497K 1 e82835e497k.htm 497K e497k
(SUMMARY PROSPECTUS LOGO)
Class A: GBRAX   Class C: GBRCX   Institutional: GBRIX
Before you invest, you may want to review the Goldman Sachs BRIC Fund’s (the “Fund”) Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s Prospectus and other information about the Fund, including the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) and most recent annual reports to shareholders, online at www.goldmansachsfunds.com/summaries. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800-621-2550 for Institutional shareholders, 800-526-7384 for all other shareholders or by sending an e-mail request to gs-funds-document-requests@gs.com. The Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, both dated February 26, 2010, and most recent report to shareholders, dated October 31, 2009, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Goldman Sachs Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Shareholder Guide — Common Questions Applicable to the Purchase of Class A Shares” beginning on page 52 of the Prospectus and “Other Information Regarding Maximum Sales Charge, Purchases, Redemptions, Exchanges and Dividends” beginning on page B-120 of the Fund’s SAI.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
             
            Institutional
    Class A   Class C   Shares
 
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
  5.5%   None   None
 
           
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)1
  None   1.0%   None
 
           
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed; imposed on the redemption of shares held for 30 calendar days or less)
  2.0%   2.0%   2.0%
 
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
                         
    Class A     Class C     Institutional
 
Management Fees
    1.30 %     1.30 %     1.30 %
 
                       
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
    0.25 %     1.00 %   None
 
                       
Other Expenses
    0.45 %     0.45 %     0.30 %
 
Total Annual Fund
    2.00 %     2.75 %     1.60 %
Operating Expenses
                       
 
                       
Fee Waiver2
    (0.03 )%     (0.03 )%     (0.03 )%
 
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver
    1.97 %     2.72 %     1.57 %
 
1   A contingent deferred sales charge of 1% is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.
 
2   The Investment Adviser (as defined below) has agreed to waive a portion of the management fee on the Fund equal to 0.03% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, through at least February 28, 2011, and prior to such date, the Investment Adviser may not unilaterally terminate the arrangement.


(GOLDMAN SACHS LOGO)


 

2    SUMMARY PROSPECTUS — GOLDMAN SACHS BRIC FUND (BRAZIL, RUSSIA, INDIA, CHINA)

EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Class A, Class C and/or Institutional Shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Class A, Class C and/or Institutional Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the Example assumes that the management fee waiver and expense limitation arrangement between the Fund and Investment Adviser will remain in place for only one year). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
                                 
    1 Year     3 Years     5 Years     10 Years  
 
Class A Shares
  $ 739     $ 1,141     $ 1,566     $ 2,747  
 
Class C Shares
                               
 
— Assuming complete redemption at end of period
  $ 375     $ 851     $ 1,452     $ 3,078  
 
— Assuming no redemption
  $ 275     $ 851     $ 1,452     $ 3,078  
 
Institutional Shares
  $ 160     $ 502     $ 868     $ 1,898  
 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities or instruments (i.e., “turns over” its portfolio). A high rate of portfolio turnover may result in increased transaction costs, including brokerage commissions, which must be borne by the Fund and its shareholders, and is also likely to result in higher short-term capital gains for taxable shareholders. These costs are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the expense example above, but are reflected in the Fund’s performance. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2009 was 117% of the average value of its portfolio.

FUND STRATEGY
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of investment) (“Net Assets”) in a portfolio of equity investments in issuers located in Brazil, Russia, India and China (“BRIC countries”) or in issuers that participate in the markets of the BRIC countries.
An issuer participates in the markets of the BRIC countries if the issuer:
§   Has a class of its securities whose principal securities market is in a BRIC country;
 
§   Is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office in, a BRIC country; or
 
§   Maintains 50% or more of its assets in one or more BRIC countries.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund maintains investments in at least four emerging countries: Brazil, Russia, India and China. Generally, the Fund may invest in issuers that expose the Fund to the prevailing economic circumstances and factors present in the BRIC countries. The Fund may invest in other emerging country issuers, in addition to BRIC country issuers.
Allocation of the Fund’s investments is determined by the Investment Adviser’s assessment of a company’s upside potential and downside risk, how attractive it appears relative to other holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry weightings. The largest weightings are given to companies the Investment Adviser believes have the most upside return potential relative to their contribution to overall portfolio risk.
The Fund’s investments are selected using a strong valuation discipline to purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by shareholder-oriented management teams.
The Fund may also invest in (i) fixed income securities of private and government emerging country issuers; and (ii) equity and fixed income securities, such as government, corporate and bank debt obligations, of developed country issuers.

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF THE FUND
Loss of money is a risk of investing in each Fund. An investment in a Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any government agency. The Fund should not be relied upon as a complete investment program. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Stock Risk. Stock prices have historically risen and fallen in periodic cycles. U.S. and foreign stock markets have experienced periods of substantial price volatility in the past and may do so again in the future.
Market Risk. The value of the instruments in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular industry sectors or governments and/or general economic conditions.
BRIC Risk. The Fund’s investment exposure to the BRIC countries will subject the Fund, to a greater extent than if investments were not made in those countries, to the risks of adverse securities markets, exchange rates and social, political, regulatory or economic events which may occur in those countries. The economies, industries, securities and currency markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China, may be adversely affected by protectionist trade policies, a slow U.S. economy, political and social instability, regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war, including actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S.



 

3    SUMMARY PROSPECTUS — GOLDMAN SACHS BRIC FUND (BRAZIL, RUSSIA, INDIA, CHINA)

Foreign Risk. Foreign securities may be subject to risk of loss because of less foreign government regulation, less public information and less economic, political and social stability in these countries. Loss may also result from the imposition of exchange controls, confiscations and other government restrictions, or from problems in registration, settlement or custody. Foreign risk also involves the risk of negative foreign currency rate fluctuations, which may cause the value of securities denominated in such foreign currency (or other instruments through which the Fund has exposure to foreign currencies) to decline in value. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.
Emerging Countries Risk. The securities markets of most Central and South American, African, Middle Eastern, Asian, Eastern European and other emerging countries are less liquid, are especially subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries.
Liquidity Risk. The risk that the Fund may make investments that may be illiquid or that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund will not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified and is permitted to invest more of its assets in fewer issuers than a “diversified” mutual fund. Thus, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio, and may be more susceptible to greater losses because of these developments.

PERFORMANCE
The bar chart and table at right provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund’s Class A Shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total returns of the Fund’s Class A, Class C and Institutional Shares compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost at www.goldmansachsfunds.com or by calling 800-621-2550 for Institutional shareholders and 800-526-7384 for all other shareholders.
The bar chart (including “Best Quarter” and “Worst Quarter” information) does not reflect the sales loads applicable to Class A Shares. If the sales loads were reflected, returns would be less. Performance reflects expense limitations in effect.
(BAR CHART)
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
                 
For the period ended           Since  
December 31, 2009   1 Year     Inception  
 
Class A (Inception 6/30/06)
               
Returns Before Taxes
    90.25 %     10.81 %
Returns After Taxes on Distributions
    90.25 %     10.33 %
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
    58.66 %     9.14 %
 
Class C (Inception 6/30/06)
               
Returns Before Taxes
    98.72 %     11.76 %
 
Institutional Shares (Inception 6/30/06)
               
Returns Before Taxes
    102.21 %     13.07 %
 
MSCI® BRIC 5-25 Investable Markets Index (net) (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
    101.67 %     17.78 %
 
The after-tax returns are for Class A Shares only. The after-tax returns for Class C and Institutional Shares will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. In addition, the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.



 

4    SUMMARY PROSPECTUS — GOLDMAN SACHS BRIC FUND (BRAZIL, RUSSIA, INDIA, CHINA)

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International is the investment adviser for the Fund (the “Investment Adviser” or “GSAMI”).
Portfolio Managers: Maria Gordon, CFA, Managing Director, Head of Global Emerging Markets Equity, has managed the Fund since 2006; Richard Flax, CFA, Executive Director, Global Emerging Markets Equity, has managed the Fund since 2006; Patrick Shum, Managing Director, Co-Head of Greater China Equity, has managed the Fund since 2008.

BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
The minimum initial investment for Class A and Class C Shares is, generally, $1,000. The minimum initial investment for Institutional Shares is, generally, $10,000,000 but may be $1,000,000 alone or in combination with other assets under the management of GSAMI and its affiliates for certain types of investors. There may be no minimum for initial purchases for Institutional Shares for certain retirement accounts.
The minimum subsequent investment for Class A and Class C shareholders is $50, except for Employer Sponsored Benefit Plans, for which there is no minimum. There is no minimum subsequent investment for Institutional shareholders.
You may purchase and redeem (sell) shares of the Fund on any business day through certain brokers, registered investment advisers and other financial institutions (“Authorized Institutions”).

TAX INFORMATION
The Fund’s distributions are taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase the Fund through an Authorized Institution, the Fund and/or its related companies may pay the Authorized Institution for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Authorized Institution and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Authorized Institution’s website for more information.