affiliated mutual funds managed or co-managed by the Investment Manager, including for some Portfolios offered by the Fund. Where, in these arrangements, QMA also manages underlying funds or accounts within asset classes included in the mutual fund guidelines, QMA will allocate assets to such underlying funds, vehicles, or accounts. In these circumstances, QMA receives both an asset allocation fee and a management fee. As a result, QMA has an incentive to allocate assets to an asset class or vehicle that it manages in order to increase its fees. To help mitigate this conflict, the compliance group reviews the asset allocation to determine that the investments were made within the established guidelines for each asset class or fund.

QMA’s affiliates can have an incentive to seek to influence QMA’s asset allocation decisions, for example to facilitate hedging or improve profit margins. Through training and the establishment of communication barriers, however, QMA seeks to avoid any influence by its affiliates and implements its asset allocation decisions solely in what QMA believes to be the best interests of the funds and in compliance with applicable guidelines. QMA also believes that it makes such allocations in a manner consistent with its fiduciary obligations.

In certain arrangements QMA subadvises mutual funds for the Investment Manager through a program where they have selected QMA as a manager, resulting in QMA’s collection of subadvisory fees from them. The Investment Manager also selects managers for some of QMA’s asset allocation products and, in certain cases, is compensated by QMA for these services under service agreements. The Investment Manager and QMA may have a mutual incentive to continue these types of arrangements that benefit both companies. These and other types of conflicts of interest are reviewed to verify that appropriate oversight is performed.

Conflicts Related to QMA’s Financial Interests and the Financial Interests of QMA’s Affiliates. QMA, Prudential Financial, Inc., The Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA) and other affiliates of QMA have financial interests in, or relationships with, companies whose securities QMA holds, purchases or sells in its client accounts. Certain of these interests and relationships are material to QMA or to the Prudential enterprise. At any time, these interests and relationships could be inconsistent or in potential or actual conflict with positions held or actions taken by QMA on behalf of its client accounts. For example, QMA invests in the securities of one or more clients for the accounts of other clients. QMA’s affiliates sell various products and/or services to certain companies whose securities QMA purchases and sells for its clients. QMA’s affiliates hold public and private debt and equity securities of a large number of issuers. QMA invests in some of the same issuers for its client accounts but at different levels in the capital structure. For instance, QMA may invest client assets in the equity of companies whose debt is held by an affiliate. Certain of QMA’s affiliates (as well as directors of QMA’s affiliates) are officers or directors of issuers in which QMA invests from time to time. These issuers may also be service providers to QMA or its affiliates. In general, conflicts related to the financial interests described above are addressed by the fact that QMA makes investment decisions for each client independently considering the best economic interests of such client.

Certain of QMA’s employees may offer and sell securities of, and units in, commingled funds that QMA manages or subadvises. Employees may offer and sell securities in connection with their roles as registered representatives of Prudential Investment Management Services LLC (a broker-dealer affiliate), or as officers, agents, or approved persons of other affiliates. There is an incentive for QMA’s employees to offer these securities to investors regardless of whether the investment is appropriate for such investor since increased assets in these vehicles will result in increased advisory fees to QMA. In addition, although sales commissions are not paid for such activities, such sales could result in increased compensation to the employee. To mitigate this conflict, QMA performs suitability checks on new clients as well as on an annual basis with respect to all clients.

Conflicts Related to Long-Term Compensation. A portion of the long-term incentive grant of some of QMA’s investment professionals will increase or decrease based on the annual performance of several of QMA’s strategies over defined time periods. Consequently, some of QMA’s portfolio managers from time to time have financial interests in the accounts they advise. To address potential conflicts related to these financial interests, QMA has procedures, including supervisory review procedures, designed to verify that each of its accounts is managed in a manner that is consistent with QMA’s fiduciary obligations, as well as with the account’s investment objectives, investment strategies and restrictions. Specifically, QMA’s chief investment officer will perform a comparison of trading costs between the advised accounts whose performance is considered in connection with the long-term incentive grant and other accounts, to verify that such costs are consistent with each other or otherwise in line with expectations. The results of the analysis are discussed at a meeting of QMA’s Trade Management Oversight Committee.

Conflicts Related to Service Providers. QMA retains third party advisors and other service providers to provide various services for QMA as well as for funds that QMA manages or subadvises. A service provider may provide services to QMA or one of its funds while also providing services to PGIM, Inc. (PGIM) other PGIM-advised funds, or affiliates of PGIM, and may negotiate rates in the context of the overall relationship. QMA may benefit from negotiated fee rates offered to its funds and vice-versa. There is no assurance, however, that QMA will be able to obtain advantageous fee rates from a given service provider negotiated by its affiliates based on their relationship with the service provider, or that it will know of such negotiated fee rates.

Conflicts of Interest in the Voting Process. Occasionally, a conflict of interest may arise in connection with proxy voting. For example, the issuer of the securities being voted may also be a client or affiliate of QMA. When QMA identifies an actual or potential conflict of interest between QMA and its clients or affiliates, QMA votes in accordance with the policy of its proxy voting advisor rather than its own policy. In that manner, QMA seeks to maintain the independence and objectivity of the vote.

J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. (JPMorgan)

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS. The potential for conflicts of interest exists when portfolio managers manage other accounts with similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund (“Similar Accounts”). Potential conflicts may include, for example, conflicts between investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. Responsibility for managing JPMorgan’s and its affiliates’ clients’ portfolios is organized according to investment strategies within asset classes. Generally, client portfolios with similar strategies are managed by portfolio managers in the same portfolio management group using the same objectives, approach and philosophy. Underlying sectors or strategy allocations within a larger portfolio are likewise managed by portfolio managers who use the same approach and philosophy as similarly managed portfolios. Therefore, portfolio holdings, relative position sizes and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios and strategies, which minimizes the potential for conflicts of interest.

JPMorgan and/or its affiliates (“JPMorgan Chase”) perform investment services, including rendering investment advice, to varied clients. JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase and its or their directors, officers, agents, and/or employees may render similar or differing investment advisory services to clients and may give advice or exercise investment responsibility and take such other action with respect to any of its other clients that differs from the advice given or the timing or nature of action taken with respect to another client or group of clients. It is JPMorgan’s policy, to the extent practicable, to allocate, within its reasonable discretion, investment opportunities among clients over a period of time on a fair and equitable basis. One or more of JPMorgan’s other client accounts may at any time hold, acquire, increase, decrease, dispose, or otherwise deal with positions in investments in which another client account may have an interest from time-to-time.

JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase, and any of its or their directors, partners, officers, agents or employees, may also buy, sell, or trade securities for their own accounts or the proprietary accounts of JPMorgan and/or JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan and/or JPMorgan Chase, within their discretion, may make different investment decisions and other actions with respect to their own proprietary accounts than those made for client accounts, including the timing or nature of such investment decisions or actions. Further, JPMorgan is not required to purchase or sell for any client account securities that it, JPMorgan Chase, and any of its or their employees, principals, or agents may purchase or sell for their own accounts or the proprietary accounts of JPMorgan, or JPMorgan Chase or its clients.

JPMorgan and/or its affiliates may receive more compensation with respect to certain Similar Accounts than that received with respect to the Fund or may receive compensation based in part on the performance of certain Similar Accounts. This may create a potential conflict of interest for JPMorgan and its affiliates or the portfolio managers by providing an incentive to favor these Similar Accounts when, for example, placing securities transactions. In addition, JPMorgan or its affiliates could be viewed as having a conflict of interest to the extent that JPMorgan or an affiliate has a proprietary investment in Similar Accounts, the portfolio managers have personal investments in Similar Accounts or the Similar Accounts are investment options in JPMorgan’s or its affiliates’ employee benefit plans. Potential conflicts of interest may arise with both the aggregation and allocation of securities transactions and allocation of investment opportunities because of market factors or investment restrictions imposed upon JPMorgan and its affiliates by law, regulation, contract or internal policies. Allocations of aggregated trades, particularly trade orders that were only partially completed due to limited availability and allocation of investment opportunities generally, could raise a potential conflict of interest, as JPMorgan or its affiliates may have an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to favored accounts. Initial public offerings, in particular, are frequently of very limited availability. JPMorgan and its affiliates may be perceived as causing accounts they manage to participate in an offering to increase JPMorgan’s and its affiliates’ overall allocation of securities in that offering. A potential conflict of interest also may be perceived to arise if transactions in one account closely follow related transactions in a different account, such as when a purchase increases the value of securities previously purchased by another account, or when a sale in one account lowers the sale price received in a sale by a second account. If JPMorgan or its affiliates manage accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, JPMorgan or its affiliates could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall.

As an internal policy matter, JPMorgan or its affiliates may from time to time maintain certain overall investment limitations on the securities positions or positions in other financial instruments JPMorgan or its affiliates will take on behalf of its various clients due to, among other things, liquidity concerns and regulatory restrictions. Such policies may preclude the Fund from purchasing particular securities or financial instruments, even if such securities or financial instruments would otherwise meet the Fund’s objectives.

The goal of JPMorgan and its affiliates is to meet their fiduciary obligation with respect to all clients. JPMorgan and its affiliates have policies and procedures that seek to manage conflicts. JPMorgan and its affiliates monitor a variety of areas, including compliance with fund guidelines, review of allocation decisions and compliance with JPMorgan’s Codes of Ethics and JPMorgan Chase and Co.’s Code of Conduct. With respect to the allocation of investment opportunities, JPMorgan and its affiliates also have certain policies designed to achieve fair and equitable allocation of investment opportunities among its clients over time. For example: Orders for the same equity security traded through a single trading desk or system are aggregated on a continual basis throughout each trading day consistent with JPMorgan’s and its affiliates’ duty of best execution for their clients. If aggregated trades are fully executed, accounts participating in the trade will be allocated their pro rata share on an average price basis. Partially completed orders generally will be allocated among the participating accounts on a pro-rata average price basis, subject to certain limited exceptions. For example, accounts that would receive a de minimis allocation relative to their size may be excluded from the order. Another exception may occur when thin markets or price volatility require that an aggregated order be completed in multiple executions over several days. If partial completion of the order would result in an uneconomic allocation to an account due to fixed transaction or custody costs, JPMorgan and its affiliates may exclude small orders until 50% of the total order is completed. Then the small orders will be executed. Following this procedure, small orders will lag in the early execution of the order, but will be completed before completion of the total order.

Purchases of money market instruments and fixed income securities cannot always be allocated pro-rata across the accounts with the same investment strategy and objective. However, the Adviser and its affiliates attempt to mitigate any potential unfairness by basing non-pro rata allocations traded through a single trading desk or system upon objective predetermined criteria for the selection of investments and a disciplined process for allocating securities with similar duration, credit quality and liquidity in the good faith judgment of the Adviser or its affiliates so that fair and equitable allocation will occur over time.

PORTFOLIO MANAGER COMPENSATION. JPMorgan’s compensation programs are designed to align the behavior of employees with the achievement of its short- and long-term strategic goals, which revolve around client investment objectives. This is accomplished, in part, through a balanced performance assessment process and total compensation program, as well as a clearly defined culture that rigorously and consistently promotes adherence to the highest ethical standards.

In determining portfolio manager compensation, JPMorgan uses a balanced discretionary approach to assess performance against four broad categories: (1) business results; (2) risk and control; (3) customers and clients; and (4) people and leadership.

These performance categories consider short-, medium- and long-term goals that drive sustained value for clients, while accounting for risk and control objectives. Specifically, portfolio manager performance is evaluated against various factors including the following: (1) blended pre-tax investment performance relative to competitive indices, generally weighted more to the long-term; (2) individual contribution relative to the client’s risk/return objectives; and (3) adherence with JPMorgan’s compliance, risk and regulatory procedures.

Feedback from JPMorgan’s risk and control professionals is considered in assessing performance.

JPMorgan maintains a balanced total compensation program comprised of a mix of fixed compensation (including a competitive base salary and, for certain employees, a fixed cash allowance), variable compensation in the form of cash incentives, and long-term incentives in the form of equity based and/or fund-tracking incentives that vest over time. Long-term awards comprise up to 60% of overall incentive compensation, depending on an employee’s pay level.

Long-term awards are generally in the form of time-vested JPMC Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”). However, portfolio managers are subject to a mandatory deferral of long-term incentive compensation under JPMorgan’s Mandatory Investor Plan (“MIP”). The MIP provides for a rate of return equal to that of the Fund(s) that the portfolio managers manage, thereby aligning portfolio manager’s pay with that of their client’s experience/return. 100% of the portfolio manager’s long-term incentive compensation is eligible for MIP with 50% allocated to the specific und(s) they manage, as determined by their respective manager. The remaining portion of the overall amount is electable and may be treated as if invested in any of the other Funds available in the plan or can take the form of RSUs.

Massachusetts Financial Services Company.

COMPENSATION. MFS’ philosophy is to align portfolio manager compensation with the goal to provide shareholders with long-term value through a collaborative investment process. Therefore, MFS uses long-term investment performance as well as contribution to the overall investment process and collaborative culture as key factors in determining portfolio manager compensation. In addition, MFS seeks to maintain total compensation programs that are competitive in the asset management industry in each geographic market where it has employees. MFS uses competitive compensation data to ensure that compensation practices are aligned with its goals of attracting, retaining, and motivating the highest-quality professionals.

MFS reviews portfolio manager compensation annually. In determining portfolio manager compensation, MFS uses quantitative means and qualitative means to help ensure a sustainable investment process. As of December 31, 2020, portfolio manager total cash compensation is a combination of base salary and performance bonus:

I. Base Salary — Base salary generally represents a smaller percentage of portfolio manager total cash compensation than performance bonus.

II. Performance Bonus — Generally, the performance bonus represents more than a majority of portfolio manager total cash compensation.

With respect to each portfolio manager except Mr. Joseph Flaherty, Jr., Mr. Kevin Beatty and Mr. Ted Maloney, the performance bonus is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, generally with more weight given to the former and less weight given to the latter.

The quantitative portion is primarily based on the pre-tax performance of accounts managed by the portfolio manager over a range of fixed-length time periods, intended to provide the ability to assess performance over time periods consistent with a full market cycle and a strategy’s investment horizon. The fixed-length time periods include the portfolio manager’s full tenure on each fund and, when available, ten-, five-, and three-year periods. For portfolio managers who have served for less than three years, shorter-term periods, including the one-year period, will also be considered, as will performance in previous roles, if any, held at the firm. Emphasis is generally placed on longer performance periods when multiple performance periods are available. Performance is evaluated across the full set of strategies and portfolios managed by a given portfolio manager, relative to appropriate peer group universes and/or representative indices (“benchmarks”). As of December 31, 2020, the following benchmarks were used to measure the following portfolio managers’ performance for the following Portfolios:

AST MFS Global Equity Portfolio

Portfolio Manager: Roger Morley
Benchmark(s): MSCI World Index (net div)

Portfolio Manager: Ryan McAllister
Benchmark(s): MSCI World Index (net div)

AST MFS Growth Portfolio
Portfolio Manager: Eric Fischman
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index

Portfolio Manager: Paul Gordon
Benchmark(s): Russell 1000® Growth Index

AST MFS Large-Cap Value Portfolio
Portfolio Manager: Nevin Chitkara
Benchmark: Russell 1000® Value Index

Portfolio Manager: Katherine Cannan
Benchmark: Russell 1000® Value Index

AST Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio

Portfolio Manager: Eric Fischman
Benchmark: Russell Midcap Growth Index

Portfolio Manager: Paul Gordon
Benchmark: Russell Midcap Growth Index

AST MFS Growth Allocation Portfolio

Portfolio Manager: Natalie Shapiro
Benchmark: Custom blended index consisting of S&P 500 Index (54%), MSCI Europe, Australasia and the Far East (EAFE) Index (21%), FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Real Estate Net Index (5%) and the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (20%).

AST Mid Cap Value Portfolio

Portfolio Manager: Kevin Schmitz and Brooks Taylor

Benchmark: MSCI USA Mid Cap Value Index (gross div)

AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio

Portfolio Manager: Allison O’Neill Mackey
Benchmark: Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index

Benchmarks may include versions and components of indices, custom indices, and linked indices that combine performance of different indices for different portions of the time period, where appropriate.

The qualitative portion is based on the results of an annual internal peer review process (where portfolio managers are evaluated by other portfolio managers, analysts, and traders) and management’s assessment of overall portfolio manager contribution to the MFS investment process and the client experience (distinct from fund and other account performance).

The performance bonus is generally a combination of cash and a deferred cash award. A deferred cash award is issued for a cash value and becomes payable over a three-year vesting period if the portfolio manager remains in the continuous employ of MFS or its affiliates. During the vesting period, the value of the unfunded deferred cash award will fluctuate as though the portfolio manager had invested the cash value of the award in an MFS Fund(s) selected by the portfolio manager.

With respect to Mr. Joseph Flaherty, Jr., his compensation reflects his broader role within MFS as Chief Investment Risk Officer in addition to being a portfolio manager. His performance bonus is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, generally with more weight given to the former and less weight given to the latter. The quantitative portion is based on overall group investment performance and business performance metrics. The qualitative portion is based on the results of an annual internal review process conducted by the Chief Investment Officer which takes into account his broad leadership responsibilities. This performance bonus is generally a combination of cash and a deferred cash award. A deferred cash award is issued for a cash value and becomes payable over a three-year vesting period if the portfolio manager remains in the continuous employ of MFS or its affiliates. During the vesting period, the value of the unfunded deferred cash award will fluctuate as though the portfolio manager had invested the cash value of the award in an MFS Fund(s) selected by the portfolio manager.

With respect to Mr. Kevin Beatty, his compensation reflects his broader role within MFS as Co-Chief Investment Officer - Equity - Americas of MFS in addition to being a portfolio manager. His performance bonus is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, generally with more weight given to the former and less weight given to the latter. The quantitative portion is based on overall group investment performance and business performance metrics. The qualitative portion is based on the results of an annual internal review process conducted by the Chief Investment Officer which takes into account his broad leadership responsibilities. This performance bonus is generally a combination of cash and a deferred cash award. A deferred cash award is issued for a cash value and becomes payable over a three-year vesting period if the portfolio manager remains in the continuous employ of MFS or its affiliates. During the vesting period, the value of the unfunded deferred cash award will fluctuate as though the portfolio manager had invested the cash value of the award in an MFS Fund(s) selected by the portfolio manager.

With respect to Mr. Ted Maloney, his compensation reflects his broader role within MFS as Chief Investment Officer of MFS in addition to being a portfolio manager. The Chief Executive Officer of MFS determines and recommends the amount of his compensation to the Sun Life Management Resources Committee of the Board of Directors of Sun Life Financial, Inc. (the ultimate parent company of MFS). His performance bonus is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors. The quantitative portion is based on overall group investment performance and business performance metrics. The qualitative portion is based on the results of an annual internal review process conducted by the Chief Executive Officer which takes into account his broad leadership responsibilities. In addition, Mr. Maloney participates in a mandatory deferred compensation program whereby a portion of his performance bonus is deferred and awarded in the form of restricted stock units.

With respect to Ms. Alison O’Neill Mackey, her compensation reflects her broader role within MFS as Co-Chief Investment Officer-Equity-Americas in addition to being a portfolio manager. Her performance bonus is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, generally with more weight given to the former and less weight given to the latter. The quantitative portion is based on overall group investment performance and business performance metrics. The qualitative portion is based on the results of an annual internal review process conducted by the Chief Investment Officer which takes into account her broad leadership responsibilities. This performance bonus is generally a combination of cash and a deferred cash award. A deferred cash award is issued for a cash value and becomes payable over a three-year vesting period if the portfolio manager remains in the continuous employ of MFS or its affiliates. During the vesting period, the value of the unfunded deferred cash award will fluctuate as though the portfolio manager had invested the cash value of the award in an MFS Fund(s) selected by the portfolio manager.

MFS Equity Plan — Portfolio managers also typically benefit from the opportunity to participate in the MFS Equity Plan. Equity interests are awarded by management, on a discretionary basis, taking into account tenure at MFS, contribution to the investment process, and other factors.

Finally, portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans (including a defined contribution plan and health and other insurance plans) and programs available generally to other employees of MFS. The percentage such benefits represent of any portfolio manager’s compensation depends upon the length of the individual’s tenure at MFS and salary level, as well as other factors.

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. MFS seeks to identify potential conflicts of interest resulting from a portfolio manager’s management of both the Portfolio and other accounts, and has adopted policies and procedures designed to address such potential conflicts. There is no guarantee that MFS will be successful in identifying or mitigating conflicts of interest.

The management of multiple funds and accounts (including proprietary accounts) gives rise to conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives and strategies, benchmarks, time horizons and fees as a portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. In certain instances there are securities which are suitable for the Portfolio as well as for one or more other accounts advised by MFS or its subsidiaries (including proprietary accounts) with similar investment objectives. MFS’ trade allocation policies may give rise to conflicts of interest if the Portfolio’s orders do not get fully executed or are delayed in getting executed due to being aggregated with those of other accounts advised by MFS or its subsidiaries. A portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely affect the value of the Portfolio’s investments. Investments selected for funds or accounts other than the Portfolio may outperform investments selected for the Portfolio.

When two or more accounts are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed by MFS to be fair and equitable to each. Allocations may be based on many factors and may not always be pro rata based on assets managed. The allocation methodology could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Fund is concerned.

MFS and/or a portfolio manager may have a financial incentive to allocate favorable or limited opportunity investments or structure the timing of investments to favor accounts other than the Portfolio, for instance, those that pay a higher advisory fee and/or have a performance adjustment, those that include an investment by the portfolio manager, and/or those in which MFS and/or its affiliates own or have an interest.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, certain accounts may invest their assets in other accounts advised by MFS or its affiliates, including accounts that are advised by one or more of the same portfolio manager(s), which could result in conflicts of interest relating to asset allocation, timing of purchases and redemptions, and increased profitability for MFS, its affiliates, and/or its personnel, including portfolio managers.

PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 15. Indemnification

Section 5.2 of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust provides as follows:

The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees, Trustees Emeritus, officers, employees, and agents (including persons who serve at its request as directors, officers, employees, agents or trustees of another organization in which it has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) against all liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, as fines and penalties, and as counsel fees) reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of his being or having been such a trustee, trustee emeritus, officer, employee or agent, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been adjudicated to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of having acted in bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties; provided, however, that as to any matter disposed of by a compromise payment by such person, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless approved as in the best interests of the Trust, after notice that it involves such indemnification, by at least a majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter) upon a determination, based upon a review of readily available facts, that (i) such person acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests of the Trust and (ii) is not liable to the Trust or the Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties; or the trust shall have received a written opinion from independent legal counsel approved by the Trustees to the effect that (x) if the matter of good faith and reasonable belief as to the best interests of the Trust, had been adjudicated, it would have been adjudicated in favor of such person, and (y) based upon a review of readily available facts such trustee, officer, employee or agent did not engage in willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty. The rights accruing to any Person under these provisions shall not exclude any other right to which he may be lawfully entitled; provided that no Person may satisfy any right of indemnity or reimbursement granted herein or in Section 5.1 or to which he may be otherwise entitled except out of the property of the Trust, and no Shareholder shall be personally liable to any Person with respect to any claim for indemnity or reimbursement or otherwise. The Trustees may make advance payments in connection with indemnification under this Section 5.2, provided that the indemnified person shall have given a written undertaking to reimburse the Trust in the event it is subsequently determined that he is not entitled to such indemnification and, provided further, that the Trust shall have obtained protection, satisfactory in the sole judgment of the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter), against losses arising out of such advance payments or such Trustees, or independent legal counsel, in a written opinion, shall have determined, based upon a review of readily available facts that there is reason to believe that such person will be found to be entitled to such indemnification.

With respect to liability of the Manager to Registrant or to shareholders of Registrant’s Portfolios under the Investment Management Agreements, reference is made to Section 13 or 14 of each form of Investment Management Agreement filed herewith or incorporated by reference herein.

With respect to the Subadvisers’ indemnification of the Manager and its affiliated and controlling persons, and the Manager’s indemnification of each subadviser and its affiliated and controlling persons, reference is made to Section 14 of each form of Subadvisory Agreement filed herewith or incorporated by reference herein. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, trustees emeritus, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant or expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, trustee emeritus, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, trustee emeritus, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

ITEM 16. Exhibits

(1)(a) Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 57 to Registrant’s Registration Statement for Form N-1A (File Nos. 33-24962 and 811-5186) (the “Registration Statement”), which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 27, 2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.

(1)(b) Amendment to Declaration of Trust of Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on April 26, 2007, and is incorporated herein by reference.

(2) By-laws of Registrant. Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to Registration Statement, which Amendment was filed via EDGAR on February 18, 2005, and is incorporated herein by reference.

(3) None

SIGNATURES

As required by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed on behalf of the Registrant, in the City of Newark and State of New Jersey, on the 25th day of June, 2021.

	ADVANCED SERIES TRUST

	/s/ Timothy Cronin
	Timothy Cronin*
	President

Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Timothy S. Cronin*	President and Principal Executive Officer
Timothy S. Cronin

/s/ Susan Davenport Austin*	Trustee
Susan Davenport Austin

/s/ Sherry S. Barrat*	Trustee
Sherry S. Barrat

/s/ Jessica M. Bibliowicz*	Trustee
Jessica M. Bibliowicz

/s/ Kay Ryan Booth*	Trustee
Kay Ryan Booth

/s/ Stephen M. Chipman*	Trustee
Stephen M. Chipman

/s/ Robert F. Gunia*	Trustee
Robert F. Gunia

/s/ Thomas T. Mooney*	Trustee
Thomas T. Mooney

/s/ Thomas M. O’Brien*	Trustee
Thomas M. O’Brien

Page
11		Summary
14		Information About the Reorganization
17		Comparison of Target Portfolio, the Acquiring Portfolio and the Combined Portfolio
25		Management of the Portfolios
27		Voting Information
28		Additional Information About the Target Portfolio and the Acquiring Portfolio
29		Principal Holders of Shares
29		Financial Highlights
33		Exhibit A: Plan of Reorganization
40		Exhibit B: Advanced Series Trust Summary Prospectus Relating to the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio dated April 26, 2021

		ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
		on behalf of the Acquiring Portfolio listed in Schedule A

Attest: Melissa Gonzalez,		By:
Assistant Secretary		Title:
		ADVANCED SERIES TRUST
		on behalf of the Target Portfolio listed in Schedule A

Attest: Melissa Gonzalez,		By:
Assistant Secretary		Title:

/s/ Christian J. Kelly*		Treasurer, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer
Christian J. Kelly		Treasurer, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer

*By:	/s/ Melissa Gonzalez		Attorney-in-Fact		June 25, 2021

Exhibit Number		Description

(11)		Opinion and Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Registrant.

(12)		Form of Opinion & Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel to the Registrant, supporting tax matters and consequences to shareholders.

(14)		Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, of Advanced Series Trust.

(16)		Power of Attorney.

(17)		Form of voting instruction card.

Exhibits
A		Form of Plan of Reorganization
B		Summary Prospectus for the Acquiring Portfolio dated April 26, 2021

	Page No.
Investment Restrictions	43
Pro Forma Financial Information	45
Additional Information Relating to the Acquiring Portfolio and the Combined Portfolio	48

		Goodwin Procter LLP
		100 Northern Avenue
		Boston, MA 02210

		goodwinlaw.com
		+1 617 570 1000

Target Fund		Acquiring Fund
AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio		AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio

Signature		Title

/s/ Timothy S. Cronin		Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer
Timothy S. Cronin

/s/ Susan Davenport Austin		Trustee
Susan Davenport Austin

/s/ Sherry S. Barrat		Trustee
Sherry S. Barrat

/s/ Jessica Bibliowicz		Trustee
Jessica Bibliowicz

/s/ Kay Ryan Booth		Trustee
Kay Ryan Booth

/s/ Stephen M. Chipman		Trustee
Stephen M. Chipman

/s/ Robert F. Gunia		Trustee
Robert F. Gunia

/s/ Thomas T. Mooney		Trustee
Thomas T. Mooney

/s/ Thomas M. O’Brien		Trustee
Thomas M. O’Brien

/s/ Christian J. Kelly		Treasurer, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer
Christian J. Kelly

THE PROPOSAL:	To approve a Plan of Reorganization of the Fund (the “Plan of Reorganization”) on behalf of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the “Target Portfolio”) and the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio”) and the transactions contemplated thereby, including (i) the transfer of all of the assets of the Target Portfolio to the Acquiring Portfolio and the assumption by the Acquiring Portfolio of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio, in exchange for full and fractional shares of the Acquiring Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio Shares”), (ii) the distribution of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio according to their respective interests in complete liquidation of the Target Portfolio, and (iii) the dissolution of the Target Portfolio as soon as practicable after the Closing (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization), all upon and subject to the terms of the Plan of Reorganization.

	o FOR	o AGAINST	o ABSTAIN

PROPOSAL 1:	To approve a Plan of Reorganization of the Fund (the “Plan of Reorganization”) on behalf of the AST QMA US Equity Alpha Portfolio (the “Target Portfolio”) and the AST Large-Cap Core Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio”) and the transactions contemplated thereby, including (i) the transfer of all of the assets of the Target Portfolio to the Acquiring Portfolio and the assumption by the Acquiring Portfolio of all of the liabilities of the Target Portfolio, in exchange for full and fractional shares of the Acquiring Portfolio (the “Acquiring Portfolio Shares”), (ii) the distribution of Acquiring Portfolio Shares to the shareholders of the Target Portfolio according to their respective interests in complete liquidation of the Target Portfolio, and (iii) the dissolution of the Target Portfolio as soon as practicable after the Closing (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization), all upon and subject to the terms of the Plan of Reorganization.

	o FOR	o AGAINST	o ABSTAIN