Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
1933 Act Registration File No. 033-20827
1940 Act Registration File No. 811-05518
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | [ | X | ] | ||
Pre-Effective Amendment No. | [ | ] | |||
Post-Effective Amendment No. | 323 | [ | X | ] |
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | [ | X | ] | ||
Amendment No. | 328 | [ | X | ] |
(Check Appropriate Box or Boxes)
THE
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
615 East Michigan Street |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (609) 731-6256
Copies to:
STEVEN PLUMP | JILLIAN L. BOSMANN, ESQUIRE |
The RBB Fund, Inc. | Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP |
615 East Michigan Street | One Logan Square, Suite 2000 |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-5207 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996 |
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the Registration Statement becomes effective.
[ | ] | immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) | |
[ | X | ] | on |
[ | ] | 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) | |
[ | ] | on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) | |
[ | ] | 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) | |
[ | ] | on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485. |
If appropriate, check the following box:
[ | ] | This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment. |
Prospectus
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund –
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II –
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund –
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund –
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund –
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund –
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund –
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund –
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund –
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund –
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund –
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund –
The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TABLE OF CONTENTS |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND | 3 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II | 9 |
SUMMARY SECTION — WPG PARTNERS SELECT SMALL CAP VALUE FUND | 15 |
SUMMARY SECTION — WPG PARTNERS SELECT HEDGED FUND | 22 |
SUMMARY SECTION — WPG PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE DIVERSIFIED FUND | 30 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY FUND | 36 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY FUND | 45 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS FUND | 53 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND | 62 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND | 69 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND | 76 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND | 85 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS' INVESTMENTS AND RISKS | 95 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS | 111 |
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION | 119 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | 133 |
APPENDIX A | 134 |
APPENDIX B | 136 |
APPENDIX C | 138 |
APPENDIX D | 140 |
APPENDIX E | 142 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS | 144 |
FOR MORE INFORMATION | Back Cover |
A look at the investment objectives, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of each of the Boston Partners Investment Funds offered in this Prospectus.
Details about the Boston Partners Investment Funds' service providers offered in this Prospectus.
Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in any of the Boston Partners Investment Funds offered in this Prospectus. |
2 |
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
3 |
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks of issuers across the capitalization spectrum and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer's operating and financial fundamentals, such as return on equity and earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar-denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities ("IPO"). An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain debt securities and preferred stock.
The Fund may hedge overall portfolio exposure up to 40% of its net assets through the purchase and sale of index and individual put and call options.
In general, the Fund's investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing less than 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
4 |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value ("NAV"). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
5 |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investments of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund's portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. |
● | Mid-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a "call") or sell (a "put") an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may "cover" a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt, erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent on a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
6 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | |||
Russell 3000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
7 |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Manager
Duilio Ramallo, Senior Portfolio Manager since 2007.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) by the means described below.
Purchase
and Redemption By Mail: P.O. Box 701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
8 |
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
9 |
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks of issuers with small market capitalizations and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics. A small market capitalization issuer generally is considered to be one whose market capitalization is, at the time the Fund makes the investment, similar to the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index. The Russell 2000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that contains stocks from the Russell 2000® Index with less than average growth orientation. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the Russell 2000® Value Index was $804 million and the largest stock was $10.3 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change.
The Fund generally invests in the equity securities of small companies. The Adviser will seek to invest in companies it considers to be well managed and to have attractive fundamental financial characteristics. The Adviser believes greater potential for price appreciation exists among small companies since they tend to be less widely followed by other securities analysts and thus may be more likely to be undervalued by the market. The Fund may invest from time to time a portion of its assets, not to exceed 20% (under normal conditions) at the time of purchase, in companies with larger market capitalizations.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer's operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar-denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public.
In general, the Fund's investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
10 |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value ("NAV"). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
11 |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investments of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund's portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Small Cap Companies Risk. The Fund will invest in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index. Small market capitalization issuers are not as diversified in their business activities as issuers with market capitalizations greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index and are more susceptible to changes in the business cycle. |
The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund invests may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the "pink sheets," and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser's judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value.
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class.
12 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | |||
Russell 2000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
13 |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
George Gumpert, Portfolio Manager since 2005.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
14 |
The WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
15 |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. companies that, at the time of purchase, have a market capitalization that is within the range of the market capitalization of issuers in the Russell 2000® Value Index. As of Mach 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index is $804 million and the largest stock is $10.3 billion. The Fund may invest in depositary receipts and equity securities of foreign companies. Although the Fund invests primarily in common stocks (which include both exchange-listed and over-the-counter ("OTC") securities), the Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including (without limitation):
● | Securities convertible into common stocks. |
● | Shares of real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). |
● | Warrants and rights to purchase common stocks. |
● | Preferred stocks. |
● | Exchange-traded limited partnerships. |
Special Situations: The Fund may invest in companies that may experience unusual and possibly unique developments which may create a special opportunity for significant returns. Special situations include: significant technological improvements or important discoveries; reorganizations, recapitalizations or mergers; favorable resolutions of litigation; new management or material changes in company policies; and actual or potential changes in control of a company.
Strategies: The Adviser uses a value approach to select the Fund's investments. Using this investment style, the Adviser seeks securities selling at substantial discounts to their underlying values and then holds these securities until the market values reflect what the Adviser believes to be their intrinsic values. The Adviser employs a bottom-up strategy, focusing on undervalued industries that the Adviser believes are experiencing positive change. The Adviser then uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess a security's potential value. The portfolio manager managing the Fund and the analytical team meet with a multitude of companies annually to identify companies with increasing returns on capital in their core businesses which are selling at attractive valuations.
Factors the Adviser looks for in selecting investments include (without limitation):
● | Increasing returns on invested capital. |
● | Companies who have demonstrated an ability to generate high return on invested capital. |
● | Companies which provide solid cash flows with appropriate capital. |
● | Potential catalysts such as new products, cyclical upturns and changes in management. |
● | Low market valuations relative to earnings forecast, book value, cash flow and sales. |
16 |
The Fund is non-diversified and may invest in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in, or have exposure to, equity securities. Equity securities tend to be more volatile than other investment choices, such as debt and money market instruments. The value of your investment may decrease in response to overall stock market movements or the value of individual securities. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
17 |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investments of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund's portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may frequently trade its portfolio securities, resulting in higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Fund’s performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is considered to be high. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 400%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it wil improve the Fund’s performance. |
● | OTC Risk. Securities traded on OTC markets are not listed and traded on an organized exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"). Generally, the volume of trading in an unlisted or OTC common stock is less than the volume of trading in an exchange-listed stock. As a result, the market liquidity of some stocks in which the Fund invests may not be as great as that of exchange-listed stocks and, if the Fund were to dispose of such stocks, the Fund may have to offer the shares at a discount from recent prices or sell the shares in small lots over an extended period of time. In addition, penny stocks and pink sheet stocks can be classified as OTC stocks. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
● | Rights and Warrants Risk. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right's or warrant's expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. |
18 |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt, erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources or may be dependent on a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. |
● | Special Situations Risk. The Fund will seek to benefit from "special situations," such as mergers, reorganizations, or other unusual events expected to affect a particular issuer. There is a risk that the "special situation" might not occur or involve longer time frames than originally expected, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer's securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Fund. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
19 |
The
for the three months ended was
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year and since-inception periods to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Period Ended December 31, 2023 |
||
1 Year | Since Inception December 29, 2021) |
|
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund | ||
Return Before Taxes | ||
Return After Taxes on Distributions(1) | ||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | ||
Russell 2000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | - |
(1) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Manager
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA, Portfolio Manager of the Fund since inception in 2021.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the NYSE is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
20 |
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
21 |
The WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other Expenses(1) | |
Short Sales Expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. The Fund does not have any portfolio turnover information as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
The Fund uses a hedged strategy. The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. Short sales are considered speculative transactions and a form of leverage. The Fund invests, both long and short, in equity securities traded in the United States markets. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less (“unseasoned issuers”). The Adviser will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Fund seeks to construct a portfolio that has less volatility than the United States equity market generally by investing less than 100% of its assets in net long positions. Although the Fund seeks to follow a hedged strategy, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s portfolio or investments will be insulated from market moves or effectively hedged against risk. The Fund is non-diversified, and may invest in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund.
22 |
The Adviser uses a value approach to select the Fund's long and short investments. Using this investment style, the Adviser seeks securities selling at substantial differences from their underlying values and then holds these securities until the market values reflect what the Adviser believes to be their intrinsic values. The Adviser employs a bottom-up strategy. The Adviser then uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess a security's potential value. The Fund’s portfolio manager and research team meet with a multitude of companies annually to identify companies with increasing returns on capital in their core businesses which are selling at attractive valuations.
Factors the Adviser looks for in selecting long investments include (without limitation):
● | Increasing returns on invested capital; |
● | Companies who have demonstrated an ability to generate high return on invested capital; |
● | Companies which provide solid cash flows with appropriate capital; |
● | Potential catalysts such as new products, cyclical upturns and changes in management; and |
● | Low market valuations relative to earnings forecast, book value, cash flow and sales. |
Factors the Adviser looks for in selecting short investments include (without limitation):
● | Decreasing returns on invested capital; |
● | Companies persistently generating low returns on investment, well below their cost of capital; |
● | Companies with persistently negative cash flows; and |
● | Potential catalysts such as declining growth rates, margin compression, and capital structure deterioration. |
The Fund pursues its objective by primarily investing, under normal circumstances, in equity securities traded in the United States markets that, at the time of purchase, have a market capitalization that is within the range of the market capitalization of issuers in the Russell 2000® Value Index. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index is $804 million and the largest stock is $10.3 billion. The Fund may invest in depositary receipts and equity securities of foreign companies. Although the Fund invests primarily in common stocks (which include both exchange-listed and over-the-counter (“OTC”) securities), the Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including (without limitation):
● | Securities convertible into common stocks. |
● | Shares of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). |
● | Warrants and rights to purchase common stocks. |
● | Preferred stocks. |
● | Shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds (“ETFs”)). |
● | Exchange-traded limited partnerships. |
Under normal circumstances, the Adviser expects that the Fund's long positions will not exceed approximately 100% of the Fund's net assets.
23 |
The Fund's long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of foreign issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets directly in equity securities of foreign issuers.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Fund may invest in companies that may experience unusual and possibly unique developments which may create a special opportunity for significant returns. Special situations include: significant technological improvements or important discoveries; reorganizations, recapitalizations or mergers; favorable resolutions of litigation; new management or material changes in company policies; and actual or potential changes in control of a company.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities ("IPO"). An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including forward contracts and swaps. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller or unseasoned issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with larger market capitalizations.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
24 |
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in, or have exposure to, equity securities. Equity securities tend to be more volatile than other investment choices, such as debt and money market instruments. The value of your investment may decrease in response to overall stock market movements or the value of individual securities. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. ETFs are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund’s own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the “ask” price quoted by a seller and the “bid” price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value (“NAV”). |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
25 |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the manager believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the manager believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. |
● | New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with no operating history. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to, or maintain, an economically viable size, in which case the Board of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) may determine to liquidate the Fund. |
26 |
● | Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund. |
● | OTC Risk. Securities traded on OTC markets are not listed and traded on an organized exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Generally, the volume of trading in an unlisted or OTC common stock is less than the volume of trading in an exchange-listed stock. As a result, the market liquidity of some stocks in which the Fund invests may not be as great as that of exchange-listed stocks and, if the Fund were to dispose of such stocks, the Fund may have to offer the shares at a discount from recent prices or sell the shares in small lots over an extended period of time. In addition, penny stocks and pink sheet stocks can be classified as OTC stocks. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may frequently trade its portfolio securities, resulting in higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Fund’s performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is considered to be high. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). |
● | Rights and Warrants Risk. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right’s or warrant’s expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security’s price declines, but may result in losses if a security’s price rises. In a rising market, short positions may be more likely to result in losses because securities sold short may be more likely to increase in value. Short selling also involves the risks of: increased leverage, and its accompanying potential for losses; the potential inability to reacquire a security in a timely manner, or at an acceptable price; the possibility of the lender terminating the loan at any time, forcing the Fund to close the transaction under unfavorable circumstances; and the additional costs that may be incurred. Short sales “against the box” may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not “against the box” involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Fund’s loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited. |
27 |
● | Small Cap Companies Risk. The Fund will invest in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index. Small market capitalization issuers are not as diversified in their business activities as issuers with market capitalizations greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index and are more susceptible to changes in the business cycle. |
Some small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund invests may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value.
● | Special Situations Risk. The Fund will seek to benefit from “special situations,” such as mergers, reorganizations, or other unusual events expected to affect a particular issuer. There is a risk that the “special situation” might not occur or involve longer time frames than originally expected, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Fund. |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Manager
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA, Portfolio Manager since inception of the Fund in 2024.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the NYSE is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through the Company by the means described below.
28 |
Purchase
and Redemption By Mail: P.O. Box
701 |
Purchase
and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
29 |
The WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund (the “Fund”) seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks, securities convertible into common stocks and in special situations.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
30 |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. companies that, at the time of purchase, have a market capitalization that is within the range of the market capitalization of issuers in the Russell 2000® Value Index. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index is $804 million and the largest stock is $10.3 billion. The Fund may invest in depositary receipts and equity securities of foreign companies. Although the Fund invests primarily in common stocks, the Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including (without limitation):
● | Securities convertible into common stocks. |
● | Shares of real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). |
● | Warrants and rights to purchase common stocks. |
● | Preferred stocks. |
● | Exchange-traded limited partnerships. |
Special Situations: The Fund may invest in companies that may experience unusual and possibly unique developments which may create a special opportunity for significant returns. Special situations include: significant technological improvements or important discoveries; reorganizations, recapitalizations or mergers; favorable resolutions of litigation; new management or material changes in company policies; and actual or potential changes in control of a company.
Strategies: The Adviser uses a value approach to select the Fund's investments. Using this investment style, the Adviser seeks securities selling at substantial discounts to their underlying values and then holds these securities until the market values reflect what the Adviser believes to be their intrinsic values. The Adviser employs a bottom-up strategy, focusing on undervalued industries that the Adviser believes are experiencing positive change. The Adviser then uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess a security's potential value. The portfolio managers managing the Fund meet with a multitude of companies annually to identify companies with increasing returns on capital in their core businesses which are selling at attractive valuations.
Factors the Adviser looks for in selecting investments include (without limitation):
● | Increasing returns on invested capital. |
● | Companies who have demonstrated an ability to generate high return on invested capital (ROIC). |
● | Companies which provide solid cash flows with appropriate capital. |
● | Potential catalysts such as new products, cyclical upturns and changes in management. |
● | Low market valuations relative to earnings forecast, book value, cash flow and sales. |
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
31 |
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value ("NAV"). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investments of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund's portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
32 |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the price of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
● | Rights and Warrants Risk. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right's or warrant's expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt, erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent on a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. |
● | Special Situations Risk. The Fund will seek to benefit from "special situations," such as mergers, reorganizations, or other unusual events expected to affect a particular issuer. There is a risk that the "special situation" might not occur or involve longer time frames than originally expected, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer's securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Fund. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
33 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | |||
Return Before Taxes | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares(2) | |||
Russell 2000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
(2) |
34 |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Richard Shuster, Senior Portfolio Manager since 1999.
Gregory Weiss, Portfolio Manager since 1999.
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA, Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase
and Redemption By Mail: P.O. Box 701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
35 |
The Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
36 |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, in a diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies of any capitalization size. The Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including without limitation exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, participatory notes, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds ("ETFs")), real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and equity participation. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.
The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (ordinarily at least 40% — unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Adviser, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Fund principally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries).
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, including borrowings for investment purposes, in companies that meet the Adviser’s sustainability criteria. Fund holdings must have received at least a “satisfactory” sustainability rating by the Adviser’s Sustainability and Engagement Team (the “Sustainability Team”) based on the Sustainability Team’s written research analysis. The Sustainability Team assesses each holding as either “excellent,” “good,” “satisfactory,” or “poor.” An issuer will be rated “excellent” if the issuer, in the opinion of the Sustainability Team, has a well-developed sustainability structure, well-designed goals for the future, demonstrated successful implementation of its sustainability program and shareholder friendly corporate governance. The Sustainability Team will rate an issuer as “good” if the issuer, in the opinion of the Sustainability Team, has attributes similar to those described in “excellent” but has some deficiencies that warrant improvement. The Sustainability Team will rate an issuer as “satisfactory” if the issuer, in the opinion of the Sustainability Team, has a sustainability program in place, has a sufficient level of sustainability disclosure for the Sustainability Team to assess the issuer’s sustainability program and has a commitment to improve its sustainability program and disclosure in the near term. All other holdings assessed by the Sustainability Team that are not rated either “excellent”, “good” or “satisfactory” are rated “poor”. These ratings are subjective and may vary if the issuer has products or services that inherently promote sustainability, particularly for other products or services, or has engaged in conduct that has or has the potential to lower the sustainability reputation of the issuer in the opinion of the Sustainability Team.
37 |
The Sustainability Team uses a positive screen to identify issuers it considers to have characteristics that meet the Adviser’s sustainability criteria. The Sustainability Team assesses the sustainability of the issuer’s products, services and operations through original research and focusing on key areas such as corporate governance, internal sustainability structure, workforce and management diversity, training and employee development opportunities, safety programs and injury metrics, environmental effects such as goals and metrics for greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage, renewable energy, waste and water, supplier oversight and litigation and regulatory issues. The Sustainability Team uses primarily issuer published documents such as its sustainability report, website, publicly available financial reports such as the issuer’s 10-K and the issuer’s proxy statement to prepare the Sustainability Team’s research. The Sustainability Team also undertakes an internet search for any litigation, regulatory or reputational issues. The Sustainability Team may use third party research about industry trends for background information, but it does not rely on third party data about the issuer for its assessment of the issuer. The Sustainability Team provides a sustainability assessment for all issuers held in the Fund’s portfolio. The Sustainability Team’s ratings are subjective. No industries are automatically excluded from consideration. The Adviser will vote all securities for which it has voting authority in the best interests of its clients. The Adviser’s Governance Committee votes all proxies. The Governance Committee assesses the likely effect of the proxy proposal on the value of the issuer’s stock including the effect on the management of the issuer, the importance to shareholders of the proxy proposal and the cost of the proposal.
The Sustainability Team also engages with issuers regarding sustainability deficiencies and reviews any improvements by issuers annually.
The Fund generally invests in the equity securities of issuers believed by the Adviser to be undervalued in the marketplace, focusing on issuers that combine attractive valuations with catalysts for change. The Adviser applies a bottom-up stock selection process (i.e., one that focuses primarily on issuer-specific factors) in managing the Fund, using a combination of fundamental and quantitative analysis. In selecting investments for the Fund, the Adviser considers various factors such as price-to-book value, price-to-sales and earnings ratios, dividend yields, strength of management, and cash flow to identify securities that are trading at a price that appears to be lower than the issuer's inherent value.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals, business momentum, or sustainability practices of a specific investment or industry. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities ("IPO"). An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public. The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
38 |
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund's investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Emerging Markets Risk. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in securities of issuers in developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available of an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited. |
39 |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. ETFs are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund's own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quoted by a seller and the "bid" price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value (“NAV”). |
● | Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in, or have exposure to, equity securities. Equity securities tend to be more volatile than other investment choices, such as debt and money market instruments. The value of your investment may decrease in response to overall stock market movements or the value of individual securities. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers either directly or through depositary receipts. Depositary receipts may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Participatory notes ("P-notes") are derivative instruments used by investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes present similar risks to investing directly in such securities and also expose investors to counterparty risk. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
40 |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Large-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of large capitalization companies as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Fund to underperform investments that focus solely on small- or medium-capitalization stocks. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investments of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund's portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. |
● | Mid-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a "call") or sell (a "put") an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may "cover" a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
41 |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker- dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt, erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent on a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. |
● | Sustainable Investment Risk. The sustainability criterion required for Fund investment may cause the Fund to not invest in certain industries or issuers. As a result, the Fund may be overweight or underweight in certain industries or issuers relative to its benchmark index, which may cause the Fund’s performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those industries or issuers. Sustainability information provided by issuers, upon which the portfolio managers may rely, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies, or be applied differently across companies and industries. Further, the regulatory landscape for sustainable investing in the United States is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process. Similarly, government policies incentivizing issuers to engage in sustainable practices may fall out of favor, which could potentially limit the Fund’s investment universe. There is also a risk that the companies identified through the investment process may fail to adhere to sustainable business practices, which may result in the Fund selling a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous to do so. There is no guarantee that sustainable investments will outperform the broader market on either an absolute or relative basis. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
42 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year and since-inception periods to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Period Ended December 31, 2023 |
||
1 Year | Since Inception December 29, 2021) |
|
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund | ||
Return Before Taxes | ||
Return After Taxes on Distributions(1) | ||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | ||
MSCI ACWI Index ex US Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | - |
43 |
(1) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Manager
Soyoun Song, Portfolio Manager of the Fund since inception in 2021.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund versus another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
44 |
The Boston Partners Global Equity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide long-term capital growth.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
45 |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies of any capitalization size. The Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity- related securities, including without limitation exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, participatory notes, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds ("ETFs")), real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and equity participation. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.
The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (ordinarily at least 40% — unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Adviser, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Fund principally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets, but may also invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries).
The Fund generally invests in the equity securities of issuers believed by the Adviser to be undervalued in the marketplace, focusing on issuers that combine attractive valuations with catalysts for change. The Adviser applies a bottom-up stock selection process (i.e., one that focuses primarily on issuer-specific factors) in managing the Fund, using a combination of fundamental and quantitative analysis. In selecting investments for the Fund, the Adviser considers various factors such as price-to-book value, price-to-sales and earnings ratios, dividend yields, strength of management, and cash flow to identify securities that are trading at a price that appears to be lower than the issuer's inherent value.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
46 |
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities ("IPO"). An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public. The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
47 |
● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund's investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Emerging Markets Risk. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in securities of issuers in developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. Exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund's own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quoted by a seller and the "bid" price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF's shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value ("NAV"). |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers either directly or through depositary receipts. Depositary receipts may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Participatory notes ("P-notes") are derivative instruments used by investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes present similar risks to investing directly in such securities and also expose investors to counterparty risk. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
48 |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investments of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund's portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. |
49 |
● | Mid-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. |
● | Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a "call") or sell (a "put") an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may "cover" a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker- dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt, erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent on a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. |
The bar chart and table below illustrate the long-term
performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
50 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund | |||
Return Before Taxes | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | |||
MSCI World Index - Net Return (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
51 |
Portfolio Managers
Christopher K. Hart, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since inception.
Joshua Jones, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2013.
Soyoun Song, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2023.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Global Equity Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund versus another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
52 |
The Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund (the “Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal period
ended August 31, 2023 , the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
53 |
The Fund will pursue its objective through a value oriented, research-driven strategy of investing in equity securities and financial instruments with equity like characteristics designed to provide exposure to emerging markets. Securities are selected by the Adviser using its "three circles" approach which combines a quantitative screening with a fundamental bottom up selection process. This investment strategy is grounded in the following principles: (1) low valuation stocks outperform high valuation stocks; (2) companies with strong fundamentals, e.g., high and sustainable returns on invested capital, outperform companies with weak fundamentals; and (3) stocks with positive business momentum, e.g., rising earnings estimates, outperform stocks with negative business momentum. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of issuers, including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals, such as return-on-equity and earnings growth and cash flow.
The Fund intends, under normal circumstances, to invest at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in the securities of emerging market issuers, related derivative instruments and other investments that are tied economically to emerging market countries. The Adviser considers an emerging market country to include any country that is: 1) generally recognized to be an emerging market country by the international financial community, including the World Bank; 2) classified by the United Nations as a developing country; or 3) included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Due to the unique relationship between China and its separately administered regions, the Adviser includes Hong Kong and Macau as emerging markets, independent of above definitions 1 through 3. The Adviser determines that an investment is tied economically to an emerging market if such investment satisfies one or more of the following conditions: 1) the issuer’s primary trading market is in an emerging market; 2) the issuer is organized under the laws of, derives at least 50% of its revenue from, or has at least 50% of its assets in emerging markets; 3) the investment is included in an index representative of emerging markets; and 4) the investment is exposed to the economic risks and returns of emerging markets.
In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser will seek to identify mispriced publicly traded equity securities of emerging market companies and purchase securities that the Adviser believes will outperform, emphasizing low valuation, positive business momentum and high quality.
The Fund’s portfolio is rebalanced regularly to maintain the optimal risk/return trade-off. The Adviser assesses each stock’s changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. The Adviser will sell a stock that the Adviser believes no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk tradeoff. The Fund’s investment adviser may engage in active trading, and will not consider portfolio turnover a limiting factor in making decisions for the Fund.
The equity securities in which the Fund will invest, which may include equity securities of non-U.S. issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States, include equity securities issued by large-, mid- and small- or micro-cap companies, as well as exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds ("ETFs")), real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and equity participations. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less ("unseasoned issuers").
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations (commonly known as “junk bonds”), such as bonds and debentures, used by corporations and other business organizations (e.g., trusts or limited liability companies). Such high yield debt obligations are not considered to be investment grade. Junk bonds are rated BB or lower by S&P Global, or have a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (or, if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of investment). The Fund may invest in securities of the lowest rating category, including securities in default. The Adviser may, but is not required to, sell a bond or note held by the Fund in the event that its credit rating is downgraded. The Fund will primarily invest in fixed income instruments, including high yield debt obligations, when the Fund believes that such instruments offer a better risk/reward profile than comparable equity opportunities.
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To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
In general, the Fund’s investments will be spread over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing less than 25% of its total assets in any one industry, except that the Fund may invest in exchange traded funds to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), and applicable SEC orders.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPOs”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
The Fund will invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, contracts for differences, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes. Contracts for differences offer exposure to price changes in an underlying security without ownership of such security, typically by providing investors the ability to trade on margin. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
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● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund's investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Emerging Markets Risk. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in securities of issuers in developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited. |
● | Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in, or have exposure to, equity securities. Equity securities tend to be more volatile than other investment choices, such as debt and money market instruments. The value of your investment may decrease in response to overall stock market movements or the value of individual securities. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. ETFs are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund's own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quoted by a seller and the "bid" price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF's shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value ("NAV"). |
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● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in junk bonds, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such junk bonds are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
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● | Large-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of large capitalization companies as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Fund to underperform investments that focus solely on small- or medium-capitalization stocks. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investments of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund's portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Mid-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. |
● | Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a "call") or sell (a "put") an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may "cover" a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. Losses incurred by the Fund in writing options can be potentially unlimited. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may frequently trade its portfolio securities, resulting in higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Fund’s performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is considered to be high. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 400%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Fund’s performance. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
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● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt, erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent on a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the period reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and since inception periods to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods.
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Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 |
|||
1 Year | 5 Years | Since Inception (October 17, 2017) |
|
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund | |||
Return Before Taxes | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(2) | |||
MSCI Emerging Markets Index - Net Return (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
(2) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Boston Partners, Portfolio Manager since inception in 2017.
David Kim, Portfolio Manager since 2021.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
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Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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The Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The Fund seeks a total return greater than that of the S&P 500® Index over a full market cycle.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other Expenses | |
Short Sales Expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. Short sales are considered speculative transactions and a form of leverage. The Fund invests, both long and short, in securities principally traded in the United States markets. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less ("unseasoned issuers"). The Adviser will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Fund seeks to construct a portfolio that has less volatility than the United States equity market generally. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer's operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund intends, under normal circumstances, to invest at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. Under normal circumstances, the Adviser expects that the Fund's long positions will not exceed approximately 125% of the Fund's net assets.
The Fund's long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of foreign issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets directly in equity securities of foreign issuers.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities ("IPO"). An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with larger market capitalizations.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
In general, the Fund's investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
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The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by corporations and other business organizations. High yield debt obligations are referred to as "junk bonds" and are not considered to be investment grade.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value ("NAV"). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
64 |
● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as "junk bonds" and are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the manager believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the manager believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security's price declines, but may result in losses if a security's price rises. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund may invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the "pink sheets," and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser's judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
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● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods. Although the Fund compares its average total return to a broad-based securities market index, the Fund seeks returns that are not correlated to securities market returns. The Fund seeks to achieve a 12-15% return over a full market cycle; however, there can be no guarantee that such returns will be achieved.
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Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(2) | |||
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
(2) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Patrick Regan, Portfolio Manager since 2019.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase
and Redemption By Mail: P.O. Box 701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
67 |
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
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The Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide long-term total return.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Short Sales Expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same. 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 | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund uses a hedged strategy. The Fund actively invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales (i.e., sales of securities the Fund does not own) are invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. Short sales are considered speculative transactions and a form of leverage.
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The Fund invests, both long and short, in equity securities issued by large-, mid- and small (or "micro") cap companies, as well as other instruments that are convertible into equity securities. Selling securities short is a form of leverage. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), and equity participations. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less ("unseasoned issuers"). The Fund may also invest in depositary receipts and equity securities of foreign companies (denominated in either U.S. dollars or foreign currencies), put and call options, futures, indexed securities and fixed-income securities (including bonds, notes, asset-backed securities, convertible securities, Eurodollar and Yankee dollar instruments, preferred stocks and money market instruments) and high yield securities (commonly referred to as "junk bonds"). Fixed income securities in which the Fund invests include those rated between AAA and D by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or deemed of comparable quality by the Adviser. The Adviser may also temporarily invest uninvested cash in money market funds and similar collective investment vehicles. The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
The Adviser determines the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Fund seeks to construct a portfolio that has less volatility than the U.S. equity market by investing less than 100% of its assets in net long positions. Selection of individual securities to be held long or sold short will be based on a mix of quantitative techniques and fundamental security analysis. The Adviser selects stocks on the basis of three criteria: value, fundamental business strength and momentum. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer's operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
Although the Fund seeks to follow a hedged strategy, there can be no assurance that the Fund's portfolio or investments will be insulated from market moves or effectively hedged against risk.
In general, the Fund's investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing less than 25% of its total assets in any one industry, except that the Fund may invest in exchange traded funds to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), and applicable SEC orders.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The principal derivative instruments in which the Fund invests are futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps. The Fund's investments in derivative instruments may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
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Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund's investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. Exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund's own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quoted by a seller and the "bid" price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF's shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value ("NAV"). |
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● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations (of any rating, including defaulted securities and unrated securities), including bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as "junk bonds" and are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | Indexed Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in indexed securities whose value is linked to securities indices. Most such securities have values that rise and fall according to the change in one or more specified indices and may have characteristics similar to direct investments in the underlying securities. Depending on the index, such securities may have greater volatility than the market as a whole. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Adviser may be incorrect in the stocks it buys and believes to be undervalued and in stocks it sells short and believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical mutual fund with only a long portfolio. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the price of these stocks will not move even lower. |
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● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security's price declines, but may result in losses if a security's price rises. In a rising market, short positions may be more likely to result in losses because securities sold short may be more likely to increase in value. Short selling also involves the risks of: increased leverage, and its accompanying potential for losses; the potential inability to reacquire a security in a timely manner, or at an acceptable price; the possibility of the lender terminating the loan at any time, forcing the Fund to close the transaction under unfavorable circumstances; and the additional costs that may be incurred. Short sales "against the box" may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not "against the box" involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Fund's loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund may invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the "pink sheets," and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser's judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
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The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund's Institutional Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(2) | |||
S&P 500® Index(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
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(1) |
(2) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer
of Boston Partners, Portfolio Manager since inception of the Fund.
Scott Burgess, CFA, Portfolio Manager since December 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
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The Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund (the “Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Short Sales Expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales(1) | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
(1) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and Fund operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs and returns might be different, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. Short sales are considered speculative transactions and a form of leverage. The Fund invests, both long and short, in securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies of any capitalization size.
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With a long position, the Fund purchases a stock outright; with a short position, the Fund sells a security that it does not own and must borrow to meet its settlement obligations. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less ("unseasoned issuers"). The Adviser will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer's operating and financial fundamentals, including return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including without limitation exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds ("ETFs")), real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and equity participation. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.
The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (ordinarily at least 40% — unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Adviser, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Fund principally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets, but may also invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries).
The Fund's portfolio is rebalanced regularly. The Adviser assesses each investment's changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. The Adviser will sell an investment held long or close out a short position that the Adviser believes no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk tradeoff.
Under normal circumstances, the Adviser expects to sell securities short so that the Fund's portfolio is approximately 50% net long with an average of between 30% and 70% net long.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities ("IPO"). An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with larger market capitalizations.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
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In general, the Fund's investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry. The Fund is non-diversified, and may invest in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by U.S. and foreign corporations and other business organizations (e.g., trusts or limited liability companies). Such high yield debt obligations are not considered to be investment grade. Non-investment grade fixed income securities (commonly known as "junk bonds") are rated BB or lower by S&P Global, or have a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (or, if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of investment). The Fund may invest in securities of the lowest rating category, including securities in default. The Adviser may, but is not required to, sell a bond or note held by the Fund in the event that its credit rating is downgraded.
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund's assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
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● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund's investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Emerging Markets Risk. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in securities of issuers in developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. ETFs are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund's own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quoted by a seller and the "bid" price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF's shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value ("NAV"). |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
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● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers either directly or through depositary receipts. Depositary receipts may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Participatory notes ("P-notes") are derivative instruments used by investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes present similar risks to investing directly in such securities and also expose investors to counterparty risk. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as "junk bonds" and are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the manager believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the manager believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical stock mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make. |
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● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a "call") or sell (a "put") an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may "cover" a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. Losses incurred by the Fund in writing options can be potentially unlimited. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk. If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Fund's performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is considered to be high. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 400%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Fund's performance. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security's price declines, but may result in losses if a security's price rises. In a rising market, short positions may be more likely to result in losses because securities sold short may be more likely to increase in value. Short selling also involves the risks of: increased leverage, and its accompanying potential for losses; the potential inability to reacquire a security in a timely manner, or at an acceptable price; the possibility of the lender terminating the loan at any time, forcing the Fund to close the transaction under unfavorable circumstances; and the additional costs that may be incurred. Short sales "against the box" may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not "against the box" involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Fund's loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited. The use of short sales may cause the Fund to have higher expenses than those of other equity mutual funds because of higher transaction costs, premiums, interest or dividends payable to the lender. |
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● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund may invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the "pink sheets," and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser's judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Institutional Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
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The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | |||
MSCI® World Index - Net Return(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Christopher K. Hart, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since inception.
Joshua Jones, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2013.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
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Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
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The Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Institutional Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Class shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.
Institutional Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Short Sale Expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1) | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(2) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
(2) |
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 $100,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Institutional Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund will pursue its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities. The Fund will invest in a non-diversified, multi-strategy long-short portfolio of equity securities and financial investments with equity like characteristics designed to provide exposure to emerging markets. Securities are selected by the Adviser using its "three circles" approach which combines a quantitative screening with a fundamental bottom up selection process. This investment strategy is grounded in the following principles: (1) low valuation stocks outperform high valuation stocks; (2) companies with strong fundamentals, e.g., high and sustainable returns on invested capital, outperform companies with weak fundamentals; and (3) stocks with positive business momentum, e.g., rising earnings estimates, outperform stocks with negative business momentum. With a long position, the Fund purchases a stock outright; with a short position, the Fund sells a security that it does not own and must borrow to meet its settlement obligations. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of issuers, including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals, such as return-on-equity and earnings growth and cash flow.
The Fund intends, under normal circumstances, to invest at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in the securities of emerging market issuers, related derivative instruments and other investments that are tied economically to emerging market countries. The Adviser considers an emerging market country to include any country that is: 1) generally recognized to be an emerging market country by the international financial community, including the World Bank; 2) classified by the United Nations as a developing country; or 3) included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Due to the unique relationship between China and its separately administered regions, the Adviser includes Hong Kong and Macau as emerging markets, independent of above definitions 1 through 3. The Adviser determines that an investment is tied economically to an emerging market if such investment satisfies one or more of the following conditions: 1) the issuer’s primary trading market is in an emerging market; 2) the issuer is organized under the laws of, derives at least 50% of its revenue from, or has at least 50% of its assets in emerging markets; 3) the investment is included in an index representative of emerging markets; and 4) the investment is exposed to the economic risks and returns of emerging markets.
In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser will seek to identify mispriced publicly traded equity securities of emerging market companies including shorting securities that the Adviser believes will underperform and purchasing securities that the Adviser believes will outperform.
The long portion of the portfolio will emphasize low valuation, positive business momentum and high quality securities. The short portfolio will emphasize securities with high valuation risk, high balance sheet risk and signs of slowing sales and earnings momentum.
The Fund’s portfolio is rebalanced regularly to maintain the optimal risk/return trade-off. The Adviser assesses each stock’s changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. The Adviser will sell a stock held long or close out a short position in a stock that the Adviser believes no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk tradeoff.
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The equity securities in which the Fund will invest include equity securities issued by large-, mid- and small- or micro-cap companies, as well as exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds ("ETFs")), real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and equity participations. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less ("unseasoned issuers").
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by corporations and other business organizations (e.g., trusts or limited liability companies). Such high yield debt obligations are not considered to be investment grade. Non-investment grade fixed income securities (commonly known as "junk bonds") are rated BB or lower by S&P Global, or have a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (or, if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of investment). The Fund may invest in securities of the lowest rating category, including securities in default. The Adviser may, but is not required to, sell a bond or note held by the Fund in the event that its credit rating is downgraded. The Fund will primarily invest in fixed income instruments, including high yield fixed income obligations, when the Fund believes that such instruments offer a better risk/reward profile than comparable equity opportunities.
Under normal circumstances, the Adviser expects that the Fund’s long positions will not exceed approximately 50% of the Fund’s net assets with a typical range of 30% to 70% net long.
The Fund’s long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of non-U.S. issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States.
In addition to the short sales discussed above, the Fund may make short sales "against the box," a transaction in which the Fund enters into a short sale of a security which the Fund owns. The proceeds of the short sale will be held by a broker until the settlement date at which time the Fund delivers the security to close the short position. The Fund receives the net proceeds from the short sale. It is currently expected that the majority of the Fund’s short sales will not be against the box.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Fund is the sole shareholder of Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Offshore Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Subsidiary”). Generally, the Subsidiary invests primarily in futures contracts traded on Indian stock exchanges. The Fund and its Subsidiary comply with the same fundamental investment restrictions on an aggregate basis, to the extent those restrictions are applicable to the investment activities of the Subsidiary. The Fund is the sole shareholder of its Subsidiary and does not expect shares of its Subsidiary to be offered or sold to other investors. An election has been made to cause the Subsidiary to be a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes; accordingly, the assets and income of the Subsidiary will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes no differently from the other assets and income of the Fund.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
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In general, the Fund’s investments will be spread over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing less than 25% of its total assets in any one industry, except that the Fund may invest in exchange traded funds to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), and applicable SEC orders.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPOs”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
The Fund will invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, contracts for differences, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes. Contracts for differences offer exposure to price changes in an underlying security without ownership of such security, typically by providing investors the ability to trade on margin. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
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● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund's investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Emerging Markets Risk. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in securities of issuers in developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. ETFs are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund's own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quoted by a seller and the "bid" price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF's shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value ("NAV"). |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
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● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund's holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. |
● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as "junk bonds" and are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund's ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in securities the Adviser believes to be undervalued and short positions in securities the Adviser believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make. Investments the Fund makes may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
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● | Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. |
● | Mid-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. |
● | Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a "call") or sell (a "put") an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may "cover" a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. Losses incurred by the Fund in writing options can be potentially unlimited. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk. If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Fund’s performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is considered to be high. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 400%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Fund’s performance. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security’s price declines, but may result in losses if a security’s price rises. In a rising market, short positions may be more likely to result in losses because securities sold short may be more likely to increase in value. Short selling is speculative and also involves the risks of: increased leverage, and its accompanying potential for losses; the potential inability to reacquire a security in a timely manner, or at an acceptable price; the possibility of the lender terminating the loan at any time, forcing the Fund to close the transaction under unfavorable circumstances; and the additional costs that may be incurred. Short sales "against the box" may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in the value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not "against the box" involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Fund’s loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited. The use of short sales may cause the Fund to have higher expenses than those of other equity mutual funds because of higher transaction costs, premiums, interest or dividends payable to the lender. |
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● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt, erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent on a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. |
● | Subsidiary Risks. By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments. The derivatives and other investments held by the Subsidiary are generally similar to those that are permitted to be held by the Fund and are subject to the same risks that apply to similar investments if held directly by the Fund. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act, and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to continue to operate as it does currently and could adversely affect the Fund. |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund.
The Fund commenced operations as a series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) on December 15, 2015, when substantially all of the assets of Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Equity (the “Prior Account”) transferred to the Fund. The Fund is managed in all material respects in a manner equivalent to the management of the Prior Account. Accordingly, the performance information shown below for periods prior to December 15, 2015 is that of the Prior Account. The Fund’s objectives, policies, guidelines and restrictions are in all material respects equivalent to the Prior Account. The Fund is managed by Joseph F. Feeney, Jr., who also served as one of the Prior Account portfolio managers that managed the Prior Account since its inception in 2015. The Prior Account was not registered under 1940 Act, and thus was not subject to certain investment and operational restrictions that are imposed by the 1940 Act. If the Prior Account had been registered under the 1940 Act, its performance may have been adversely affected. Accordingly, future Fund performance may be different than the Prior Account’s restated past performance. The Prior Account’s performance has been restated to reflect estimated expenses of the Fund. After-tax performance returns are not included for the Prior Account. The Prior Account was not a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code and therefore did not distribute current or accumulated earnings and profits and was not subject to the diversification and source of income requirements applicable to regulated investment companies.
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Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund's Institutional Class, including the Prior Account, both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and since inception periods to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 |
|||
1 Year | 5 Years | Since Inception (March 1, 2015)(1) |
|
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(2) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(3) | |||
MSCI® Emerging Markets Index - Net Return (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
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(2) |
(3) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Boston Partners, Portfolio Manager since inception.
David Kim, Portfolio Manager since 2021.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $100,000
Minimum Additional Investment: $5,000
You can purchase and redeem Institutional Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Institutional Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through the Company by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the "Transfer Agent") at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS' INVESTMENTS AND RISKS |
Each of Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (collectively referred to as the "Boston Partners Investment Funds" or the "Funds") is a series of the Company, a Maryland Corporation. This section provides some additional information about the Funds' investments and certain portfolio management techniques that certain Funds may use. More information about the Funds' investments and portfolio management techniques, some of which entail risks, is included in the Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Investment Objectives
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks, securities convertible into common stocks and in special situations.
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth.
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The Fund seeks a total return greater than that of the S&P 500® Index over a full market cycle.
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund seeks to provide long-term total return.
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
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Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
The Funds' investment objectives may be changed by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company without shareholder approval. Shareholders will, however, receive 60 days' prior notice of any changes. Any such changes may result in the Funds having investment objectives different from the objectives that the shareholder considered appropriate at the time of investment in the Funds.
Additional Information About the Funds' Principal Investments and Risks
Contracts for Differences. The Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund and the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may enter into contracts for differences (“CFDs”). CFDs are leveraged derivative instruments that allows the Funds to take a position on the change in the market price of an underlying asset, such as a stock, or the value of an index or currency exchange rate. With a long CFD, the Funds are seeking to profit from increases in the market price of a particular asset. With a short CFD the Funds are seeking to profit from falls in the market price of the asset. CFDs are subject to liquidity risk because the liquidity of CFDs is based on the liquidity of the underlying instrument, and are subject to counterparty risk, i.e., the risk that the counterparty to the CFD transaction may be unable or unwilling to make payments or to otherwise honor its financial obligations under the terms of the contract. It is also possible that the market price of the CFD will move between the time the order is placed by the Funds and when it is executed by the issuer, which can result in the trade being executed at a less favorable price. CFDs, like many other derivative instruments, involve the risk that, if the derivative security declines in value, additional margin would be required to maintain the margin level. The seller may require the Funds to deposit additional sums to cover this, and this may be at short notice. If additional margin is not provided in time, the seller may liquidate the positions at a loss for which a Fund is liable. Most CFDs are traded over-the-counter. CFDs are not registered with the SEC or any U.S. regulator, and are not subject to U.S. regulation.
Counterparty Risk. Some of the derivatives entered into by a Fund are not traded on an exchange but instead will be privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market. This means that these instruments are traded between counterparties based on contractual relationships. Relying on a counterparty exposes a Fund to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing a Fund to suffer a loss. A counterparty defaulting on its payment obligations to a Fund will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease. If a Fund deals with a limited number of counterparties, it will be more susceptible to the credit risks associated with those counterparties. The Fund is neither restricted from dealing with any particular counterparty nor from concentrating any or all of its transactions with one counterparty. The ability of a Fund to transact business with any one or number of counterparties and the absence of a regulated market to facilitate settlement may increase the potential for losses by a Fund. When a Fund is required to post margin or other collateral with a counterparty, including with a futures commission merchant or a clearing organization for futures or other derivative contracts, the counterparty may fail to segregate the collateral or may commingle the collateral with the counterparty's own assets. In the event of the counterparty's bankruptcy or insolvency, a Fund's collateral may be subject to the conflicting claims of the counterparty's creditors and a Fund may be exposed to the risk of being treated as a general unsecured creditor of the counterparty, rather than as the owner of the collateral.
A Fund is subject to the risk that issuers of the instruments in which it invests and trades may default on their obligations, and that certain events may occur that have an immediate and significant adverse effect on the value of those instruments. There can be no assurance that an issuer will not default, or that an event that has an immediate and significant adverse effect on the value of an instrument will not occur, and that a Fund will not sustain a loss on a transaction as a result.
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Transactions entered into by a Fund may be executed on various U.S. and non-U.S. exchanges, and may be cleared and settled through various clearing houses, custodians, depositories and prime brokers throughout the world. A failure by any such entity may lead to a loss to a Fund.
Credit Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer's credit rating or the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness may also affect the value of a Fund's investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation. Securities rated in the four highest categories (S&P Global Ratings ("S&P") (AAA, AA, A and BBB), Fitch Ratings ("Fitch") (AAA, AA, A and BBB) or Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") (Aaa, Aa, A and Baa)) by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics, meaning that they carry more risk than higher-rated securities and may have problems making principal and interest payments in difficult economic climates. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value or default.
A security issuer’s default on its payment obligations to a Fund will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in shares of a Fund. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult to sell the security. Default, or the market's perception that an issuer is likely to default, could reduce the value and liquidity of securities, thereby reducing the value of your investment in Fund shares. In addition, default may cause a Fund to incur expenses in seeking recovery of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.
When a Fund invests in over-the-counter derivatives (including options), it assumes a credit risk of the party with which it trades and also bears the risk of settlement default. These risks may differ materially from risks associated with transactions effected on an exchange, which generally are backed by clearing organization guarantees, daily mark-to-market and settlement, segregation and minimum capital requirements applicable to intermediaries. Transactions entered into directly between two counterparties generally do not benefit from such protections. Relying on any counterparty exposes a Fund to the risk that such counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, causing the Fund to suffer a loss. A counterparty’s default on its payment obligations to a Fund will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease. The Fund could also be delayed or hindered in its enforcement of rights against an issuer, guarantor, or counterparty.
If a Fund deals with a limited number of counterparties, it will be more susceptible to the credit risks associated with those counterparties. The Funds are neither restricted from dealing with any particular counterparty nor from concentrating any or all of its transactions with one counterparty. The ability of a Fund to transact business with any one or number of counterparties and the absence of a regulated market to facilitate settlement may increase the potential for losses by the Fund.
U.S. Government Securities are generally considered to be among the safest type of investment in terms of credit risk, but they are not guaranteed against price movements due to changing interest rates. Obligations issued by some U.S. Government agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises, such as the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, while obligations by others, such as Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac") and Federal Home Loan Banks, are backed solely by the ability of the entity to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the entity's own resources. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to U.S. Government agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obliged to do so by law.
Currency Risk. A Fund's exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or, in the case of short positions, that the U.S. Dollar will decline in value relative to the currency that the Fund is short. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates, rates of inflation, governmental surpluses or deficits, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, actions of central banks or supranational entities and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. In addition, a Fund may incur transaction costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. Currency risk may be particularly high to the extent that a Fund invests in foreign currencies or engages in foreign currency transactions that are economically tied to emerging market countries. These currency transactions may present market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed foreign currencies or engaging in foreign currency transactions that are economically tied to developed foreign countries.
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Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund (and its Subsidiary, if applicable) is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by the Fund's Adviser and other service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountant, custodian, transfer agent and administrator), and the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its net asset value ("NAV"), impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund and issuers in which the Fund invests. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Derivative Contracts. Each of the Funds, except for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, may, but need not, use derivative contracts for any of the following purposes:
● | To seek to hedge against the possible adverse impact of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates in the market value of its securities or securities to be purchased; or |
● | As a substitute for buying or selling currencies or securities. |
● | To seek to enhance the Fund's return in non-hedging situations. |
Derivative contracts in which the Funds (except for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II) may invest include: futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies; options on these futures; forward foreign currency contracts; and interest rate, total return or currency swaps. The Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund may use derivative contracts involving foreign currencies. A derivative contract will obligate or entitle a Fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment that is based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on a Fund's stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. A Fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the Fund's holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of default risk as issuers of fixed income securities in that the counterparty may default on its payment obligations or become insolvent. Derivatives can also make a Fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.
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Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act provides for the regulation of a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain related investments. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act imposes limits on the amount of derivatives a fund can enter into, treats derivatives as senior securities so that a failure to comply with the limits would result in a statutory violation, and requires the Funds to establish and maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program and appoint a derivatives risk manager. The Funds are required to comply with Rule18f-4 and have adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with Rule 18f-4.
The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.
Liquidity of Futures Contracts. Futures positions may be illiquid because certain commodity exchanges limit fluctuations in certain futures contract prices during a single day by regulations referred to as "daily price fluctuation limits" or "daily limits." Under such daily limits, during a single trading day no trades may be executed at prices beyond the daily limits. Once the price of a particular futures contract has increased or decreased by an amount equal to the daily limit, positions in that contract can neither be entered into nor liquidated unless traders are willing to effect trades at or within the limit. Futures prices have occasionally moved beyond the daily limits for several consecutive days with little or no trading. OTC instruments generally are not as liquid as instruments traded on recognized exchanges. These constraints could prevent a Fund from promptly liquidating unfavorable positions, thereby subjecting the Fund to substantial losses. In addition, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and various exchanges limit the number of positions that a Fund may indirectly hold or control in particular commodities.
Non-U.S. Futures Transactions. Foreign futures transactions involve the execution and clearing of trades on a foreign exchange. This is the case even if the foreign exchange is formally "linked" to a domestic exchange, whereby a trade executed on one exchange liquidates or establishes a position on the other exchange. No domestic organization regulates the activities of a foreign exchange, including the execution, delivery, and clearing of transactions on such an exchange, and no domestic regulator has the power to compel enforcement of the rules of the foreign exchange or the laws of the foreign country. Moreover, such laws or regulations will vary depending on the foreign country in which the transaction occurs. For these reasons, a Fund may not be afforded certain of the protections that apply to domestic transactions. In particular, funds received from a Fund to margin (collateralize) foreign futures transactions may not be provided the same protections as funds received to margin futures transactions on domestic exchanges. In addition, the price of any foreign futures or option contract and the resulting potential profit or loss, may be affected by any fluctuation in the foreign exchange rate between the time the order is placed and the foreign futures contract is liquidated or the foreign option contract is liquidated or exercised.
Forward Contracts. The Funds (except for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II) may utilize forward contracts that are not traded on exchanges and may not be regulated. There are no limitations on daily price movements of forward contracts. Banks and other dealers with which a Fund maintains accounts may require the Fund to deposit margin for such trading. A Fund's counterparties are not required to continue making markets in such contracts. There have been periods during which certain counterparties have refused to continue to quote prices for forward contracts or have quoted prices with an unusually wide spread (the price at which the counterparty is prepared to buy and that at which it is prepared to sell). Arrangements to trade forward contracts may be made with only one or a few counterparties, and liquidity problems might be greater than if such arrangements were made with numerous counterparties. The imposition of credit controls by governmental authorities might limit such forward trading to less than the amount that a Fund's investment adviser would otherwise recommend, to the possible detriment of the Fund.
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Swap Agreements. Swap agreements can be individually structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease the Fund's exposure to interest rates, foreign currency values, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors such as security prices, baskets of securities, or inflation rates. Swap agreements can take many different forms and are known by a variety of names. The Funds are not limited to any particular form of swap agreement.
Swap agreements will tend to shift a Fund's investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example, if a Fund agrees to exchange payments in dollars for payments in foreign currency, the swap agreement would tend to decrease the Fund's exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates. Depending on how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of a Fund's portfolio. The most significant factor in the performance of swap agreements is the change in the specific interest rate, currency, individual equity values or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from a Fund. A Fund must be prepared to make swap payments when due. In addition, the value of a swap agreement is likely to decline if the counterparty's creditworthiness declines. Such a decrease in value might cause a Fund to incur losses.
Interest Rate Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Credit Default Swaps and Options on Swaps. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed-rate payments for floating rate payments.
Total return swaps are contracts that obligate one party to pay the other party an amount equal to the total return on a defined underlying asset or a non-asset reference during a specified period of time. The underlying asset might be a security or basket of securities or a non-asset reference such as a securities index. In return, the other party would make periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or on the total return from a different underlying asset or non-asset reference.
Credit default swaps are contracts whereby one party makes periodic payments to a counterparty in exchange for the right to receive from the counterparty a payment equal to the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation in the event of a default by the issuer of the debt obligation.
Options on swaps ("swaptions") are options to enter into a swap agreement. The Funds may also purchase and write (sell) swaptions. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the option is exercised) to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms.
The Funds, except for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, may enter into the transactions described above to seek to increase total return (which is considered a speculative activity). The use of swaps and swaptions is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values and interest rates, the investment performance of a Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques were not used.
Equity and Equity-Related Securities. Each of the Funds may invest in all types of equity securities. Equity securities include exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and REITs, and equity participations. Investments in equity securities and equity derivatives in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. The value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying common stock. Common stocks may decline over short or even extended periods of time. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right's or warrant's expiration. The value of such securities convertible into equity securities, such as warrants or convertible debt, is also affected by prevailing interest rates, the credit quality of the issuer and any call provision. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. State law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded to investors in a limited partnership than investors in a corporation. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which a Fund invests will cause the Fund's NAV to fluctuate. The number of issuers in the Funds' portfolios will vary over time.
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Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Each Fund may invest in ETFs to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC orders. ETFs are registered investment companies whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. In general, ETFs seek to track a specified securities index or a basket of securities that an "index provider," such as S&P Global, selects as representative of a market, market segment or industry sector. An ETF portfolio generally holds the same stocks or bonds as the index it tracks or it may hold a representative sample of such securities. Thus, an ETF typically is designed so that its performance will correspond closely with that of the index it tracks. In some cases, an ETF may be actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection, and the individual investments in an actively-managed ETF may not perform as well as its investment adviser and/or sub-advisers expected, and/or the actively-managed ETF's portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result. As a shareholder in an ETF, a Fund will bear its pro rata portion of an ETF's expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.
The market for an ETF’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings, which could lead to differences between the market price of the ETF’s shares and the underlying value of those shares. An ETF’s market price may deviate from the value of the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings, particularly in times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. An active trading market for shares of the ETF may not develop or be maintained. In times of market stress, market makers or authorized participants may step away from their respective roles in making a market in shares of the ETF and in executing purchase or redemption orders, which could also lead to variances between the market price of the ETF’s shares and the underlying value of those shares. Certain ETFs or closed-end funds traded on exchanges may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quotes by a seller and the "bid" price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF's shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their NAV.
Fixed Income Investments. The Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, and may each invest a portion of their assets in fixed income securities. Fixed income investments include bonds, notes (including structured notes), asset-backed securities, convertible securities, Eurodollar and Yankee dollar instruments, preferred stocks and money market instruments. Fixed income securities may be issued by corporate and governmental issuers and may have all types of interest rate payment and reset terms, including (without limitation) fixed rate, adjustable rate, zero coupon, contingent, deferred, payment-in-kind and auction rate features.
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The credit quality of securities held in a Fund's portfolio is determined at the time of investment. If a security is rated differently by multiple ratings organizations, a Fund treats the security as being rated in the higher rating category. A Fund may choose not to sell securities that are downgraded below the Fund's minimum accepted credit rating after their purchase. Periods of rising interest rates may result in decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets.
Foreign Custody Risk. Each of the Funds may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries.
Foreign Securities. Each of the Funds may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets) directly or through American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") or International Depositary Receipts ("IDRs"). Depositary receipts may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and the depository, whereas an unsponsored facility is established by the depository without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders.
In addition, the Funds may also invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and in multinational currencies such as the Euro. The Funds will value their securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. Investments in securities of foreign issuers and securities denominated in foreign currencies involve special risks which include more or less foreign government regulation; less public information; less stringent investor protections; less stringent accounting, corporate governance, financial reporting and disclosure standards; and less economic, political and social stability in the countries in which a Fund invests. Changes in foreign currency rates relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the U.S. dollar value of a Fund's assets denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Emerging market investments offer the potential for significant gains but also involve greater risks than investing in more developed countries. Political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity and government actions such as currency controls or seizure of private business or property may be more likely in emerging and frontier markets. Frontier markets are a sub-set of emerging markets. Frontier market countries generally have smaller economies or less developed capital markets than traditional emerging markets, and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier countries. The economies of frontier countries are less correlated to global economic cycles than those of their more developed counterparts and their markets have low trading volumes and the potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity. These factors make investing in frontier countries significantly riskier than in other countries and any one of them could cause the price of a Fund’s Shares to decline. In addition, emerging markets and frontier countries may have more or less government regulation and generally do not impose as extensive and frequent accounting, auditing, financial and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries. As a result, there could be less information available about issuers in emerging and frontier market countries, which could negatively affect the Adviser's ability to evaluate local companies or their potential impact on a Fund's performance. Further, investments in securities of issuers located in certain emerging countries involve the risk of loss resulting from problems in share registration, settlement or custody, substantial economic, political and social disruptions and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal remedies for investors in emerging and frontier markets may be more limited than the remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited.
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The Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund will normally invest a significant portion of their assets in the equity securities and equity-related instruments issued by non-U.S. companies. The Funds may invest in securities denominated in the currencies of a variety of developed, emerging and frontier market countries. Unless hedged, currency fluctuations may have a material impact on the performance of a portfolio of non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities and such a portfolio may experience a decline or increase in value, in U.S. dollar terms, due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Adviser may, from time to time, but is not required to, hedge foreign currency exposure in the Funds' portfolios. Further, the Funds may also from time to time enter into speculative currency positions independent of other positions in the Funds' portfolios.
The Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund may also invest in participatory notes. Participatory notes (commonly known as "P-notes") are equity access products structured as debt obligations and used by investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes are generally issued by the associates of foreign-based foreign brokerages and domestic institutional brokerages. P-notes represent interests in securities listed on certain foreign exchanges, and thus present similar risks to investing directly in such securities. P-notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitments.
In June 2016, the UK approved a referendum to leave the EU. The withdrawal, known colloquially as “Brexit”, was agreed to and ratified by the UK Parliament, and the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020. It began an 11-month transition period in which to negotiate a new trading relationship for goods and services that ended on December 31, 2020. The UK and the EU signed the Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA") on December 30, 2020, which was applied provisionally as of January 1, 2021 and entered into force on May 1, 2021. The TCA is an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the relationship between the EU and the UK following the end of the transition period. Further discussions are to be held between the UK and the EU in relation to matters not covered by the trade agreement, such as financial services. Brexit may have significant political and financial consequences for the Eurozone markets, including greater volatility in the global stock markets and illiquidity, fluctuations in currency and exchange rates, and an increased likelihood of a recession in the UK. At this time, the impact of Brexit cannot be predicted, however, market disruption in the EU and globally may have a negative effect on the value of a Fund’s investments. Additionally, the risks related to Brexit could be more pronounced if one or more additional EU member states seek to leave the EU.
Recently, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Funds' investments.
Recent examples of the above include conflict, loss of life and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent, duration and impact of these conflicts, related sanctions and retaliatory actions are difficult to ascertain, but could be significant and have severe adverse effects on the region, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities and commodities. These impacts could negatively affect the Funds' investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to the applicable region, and include (but are not limited to) declines in value and reductions in liquidity. In addition, to the extent new sanctions are imposed or previously relaxed sanctions are reimposed (including with respect to countries undergoing transformation), complying with such restrictions may prevent the Funds from pursuing certain investments, cause delays or other impediments with respect to consummating such investments or divestments, require divestment or freezing of investments on unfavorable terms, render divestment of underperforming investments impracticable, negatively impact the Funds' ability to achieve their investment objectives, prevent the Funds from receiving payments otherwise due, increase diligence and other similar costs to the Funds, render valuation of affected investments challenging, or require the Funds to consummate an investment on terms that are less advantageous than would be the case absent such restrictions. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect the Funds' performance with respect to such investments, and thus the Funds' performance as a whole.
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IPO Risk. Each of the Funds may invest in IPOs. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund's assets grow, the effect of the Fund's investments in IPOs on the Fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund's portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs.
Large Shareholder Transactions Risk. Each of the Funds may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of a Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell its securities at times it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact its liquidity. In addition, large redemptions could lead to an increase in a Fund’s expense ratio due to a smaller asset base. However, this risk may be limited to the extent that the Adviser and a Fund have entered into a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement arrangement. Large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would.
LIBOR Transition Risk. Many financial instruments were historically tied to the London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR,” to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies, or investment value. As of June 30, 2023, almost all settings of LIBOR have ceased to be published, except that certain widely used U.S. dollar LIBORs will continue to be published on a temporary, synthetic and non-representative basis through at least September 30, 2024. In some instances, regulators have restricted new use of LIBORs prior to the date when synthetic LIBORs will cease to be published. SOFR, which has been used increasingly on a voluntary basis in new instruments and transactions, is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement market. On December 16, 2022, the Federal Reserve Board adopted regulations implementing the Adjustable Interest Rate Act, which provides a statutory fallback mechanism to replace LIBOR, by identifying benchmark rates based on SOFR that will replace LIBOR in certain financial contracts after June 30, 2023. These regulations apply only to contracts governed by U.S. law, among other limitations. The regulations include provisions that (i) provide a safe harbor for selection or use of a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; (ii) clarify who may choose the replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; and (iii) ensure that contracts adopting a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board will not be interrupted or terminated following the replacement of LIBOR. Uncertainty related to the liquidity impact of the change in rates, and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition, poses risks for the Funds. The transition away from LIBOR could have a significant impact on the financial markets in general and may also present heightened risk to market participants, including public companies, investment advisers, investment companies, and broker-dealers. The risks associated with this discontinuation and transition will be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner. For example, current information technology systems may be unable to accommodate new instruments and rates with features that differ from LIBOR. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the transition away from LIBOR on the Funds until new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts are commercially accepted and market practices become settled.
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Liquidity Risk. A Fund may be subject to liquidity risk primarily due to investments in derivatives. Each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments or instruments. Derivatives, such as swaps, options and warrants, may not be readily marketable and, therefore, may be deemed to be illiquid. An illiquid investment is an investment that a Fund reasonably expects can not be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Investments in illiquid assets involve the risk that a Fund may be unable to sell the asset or sell it at a reasonable price. In addition, a Fund may be required to liquidate positions or close out derivatives on unfavorable terms at a time contrary to the interests of the Fund in order to raise cash to pay redemptions.
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4, under the 1940 Act (“Rule 22de-4” or the "Liquidity Rule") the Company has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to the rule. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.
The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of restricted securities in a Fund under the supervision of the Board. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser may consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (3) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (4) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).
An investment in derivatives is also subject to the risk that a Fund may not be able to terminate the derivatives effective on whatever date it chooses, or that the settlement of any early termination may depend on subsequent market movements. As a result, a Fund may be exposed to the risk of additional losses due to such delays.
Management Risk. Each Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the Adviser believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make.
Market Risk. A Fund’s NAV and investment return will fluctuate based upon changes in the value of its investments. The market value of a Fund’s holdings is based upon the market’s perception of value and is not necessarily an objective measure of an investment’s value. There is no assurance that a Fund will realize its investment objective, and an investment in a Fund is not, by itself, a complete or balanced investment program. You could lose money on your investment in a Fund, or a Fund could underperform other investments.
Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The scope of these policy changes is still developing, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, particularly if a resulting policy runs counter to the market’s expectations. The outcome of such changes cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks, war, natural disasters, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may add to instability in the world economy and markets generally. As a result of increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by events impacting a country or region, regardless of whether the Fund invests in issuers located in or with significant exposure to such country or region.
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The outbreak of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in international and domestic travel restrictions and disruptions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, event and service cancellations or interruptions, disruptions to business operations (including staff reductions), supply chains and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. These disruptions have led to instability in the marketplace, including stock and credit market losses and overall volatility. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious illness outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy, the financial performance of individual issuers, borrowers and sectors and the health of the markets generally in potentially significant and unforeseen ways. Health crises may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in a country or region. In the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Funds and their service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are available, the full impacts of a pandemic or disease outbreaks are unknown and the pace of recovery may vary from market to market, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time.
Micro-Cap Companies Risk. Each of the Funds may invest in micro-cap companies. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. Thus, the Fund’s NAV may increase and decrease by a greater percentage than the share prices of mutual funds that invest in the stocks of large capitalization companies.
New Fund Risk. The WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with no operating history. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to, or maintain, an economically viable size, in which case the Board of the Company may determine to liquidate the Fund. Liquidation can be initiated without shareholder approval by the Board if it determines it is in the best interest of shareholders. As a result, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk. Each of the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund is a non-diversified investment company, which means that more of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single issuer than could be invested in the securities of a single issuer by a diversified investment company. This may make the value of the Funds' shares more susceptible to certain risks than shares of a diversified investment company. As a non-diversified fund, the Funds have a greater potential to realize losses upon the occurrence of adverse events affecting a particular issuer.
OTC Risk. Securities traded on OTC markets are not listed and traded on an organized exchange such as the NYSE. Generally, the volume of trading in an unlisted or OTC common stock is less than the volume of trading in an exchange-listed stock. As a result, the market liquidity of some stocks in which the Fund invests may not be as great as that of exchange-listed stocks and, if the Fund were to dispose of such stocks, the Fund may have to offer the shares at a discount from recent prices or sell the shares in small lots over an extended period of time. In addition, penny stocks and pink sheet stocks can be classified as OTC stocks. The Fund may hold these stocks, which have considerable risks. First, it may be difficult to obtain financial data on such stocks. This makes fundamental analysis very difficult. Second, these classes of stocks are notoriously difficult to sell, meaning there will be some liquidity risk associated with holding them. OTC investments are generally limited to equities with sufficient liquidity.
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Other Investment Companies. Each of the Funds may invest up to 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies not affiliated with the Adviser, but may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company or acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company. Each Fund may rely on SEC orders that permit it to invest in certain ETFs beyond these limits, subject to certain terms and conditions. Among other things, the Funds may invest in money market mutual funds for cash management purposes by "sweeping" excess cash balances into such funds until the cash is invested or otherwise utilized. A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by investment companies in which it invests in addition to the advisory and administration fees paid by the Fund. Investments in issues that would be investment companies but for sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act will be considered illiquid investments and would be subject to a Fund's 15% limitation on investments in illiquid investments.
The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies in excess of the limits described above. While Rule 12d1-4 permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes new conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds' shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures. These regulatory changes may adversely impact a Fund’s investment strategies and operations.
Portfolio Concentration. Under normal market conditions, the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund portfolios will generally be diversified by country and geographic region.
Portfolio Turnover. Each of the Funds may engage in active and frequent trading, resulting in high portfolio turnover. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, increasing their tax liability. Frequent trading may also increase transaction costs, which could detract from the Funds' performance.
Private Investments in Public Equity. The WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund and WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund may purchase equity securities in private placements that are issued by issuers who have outstanding, publicly-traded equity securities of the same class ("private investments in public equity" or "PIPEs"). Shares in PIPEs generally are not registered with the SEC until after a certain time period from the date the private sale is completed. This restricted period can last many months. Until the public registration process is completed, PIPEs are restricted as to resale and the Funds cannot freely trade the securities. Generally, such restrictions cause the PIPEs to be illiquid during this time. PIPEs may contain provisions that the issuer will pay specified financial penalties to the holder if the issuer does not publicly register the restricted equity securities within a specified period of time, but there is no assurance that the restricted equity securities will be publicly registered, or that the registration will remain in effect. Please see the Funds' SAI for more information regarding illiquid investments.
REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act.
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Securities Lending. Each Fund may seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. Portfolio security loans are secured continuously by collateral maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The value of the securities loaned by a Fund will not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets. A Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund.
Small-Cap Companies Risk. The Funds may invest in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index. Small market capitalization issuers are not as diversified in their business activities as issuers with market capitalizations greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index and are more susceptible to changes in the business cycle.
Some small capitalization equity securities in which the Funds invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the "pink sheets," and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for a Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by a Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser's judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value.
Short Sales. The WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund will engage in short sales, and the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund may engage in short sales — including those that are not "against the box," which means that each Fund may make short sales where the Fund does not currently own or have the right to acquire, at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short — in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. In a typical short sale, the Funds borrow from a broker a security in order to sell the security to a third party. The Funds are then obligated to return a security of the same issuer and quantity at some future date. The Funds realize a loss to the extent the security increases in value or a profit to the extent the security declines in value (after taking into account any associated costs). Short sales "against the box" may protect the Funds against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not "against the box" involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of each Fund's loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited.
Special Situations Risk. The WPG Funds may seek to benefit from "special situations," such as mergers, reorganizations, or other unusual events expected to affect a particular issuer. There is a risk that the "special situation" might not occur or involve longer time frames than originally expected, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer's securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Funds.
Subsidiary Risk. The Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund will make investments through a wholly-owned Subsidiary organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments. The derivatives and other investments held by the Subsidiary are generally similar to those that are permitted to be held by the Fund and are subject to the same risks that apply to similar investments if held directly by the Fund. These risks are described elsewhere in this Prospectus. There can be no assurance that the investment objective of the Subsidiary will be achieved.
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The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act, and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. However, the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary, making it unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Board has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Fund’s role as sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary will be subject to the same investment restrictions and limitations, and follow the same compliance policies and procedures, as the Fund. The Fund complies with Section 8 and Section 18 of the 1940 Act, governing investment policies and capital structure and leverage, respectively, on an aggregate basis with the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary also complies with Section 17 of the 1940 Act relating to affiliated transactions and custody.
Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and/or its Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and in the SAI and could adversely affect the Fund. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.
Sustainable Investment Risk. The sustainability criterion required for investment by the Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund may cause the Fund to not invest in certain industries or issuers. As a result, the Fund may be overweight or underweight in certain industries or issuers relative to its benchmark index, which may cause the Fund’s performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those industries or issuers. Sustainability information provided by issuers, upon which the portfolio managers may rely, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies, or be applied differently across companies and industries. Further, the regulatory landscape for sustainable investing in the United States is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process. Similarly, government policies incentivizing issuers to engage in sustainable practices may fall out of favor, which could potentially limit the Fund’s investment universe. There is also a risk that the companies identified through the investment process may fail to adhere to sustainable business practices, which may result in the Fund selling a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous to do so. There is no guarantee that sustainable investments will outperform the broader market on either an absolute or relative basis.
Unseasoned Issuers Risk. The WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may invest in unseasoned issuers' securities. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell.
Temporary Investments. Each of the Funds may depart from its principal investment strategy in response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions by taking a temporary defensive position (up to 100% of its assets) in all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If a Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable for a time to achieve its investment objective.
Broad-Based Securities Market Indices
The MSCI EAFE Index (Europe, Australasia, Far East) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the US & Canada.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index - Net Return is a subset of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index that reflects the reinvestment of dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indices) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do no benefit from double taxation treaties. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets.
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The MSCI World Index - Net Return is a subset of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index that reflects the reinvestment of dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indices) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do no benefit from double taxation treaties. The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance of emerging markets. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index consists of the following emerging market country indexes: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets.
The Russell 2000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that contains stocks from the Russell 2000® Index with less than average growth orientation. Companies in this index generally have low price-to-book and price-to-earnings ratios, higher dividend yields and lower forecasted growth values. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index was $804 million and the largest stock was $10.3 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Russell 2000® Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation.
The Russell 3000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those Russell 3000® Index companies that typically display lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. The stocks in this index are also members of either the Russell 1000® Value or the Russell 2000® Value indices. The Russell 3000® Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the companies in the Russell 3000® Value Index was $2 billion and the largest stock was $577 billion. The Russell 3000® Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation.
The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, classified in eleven industry sectors, which represent approximately 80% of the U.S. equities market. The S&P 500® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stock's total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The complete portfolio holdings (or long positions only with respect to the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund) of each of the Funds are publicly available on the Adviser's website at www.boston-partners.com as of the end of each calendar month, 5 business days following the month end. Any postings will remain available on the website at least until the Funds file with the SEC their semi-annual or annual shareholder report or quarterly portfolio holdings report that includes such period. A further description of the Company's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds' portfolio securities is available in the Funds' SAI.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS |
Investment Adviser- All Funds
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. provides investment management and investment advisory services to investment companies and other institutional and proprietary accounts.
Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Adviser manages the Funds' portfolios and is responsible for the selection and management of all portfolio investments of the Funds in accordance with the Funds' respective investment objectives and policies.
The Adviser, located at One Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108, is a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation Europe N.V. (formerly Robeco Groep N.V.), a Dutch public limited liability company ("ORIX Europe"). Founded in 1929, ORIX Europe is one of the world’s oldest asset management organizations. ORIX Europe is owned by ORIX Corporation, an integrated financial services group based in Tokyo, Japan.
Investment Advisory Agreement
For its services to the Funds, the Adviser is entitled to receive a monthly advisory fee under the Advisory Agreement computed at an annual rate of 0.70% of the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund's average daily net assets, 0.85% of the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II's average daily net assets, 0.90% of the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, 1.25% of the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.80% of the Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, 0.90% of the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund's average daily net assets, 1.25% of the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund's average daily net assets, 2.25% of the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund's average daily net assets, 1.25% of the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund's average daily net assets, 1.50% of the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund's average daily net assets, and 0.75% of the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund’s average daily net assets.
Until December 31, 2025, the Adviser has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain an annualized expense ratio for Institutional Class Shares of the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund of 0.80%, 0.99%, 0.90%, 1.50%, 1.10%, 0.95%, 1.00%, 1.96%, 1.50%, 2.00%, and 1.40% (excluding certain items discussed below), respectively. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue such waivers after their termination date. In determining the Adviser's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause a Fund's net annualized expense ratio to exceed the applicable expense limitation: short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes.
For its services to the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, the Adviser is entitled to receive a monthly advisory fee under the Advisory Agreement:
● | 0.80% of average daily net assets up to $500 million |
● | 0.75% of average daily net assets in excess of $500 million |
Until December 31, 2025, the Adviser has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain an annualized expense ratio of 1.10% (excluding certain items discussed below) for the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund. In determining the Adviser's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause the net annualized expense ratio of the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund to exceed 1.10%: short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue such waivers after December 31, 2025.
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If at any time a Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than the Fund's respective expense limitation (as noted above), the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Funds' Advisory Agreement (other than the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund) with the Adviser is available in the Funds' annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund with the Adviser will be available in the Fund’s first annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.
Portfolio Managers
The investment results for different strategies of the Adviser are not solely dependent on any one individual. There is a common philosophy and approach that is the backdrop for all of the investment strategies of the Adviser.
This philosophy is then executed through a very disciplined investment process managed by the designated portfolio manager for each of the strategies. This manager will be supported, not only by a secondary manager, but by the Adviser's general research staff and, very often, by dedicated analysts to the particular strategy.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of shares in the Funds.
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Duilio Ramallo is the primary portfolio manager for the Fund.
Mr. Ramallo is a senior portfolio manager of the Adviser. He is responsible for managing the Boston Partners Premium Equity portfolios. Prior to assuming this role, he was the assistant portfolio fund manager for Boston Partners Small Cap Value portfolios and a research analyst. Mr. Ramallo joined the firm in 1995. He joined the firm from Deloitte & Touche LLP, where he spent three years, most recently in the Los Angeles office. He holds a B.A. degree in economics/business from the University of California, Los Angeles and an M.B.A. degree from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA. Mr. Ramallo holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has over 27 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 0.66% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
George Gumpert is the primary portfolio manager for the Fund.
Mr. Gumpert is a portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value products. Previously, he was a research analyst and specialized in the small capitalization sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm in 2000 from AIG International Asset Management where he was a commodities analyst. Mr. Gumpert holds a B.A. degree in economics from Amherst College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 23 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 0.80% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA, serves as portfolio manager for the Fund.
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Mr. Gandhi is a portfolio manager for the WPG Partners Small and Micro Cap Value team. He joined WPG Partners in July 2012 as a research analyst with a concentration in technology, media, telecom and consumer. Prior to joining the firm, he was a member of the Applied Value Investing program at Columbia Business School. Prior to Columbia, Mr. Gandhi was an Associate in the investment banking division at Needham & Company. He graduated with a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland and received an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. Mr. Gandhi holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. Mr. Gandhi has 16 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 0.84% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA, serves as the sole portfolio manager of the Fund.
Mr. Gandhi is the portfolio manager for the Fund since the Fund’s inception in 2024. He is also a portfolio manager for the WPG Partners Small and Micro Cap Value team. He joined WPG Partners in July 2012 as a research analyst with a concentration in technology, media, telecom and consumer. Prior to joining the firm, he was a member of the Applied Value Investing program at Columbia Business School (“Columbia”). Prior to Columbia, Mr. Gandhi was an Associate in the investment banking division at Needham & Company. He graduated with a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland and received an M.B.A. from Columbia. Mr. Gandhi holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. Mr. Gandhi began his career in the investment industry in 2007.
Advisory fee payment information is not available as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
Richard Shuster, Gregory Weiss, and Eric Gandhi serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Shuster is the senior portfolio manager for the WPG Partners Small and Micro Cap Equity Products. He has served as managing director of the Adviser since 1999 as well as head of the Adviser's Small Cap Value Diversified Team. He holds a B.S. degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Shuster has over 34 years of investment experience fourteen of which were spent specializing in small cap equity investing.
Mr. Weiss joined WPG in mid-1999 to work on the firm's Small Cap Value team. He joined the firm from Bear Stearns where he began his investment career in 1995 as an equity analyst, responsible for covering the building materials, nonferrous metals, steel and steel-related industries. Mr. Weiss holds a B.A. degree in psychology from Cornell University. He has over 26 years of investment experience.
Mr. Gandhi is a Portfolio Manager for the WPG Partners Small and Micro Cap Value team. He joined WPG Partners in July 2012 as a research analyst with a concentration in technology, media, telecom and consumer. Prior to joining the firm, he was a member of the Applied Value Investing program at Columbia Business School. Prior to Columbia, Mr. Gandhi was an Associate in the investment banking division at Needham & Company. He graduated with a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland and received an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. Mr. Gandhi holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. Mr. Gandhi has 16 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 0.59% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
Soyoun Song serves as portfolio manager for the Fund.
Mr. Song is the portfolio manager for the Fund and also serves as an equity analyst, specializing in non-U.S. industrials, materials and transportation sectors of the equity market. Before coming to Boston Partners in April of 2019, he was a managing director at ThornTree Capital with responsibility for its global industrials long/short portfolio. Prior to that, Mr. Song was a managing director at Bain Capital’s Brookside Fund where he co-managed its global industrials long/short portfolio. He began his investing career at Bain Capital in its North American private equity practice. Before transitioning to a career in investments, he was a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Song holds an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School, an M.Sc. in clinical medicine from Oxford University, and an A.B. in biochemical sciences from Harvard College. He has 18 years of investment experience.
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For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 0.34% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Christopher K. Hart, Joshua Jones, and Soyoung Song serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Hart is an equity portfolio manager for the Fund. Prior thereto, he was an assistant portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value products for three years. Before that, he was a research analyst and specialized in conglomerates, engineering and construction, building, machinery, aerospace & defense, and REITs sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm from Fidelity Investments where he was a research analyst. Mr. Hart holds a B.S. degree in finance, with a concentration in corporate finance from Clemson University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 31 years of investment experience.
Mr. Jones is a portfolio manager of the Fund and also has research responsibilities for the Adviser's Boston Partners investment team, specializing in the energy, metals and mining sectors of the equity market and is a global generalist. Mr. Jones has been with Boston Partners since 2006. He joined the firm from Cambridge Associates where he was a consulting associate specializing in hedge fund clients. Mr. Jones holds a B.A. degree in economics from Bowdoin College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 18 years of professional experience.
Mr. Song is a portfolio manager for the Fund and also serves as an equity analyst, specializing in non-U.S. industrials, materials and transportation sectors of the equity market. Before coming to Boston Partners in April of 2019, he was a managing director at ThornTree Capital with responsibility for its global industrials long/short portfolio. Prior to that, Mr. Song was a managing director at Bain Capital’s Brookside Fund where he co-managed its global industrials long/short portfolio. He began his investing career at Bain Capital in its North American private equity practice. Before transitioning to a career in investments, he was a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Song holds an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School, an M.Sc. in clinical medicine from Oxford University, and an A.B. in biochemical sciences from Harvard College. He has 18 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund paid 0.74% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. and David Kim serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Feeney is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for Boston Partners. He is responsible for the firm's strategic, financial and operating decisions, and all aspects of investment management including the firm's fundamental and quantitative research groups. He was one of the original partners of Boston Partners Asset Management in 1995. Prior to assuming these roles, he was Director of Research. Mr. Feeney joined the firm upon its inception in 1995 from Putnam Investments where he managed mortgage-backed securities portfolios. He began his career at the Bank of Boston where he was a loan officer specializing on highly leveraged loan portfolios. Mr. Feeney holds a B.S. degree in finance (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Hampshire and an M.B.A. with High Honors from the University of Chicago. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is past President of the Fixed Income Management Society of Boston. He has over 37 years of investment experience.
David Kim is an emerging markets industry analyst with Boston Partners specializing in fundamental research of stocks held in its Emerging Markets Equity products. He was previously at Great Hill Partners, where he was a private equity associate focused on technology companies. Mr. Kim holds a B.A. degree in economics from Amherst College, as well as an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School. He has over 8 years of investment experience.
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For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2023, the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund paid 0.21% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Patrick Regan, CFA, serves as the sole portfolio manager of the Fund.
Mr. Regan is a portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund. Prior to this role, he was a long/short generalist with Boston Partners specializing in fundamental research of stocks held in Boston Partners’ Long/Short Equity products. He rejoined the firm after spending nearly six years with Westfield Capital, where he managed the financial sector sleeves of Westfield Capital’s small, small/mid, mid, large and all cap funds. He was also a voting member on the Westfield Investment Committee. Before that, Mr. Regan was a research analyst with Boston Partners Asset Management for ten years, where he covered numerous market sectors, including the financial, consumer, and software sectors. He began his post-graduate career at Broadview International, LLC, where he was an associate specializing in technology mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Regan holds a B.A. degree in economics from Colby College, and an M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has over 27 years of industry experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 1.60% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. and Scott Burgess serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Feeney is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for Boston Partners. He is responsible for the firm's strategic, financial and operating decisions, and all aspects of investment management including the firm's fundamental and quantitative research groups. He was one of the original partners of Boston Partners Asset Management in 1995. Prior to assuming these roles, he was Director of Research. Mr. Feeney joined the firm upon its inception in 1995 from Putnam Investments where he managed mortgage-backed securities portfolios. He began his career at the Bank of Boston where he was a loan officer specializing on highly leveraged loan portfolios. Mr. Feeney holds a B.S. degree in finance (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Hampshire and an M.B.A. with High Honors from the University of Chicago. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is past President of the Fixed Income Management Society of Boston. He has over 37 years of investment experience.
Mr. Burgess is an equity analyst with Boston Partners, specializing in the technology and electronics sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm after spending three years with Putnam Investments where he was a senior investment associate. Mr. Burgess holds a B.S. degree in economics and a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from The Wharton School and The School of Engineering and Applied Science, respectively, at the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has over 24 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 1.25% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Christopher K. Hart and Joshua Jones serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Hart is an equity portfolio manager for the Fund. Prior thereto, he was an assistant portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value products for three years. Before that, he was a research analyst and specialized in conglomerates, engineering and construction, building, machinery, aerospace & defense, and REITs sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm from Fidelity Investments where he was a research analyst. Mr. Hart holds a B.S. degree in finance, with a concentration in corporate finance from Clemson University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 31 years of investment experience.
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Mr. Jones is a portfolio manager of the Fund and also has research responsibilities for the Adviser's Boston Partners investment team, specializing in the energy, metals and mining sectors of the equity market and is a global generalist. Mr. Jones has been with Boston Partners since 2006. He joined the firm from Cambridge Associates where he was a consulting associate specializing in hedge fund clients. Mr. Jones holds a B.A. degree in economics from Bowdoin College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 18 years of professional experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund paid 1.50% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. and David Kim serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Feeney is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for Boston Partners. He is responsible for the firm's strategic, financial and operating decisions, and all aspects of investment management including the firm's fundamental and quantitative research groups. He was one of the original partners of Boston Partners Asset Management in 1995. Prior to assuming these roles, he was Director of Research. Mr. Feeney joined the firm upon its inception in 1995 from Putnam Investments where he managed mortgage-backed securities portfolios. He began his career at the Bank of Boston where he was a loan officer specializing on highly leveraged loan portfolios. Mr. Feeney holds a B.S. degree in finance (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Hampshire and an M.B.A. with High Honors from the University of Chicago. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is past President of the Fixed Income Management Society of Boston. He has over 37 years of investment experience.
David Kim recently served as an emerging markets industry analyst with Boston Partners specializing in fundamental research of stocks held in its Emerging Markets Equity products. He was previously at Great Hill Partners, where he was a private equity associate focused on technology companies. Mr. Kim holds a B.A. degree in economics from Amherst College, as well as an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School. He has over 8 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund paid 1.00% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Marketing Arrangements
The Adviser or their affiliates may pay additional compensation, out of profits derived from the Adviser's management fees and not as an additional charge to the Funds managed by the Adviser, to certain financial institutions (which may include banks, securities dealers and other industry professionals) for the sale and/or distribution of Fund shares or the retention and/or servicing of Fund investors and Fund shares ("revenue sharing"). These payments are in addition to any distribution or servicing fees payable under a 12b-1 distribution and/or service plan of the Funds, any record keeping or sub-transfer agency fees payable by the Funds, or other fees described in the fee table or elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI. Examples of "revenue sharing" payments include, but are not limited to, payment to financial institutions for "shelf space" or access to a third party platform or fund offering list or other marketing programs, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the Funds on preferred or recommended sales lists, mutual fund "supermarket" platforms and other formal sales programs; granting the Adviser access to the financial institution's sales force, conferences and meetings; assistance in training and educating the financial institution's personnel; and obtaining other forms of marketing support. The level of revenue sharing payments made to financial institutions may be a fixed fee or based upon one or more of the following factors: gross sales, current assets and/or number of accounts of the Funds attributable to the financial institution, or other factors as agreed to by the Adviser and the financial institution or any combination thereof. The amount of these revenue sharing payments is determined at the discretion of the Adviser from time to time, may be substantial, and may be different for different financial institutions depending upon the services provided by the financial institution. Such payments may provide an incentive for the financial institution to make shares of the Funds available to its customers and may allow the Funds greater access to the financial institution's customers.
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Other Service Providers. The following chart shows the Funds' service providers and includes their addresses and principal activities.
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Shareholders | ||||||
Distribution and Shareholder Services |
Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200 Milwaukee, WI 53202
Facilitates the distribution of shares and provides administrative services to beneficial shareholders of each Fund. |
Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent
U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street* Milwaukee, WI 53202
Handles shareholder services, including recordkeeping and statements, distribution of dividends and processing of buy, sell and exchange requests.
*Do not use this address for purchase and redemptions. Please see “Purchase of Fund Shares” and “Redemption of Fund Shares” sections for further instructions.
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Asset Management |
Investment Adviser Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. One Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108
Manages the Funds’ investment activities.
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Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A. 1555 North RiverCenter Drive Milwaukee, WI 53212
Holds the Funds’ assets, settles all portfolio trades and collects income and maturity proceeds.
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Fund Operations |
Administrator and Fund Accounting Agent
U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Provides facilities, equipment and personnel to carry out administrative services related to the Funds and calculates each Fund’s net asset value, dividends and distributions.
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Board of Directors
Supervises the Funds’ activities. |
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SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION |
Pricing of Fund Shares
Institutional Class shares of the Funds ("Shares") are priced at their NAV. The NAV per share of each Fund is calculated as follows:
NAV = | - | Value
of Assets Attributable to the Institutional Class Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Institutional Class |
|
Number of Outstanding Shares of the Institutional Class |
Each Fund's NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The NYSE also may be closed on national days of mourning or due to natural disaster or other extraordinary events or emergency. Each Fund will effect purchases and redemptions of Shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt by the Transfer Agent of your purchase order or redemption request in good order (as described below). If a Fund holds securities that are primarily held on non-U.S. exchanges, the NAV of the Fund's Shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem the Fund's Shares.
A Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ"). Equity securities listed on the NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, equity securities will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If a Fund holds foreign equity securities, the calculation of the Fund's NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Fund's portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.
Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses). Investments in ETFs, REITs and closed-end investments companies will be valued at their market price.
If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable by the Funds' administrator, in consultation with the Adviser, securities will be valued by the Adviser, as the Fund’s valuation designee (the "Valuation Designee"). in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board and under the Board’s ultimate supervision. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before a Fund prices its Shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by a Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.
The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by each Fund and its Valuation Designee in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, each Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable.
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Market Timing
In accordance with the policy adopted by its Board, the Company discourages and does not accommodate market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to (i) reject a purchase or exchange order, (ii) delay payment of immediate cash redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days, (iii) revoke a shareholder's privilege to purchase Shares (including exchanges), or (iv) limit the amount of any exchange involving the purchase of Shares. An investor may receive notice that their purchase order or exchange has been rejected after the day the order is placed or after acceptance by a financial intermediary. It is currently expected that a shareholder would receive notice that its purchase order or exchange has been rejected within 48 hours after such purchase order or exchange has been received by the Company in good order. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise its right if, in the Company's (or the Adviser's) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investor's trading, in the judgment of the Company (or the Adviser), has been or may be disruptive to a Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm a Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of a Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.
The Funds generally limit the number of exchanges to six (6) exchanges per year and one exchange per calendar month. The Funds may waive such exchange limits in certain circumstances. For further information on exchanges, please see the section titled "Shareholder Information — Exchange Privilege."
Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board, the Adviser has developed criteria that they use to identify trading activity that may be excessive. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Adviser may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund.
If necessary, the Company may prohibit additional purchases of Shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Funds. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Company. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Company's excessive trading policies, the Company may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.
There is no assurance that a Fund will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.
Shareholder Service Fees
The Board has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan (the "Plan") for the Institutional Class Shares of the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund and the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund authorizing these Funds to pay securities dealers, plan administrators or other service organizations ("Service Organizations") who agree to provide certain shareholder and administrative services to plans or plan participants holding Institutional Class Shares of the Funds a service fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net asset value of Institutional Class Shares beneficially owned by such plan participants. The services provided under the Plan include acting as a shareholder of record, processing purchase and redemption orders, maintaining participant account records and answering participant questions regarding the Fund. Please find more information on Service Organizations under the section entitled "Purchase of Fund Shares — Purchases through Intermediaries" in this Prospectus. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Board has determined not to implement the Plan for the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund.
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Purchase of Fund Shares
Shares representing interests in the Funds are offered continuously for sale by Quasar Distributors, LLC (the "Distributor"). Institutional Class Shares of the Funds are available for purchase by investors who meet the investment minimums described below under "General." An exchange between the Institutional Class shares and the Investor Class shares of any Fund is generally not permitted.
Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Funds may also be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, "Service Organizations"). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company or its agent and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Company's pricing on the following Business Day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by a Fund in good order, the Transfer Agent will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the appropriate Fund's NAV next computed after they are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.
For administration, subaccounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the "Service Fee") relating to the average annual NAV of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service Organizations or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.
The Funds may enter into agreements with Service Organizations pursuant to which a Fund will pay a Service Organization for networking, sub-transfer agency, sub-administration and/or sub-accounting services. These payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by the Service Organization or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by the Service Organization. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.
Institutional Class shares may also be available on brokerage platforms of firms that have agreements with the Company to offer such shares when acting solely on an agency basis for the purchase or sale of such shares. If you transact in Institutional Class shares through one of these programs, you may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker. Shares of each of Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund are available in other share classes that have different fees and expenses.
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General. You may also purchase Shares of each Fund at the NAV per share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in good order as described below. The Funds' NAVs are calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment in any Fund is $100,000 and the minimum additional investment is $5,000. The minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements may be reduced or waived from time to time. For purposes of meeting the minimum initial purchase, purchases by clients which are part of endowments, foundations or other related groups may be combined. You can purchase Shares of each Fund only on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Adviser and its subsidiaries and by their spouses and children either directly or through any trust that has the principal, employee, spouse or child as the primary beneficiaries, their individual retirement accounts, or any pension and profit-sharing plan of the Adviser and its subsidiaries without being subject to the minimum investment limitations.
Initial Investment By Mail. Subject to acceptance by the Funds, an account may be opened by completing and signing an account application and mailing it to the Funds at the address noted below, together with a check payable to Boston Partners Investment Funds. All checks must be in U.S. Dollars drawn on a domestic bank. The Funds will not accept payment in cash or money orders. The Funds do not accept post-dated checks or any conditional order or payment. To prevent check fraud, the Funds will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares.
Regular Mail: | Overnight Mail: |
Boston Partners Investments Funds c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Boston Partners Investment Funds c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207 |
The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be their agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent of the Funds. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.
Shares will be purchased at the NAV next computed after the time the application and funds are received in proper order and accepted by the Funds. The Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee against a shareholder’s account, in addition to any loss sustained by the Funds, for any payment that is returned. It is the policy of the Funds not to accept applications under certain circumstances or in amounts considered disadvantageous to shareholders. The Funds reserve the right to reject any application.
Initial Investment By Wire. If you are making your first investment in the Funds, before you wire funds, the Transfer Agent must have a completed account application. You may mail or overnight deliver your account application to the Transfer Agent. Upon receipt of your completed account application, the Transfer Agent will establish an account for you. The account number assigned will be required as part of the instruction that should be provided to your bank to send the wire. Your bank must include both the name of the Fund you are purchasing, the account number, and your name so that monies can be correctly applied. Your bank should transmit funds by wire to:
U.S. Bank N.A.
777 East Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee WI 53202
ABA 075000022
Credit:
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
Account #112-952-137
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For Further Credit to:
Boston Partners Investment Funds
(shareholder registration)
(shareholder account number)
Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time to be eligible for same day pricing. The Funds and U.S. Bank, N.A. are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.
For Subsequent Investments – By wire
Before sending your wire, please contact the Transfer Agent to advise them of your intent to wire funds. This will ensure prompt and accurate credit upon receipt of your wire.
Telephone Purchase. Investors may purchase additional shares of the Funds by calling 1-888- 261-4073. If you did not decline this option on your account application, and your account has been open for at least 7 business days, telephone orders, in amounts of $100 or more, will be accepted via electronic funds transfer from your bank account through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. You must have banking information established on your account prior to making a purchase. If you order is received prior to 4 p.m. Eastern time, your shares will be purchased at the NAV calculated on the day your order is placed.
Telephone trades must be received by or prior to market close. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waits. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.
Additional Investments. Additional investments may be made at any time (minimum additional investment $5,000) by purchasing Shares of any Fund at the NAV per Share of the Fund by mailing a check to the Transfer Agent at the address noted under "Initial Investment by Mail" (payable to Boston Partners [name of Fund]), by electronic funds transfer through the ACH network as indicated under “Telephone Purchase”, or by wiring monies as outlined under "Initial Investment by Wire." Initial and/or additional purchases made by check or electronic funds transfer through the ACH network cannot be redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days from the date of purchase. This delay will not apply if you purchased your shares via wire payment.
Automatic Investment Plan. Once your account has been opened with the initial minimum investment you may make additional purchases at regular intervals through an automatic investment plan (the “Automatic Investment Plan”). The Automatic Investment Plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted from your bank account, for investment into the Fund, on a monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis. In order to participate in the Automatic Investment Plan, each purchase must be in the amount of $5,000 or more ($50 or more for the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund), and your financial institution must be a member of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. If your bank rejects your payment, the Fund’s transfer agent will charge a $25 fee to your account. To begin participating in the Automatic Investment Plan, please complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application or call the Funds’ transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073 for instructions. Any request to change or terminate your Automatic Investment Plan should be submitted to the Transfer Agent five (5) days prior to effective date.
Retirement Plans. The Funds offer prototype documents for a variety of retirement accounts for individuals and small businesses. Please call 1-888-261-4073 for information on:
● | Individual Retirement Plan, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs |
● | Small Business Retirement Plans, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs |
● | Coverdell Education Savings Accounts |
There may be special distribution requirements for retirement accounts, such as required distributions or mandatory Federal income tax withholding. For more information, call the number listed above. You may be charged a $15 annual account maintenance fee for each retirement account up to a maximum of $30 annually and a $25 fee for transferring assets to another custodian or for closing a retirement account.
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Purchases in Kind. In certain circumstances, Shares of the Funds may be purchased "in kind" (i.e., in exchange for securities, rather than cash). The securities rendered in connection with an in-kind purchase must be liquid securities that are not restricted as to transfer and have a value that is readily ascertainable in accordance with the Company's valuation procedures. Securities accepted by the Funds will be valued, as set forth in this Prospectus, as of the time of the next determination of NAV after such acceptance. The Shares of the Funds that are issued to the investor in exchange for the securities will be determined as of the same time. All dividend, subscription, or other rights that are reflected in the market price of accepted securities at the time of valuation become the property of the Funds and must be delivered to the Funds by the investor upon receipt from the issuer. The Funds will not accept securities in exchange for its Shares unless such securities are, at the time of the exchange, eligible to be held by the Funds and satisfy such other conditions as may be imposed by the Adviser or the Company. Purchases in-kind may result in the recognition of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on the securities transferred to the Funds.
Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interests of the Funds. Subject to the Board’s discretion, the Adviser will monitor each Fund's total assets and may decide to close any of the Funds at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of a Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Fund's strategy. Subject to the Board’s discretion, the Adviser may also choose to reopen a closed Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close such Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund's size recur. If a Fund closes to new investments, generally the closed Fund would be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons, who are generally subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:
a. | Fee-based advisory model programs or financial advisors who manage fee-based wrap accounts that systematically trade in and out of the closed Fund based on model portfolio allocations; |
b. | Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Company; |
c. | Existing and future clients of registered investment advisers and planners whose clients already hold Shares of the closed Fund on transaction fee and non-transaction fee platforms; |
d. | Existing and future clients of consultants whose clients already hold shares of the closed Fund; |
e. | Certain financial intermediaries by arrangement with the Company; |
f. | Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children; |
g. | Directors of the Company; and |
h. | Defined contribution retirement plans of private employers and governed by ERISA or of state and local governments. |
Other persons who are shareholders of other Boston Partners Investment Funds are not permitted to acquire Shares of the closed Fund by exchange. Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board’s discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.
Purchases of the Shares will be made in full and fractional shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.
The Adviser is authorized to waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.
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The Adviser reserves the right to close the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund to new investments from time to time at its discretion, should the assets of the Fund decline by more than 5% from the date of the last closing of the Fund. In addition, if the Adviser closes the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, the Adviser has discretion to open the Fund thereafter should the assets of the Fund increase by more than 5% from the date of the last reopening of the Fund. Subject to the approval of the Board, the Adviser may also choose to close the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently open the Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund’s size recur.
Good Order. A purchase request is considered to be in good order when the purchase request includes the name of the Fund, the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, your account application or investment stub, and a check payable to the Fund. Purchase requests not in good order may rejected.
Customer Identification Program. Please note that the Transfer Agent must verify certain information on your account application as part of the Company’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. You must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. Mailing addresses containing only a P. O. Box will not be accepted. Applications without the required information will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Company reserves the right (a) to place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (b) to refuse an investment in a Company portfolio or to involuntarily redeem an investor's Shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Company and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's Shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.
Redemption of Fund Shares
Normally, your investment professional will send your request to redeem Shares to the Transfer Agent. Consult your investment professional for more information. You can redeem some or all of your Fund Shares directly through the Fund only if the account is registered in your name.
Investors may have a check sent to the address of record, proceeds may be wired to a shareholder’s bank account of record, or funds may be sent via electronic funds transfer through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, also to the bank account of record. Wires are subject to a $15 fee paid by the investor, but the investor does not incur any charge when proceeds are sent via the ACH system.
IRA and Other Retirement Plan Redemptions
If you have an IRA, you must indicate on your written redemption request whether or not to withhold federal income tax. Redemption requests failing to indicate an election to have tax withheld will be subject to 10% withholding.
Shares held in IRA accounts may be redeemed by telephone at 1-888-261-4073. Investors will be asked whether or not to withhold taxes from any distribution.
Redemption By Mail. Your redemption request should be sent to:
Boston Partners Investment Funds
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
P. O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701
If sent by overnight mail to:
Boston Partners Investment Funds
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
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The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be their agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent of the Funds. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.
A signature guarantee, from either a Medallion program member or a non-Medallion program member, is required in the following situations:
● | If ownership is being changed on your account; |
● | When redemption proceeds are payable or sent to any person, address or bank account not on record; |
● | When a redemption is received by the Transfer Agent and the account address has changed within the last 15 calendar days. |
The Funds may waive any of the above requirements in certain instances. In addition to the situations described above, the Funds and /or the Transfer Agent reserve the right to require a signature guarantee in other instances based on the circumstances relative to the particular situation.
Non-financial transactions, including establishing or modifying certain services on an account, may require a signature guarantee, signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member, or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source.
Signature guarantees will generally be accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program and the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (“STAMP”). A notary public is not an acceptable signature guarantor.
Redemption By Telephone. Unless you have declined telephone transaction privileges on your account application, you may redeem your shares by telephone by calling the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073. Adding telephone redemption to an existing account may require a signature guarantee or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source.
Investors may have a check sent to the address of record, proceeds may be wired to a shareholder’s bank account of record, or funds may be sent via electronic funds transfer through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, also to the bank account of record. Wires are subject to a $15 fee paid by the investor, but the investor does not incur any charge when proceeds are sent via the ACH system.
Once a telephone transaction has been placed, it cannot be canceled or modified after the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
Telephone trades must be received by or prior to market close. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waits. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.
Before executing an instruction received by telephone, the Transfer Agent will use reasonable procedures to confirm that the telephone instructions are genuine. The telephone call may be recorded and the caller may be asked to verify certain personal identification information. If the Funds or its agents follow these procedures, they cannot be held liable for any loss, expense or cost arising out of any telephone redemption request that is reasonably believed to be genuine. This includes fraudulent or unauthorized requests. If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, the Funds will accept telephone instructions from any one owner or authorized person.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan — WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund. As another convenience, you may redeem your WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund shares through a systematic withdrawal plan (the “Systematic Withdrawal Plan”). Under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan, you may choose to receive a specified dollar amount, generated from the redemption of shares in your account, on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. In order to participate in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan, your account balance must be at least $10,000 and each payment should be a minimum of $50. If you elect this method of redemption, the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund will send a check to your address of record, or will send the payment via electronic funds transfer through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, directly to your bank account. For payment through the ACH network, your bank must be an ACH member and your bank account information must be maintained on your Fund account. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund. You may also elect to terminate your participation in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan at any time by contacting the Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone at least five (5) days prior to the next withdrawal.
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A withdrawal under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan involves a redemption of shares and may result in a gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. In addition, if the amount requested to be withdrawn exceeds the amount available in your account, which includes any dividends credited to your account, the account will ultimately be depleted.
Involuntary Redemption. The Funds reserve the right to redeem a shareholder's account in any Fund at any time the value of the account in such Fund falls below $500 as the result of a redemption or an exchange request. Shareholders will be notified in writing that the value of their account in a Fund is less than $500 and will be allowed 30 days to make additional investments before the redemption is processed.
The Funds may assert the right to redeem your shares at current NAV at any time and without prior notice if, and to the extent that, such redemption is necessary to reimburse a Fund for any loss sustained by reason of your failure to make full payment for shares of a Fund you previously purchased or subscribed for.
Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for Shares of the Funds recently purchased by check or electronic funds transfer through the ACH network may not be distributed until payment for the purchase has been collected, which may take up to fifteen calendar days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.
Other than as described above, payment of the redemption proceeds will be made within seven days after receipt of an order for a redemption. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC and the Company's Policy and Procedures Related to the Processing of In-Kind Redemptions. The Funds typically expect to meet redemption requests by paying out proceeds from cash or cash equivalent portfolio holdings, or by selling portfolio securities. In stressed market conditions, redemption methods may include redeeming in kind.
If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Funds to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by a Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in payment of redemptions. If a shareholder receives redemption proceeds in-kind, the shareholder will bear the market risk of the securities received in the redemption until their disposition and should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of the securities. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that a Fund is obligated to redeem its Shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of a Fund.
Good Order. A redemption request is considered to be in good order when the redemption request includes the name of the Fund, the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, the account number, and signatures by all of shareholders whose names appear on the account registration with a signature guarantee, if applicable. Redemption requests not in good order may be delayed.
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Exchange Privilege
The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the Shares being acquired may be legally sold. The Boston Partners Investment Funds reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to change or discontinue the exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend the privilege during unusual market conditions when, in the judgment of management, such change or discontinuance is in the best interests of the Funds. A shareholder may exchange Institutional Class Shares of any Boston Partners Investment Fund for Institutional Class Shares in an identically registered account of another Boston Partners Investment Fund. Such an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the exchanged Institutional Class Shares and the NAV of the Institutional Class Shares to be acquired next determined after the Transfer Agent’s receipt of a request for an exchange. An exchange of Shares of one Boston Partners Investment Fund for Shares of another Boston Partners Investment Fund will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. A shareholder may make an exchange by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent or, if authorized, by telephone (see "Redemption by Telephone" above). Defined contribution plans are not subject to the above exchange limitations.
If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own Institutional Class Shares of the Fund, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options as the account from which Shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed. See "Redemption by Mail" for information on signature guarantees. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, by the Funds, upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
If a shareholder wants to exchange Shares into a new account in a Fund, the dollar value of the Shares acquired must equal or exceed the Fund's minimum investment requirement for a new account. If a shareholder wants to exchange Shares into an existing account, the dollar value of the Shares must equal or exceed the Fund's minimum investment requirement for additional investments. If an amount remains in the Fund from which the exchange is being made that is below the minimum account value required, the account will be subject to involuntary redemption.
In addition, beneficial holders with financial intermediary sponsored fee-based programs are eligible to exchange their shares in a particular share class of a Fund for Shares in a different share class of a Fund if the shareholder meets the eligibility requirement for that class of Shares or the shareholder is otherwise eligible to purchase that class of shares. Such an exchange will be affected at the NAV of the shares next calculated after the exchange request is received by the Transfer Agent in good order. Investors who hold Institutional Class Shares of any Boston Partners Investment Fund through a financial intermediary sponsored fee-based program, but who subsequently become ineligible to participate in the program or withdraw from the program, may be subject to conversion of their Institutional Class Shares by their program provider to another class of shares of the Fund having expenses (including Rule 12b-1 fees) that may be higher than the expenses of the Institutional Class Shares. Investors should contact their program provider to obtain information about their eligibility for the provider’s program and the class of shares they would receive upon such a conversion.
The Funds' exchange privilege is not intended to afford shareholders a way to speculate on short-term movements in the market. Accordingly, in order to prevent excessive use of the exchange privilege, which may potentially disrupt the management of the Funds and increase transaction costs, the Funds have established a policy of limiting excessive exchange activity. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase request (including exchange purchases from other Boston Partners Investment Funds) that is deemed to be disruptive to efficient portfolio management.
Dividends and Distributions
Each Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.
The Funds will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually. The estimated amount of any annual distribution will be posted to the Adviser's website at www.boston-partners.com or a free copy may be obtained by calling 1-888-261-4073.
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The Funds may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for a Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Funds' distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Fund Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.
All distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless you elect to receive cash. If you elect to receive distributions and/or capital gains paid in cash, and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the check, or if a check remains outstanding for six months, the Funds reserve the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account, at the Funds’ current NAV, and to reinvest all subsequent distributions. You may change the distribution option on your account at any time. You should notify the Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone at least five (5) days prior to the next distribution.
Taxes
The following is a summary of certain United States tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.
Federal Taxes of Distributions. Each Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.
Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of a Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. The maximum federal long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 23.8% (which includes a 3.8% Medicare tax). You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.
Distributions of "qualifying dividends" will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or "qualified" foreign corporations ("qualifying dividends"), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Fund's ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend).The amount of a Fund's distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund's securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or non-qualified foreign corporations.
Through 2025, a Fund may make distributions to you of “section 199A dividends” with respect to qualified dividends that it receives with respect to such Fund’s investments in REITs. A section 199A dividend is any dividend or part of such dividend that the Fund pays to you and reports as a section 199A dividend in written statements furnished to you. Distributions paid by a Fund that are eligible to be treated as section 199A dividends for a taxable year may not exceed the “qualified REIT dividends” received by the Fund from a REIT reduced by the Fund’s allocable expenses. Section 199A dividends may be taxed to individuals and other non-corporate shareholders at a reduced effective federal income tax rate, provided you have satisfied a holding period requirement for the Fund’s shares and satisfied certain other conditions. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date, but only to the extent that you are not under an obligation (under a short-sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Section 199A is currently set to expire after 2025.
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Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.
It is expected that the Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, and WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund will each be subject to foreign withholding or other foreign income taxes with respect to dividends or interest received from (and, in some cases, gains recognized on shares of stock of) non-U.S. companies. If more than 50% of these Funds' assets are stock and securities of foreign corporations, they may make an election to treat a proportionate amount of those taxes as constituting a distribution to each shareholder, which would allow you either (1) to credit that proportionate amount of taxes against U.S. federal income tax liability as a foreign tax credit, subject to applicable limitations, or (2) to take that amount as an itemized deduction.
A portion of distributions paid by a Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations. Only the portions of Fund dividends that are attributable to dividends a Fund receives from U.S. companies may qualify for this dividends-received deduction. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of the Fund's securities lending activities (if any), by a high portfolio turnover rate or by investments in debt securities or foreign corporations.
If you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This adverse tax result is known as "buying into a dividend."
Sales and Exchanges. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares, including an exchange for shares of another Fund, based on the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Fund shares for over twelve months at the time you dispose of them.
Any loss realized on shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a disposition of shares of a Fund may be disallowed under "wash sale" rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the same Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.
For shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012, each Fund (or relevant broker or financial adviser) is required to compute and report to the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and furnish to Fund shareholders cost basis information when such shares are sold or exchanged. Each Fund intends to elect to use the average cost method, unless you instruct the Fund to use a different IRS-accepted cost basis method, or choose to specifically identify your shares at the time of each sale or exchange. If your account is held by your broker or other financial adviser, they may select a different cost basis method. In these cases, please contact your broker or other financial adviser to obtain information with respect to the available methods and elections for your account. You should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on your federal and state income tax returns. Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisers to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about how the cost basis reporting requirements apply to them.
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IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless such shares were acquired with borrowed funds.
Backup Withholding. The Funds may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the IRS a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the IRS for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are "exempt recipients." The current backup withholding rate is 24%.
U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders. Generally, nonresident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign investors are subject to a 30% withholding tax on dividends paid by a U.S. corporation, although the rate may be reduced for an investor that is a qualified resident of a foreign country with an applicable tax treaty with the United States. In the case of regulated investment companies such as the Funds, however, certain categories of dividends are exempt from the 30% withholding tax. These generally include dividends attributable to the Funds' net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), dividends attributable to the Funds' interest income from U.S. obligors and dividends attributable to net short-term capital gains of the Funds.
Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale, exchange or redemption of shares in the Funds, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on capital gain dividends from the Funds.
However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in a Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business, then the foreign investor's income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.
The Funds will also generally be required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments to foreign entities that do not provide a Form W-8BEN-E that evidences their compliance with, or exemption from, specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisers regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in a Fund.
Shares of the Funds have not been registered for sale outside of the United States and certain United States territories.
State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain from Fund shares. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of a Fund's distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.
More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.
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Multi-Class Structure
Each Fund, except the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, and the Boston Partners Emerging Market Dynamic Equity Fund, also offers Investor Class Shares, which are offered directly to individual investors in a separate prospectus. Shares of each class of a Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Institutional Class Shares of a Fund can be expected to differ from the total return on Investor Class Shares of the same Fund. Information concerning other classes of the Funds can be requested by calling the Funds at 1-888-261-4073.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
Electronic Delivery
Consistent with the Funds’ commitment to environmental sustainability, you may sign up to receive quarterly statements, and tax forms statements electronically. You may also sign up to receive the Funds’ financial statements and Prospectuses electronically at www.boston-partners.com. You may change your delivery preference and resume receiving these documents through the mail at any time by updating your electronic delivery preferences at www.boston-partners.com or by contacting the Funds at 1-888-261-4073.
Householding
In an effort to decrease costs, the Funds intend to reduce the number of duplicate prospectuses and other shareholder documents you receive by sending only one copy of each to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to shareholders we reasonably believe are from the same family or household. Once implemented, if you would like to discontinue householding for your accounts, please call toll-free at 1-888-261-4073 to request individual copies of these documents. Once the Funds receive notice to stop householding, we will begin sending individual copies thirty days after receiving your request. This policy does not apply to account statements.
Lost Shareholder, Inactive Accounts and Unclaimed Property
It is important that the Funds maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned to the Fund. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, the Funds will attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the Funds are unable to locate the shareholder, then they will determine whether the shareholder’s account can legally be considered abandoned. Your mutual fund account may be transferred to the state government of your state of residence if no activity occurs within your account during the “inactivity period” specified in your state’s abandoned property laws. The Funds are legally obligated to escheat (or transfer) abandoned property to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Please proactively contact the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073 (toll free) at least annually to ensure your account remains in active status.
If you are a resident of the state of Texas, you may designate a representative to receive notifications that, due to inactivity, your mutual fund account assets may be delivered to the Texas Comptroller. Please contact the Transfer Agent if you wish to complete a Texas Designation of Representative form.
NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUNDS' SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
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APPENDIX A |
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Account of the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing a private fund with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund. The table on the following page is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing the private fund and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the private fund net of the Fund's annual fund operating expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011 (after contractual waivers that were in place through December 31, 2012).The fees and expenses of the Fund are higher than those of the private fund, in part, because the general partner of the private fund waived its right to receive an incentive allocation from each limited partner's capital account, generally equal to 20% of any profits achieved in a fiscal year after recoupment of prior losses. The Fund's results in the future also may be different because the private fund is not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the private fund. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the private fund.
The performance of the private fund is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Performance Table (since inception April 1, 2002)1,2,3,4
PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2010 | (1.02)% | 2.17% | 2.67% | 0.16% | (3.71)% | (3.46)% | 4.01% | (3.71)% | 5.96% | ||||
2009 | (0.46)% | (5.5)% | 3.55% | 6.04% | 3.68% | 2.12% | 2.16% | 2.78% | (0.28)% | (0.75)% | 2.80% | 1.35% | 18.40% |
2008 | 1.25% | 0.69% | (4.35)% | 2.02% | 2.78% | (3.24)% | 0.99% | 1.89% | (3.10)% | (4.68)% | (5.19)% | 2.79% | (8.38)% |
2007 | 0.98% | 0.73% | 0.61% | 2.69% | 1.29% | (0.69)% | (2.31)% | 0.87% | 2.37% | (0.74)% | 0.78% | (0.62)% | 6.01% |
2006 | 1.82% | (1.19)% | 0.17% | 0.67% | (0.58)% | 0.23% | 0.60% | 0.15% | 0.19% | (0.07)% | 0.30% | 1.22% | 3.54% |
2005 | (0.68)% | 1.22% | 0.32% | (0.63)% | (0.50)% | 0.93% | 2.41% | 2.36% | 2.29% | 0.76% | 0.39% | 0.66% | 9.87% |
2004 | 0.45% | 1.29% | 2.39% | (1.14)% | (0.01)% | 3.25% | 0.98% | 0.19% | 1.42% | 0.62% | 5.48% | 2.09% | 18.21% |
2003 | 0.29% | (3.55)% | 0.05% | (1.71)% | (1.55)% | (0.05)% | 0.11% | (1.35)% | (0.98)% | (0.11)% | 0.65% | 0.19% | (7.79)% |
2002 | 0.10% | 3.62% | (2.36)% | (1.43)% | 1.97% | (2.35)% | 0.15% | 1.38% | 1.83% | 2.76% |
GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY
(ended December 31) | |
2010 | (0.82)% | 2.38% | 2.87% | 0.36% | (3.51)% | (3.26)% | 4.22% | (3.50)% | 6.16% | ||||
2009 | (0.26)% | (5.29)% | 3.75% | 6.25% | 3.88% | 2.32% | 2.36% | 2.99% | (0.08)% | (0.54)% | 3.01% | 1.56% | 21.31% |
2008 | 1.45% | 0.90% | (4.15)% | 2.22% | 2.98% | (3.04)% | 1.19% | 2.09% | (2.89)% | (4.47)% | (4.99)% | 2.99% | (6.08)% |
2007 | 1.18% | 0.93% | 0.81% | 2.89% | 1.49% | (0.48)% | (2.10)% | 1.08% | 2.57% | (0.54)% | 0.99% | (0.41)% | 8.64% |
2006 | 2.03% | (0.99)% | 0.38% | 0.87% | (0.38)% | 0.44% | 0.80% | 0.36% | 0.39% | 0.14% | 0.51% | 1.43% | 6.11% |
2005 | (0.48)% | 1.43% | 0.52% | (0.43)% | (0.29)% | 1.13% | 2.61% | 2.57% | 2.50% | 0.96% | 0.60% | 0.87% | 12.59% |
2004 | 0.66% | 1.50% | 2.60% | (0.93)% | 0.19% | 3.45% | 1.19% | 0.40% | 1.62% | 0.82% | 5.69% | 2.29% | 21.11% |
2003 | 0.49% | (3.34)% | 0.25% | (1.51)% | (1.34)% | 0.15% | 0.31% | (1.14)% | (0.77)% | 0.10% | 0.85% | 0.40% | (5.48)% |
2002 | 0.31% | 3.83% | (2.15)% | (1.23)% | 2.17% | (2.15)% | 0.36% | 1.58% | 2.03% | 4.67% |
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S&P 500 INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY
(ended December 31) | |
2010 | (3.60)% | 3.10% | 6.03% | 1.58% | (7.98)% | (5.24)% | 7.01% | (4.51)% | 8.92% | ||||
2009 | (8.43)% | (10.65)% | 8.76% | 9.57% | 5.59% | 0.20% | 7.56% | 3.61% | 3.73% | (1.86)% | 6.00% | 1.93% | 26.45% |
2008 | (6.00)% | (3.25)% | (0.43)% | 4.87% | 1.29% | (8.43)% | (0.84)% | 1.45% | (8.91)% | (16.79)% | (7.17)% | 1.06% | (36.99)% |
2007 | 1.51% | (1.96)% | 1.12% | 4.43% | 3.49% | (1.66)% | (3.10)% | 1.50% | 3.74% | 1.59% | (4.18)% | (0.69)% | 5.50% |
2006 | 2.65% | 0.27% | 1.24% | 1.34% | (2.88)% | 0.14% | 0.62% | 2.38% | 2.58% | 3.26% | 1.90% | 1.40% | 15.79% |
2005 | (2.44)% | 2.10% | (1.77)% | (1.90)% | 3.18% | 0.14% | 3.72% | (0.91)% | 0.81% | (1.67)% | 3.78% | 0.03% | 4.89% |
2004 | 1.84% | 1.39% | (1.51)% | (1.57)% | 1.37% | 1.94% | (3.31)% | 0.40% | 1.08% | 1.53% | 4.05% | 3.40% | 10.87% |
2003 | (2.62)% | (1.50)% | 0.97% | 8.24% | 5.27% | 1.27% | 1.76% | 1.95% | (1.06)% | 5.66% | 0.88% | 5.24% | 28.68% |
2002 | (6.06)% | (0.74)% | (7.12)% | (7.79)% | 0.66% | (10.87)% | 8.80% | 5.89% | (5.88)% | (22.31)% |
CALENDAR YEAR RETURNS1,2,3,4
2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | 2.76% | (7.79)% | 18.21% | 9.87% | 3.54% | 6.01% | (8.38)% | 18.40% |
Gross Of Fees | 4.67% | (5.48)% | 21.11% | 12.59% | 6.11% | 8.64% | (6.08)% | 21.31% |
S&P 500 | (22.31)% | 28.68% | 10.87% | 4.89% | 15.79% | 5.50% | (36.99)% | 26.45% |
SUMMARY STATISTICS (periods ended June 30, 2010)1,2,3,4
RETURN
YTD | 1 Year | 2 Year | 3 Year | 5 Year | 7 Year | Since Inception | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | 2.57% | 6.07% | 6.22% | 3.42% | 4.46% | 6.93% | 4.91% |
Gross Of Fees | 4.48% | 8.70% | 8.85% | 5.99% | 7.05% | 9.57% | 7.51% |
S&P 500 | 3.89% | 10.16% | 1.26% | (7.16)% | 0.63% | 4.03% | 1.92% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards ("GIPS"). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC's standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on a trade date basis. |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund's annual fund operating expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011 (after contractual waivers). |
4 | The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, classified in eleven industry sectors, which represent approximately 75% of the U.S. equities market. The S&P 500® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stock's total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index. |
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APPENDIX B |
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Accounts of the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing other accounts with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund. The table on the following pages is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing all such other accounts and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the other accounts net of the Fund's annual operating expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011 (after contractual waivers that were in place until September 30, 2013). The other accounts' fees and expenses are lower than those of the Fund. The Fund's results in the future also may be different because the other accounts are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the other accounts. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the other accounts.
The performance of the other accounts is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Returns (since July 31, 2008)1,2,3,4,5
COMPOSITE — PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY
(ended December 31) | |
2011 | 1.90% | 3.43% | 0.83% | 4.56% | (1.85)% | (1.16)% | (1.11)% | (7.73)% | (8.67)% | 11.36% | (2.36)% | ||
2010 | (3.84)% | 0.42% | 5.94% | 0.28% | (9.73)% | (4.56)% | 7.66% | (3.68)% | 10.10% | 4.62% | (2.53)% | 8.79% | 11.93% |
2009 | (8.69)% | (9.47)% | 5.20% | 11.74% | 8.46% | 0.05% | 7.44% | 5.34% | 4.35% | (1.10)% | 2.87% | 2.10% | 29.35% |
2008 | (2.35)% | (0.54)% | (9.54)% | (19.20)% | (6.15)% | 3.18% |
COMPOSITE — GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY
(ended December 31) | |
2011 | 2.01% | 3.54% | 0.94% | 4.67% | (1.74)% | (1.05)% | (1.00)% | (7.62)% | (8.56)% | 11.47% | (2.25)% | ||
2010 | (3.73)% | 0.52% | 6.05% | 0.39% | (9.62)% | (4.46)% | 7.77% | (3.58)% | 10.21% | 4.73% | (2.42)% | 8.90% | 13.38% |
2009 | (8.59)% | (9.36)% | 5.31% | 11.85% | 8.57% | 0.16% | 7.54% | 5.45% | 4.46% | (1.00)% | 2.98% | 2.21% | 31.01% |
2008 | (2.24)% | (0.43)% | (9.43)% | (19.09)% | (6.04)% | 3.29% |
MSCI® WORLD INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY
(ended December 31) | |
2011 | 2.28% | 3.55% | (0.94)% | 4.31% | (1.97)% | (1.54)% | (1.79)% | (7.00)% | (8.60)% | 10.37% | (2.38)% | ||
2010 | (4.11)% | 1.45% | 6.25% | 0.07% | (9.48)% | (3.39)% | 8.13% | (3.69)% | 9.36% | 3.75% | (2.11)% | 7.39% | 13.24% |
2009 | (8.73)% | (10.17)% | 7.60% | 11.32% | 9.19% | (0.41)% | 8.50% | 4.17% | 4.02% | (1.76)% | 4.14% | 1.83% | 30.79% |
2008 | (2.42)% | (1.36)% | (11.85)% | (18.93)% | (6.40)% | 3.26% |
136 |
SUMMARY STATISTICS (periods ended November 30, 2011)1,2,3,4,5
RETURN
YTD | 1 Year | 2 Years | 3 Years | Since July 1, 2008 | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | (2.33)% | 6.26% | 5.65% | 13.42% | (0.82)% |
Gross Of Fees | (1.15)% | 7.64% | 7.03% | 14.89% | 0.48% |
MSCI® World Index | (5.00)% | 2.02% | 4.25% | 12.96% | (2.17)% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards ("GIPS"). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC's standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on trade date basis. |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund's annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that were in place until September 30, 2013). |
4 | The MSCI® World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets. |
5 | Although the other accounts commenced operations on January 1, 2007 or April 17, 1998, the other accounts only began investing in accordance with their current investment strategies on July 1, 2008. The performance shown represents performance since the other accounts began investing in accordance with their current investment strategies. |
137 |
APPENDIX C |
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Account of the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing a private fund with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund. The table on the following page is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing the private fund and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the private fund net of the Fund's annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that were in place through December 31, 2015). The Fund's results in the future also may be different because the private fund is not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the private fund. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the private fund.
The performance of the private fund is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Performance Table (since inception July 1, 2013)1,2,3,4,5
PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
2014 | (1.99)% | 2.28% | 0.55% | (0.81)% | 1.90% | (0.18)% | 1.26% | 0.88% | (1.18)% | (0.18)% | 1.06% | |
2013 | 2.10% | (2.25)% | 1.68% | 2.82% | 1.89% | 1.61% |
GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
2014 | (1.84)% | 2.28% | 0.70% | (0.66)% | 2.05% | (0.03)% | 1.40% | 1.03% | (1.04)% | (0.03)% | 1.20% | |
2013 | 2.25% | (2.11)% | 1.82% | 2.96% | 2.04% | 1.76% |
MSCI® WORLD INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
2014 | (3.68)% | 5.06% | 0.20% | 1.08% | 2.06% | 1.83% | (1.57)% | 2.24% | (2.67)% | 0.67% | 2.05% | |
2013 | 5.29% | (2.09)% | 5.04% | 3.94% | 1.82% | 2.15% |
SUMMARY
STATISTICS (periods ended November 30, 2014)1,2,3,4,5
RETURN
3 Months | YTD | Since Inception | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | (0.32)% | 3.56% | 8.24% |
Gross Of Fees | 0.12% | 5.09% | 10.03% |
MSCI® World Index | (0.01)% | 7.19% | 17.39% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards ("GIPS"). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC's standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
138 |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on a trade date basis. |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund's annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that were in place until December 31, 2014) of the Fund's average daily net assets. |
4 | The MSCI® World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets. |
5 | Although the private fund commenced operations on March 1, 2013, the private fund only began investing in accordance with its current investment strategies on July 1, 2013. The performance shown represents performance since the private fund began investing in accordance with its current investment strategies. |
139 |
APPENDIX D
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Accounts of the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing other accounts with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund. The tables on the following pages are provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing all such other accounts and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the other accounts net of the Fund’s annual operating expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021 (after contractual waivers that will be in place until December 31, 2023). The other accounts’ fees and expenses are lower than those of the Fund. The Fund’s results in the future also may be different because the other accounts are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the other accounts. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the other accounts.
The performance of the other accounts is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Returns (since December 31, 2018)1,2,3,4
COMPOSITE — PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2021 | 3.45% | 14.28% | 7.25% | 6.14% | 5.81% | (1.84)% | (5.06)% | 4.38% | 1.64% | 5.07% | (3.30)% | ||
2020 | (7.33)% | (10.49)% | (19.57)% | 13.85% | 4.94% | 3.58% | 2.06% | 9.11% | (4.62) | 4.35% | 19.10% | 9.05% | 18.83% |
2019 | 15.01% | 5.69% | (5.69)% | 5.89% | (9.39)% | 6.31% | 0.46% | (5.99)% | 4.69% | 1.57% | 5.15% | 3.10% | 27.30% |
2018 | (16.77)% |
COMPOSITE — GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2021 | 3.48% | 14.31% | 7.28% | 6.17% | 5.84% | (1.82)% | (5.03)% | 4.41% | 1.67% | 5.10% | (3.28)% | ||
2020 | (7.30)% | (10.46)% | (19.55)% | 13.88% | 4.97% | 3.61% | 2.09% | 9.15% | (4.59)% | 4.38% | 19.13% | 9.08% | 19.25% |
2019 | 15.04% | 5.72% | (5.66)% | 5.92% | (9.37)% | 6.34% | 0.49% | (5.97)% | 4.72% | 1.60% | 5.18% | 3.13% | 27.75% |
2018 | (16.74)% |
140 |
RUSSELL® 2000 VALUE INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2021 | 5.26% | 9.39% | 5.23% | 2.02% | 3.11% | (0.61)% | (3.58)% | 2.68% | (2.00)% | 3.81% | (3.42)% | ||
2020 | (5.39)% | (9.72)% | (24.67)% | 12.34% | 2.87% | 2.90% | 2.06% | 5.39% | (4.65)% | 3.58% | 19.31% | 7.92% | 4.63% |
2019 | 10.94% | 3.89% | (2.88)% | 3.78% | (8.17)% | 6.37% | 0.16% | (5.58)% | 5.13% | 2.42% | 2.34% | 3.50% | 22.39% |
2018 | (12.09)% |
SUMMARY STATISTICS (periods ended September 30, 2021)1,2,3,4 RETURN
YTD | 1 Year | Since December 1, 2018 | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | 40.79% | 90.79% | 22.39% |
Gross Of Fees | 41.16% | 91.45% | 22.82% |
Russell® 2000 Value Index | 22.92% | 63.92% | 12.15% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards (“GIPS”). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC’s standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on trade date basis. |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund’s annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that will be in place until December 31, 2023). |
4 | The Russell 2000® Value Index measures the performance of small-cap value segment of the US equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000® companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. |
141 |
APPENDIX E
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Accounts of the Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing other accounts with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund. The tables on the following pages are provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing all such other accounts and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the other accounts net of the Fund’s annual operating expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021 (after contractual waivers that will be in place until December 31, 2023). The other accounts’ fees and expenses are lower than those of the Fund. The Fund’s results in the future also may be different because the other accounts are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the other accounts. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the other accounts.
The performance of the other accounts is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Returns (since November 30, 2019)1,2,3,4,5
COMPOSITE — PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2021 | (1.08)% | 5.75% | 6.01% | 2.27% | 3.92% | (1.60)% | (0.26)% | 0.96% | (2.62)% | ||||
2020 | (1.72)% | (9.10)% | (12.26)% | 9.25% | 3.50% | 0.77% | 4.34% | 4.12% | (2.62)% | (3.23)% | 10.57% | 3.39% | 4.24% |
2019 | 2.40% | 3.20% | 5.68% |
COMPOSITE — GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2021 | (1.02)% | 5.81% | 6.07% | 2.34% | 3.98% | (1.54)% | (0.20)% | 1.03% | (2.56)% | ||||
2020 | (2)% | (9.05)% | (12.20)% | 9.31% | 3.56% | 0.83% | 4.40% | 4.18% | (2.83)% | (3.17)% | 10.64% | 3.46% | 5.02% |
2019 | 2.46% | 3.27% | 5.81% |
142 |
MSCI® WORLD INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2021 | (0.99)% | 2.56% | 3.33% | 4.65% | 1.44% | 1.49% | 1.79% | 2.49% | (4.15)% | ||||
2020 | (0.61)% | (8.45)% | (13.23)% | 10.92% | 4.83% | 2.65% | 4.78% | 6.68% | (3.45)% | (3.07)% | 12.79% | 4.24% | 15.90% |
2019 | 2.79% | 3.00% | 5.86% |
SUMMARY STATISTICS (periods ended September 30, 2021)1,2,3,4 RETURN
YTD | 1 Year | Since November 1, 2019 | |
Pro Forma Net of Fees | 13.73% | 25.83% | 12.48% |
Gross of Fees | 14.37% | 26.77% | 13.33% |
MSCI® World Index | 13.04% | 28.82% | 18.61% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards (“GIPS”). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC’s standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on trade date basis. |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund’s annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that will be in place until December 31, 2023). |
4 | The MSCI® World Index captures large and mid cap representation across 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries*. With 1,561 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. |
143 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS* |
The tables in the Financial Highlights section below set forth certain financial information for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term "Total investment return" indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. The information has been derived from the Funds' financial statements. The information for periods through August 31, 2023 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds' financial statements for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024 and the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm, is included in the Funds' annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023. The Funds' semi-annual report for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024 and annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023 are available at no cost upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions).
No financial highlights for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund are presented because the Fund had not commenced investment operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
144 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 31.76 | $ | 30.78 | $ | 33.77 | $ | 24.53 | $ | 24.97 | $ | 27.86 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.15 | 0.41 | 0.33 | 0.26 | 0.36 | 0.34 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 3.00 | 3.16 | (1.51 | ) | 9.43 | (0.08 | ) | (1.76 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 3.15 | 3.57 | (1.18 | ) | 9.69 | 0.28 | (1.42 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.52 | ) | (0.31 | ) | (0.33 | ) | (0.21 | ) | (0.37 | ) | (0.29 | ) | ||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (2.86 | ) | (2.28 | ) | (1.48 | ) | (0.24 | ) | (0.35 | ) | (1.18 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (3.38 | ) | (2.59 | ) | (1.81 | ) | (0.45 | ) | (0.72 | ) | (1.47 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 31.53 | $ | 31.76 | $ | 30.78 | $ | 33.77 | $ | 24.53 | $ | 24.97 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 10.49 | % | 12.00 | % | (3.76 | )% | 39.91 | % | 0.84 | % | (4.65 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 1,216,450 | $ | 1,164,397 | $ | 1,200,629 | $ | 1,653,698 | $ | 1,053,301 | $ | 1,561,229 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 0.80 | %(3) | 0.80 | % | 0.80 | % | 0.80 | % | 0.80 | % | 0.80 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 0.85 | %(3) | 0.84 | % | 0.86 | % | 0.83 | % | 0.84 | % | 0.82 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 1.01 | %(3) | 1.35 | % | 1.00 | % | 0.86 | % | 1.46 | % | 1.34 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 15 | %(4) | 33 | % | 29 | % | 33 | % | 37 | % | 33 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
145 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 27.43 | $ | 27.51 | $ | 32.34 | $ | 21.06 | $ | 23.42 | $ | 27.74 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.10 | 0.24 | 0.18 | 0.15 | 0.20 | 0.23 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.76 | 1.60 | (2.86 | ) | 11.27 | (1.94 | ) | (3.12 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.86 | 1.84 | (2.68 | ) | 11.42 | (1.74 | ) | (2.89 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.25 | ) | (0.26 | ) | (0.12 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.28 | ) | (0.12 | ) | ||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (3.06 | ) | (1.66 | ) | (2.03 | ) | — | (0.34 | ) | (1.31 | ) | |||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (3.31 | ) | (1.92 | ) | (2.15 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.62 | ) | (1.43 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 25.98 | $ | 27.43 | $ | 27.51 | $ | 32.34 | $ | 21.06 | $ | 23.42 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 7.02 | % | 7.17 | % | (8.88 | )% | 54.40 | % | (7.88 | )% | (9.92 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 515,764 | $ | 533,633 | $ | 688,375 | $ | 776,442 | $ | 503,349 | $ | 421,429 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 0.99 | %(3) | 0.99 | % | 0.99 | % | 0.99 | % | 1.07 | % | 1.10 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments, if any | 1.03 | %(3) | 1.04 | % | 1.02 | % | 1.01 | % | 1.09 | % | 1.16 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.74 | %(3) | 0.91 | % | 0.61 | % | 0.52 | % | 0.94 | % | 0.97 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 32 | %(4) | 65 | % | 24 | % | 33 | % | 46 | % | 29 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
146 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund | ||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | December 29, 2021** through August 31, 2022 | ||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 11.82 | $ | 9.40 | $ | 10.00 | ||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.01 | 0.07 | (0.01 | ) | ||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 0.58 | 2.37 | (0.59 | ) | ||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 0.59 | 2.44 | (0.60 | ) | ||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.06 | ) | — | — | ||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (1.49 | ) | (0.02 | ) | — | |||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (1.55 | ) | (0.02 | ) | — | |||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 10.86 | $ | 11.82 | $ | 9.40 | ||||||
Total investment return (1) | 6.10 | % | 25.94 | % | (6.00 | )% | ||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 95,091 | $ | 107,329 | $ | 17,845 | ||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.10 | %(3) | 1.10 | % | 1.10 | %(3) | ||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments, if any | 1.16 | %(3) | 1.16 | % | 2.93 | %(3) | ||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.16 | %(3) | 0.65 | % | (0.22 | )%(3) | ||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 102 | %(4) | 118 | % | 70 | %(4) |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
** | Commencement of operations. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
147 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 18.81 | $ | 19.92 | $ | 19.33 | $ | 11.96 | $ | 13.19 | $ | 17.52 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.08 | 0.20 | 0.09 | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.06 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.49 | 1.80 | 0.80 | 7.39 | (1.26 | ) | (3.36 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.57 | 2.00 | 0.89 | 7.46 | (1.17 | ) | (3.30 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.21 | ) | (0.09 | ) | (0.07 | ) | (0.09 | ) | (0.06 | ) | (0.05 | ) | ||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (1.19 | ) | (3.02 | ) | (0.23 | ) | — | — | (0.98 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (1.40 | ) | (3.11 | ) | (0.30 | ) | (0.09 | ) | (0.06 | ) | (1.03 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 18.98 | $ | 18.81 | $ | 19.92 | $ | 19.33 | $ | 11.96 | $ | 13.19 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) | 8.68 | % | 11.35 | % | 4.59 | % | 62.66 | % | (8.92 | )% | (18.85 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 30,442 | $ | 29,263 | $ | 32,264 | $ | 27,602 | $ | 19,150 | $ | 22,273 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.10 | %(3) | 1.10 | % | 1.10 | % | 1.10 | % | 1.10 | % | 1.10 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.30 | %(3) | 1.32 | % | 1.26 | % | 1.28 | % | 1.31 | % | 1.23 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.92 | %(3) | 1.06 | % | 0.44 | % | 0.40 | % | 0.74 | % | 0.40 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 41 | %(4) | 90 | % | 92 | % | 114 | % | 123 | % | 79 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
148 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund | ||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | December 29, 2021** through August 31, 2022 | ||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 10.00 | $ | 8.62 | $ | 10.00 | ||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.03 | 0.17 | 0.11 | |||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 0.96 | 1.35 | (1.49 | ) | ||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 0.99 | 1.52 | (1.38 | ) | ||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.16 | ) | (0.14 | ) | — | |||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | — | — | — | |||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (0.16 | ) | (0.14 | ) | — | |||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 10.83 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 8.62 | ||||||
Total investment return (1) | 9.97 | % | 17.71 | % | (13.80 | )% | ||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 10,336 | $ | 23,897 | $ | 22,640 | ||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 0.90 | %(3) | 0.90 | % | 0.90 | %(3) | ||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.33 | %(3) | 1.36 | % | 1.73 | %(3) | ||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.54 | %(3) | 1.80 | % | 1.75 | %(3) | ||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 39 | %(4) | 77 | % | 55 | %(4) |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding. |
** | Commencement of operations. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
149 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 21.23 | $ | 18.69 | $ | 20.74 | $ | 15.15 | $ | 15.91 | $ | 18.73 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.09 | 0.45 | 0.39 | 0.25 | 0.15 | 0.25 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.94 | 2.39 | (2.08 | ) | 5.69 | (0.67 | ) | (1.79 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 2.03 | 2.84 | (1.69 | ) | 5.94 | (0.52 | ) | (1.54 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.43 | ) | (0.30 | ) | (0.36 | ) | (0.35 | ) | (0.24 | ) | (0.18 | ) | ||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | — | — | — | — | — | (1.10 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (0.43 | ) | (0.30 | ) | (0.36 | ) | (0.35 | ) | (0.24 | ) | (1.28 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 22.83 | $ | 21.23 | $ | 18.69 | $ | 20.74 | $ | 15.15 | $ | 15.91 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) | 9.64 | % | 15.28 | % | (8.27 | )% | 39.66 | % | (3.40 | )% | (7.92 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 218,292 | $ | 212,164 | $ | 171,407 | $ | 183,433 | $ | 177,470 | $ | 683,649 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (2) | 0.95 | %(3) | 0.95 | % | 0.95 | % | 0.95 | % | 0.95 | % | 0.95 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.11 | %(3) | 1.11 | % | 1.13 | % | 1.04 | % | 1.22 | % | 1.03 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.84 | %(3) | 2.20 | % | 1.94 | % | 1.38 | % | 0.96 | % | 1.55 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 21 | %(4) | 51 | % | 59 | % | 88 | % | 118 | % | 97 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
150 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 9.27 | $ | 8.61 | $ | 11.78 | $ | 9.79 | $ | 9.18 | $ | 9.13 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.03 | 0.18 | 0.19 | 0.13 | 0.21 | 0.13 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 0.54 | 0.75 | (2.75 | ) | 1.94 | 0.89 | (0.08 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 0.57 | 0.93 | (2.56 | ) | 2.07 | 1.10 | 0.05 | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.14 | ) | (0.27 | ) | (0.46 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.49 | ) | — | |||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | — | — | (0.15 | ) | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (0.14 | ) | (0.27 | ) | (0.61 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.49 | ) | — | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 9.70 | $ | 9.27 | $ | 8.61 | $ | 11.78 | $ | 9.79 | $ | 9.18 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 6.19 | % | 11.16 | % | (22.55 | )% | 21.15 | % | 12.05 | % | 0.55 | % | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 23,795 | $ | 23,371 | $ | 21,504 | $ | 23,729 | $ | 16,508 | $ | 9,468 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.00 | %(3) | 1.00 | % | 1.00 | % | 1.00 | % | 1.06 | % | 1.07 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.21 | %(3) | 1.54 | % | 1.74 | % | 1.56 | % | 2.39 | % | 2.89 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.72 | %(3) | 2.06 | % | 1.94 | % | 1.16 | % | 2.29 | % | 1.41 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 99 | %(4) | 153 | % | 143 | % | 123 | % | 177 | % | 155 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
151 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 14.99 | $ | 14.73 | $ | 14.21 | $ | 15.15 | $ | 17.74 | $ | 20.51 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.02 | 0.07 | (0.13 | ) | (0.12 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.18 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.45 | 1.96 | 1.29 | 3.69 | (0.70 | ) | (1.06 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.47 | 2.03 | 1.16 | 3.57 | (0.84 | ) | (1.24 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.27 | ) | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (2.70 | ) | (1.77 | ) | (0.64 | ) | (4.51 | ) | (1.75 | ) | (1.53 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (2.97 | ) | (1.77 | ) | (0.64 | ) | (4.51 | ) | (1.75 | ) | (1.53 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 13.49 | $ | 14.99 | $ | 14.73 | $ | 14.21 | $ | 15.15 | $ | 17.74 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 10.79 | % | 14.69 | % | 8.35 | % | 29.08 | % | (5.78 | )% | (6.05 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 45,824 | $ | 56,303 | $ | 54,733 | $ | 49,551 | $ | 68,780 | $ | 227,834 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 2.05 | %(3) | 2.02 | % | 2.55 | % | 2.60 | % | 2.57 | % | 2.67 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | 1.96 | %(3) | 1.96 | % | 1.96 | % | 1.97 | % | 2.25 | % | 2.45 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 2.71 | %(3) | 2.67 | % | 3.18 | % | 3.14 | % | 2.74 | % | 2.68 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.31 | %(3) | 0.50 | % | (0.87 | )% | (0.91 | )% | (0.81 | )% | (0.94 | )% | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 18 | %(4) | 44 | % | 40 | % | 31 | % | 46 | % | 64 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
152 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 14.15 | $ | 15.98 | $ | 16.82 | $ | 13.31 | $ | 15.15 | $ | 16.64 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.06 | 0.16 | (0.02 | ) | (0.10 | ) | (0.00 | ) | 0.09 | |||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.12 | 0.95 | 1.18 | 3.61 | (1.48 | ) | (0.79 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.18 | 1.11 | 1.16 | 3.51 | (1.48 | ) | (0.70 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.34 | ) | (0.22 | ) | — | — | (0.21 | ) | (0.01 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (1.16 | ) | (2.72 | ) | (2.00 | ) | — | (0.15 | ) | (0.78 | ) | |||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (1.50 | ) | (2.94 | ) | (2.00 | ) | — | (0.36 | ) | (0.79 | ) | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 13.83 | $ | 14.15 | $ | 15.98 | $ | 16.82 | $ | 13.31 | $ | 15.15 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) | 8.88 | % | 7.16 | % | 7.17 | % | 26.37 | % | (10.13 | %) | (4.05 | %) | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 547,061 | $ | 688,944 | $ | 801,913 | $ | 808,565 | $ | 1,082,963 | $ | 3,212,731 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.88 | %(3) | 1.88 | % | 1.95 | % | 2.15 | % | 2.21 | % | 2.15 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | 1.40 | %(3) | 1.40 | % | 1.40 | % | 1.40 | % | 1.37 | % | 1.38 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.88 | %(3) | 1.88 | % | 1.95 | % | 2.15 | % | 2.21 | % | 2.15 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.81 | %(3) | 1.12 | % | (0.10 | )% | (0.66 | )% | (0.01 | )% | 0.62 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 28 | %(4) | 54 | % | 85 | % | 61 | % | 66 | % | 60 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding, unless otherwise noted. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
153 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 14.74 | $ | 13.65 | $ | 12.18 | $ | 9.72 | $ | 10.74 | $ | 11.52 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.06 | 0.19 | 0.05 | (0.01 | ) | 0.01 | 0.07 | |||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.04 | 1.22 | 1.42 | 2.48 | (0.89 | ) | (0.65 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.10 | 1.41 | 1.47 | 2.47 | (0.88 | ) | (0.58 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.22 | ) | (0.32 | ) | — | (0.01 | ) | (0.14 | ) | — | ||||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | — | — | — | — | — | (0.20 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (0.22 | ) | (0.32 | ) | — | (0.01 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.20 | ) | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 15.62 | $ | 14.74 | $ | 13.65 | $ | 12.18 | $ | 9.72 | $ | 10.74 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 7.53 | % | 10.38 | % | 12.07 | % | 25.39 | % | (8.30 | %) | (5.00 | %) | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 152,407 | $ | 145,192 | $ | 115,079 | $ | 102,691 | $ | 130,857 | $ | 611,254 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.80 | %(3) | 2.39 | % | 2.56 | % | 2.29 | % | 2.46 | % | 2.47 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | 1.80 | %(3) | 1.80 | % | 1.81 | % | 1.83 | % | 1.75 | % | 1.65 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.80 | %(3) | 2.39 | % | 2.56 | % | 2.29 | % | 2.46 | % | 2.47 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.75 | %(3) | 1.34 | % | 0.34 | % | (0.07 | %) | 0.07 | % | 0.69 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 94 | %(4) | 172 | % | 161 | % | 102 | % | 125 | % | 99 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding, unless otherwise noted. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
154 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 8.62 | $ | 10.23 | $ | 11.44 | $ | 11.23 | $ | 10.45 | $ | 10.49 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.05 | 0.13 | 0.07 | (0.02 | ) | 0.19 | 0.04 | |||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 0.25 | 0.27 | (1.27 | ) | 1.17 | 0.82 | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 0.30 | 0.40 | (1.20 | ) | 1.15 | 1.01 | 0.01 | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | — | (2.01 | ) | (0.01 | ) | (0.94 | ) | (0.23 | ) | — | ||||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | — | — | — | — | — | (0.05 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | — | (2.01 | ) | (0.01 | ) | (0.94 | ) | (0.23 | ) | (0.05 | ) | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 8.92 | $ | 8.62 | $ | 10.23 | $ | 11.44 | $ | 11.23 | $ | 10.45 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 3.48 | % | 4.98 | % | (10.52 | )% | 10.38 | % | 9.75 | % | 0.18 | % | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 61,429 | $ | 61,825 | $ | 60,616 | $ | 61,430 | $ | 60,176 | $ | 58,424 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.43 | %(3) | 1.42 | % | 1.42 | % | 1.75 | % | 1.66 | % | 1.96 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | 1.40 | %(3) | 1.40 | % | 1.40 | % | 1.40 | % | 1.49 | % | 1.96 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.60 | %(3) | 1.67 | % | 1.73 | % | 2.00 | % | 2.19 | % | 2.44 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 1.26 | %(3) | 1.52 | % | 0.63 | % | (0.14 | %) | 1.81 | % | 0.43 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 90 | %(4) | 132 | % | 136 | % | 125 | % | 219 | % | 186 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding, unless otherwise noted. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
155 |
PRIVACY NOTICE | |
FACTS | WHAT DO THE BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? |
Why? | Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do. |
What? |
The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:
● Social Security number ● account balances ● account transactions ● transaction history ● wire transfer instructions ● checking account information
When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice. |
How? | All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Boston Partners Investment Funds chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. |
Reasons we can share your personal information | Do the Boston Partners Investment Funds share? | Can you limit this sharing? |
For our everyday business purposes – such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus |
Yes | No |
For our marketing purposes – to offer our products and services to you |
Yes | No |
For joint marketing with other financial companies | No | We don’t share. |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your transactions and experiences |
Yes | No |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness |
No | We don’t share. |
For our affiliates to market to you | Yes | Yes |
For nonaffiliates to market to you | No | We don’t share. |
Questions? | Call (888) 261-4073 or go to www.boston-partners.com |
156 |
What we do | |
How do the Boston Partners Investment Funds protect my personal information? | To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. |
How do the Boston Partners Investment Funds collect my personal information? |
We collect your personal information, for example, when you
● open an account ● provide account information ● give us your contact information ● make a wire transfer ● tell us where to send the money
We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies. |
Why can’t I limit all sharing? |
Federal law gives you the right to limit only
● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes-information about your creditworthiness ● affiliates from using your information to market to you ● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you
State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. |
European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation |
In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to
● Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy) ● Request the correction of personal information about you that is ● inaccurate ● Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible ● Request the erasure of your personal information ● Request the restriction of processing concerning you
The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.
If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-888-261-4073.
You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.
The Boston Partners Investment Funds shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Funds and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Funds to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Funds may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Funds do take the security of your personal data seriously. |
157 |
Definitions | |
Affiliates |
Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. Our affiliates include:
● ORIX Corporation. ● Boston Partners Securities, LLC |
Nonaffiliates |
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.
● The Boston Partners Investment Funds don’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. The Boston Partners Investment Funds may share information with nonaffiliates that perform marketing services on our behalf. |
Joint marketing |
A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.
● The Boston Partners Investment Funds may share your information with other financial institutions with whom we have joint marketing arrangements who may suggest additional fund services or other investment products which may be of interest to you. |
Controller | “Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European union or European Member state law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European union or European Member state law. |
158 |
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
1-888-261-4073
http://www.boston-partners.com
For More Information: |
This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Boston Partners Investment Funds is available free of charge, upon request, including:
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports |
These reports contain additional information about each Fund's investments, describe each Fund's performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The annual report includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Funds' performance during their last fiscal year. The semi-annual report contains unaudited financial information about the Funds for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024. The annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders may be obtained by visiting http://www.boston-partners.com.
Statement of Additional Information |
The Funds' SAI, dated May 3, 2024, has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Boston Partners Investment Funds, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semi-annual reports, by calling 1-888-261-4073. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus (and is legally part of the prospectus).The SAI is available on the Adviser's website at http://www.boston-partners.com.
Shareholder Inquiries |
Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time) Monday-Friday. Call: 1-888-261-4073 or visit the website of the Adviser at http://www.boston-partners.com.
Purchases and Redemptions |
Call 1-888-261-4073.
Written Correspondence |
Street Address:
Boston Partners Investment Funds,
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services,
615 East Michigan Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53202
P.O. Box Address:
Boston Partners Investment Funds,
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services,
P.O. Box 701,
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701
Securities and Exchange Commission |
You may also view and copy information about the Company and the Funds, including the SAI, by visiting the SEC's Internet site at www.sec.gov.You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811-05518
RBB-BP-INST-21 | ![]() |
Prospectus
May 3, 2024
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund –
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II –
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund –
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund –
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund –
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund –
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TABLE OF CONTENTS |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND | 3 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II | 9 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY FUND | 15 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND | 23 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND | 30 |
SUMMARY SECTION — BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND | 37 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS’ INVESTMENTS AND RISKS | 46 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS | 56 |
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION | 61 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | 74 |
APPENDIX A | 75 |
APPENDIX B | 77 |
APPENDIX C | 79 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS | 81 |
FOR MORE INFORMATION | Back Cover |
A look at the investment objectives, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of each of the Boston Partners Investment Funds offered in this Prospectus.
Details about the Boston Partners Investment Funds’ service providers offered in this Prospectus.
Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in any of the Boston Partners Investment Funds offered in this Prospectus. |
2 |
Investment Objective
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Investor Class shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.
Investor Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Investor Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
3 |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2022, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks of issuers across the capitalization spectrum and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals, such as return on equity and earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain debt securities and preferred stock.
The Fund may hedge overall portfolio exposure up to 40% of its net assets through the purchase and sale of index and individual put and call options.
In general, the Fund’s investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing less than 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
4 |
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
5 |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investment of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a “call”) or sell (a “put”) an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may “cover” a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. |
● | Small/Mid-Cap Companies Risk. Investing in securities of companies with micro, small or mid-sized capitalizations tends to be riskier than investing in securities of companies with large capitalizations. Securities of companies with micro, small and mid-sized capitalizations tend to be more volatile than those of large cap companies and, on occasion, may fluctuate in the opposite direction of large cap company securities or the broader stock market averages. |
The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund invests may be traded only in the over-the- counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value.
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund’s Investor Class.
6 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund’s Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund | |||
Return Before Taxes | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | |||
Russell 3000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
7 |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Manager
Duilio Ramallo, Senior Portfolio Manager since 2007.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $2,500
Minimum Additional Investment: $100
You can purchase and redeem Investor Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Investor Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”) transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
8 |
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Investor Class shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.
Investor Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Investor Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
9 |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks of issuers with small market capitalizations and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics. A small market capitalization issuer generally is considered to be one whose market capitalization is, at the time the Fund makes the investment, similar to the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index. The Russell 2000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that contains stocks from the Russell 2000® Index with less than average growth orientation. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the Russell 2000® Value Index was $804 million and the largest stock was $10.3 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change.
The Fund generally invests in the equity securities of small companies. The Adviser will seek to invest in companies it considers to be well managed and to have attractive fundamental financial characteristics. The Adviser believes greater potential for price appreciation exists among small companies since they tend to be less widely followed by other securities analysts and thus may be more likely to be undervalued by the market. The Fund may invest from time to time a portion of its assets, not to exceed 20% (under normal conditions) at the time of purchase, in companies with larger market capitalizations.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar-denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public.
In general, the Fund’s investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
10 |
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. |
11 |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investment of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Small Cap Companies Risk. The Fund will invest in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index. Small market capitalization issuers are not as diversified in their business activities as issuers with market capitalizations greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index and are more susceptible to changes in the business cycle. |
The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund invests may be traded only in the over-the- counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value.
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund’s Investor Class.
12 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund’s Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | |||
Russell 2000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
13 |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
George Gumpert, Portfolio Manager since 2005.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $2,500
Minimum Additional Investment: $100
You can purchase and redeem Investor Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Investor Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”) transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
14 |
The Boston Partners Global Equity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide long-term capital growth.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Investor Class shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.
Investor Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Investor Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
15 |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund’s Institutional Class was
The Fund pursues its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies of any capitalization size. The Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including without limitation exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, participatory notes, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds (“ETFs”)) real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and equity participation. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.
The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (ordinarily at least 40% — unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Adviser, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Fund principally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets, but may also invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries).
The Fund generally invests in the equity securities of issuers believed by the Adviser to be undervalued in the marketplace, focusing on issuers that combine attractive valuations with catalysts for change. The Adviser applies a bottom-up stock selection process (i.e., one that focuses primarily on issuer-specific factors) in managing the Fund, using a combination of fundamental and quantitative analysis. In selecting investments for the Fund, the Adviser considers various factors such as price-to-book value, price-to-sales and earnings ratios, dividend yields, strength of management, and cash flow to identify securities that are trading at a price that appears to be lower than the issuer’s inherent value.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public. The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
16 |
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
17 |
● | Emerging Markets Risk. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in securities of issuers in developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. Exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees in addition to the Fund’s own expenses.Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the “ask” price quoted by a seller and the “bid” price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value (“NAV”). |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers either directly or through depositary receipts. Depositary receipts may be available through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Participatory notes (“P-notes”) are derivative instruments used by investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes present similar risks to investing directly in such securities and also expose investors to counterparty risk. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares. |
18 |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the individual investment of the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices may not work to achieve their desired result. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a “call”) or sell (a “put”) an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may “cover” a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage fund and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law, or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registrations under the 1940 Act. |
19 |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker- dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Small/Mid-Cap Companies Risk. Investing in securities of companies with micro, small or mid-sized capitalizations tends to be riskier than investing in securities of companies with large capitalizations. Securities of companies with micro, small and mid-sized capitalizations tend to be more volatile than those of large cap companies and, on occasion, may fluctuate in the opposite direction of large cap company securities or the broader stock market averages. |
The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund invests may be traded only in the over-the- counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. Redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value.
As of the date of this Prospectus,
the Fund’s Investor Class has not yet commenced operations.
20 |
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund’s Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods.
for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund - Institutional Class | |||
Return Before Taxes | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | |||
MSCI World Index - Net Return (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
21 |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Christopher K. Hart, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since inception.
Joshua Jones, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2013.
Soyoun Song, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2023.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $2,500
Minimum Additional Investment: $100
You can purchase and redeem Investor Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Investor Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Global Equity Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”) transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
22 |
The Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The Fund seeks a total return greater than that of the S&P 500® Index over a full market cycle.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Investor Class shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.
Investor Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Short Sale Expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(1) | - |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement |
(1) |
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation until its expiration). 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 | |
Investor Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
23 |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. Short sales are considered speculative transactions and a form of leverage. The Fund invests, both long and short, in securities principally traded in the United States markets. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less (“unseasoned issuers”). The Adviser will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Fund seeks to construct a portfolio that has less volatility than the United States equity market generally. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund intends, under normal circumstances, to invest at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities.
Under normal circumstances, the Adviser expects that the Fund’s long positions will not exceed approximately 125% of the Fund’s net assets.
The Fund’s long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of foreign issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets directly in equity securities of foreign issuers.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with larger market capitalizations.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
In general, the Fund’s investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
24 |
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by corporations and other business organizations. High yield debt obligations are referred to as “junk bonds” and are not considered to be investment grade.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”). Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares. |
25 |
● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as “junk bonds” and are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the manager believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the manager believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical stock mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security’s price declines, but may result in losses if a security’s price rises. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund may invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
26 |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund’s Investor Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund’s Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods. Although the Fund compares its average total return to a broad-based securities market index, the Fund seeks returns that are not correlated to securities market returns. The Fund seeks to achieve a 12-15% return over a full market cycle; however, there can be no guarantee that such returns will be achieved.
27 |
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(2) | |||
S&P 500® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
(2) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Patrick Regan, Portfolio Manager since 2019.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $2,500
Minimum Additional Investment: $100
You can purchase and redeem Investor Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Investor Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”) transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
28 |
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
29 |
The Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide long-term total return.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Investor Class shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.
Investor Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Short Sale Expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same. 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 | |
Investor Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund uses a hedged strategy. The Fund actively invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales (i.e., sales of securities the Fund does not own) are invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. Short sales are considered speculative transactions and a form of leverage.
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The Fund invests, both long and short, in equity securities issued by large-, mid- and small (or “micro”)-cap companies, as well as other instruments that are convertible into equity securities. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and equity participations. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less (“unseasoned issuers”). The Fund may also invest in depository receipts and equity securities of foreign companies (denominated in either U.S. dollars or foreign currencies), put and call options, futures, indexed securities and fixed-income securities (including bonds, notes, asset-backed securities, convertible securities, Eurodollar and Yankee dollar instruments, preferred stocks and money market instruments) and high yield securities (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”). Fixed income securities in which the Fund invests include those rated between AAA and D by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”), or deemed of comparable quality by the Adviser. The Adviser may also temporarily invest uninvested cash in money market funds and similar collective investment vehicles. The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities.
The Adviser determines the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Fund seeks to construct a portfolio that has less volatility than the U.S. equity market by investing less than 100% of its assets in net long positions. Selection of individual securities to be held long or sold short will be based on a mix of quantitative techniques and fundamental security analysis. The Adviser selects stocks on the basis of three criteria: value, fundamental business strength and momentum. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
Although the Fund seeks to follow a hedged strategy, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s portfolio or investments will be insulated from market moves or effectively hedged against risk.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
In general, the Fund’s investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing less than 25% of its total assets in any one industry, except that the Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), and applicable SEC orders.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The principal derivative instruments in which the Fund invests are futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
31 |
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. Exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an Adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund’s own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the “ask” price quoted by a seller and the “bid” price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value (“NAV”). |
32 |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and financial practices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares. |
● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations (of any rating, including defaulted securities and unrated securities), including bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as “junk bonds” and are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. Less liquid securities that the fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | Indexed Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in indexed securities whose value is linked to securities indices. Most such securities have values that rise and fall according to the change in one or more specified indices and may have characteristics similar to direct investments in the underlying securities. Depending on the index, such securities may have greater volatility than the market as a whole. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Adviser may be incorrect in the stocks it buys and believes to be undervalued and in stocks it sells short and believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical stock mutual fund with only a long portfolio. |
● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the price of these stocks will not move even lower. |
33 |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker- dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security’s price declines, but may result in losses if a security’s price rises. In a rising market, short positions may be more likely to result in losses because securities sold short may be more likely to increase in value. Short selling also involves the risks of: increased leverage, and its accompanying potential for losses; the potential inability to reacquire a security in a timely manner, or at an acceptable price; the possibility of the lender terminating the loan at any time, forcing the Fund to close the transaction under unfavorable circumstances; and the additional costs that may be incurred. Short sales “against the box” may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not “against the box” involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Fund’s loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited. |
● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund may invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
34 |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund’s Investor Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund’s Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(2) | |||
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
35 |
(1) |
(2) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer
of Boston Partners, Portfolio Manager since inception of the Fund.
Scott Burgess, CFA, Portfolio Manager since December 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $2,500
Minimum Additional Investment: $100
You can purchase and redeem Investor Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Investor Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”) transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073. |
Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
36 |
The Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund (the “Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Class shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Investor Class shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.
Investor Class | |
Management fees | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees | |
Other expenses | |
Short sale expenses: | |
Dividend expense on short sales(1) | |
Interest expense on borrowings | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
(1) | |
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and that you hold or sell your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and Fund operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs and returns might be different, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Investor Class | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs,
such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are
not reflected in Total annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended August
31, 2023, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was
The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. Short sales are considered speculative transactions and a form of leverage The Fund invests, both long and short, in securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies of any capitalization size.
37 |
With a long position, the Fund purchases a stock outright; with a short position, the Fund sells a security that it does not own and must borrow to meet its settlement obligations. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less (“unseasoned issuers”). The Adviser will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals, including return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including without limitation exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds (“ETFs”)), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and equity participation. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.
The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (ordinarily at least 40% — unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Adviser, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Fund principally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets, but may also invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries).
The Fund’s portfolio is rebalanced regularly. The Adviser assesses each investment’s changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. The Adviser will sell an investment held long or close out a short position that the Adviser believes no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk trade-off.
Under normal circumstances, the Adviser expects to sell securities short so that the Fund’s portfolio is approximately 50% net long with an average of between 30% and 70% net long.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Adviser will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which the Adviser constantly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with larger market capitalizations.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, including investments that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
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In general, the Fund’s investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry. The Fund is non-diversified and may invest in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by U.S. and foreign corporations and other business organizations (e.g., trusts or limited liability companies). Such high yield debt obligations are not considered to be investment grade. Non-investment grade fixed income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are rated BB or lower by S&P Global, or have a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (or, if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of investment). The Fund may invest in securities of the lowest rating category, including securities in default. The Adviser may, but is not required to, sell a bond or note held by the Fund in the event that its credit rating is downgraded.
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments and make investments inconsistent with its investment objectives. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Risk is inherent in all investing.
The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly
from day to day and over time.
● | Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
● | Currency Risk. Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. |
● | Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures. |
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● | Derivatives Risk. The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments, which include futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward foreign currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps, may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments. The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. |
● | Emerging Markets Risk. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in securities of issuers in developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited. |
● | Exchange-Traded Fund Risk. ETFs are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF typically represents a fixed portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities that they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its being more volatile. Some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection. The Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of ETF shares. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund’s own expenses. Certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the “ask” price quoted by a seller and the “bid” price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value (“NAV”). |
● | Foreign Custody Risk. The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries. |
● | Foreign Securities Risk. International investing may be subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, less publicly available information, less stringent investor protections, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers either directly or through depositary receipts. Depositary receipts may be available through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Participatory notes (“P-notes”) are derivative instruments used by investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes present similar risks to investing directly in such securities and also expose investors to counterparty risk. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares. |
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● | High Yield Debt Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as “junk bonds” and are not considered to be investment grade. |
● | Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. |
● | IPO Risk. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
● | Management Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the manager believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the manager believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make. |
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● | Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. Investors may lose money. Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
● | Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund. |
● | Options Risk. An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a “call”) or sell (a “put”) an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may “cover” a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. Losses incurred by the Fund in writing options can be potentially unlimited. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk. If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Fund’s performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is considered to be high. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 400%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Fund’s performance. |
● | REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. |
● | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. |
● | Short Sales Risk. Short sales of securities may result in gains if a security’s price declines, but may result in losses if a security’s price rises. In a rising market, short positions may be more likely to result in losses because securities sold short may be more likely to increase in value. Short selling also involves the risks of: increased leverage, and its accompanying potential for losses; the potential inability to reacquire a security in a timely manner, or at an acceptable price; the possibility of the lender terminating the loan at any time, forcing the Fund to close the transaction under unfavorable circumstances; and the additional costs that may be incurred. Short sales “against the box” may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not “against the box” involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Fund’s loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited. The use of short sales may cause the Fund to have higher expenses than those of other equity mutual funds because of higher transaction costs, premiums, interest or dividends payable to the lender. |
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● | Small-Cap Companies Risk. The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund may invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
● | Unseasoned Issuers Risk. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
The bar chart and table below
illustrate the long-term performance of the Fund’s Investor Class.
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
(quarter ended ) | ||
(quarter ended ) |
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The
for the three months ended was .
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Fund’s Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and since inception periods past ten calendar years to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2023 |
|||
1 Year | 5 Years | Since Inception (April 11, 2014) |
|
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund | |||
Returns Before Taxes | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions(1) | |||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | |||
MSCI World Index - Net Return (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(1) |
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
One Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Portfolio Managers
Christopher K. Hart, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since inception.
Joshua Jones, a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2013.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum Initial Investment: $2,500
Minimum Additional Investment: $100
You can purchase and redeem Investor Class shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange is open. Investor Class shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. by the means described below.
Purchase and Redemption By Mail: Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Purchase and Redemption By
Wire: Request routing instructions by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”) transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073. |
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Redemption By Telephone: If you select the option on your account application, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073.
Taxes
The Fund intends to make distributions that generally may be taxed at ordinary income or capital gains rates.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS’ INVESTMENTS AND RISKS |
Each of Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund (each, a “Fund” and collectively referred to as the “Boston Partners Investment Funds” or the “Funds”) is a series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), a Maryland Corporation. This section provides some additional information about the Funds’ investments and certain portfolio management techniques that certain Funds may use. More information about the Funds’ investments and portfolio management techniques, some of which entail risks, is included in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Investment Objectives
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth.
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The Fund seeks a total return greater than that of the S&P 500® Index over a full market cycle.
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund seeks to provide long-term total return.
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
The Funds’ investment objectives may be changed by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company without shareholder approval. Shareholders will, however, receive 60 days’ prior notice of any changes. Any such changes may result in the Funds having investment objectives different from the objectives that the shareholder considered appropriate at the time of investment in the Funds.
Additional Information About the Funds’ Principal Investments and Risks
Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund (and its Subsidiary, if applicable) is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by the Fund’s Adviser and other service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountant, custodian, transfer agent and administrator), and the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value (“NAV”), impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund and issuers in which the Fund invests. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
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Derivative Contracts. Each of the Funds, except for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, may, but need not, use derivative contracts for any of the following purposes:
● | To seek to hedge against the possible adverse impact of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates in the market value of its securities or securities to be purchased; or |
● | As a substitute for buying or selling currencies or securities. |
● | To seek to enhance the Fund’s return in non-hedging situations. |
Derivative contracts in which the Funds (except for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II) may invest include: futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies; options on these futures; forward foreign currency contracts; and interest rate, total return or currency swaps. The Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund may use derivative contracts involving foreign currencies. A derivative contract will obligate or entitle a Fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment that is based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on a Fund’s stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. A Fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the Fund’s holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of default risk as issuers of fixed income securities in that the counterparty may default on its payment obligations or become insolvent. Derivatives can also make a Fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act provides for the regulation of a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and certain related investments. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act imposes limits on the amount of derivatives a fund can enter into, treats derivatives as senior securities so that a failure to comply with the limits would result in a statutory violation, and requires the Funds to establish and maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program and appoint a derivatives risk manager. The Funds are required to comply with Rule18f-4 and have adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with Rule 18f-4.
The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.
Interest Rate Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Credit Default Swaps and Options on Swaps. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed-rate payments for floating rate payments.
Total return swaps are contracts that obligate one party to pay the other party an amount equal to the total return on a defined underlying asset or a non-asset reference during a specified period of time. The underlying asset might be a security or basket of securities or a non-asset reference such as a securities index. In return, the other party would make periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or on the total return from a different underlying asset or non-asset reference.
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Credit default swaps are contracts whereby one party makes periodic payments to a counterparty in exchange for the right to receive from the counterparty a payment equal to the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation in the event of a default by the issuer of the debt obligation.
Options on swaps (“swaptions”) are options to enter into a swap agreement. The Funds may also purchase and write (sell) swaptions. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the option is exercised) to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms.
The Funds, except for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, may enter into the transactions described above to seek to increase total return (which is considered a speculative activity). The use of swaps and swaptions is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values and interest rates, the investment performance of a Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques were not used.
Equity and Equity-Related Securities. Each of the Funds may invest in all types of equity securities. Equity securities include exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and REITs, and equity participations. Investments in equity securities and equity derivatives in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. The value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying common stock. Common stocks may decline over short or even extended periods of time. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right’s or warrant’s expiration. The value of such securities convertible into equity securities, such as warrants or convertible debt, is also affected by prevailing interest rates, the credit quality of the issuer and any call provision. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. State law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded to investors in a limited partnership than investors in a corporation. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which a mutual fund invests will cause the Fund’s NAV to fluctuate. The number of issuers in the Funds’ portfolios will vary over time.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Each Fund may invest in ETFs to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC orders. ETFs are registered investment companies whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. In general, ETFs seek to track a specified securities index or a basket of securities that an “index provider,” such as S&P Global, selects as representative of a market, market segment or industry sector. An ETF portfolio generally holds the same stocks or bonds as the index it tracks or it may hold a representative sample of such securities. Thus, an ETF is typically designed so that its performance will correspond closely with that of the index it tracks. In some cases, an ETF may be actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers. Actively-managed ETFs are subject to the risk of poor investment selection, and the individual investments in an actively-managed ETF may not perform as well as its investment adviser and/or sub-advisers expected, and/or the actively-managed ETF’s portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result. As a shareholder in an ETF, the Fund will bear its pro rata portion of an ETF’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.
The market for an ETF’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings, which could lead to differences between the market price of the ETF’s shares and the underlying value of those shares. An ETF’s market price may deviate from the value of the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings, particularly in times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. An active trading market for shares of the ETF may not develop or be maintained. In times of market stress, market makers or authorized participants may step away from their respective roles in making a market in shares of the ETF and in executing purchase or redemption orders, which could also lead to variances between the market price of the ETF’s shares and the underlying value of those shares. Certain ETFs or closed-end funds traded on exchanges may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the “ask” price quoted by a seller and the “bid” price offered by a buyer. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their NAV.
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Fixed Income Investments. The Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund may each invest a portion of its assets in fixed income securities. Fixed income investments include bonds, notes (including structured notes), asset-backed securities, convertible securities, Eurodollar and Yankee dollar instruments, preferred stocks and money market instruments. Fixed income securities may be issued by corporate and governmental issuers and may have all types of interest rate payment and reset terms, including (without limitation) fixed rate, adjustable rate, zero coupon, contingent, deferred, payment-in-kind and auction rate features.
The credit quality of securities held in a Fund’s portfolio is determined at the time of investment. If a security is rated differently by multiple ratings organizations, a Fund treats the security as being rated in the higher rating category. A Fund may choose not to sell securities that are downgraded below the Fund’s minimum accepted credit rating after their purchase. Periods of rising interest rates may result in decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets.
Foreign Securities. Each of the Funds may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets) directly or through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”). Depositary receipts may be available through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and the depository, whereas an unsponsored facility is established by the depository without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders.
In addition, the Funds may also invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and in multinational currencies such as the Euro. The Funds will value their securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. Investments in securities of foreign issuers and securities denominated in foreign currencies involve special risks which include more or less foreign government regulation; less public information; less stringent investor protections; less stringent accounting, corporate governance, financial reporting and disclosure standards; and less economic, political and social stability in the countries in which a Fund invests. Changes in foreign currency rates relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the U.S. dollar value of a Fund’s assets denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Emerging market investments offer the potential for significant gains but also involve greater risks than investing in more developed countries. Political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity and government actions such as currency controls or seizure of private business or property may be more likely in emerging markets. In addition, emerging markets and frontier countries may have more or less government regulation and generally do not impose as extensive and frequent accounting, auditing, financial and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries. As a result, there could be less information available about issuers in emerging and frontier market countries, which could negatively affect the Adviser’s ability to evaluate local companies or their potential impact on a Fund’s performance. Further, investments in securities of issuers located in certain emerging countries involve the risk of loss resulting from problems in share registration, settlement or custody, substantial economic, political and social disruptions and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal remedies for investors in emerging and frontier markets may be more limited than the remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited.
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The Boston Partners Global Equity Fund and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund will normally invest a significant portion of their assets in the equity securities and equity-related instruments issued by non-U.S. companies. The Funds may invest in securities denominated in the currencies of a variety of developed, emerging and frontier market countries. Unless hedged, currency fluctuations may have a material impact on the performance of a portfolio of non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities and such a portfolio may experience a decline or increase in value, in U.S. dollar terms, due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Adviser may, from time to time, but is not required to, hedge foreign currency exposure in the Funds’ portfolios. Further, the Funds may also from time to time enter into speculative currency positions independent of other positions in the Funds’ portfolios.
The Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund may also invest in participatory notes. Participatory notes (commonly known as “P-notes”) are equity access products structured as debt obligations and used by investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes are generally issued by the associates of foreign-based foreign brokerages and domestic institutional brokerages. P-notes represent interests in securities listed on certain foreign exchanges, and thus present similar risks to investing directly in such securities. P-notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitments.
In June 2016, the UK approved a referendum to leave the EU. The withdrawal, known colloquially as “Brexit”, was agreed to and ratified by the UK Parliament, and the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020. It began an 11-month transition period in which to negotiate a new trading relationship for goods and services that ended on December 31, 2020. The UK and the EU signed the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”) on December 30, 2020, which was applied provisionally as of January 1, 2021 and entered into force on May 1, 2021. The TCA is an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the relationship between the EU and the UK following the end of the transition period. Further discussions are to be held between the UK and the EU in relation to matters not covered by the trade agreement, such as financial services. Brexit may have significant political and financial consequences for the Eurozone markets, including greater volatility in the global stock markets and illiquidity, fluctuations in currency and exchange rates, and an increased likelihood of a recession in the UK. At this time, the impact of Brexit cannot be predicted, however, market disruption in the EU and globally may have a negative effect on the value of a Fund’s investments. Additionally, the risks related to Brexit could be more pronounced if one or more additional EU member states seek to leave the EU.
Recently, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Funds’ investments.
Recent examples of the above include conflict, loss of life and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent, duration and impact of these conflicts, related sanctions and retaliatory actions are difficult to ascertain, but could be significant and have severe adverse effects on the region, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities and commodities. These impacts could negatively affect the Funds’ investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to the applicable region, and include (but are not limited to) declines in value and reductions in liquidity. In addition, to the extent new sanctions are imposed or previously relaxed sanctions are reimposed (including with respect to countries undergoing transformation), complying with such restrictions may prevent the Funds from pursuing certain investments, cause delays or other impediments with respect to consummating such investments or divestments, require divestment or freezing of investments on unfavorable terms, render divestment of underperforming investments impracticable, negatively impact the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objectives, prevent the Funds from receiving payments otherwise due, increase diligence and other similar costs to the Funds, render valuation of affected investments challenging, or require the Funds to consummate an investment on terms that are less advantageous than would be the case absent such restrictions. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect the Funds’ performance with respect to such investments, and thus the Funds’ performance as a whole.
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IPO Risk. Each of the Funds may invest in IPOs. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs.
Large Shareholder Transactions Risk. Each of the Funds may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of a Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell its securities at times it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact its liquidity. In addition, large redemptions could lead to an increase in a Fund’s expense ratio due to a smaller asset base. However, this risk may be limited to the extent that the Adviser and a Fund have entered into a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement arrangement. Large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would.
LIBOR Transition Risk. Many financial instruments were historically tied to the London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR,” to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies, or investment value. As of June 30, 2023, almost all settings of LIBOR have ceased to be published, except that certain widely used U.S. dollar LIBORs will continue to be published on a temporary, synthetic and non-representative basis through at least September 30, 2024. In some instances, regulators have restricted new use of LIBORs prior to the date when synthetic LIBORs will cease to be published. SOFR, which has been used increasingly on a voluntary basis in new instruments and transactions, is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement market. On December 16, 2022, the Federal Reserve Board adopted regulations implementing the Adjustable Interest Rate Act, which provides a statutory fallback mechanism to replace LIBOR, by identifying benchmark rates based on SOFR that will replace LIBOR in certain financial contracts after June 30, 2023. These regulations apply only to contracts governed by U.S. law, among other limitations. The regulations include provisions that (i) provide a safe harbor for selection or use of a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; (ii) clarify who may choose the replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; and (iii) ensure that contracts adopting a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board will not be interrupted or terminated following the replacement of LIBOR. Uncertainty related to the liquidity impact of the change in rates, and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition, poses risks for the Funds. The transition away from LIBOR could have a significant impact on the financial markets in general and may also present heightened risk to market participants, including public companies, investment advisers, investment companies, and broker-dealers. The risks associated with this discontinuation and transition will be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner. For example, current information technology systems may be unable to accommodate new instruments and rates with features that differ from LIBOR. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the transition away from LIBOR on the Funds until new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts are commercially accepted and market practices become settled.
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Liquidity Risk. A Fund may be subject to liquidity risk primarily due to investments in derivatives. Each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments or instruments. Derivatives, such as swaps, options and warrants, may not be readily marketable and, therefore, may be deemed to be illiquid. An illiquid investment is an investment that a Fund reasonably expects can not be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Investments in illiquid assets involve the risk that a Fund may be unable to sell the asset or sell it at a reasonable price. In addition, a Fund may be required to liquidate positions or close out derivatives on unfavorable terms at a time contrary to the interests of the Fund in order to raise cash to pay redemptions.
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 22e-4” or the “Liquidity Rule”), the Company has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to the rule. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.
The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of restricted securities in a Fund under the supervision of the Board. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser may consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (3) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (4) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).
An investment in derivatives is also subject to the risk that a Fund may not be able to terminate the derivatives effective on whatever date it chooses, or that the settlement of any early termination may depend on subsequent market movements. As a result, a Fund may be exposed to the risk of additional losses due to such delays.
Management Risk. Each Fund is subject to the risk of poor investment selection. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the Adviser believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make.
Market Risk. A Fund’s NAV and investment return will fluctuate based upon changes in the value of its investments. The market value of a Fund’s holdings is based upon the market’s perception of value and is not necessarily an objective measure of an investment’s value. There is no assurance that a Fund will realize its investment objective, and an investment in a Fund is not, by itself, a complete or balanced investment program. You could lose money on your investment in a Fund, or a Fund could underperform other investments.
Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The scope of these policy changes is still developing, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, particularly if a resulting policy runs counter to the market’s expectations. The outcome of such changes cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risk, war, natural disasters, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may add to instability in the world economy and markets generally. As a result of increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by events impacting a country or region, regardless of whether the Fund invests in issuers located in or with significant exposure to such country or region.
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The outbreak of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in international and domestic travel restrictions and disruptions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, event and service cancellations or interruptions, disruptions to business operations (including staff reductions), supply chains and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. These disruptions have led to instability in the marketplace, including stock and credit market losses and overall volatility. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious illness outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy, the financial performance of individual issuers, borrowers and sectors and the health of the markets generally in potentially significant and unforeseen ways. Health crises may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in a country or region. In the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Funds and their service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are widely available, the full impacts of a pandemic or disease outbreaks are unknown and the pace of recovery may vary from market to market, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time.
Micro-Cap Companies Risk. The Funds may invest in micro-cap companies. Micro-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers often have narrow markets for their products or services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of micro-cap companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell them at a desirable time or price may be more limited. Thus, the Fund’s NAV may increase and decrease by a greater percentage than the share prices of mutual funds that invest in the stocks of large capitalization companies.
Non-Diversification Risk. Each of the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund are a non-diversified investment company, which means that more of the Fund’s assets may be invested in the securities of a single issuer than could be invested in the securities of a single issuer by a diversified investment company. This may make the value of the Funds’ shares more susceptible to certain risks than shares of a diversified investment company. As a non-diversified fund, the Funds have a greater potential to realize losses upon the occurrence of adverse events affecting a particular issuer.
Other Investment Companies. Each of the Funds may invest up to 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies not affiliated with the Adviser, but may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company or acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company. Each Fund may rely on SEC orders that permit it to invest in certain ETFs beyond these limits, subject to certain terms and conditions. Among other things, the Funds may invest in money market mutual funds for cash management purposes by “sweeping” excess cash balances into such funds until the cash is invested or otherwise utilized. A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by investment companies in which it invests in addition to the advisory and administration fees paid by the Fund. Investments in issues that would be investment companies but for sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act will be considered illiquid investments and would be subject to a Fund’s 15% limitation on investments in illiquid investments.
The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies in excess of the limits described above. While Rule 12d1-4 permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes new conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures. These regulatory changes may adversely impact a Fund’s investment strategies and operations.
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Portfolio Concentration. Under normal market conditions, the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund portfolios will generally be diversified by country and geographic region.
Portfolio Turnover. Each of the Funds may engage in active and frequent trading, resulting in high portfolio turnover. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, increasing their tax liability. Frequent trading may also increase transaction costs, which could detract from the Funds’ performance.
REITs Risk. REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITs) and liquidity risk. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act.
Securities Lending. Each Fund may seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. Portfolio security loans are secured continuously by collateral maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The value of the securities loaned by a Fund will not exceed 331/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. A Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund.
Small-Cap Companies Risk. The Funds may invest in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index. Small market capitalization issuers are not as diversified in their business activities as issuers with market capitalizations greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index and are more susceptible to changes in the business cycle.
Some small capitalization equity securities in which the Funds invest may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for a Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by a Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Adviser’s judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value.
Short Sales. The Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund will engage in short sales and the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund may engage in short sales — including those that are not “against the box,” which means that each Fund may make short sales where the Fund does not currently own or have the right to acquire, at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short — in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. In a typical short sale, the Funds borrow from a broker a security in order to sell the security to a third party. The Funds are then obligated to return a security of the same issuer and quantity at some future date. The Funds realize a loss to the extent the security increases in value or a profit to the extent the security declines in value (after taking into account any associated costs). Short sales “against the box” may protect the Funds against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not “against the box” involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of each Fund’s loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited.
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Unseasoned Issuers Risk. The Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund may invest in unseasoned issuers’ securities. Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell.
Temporary Investments. Each of the Funds may depart from its principal investment strategy in response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions by taking a temporary defensive position (up to 100% of its assets) in all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If a Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable for a time to achieve its investment objective.
Broad-Based Securities Market Indices
The MSCI EAFE Index (Europe, Australasia, Far East) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the US & Canada.
The MSCI World Index - Net Return is a subset of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index that reflects the reinvestment of dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using (for international indices) a tax rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do no benefit from double taxation treaties. The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets.
The Russell 2000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that contains stocks from the Russell 2000® Index with less than average growth orientation. Companies in this index generally have low price-to-book and price-to- earnings ratios, higher dividend yields and lower forecasted growth values. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index was $804 million and the largest stock was $10.3 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Russell 2000® Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation.
The Russell 3000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those Russell 3000® Index companies that typically display lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. The stocks in this index are also members of either the Russell 1000® Value or the Russell 2000® Value indices. The Russell 3000® Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market. As of March 31, 2024, the median market capitalization of the companies in the Russell 3000® Value Index was $2 billion and the largest stock was $577 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Russell 3000® Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation.
The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, classified in eleven industry sectors, which represent approximately 80% of the U.S. equities market. The S&P 500® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stock’s total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index.
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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The complete portfolio holdings (or long positions only with respect to the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund and Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund) of each of the Funds are publicly available on the Adviser’s website at www.boston-partners.com as of the end of each calendar month, 5 business days following the month end. Any postings will remain available on the website at least until the Funds file with the SEC their semi-annual or annual shareholder report or quarterly portfolio holdings report that includes such period. A further description of the Company’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ SAI.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS |
Investment Adviser
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. provides investment management and investment advisory services to investment companies and other institutional and proprietary accounts.
Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Adviser manages the Funds’ portfolios and is responsible for the selection and management of all portfolio investments of the Funds in accordance with the Funds’ respective investment objectives and policies.
The Adviser, located at One Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108, is a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation Europe N.V. (formerly Robeco Groep N.V.), a Dutch public limited liability company (“ORIX Europe”). Founded in 1929, ORIX Europe is one of the world’s oldest asset management organizations. ORIX Europe is owned by ORIX Corporation, an integrated financial services group based in Tokyo, Japan.
Investment Advisory Agreement
For its services to the Funds, the Adviser is entitled to receive a monthly advisory fee under the advisory agreement computed at an annual rate of 2.25% of the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.85%, of the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II’s average daily net assets, 0.70% of the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund’s average daily net assets, 1.25% of the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.90% of the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund’s average daily net assets, and 1.50% of the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund’s average daily net assets.
Until December 31, 2025, the Adviser has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain an annualized expense ratio for the Investor Class shareholders of the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, and the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, of 1.05%, 1.24% 1.20%, 2.21%, 1.75%, and 2.25% (excluding certain items discussed below), respectively. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause a Fund’s net annualized expense ratio to exceed the applicable expense limitation: short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue such waivers for the Funds after December 31, 2025.
If at any time a Fund’s Total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than the Fund’s respective expense limitation (as noted above), the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of waiver or reimbursement.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Funds’ advisory agreement with the Adviser is available in the Funds’ annual report to shareholders dated August 31, 2023.
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Portfolio Managers
The investment results for different strategies of the Adviser are not solely dependent on any one individual. There is a common philosophy and approach that is the backdrop for all of the investment strategies of the Adviser. This philosophy is then executed through a very disciplined investment process managed by the designated portfolio manager for each of the strategies. This manager will be supported, not only by a secondary manager, but by the Adviser’s general research staff and, very often, by dedicated analysts to the particular strategy.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of shares in the Funds.
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Duilio Ramallo is the primary portfolio manager for the Fund.
Mr. Ramallo is a senior portfolio manager of the Adviser. He is responsible for managing the Boston Partners Premium Equity portfolios. Prior to assuming this role, he was the assistant portfolio fund manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value portfolios and a research analyst. Mr. Ramallo joined the firm in 1995. He joined the firm from Deloitte & Touche LLP, where he spent three years, most recently in the Los Angeles office. He holds a B.A. degree in economics/business from the University of California, Los Angeles and an M.B.A. degree from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA. Mr. Ramallo holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has over 27 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 0.66% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
George Gumpert is the primary portfolio manager for the Fund.
Mr. Gumpert is a portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value products. Previously, he was a research analyst and specialized in the small capitalization sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm in 2000 from AIG International Asset Management where he was a commodities analyst. Mr. Gumpert holds a B.A. degree in economics from Amherst College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 23 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 0.80% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Christopher K. Hart, Joshua Jones, and Soyoung Song serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Hart is an equity portfolio manager for the Fund. Prior thereto, he was an assistant portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value products for three years. Before that, he was a research analyst and specialized in conglomerates, engineering and construction, building, machinery, aerospace & defense, and REITs sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm from Fidelity Investments where he was a research analyst. Mr. Hart holds a B.S. degree in finance, with a concentration in corporate finance from Clemson University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 31 years of investment experience.
Mr. Jones is a portfolio manager of the Fund and also has research responsibilities for the Adviser’s Boston Partners investment team, specializing in the energy, metals and mining sectors of the equity market and is a global generalist. Mr. Jones has been with Boston Partners since 2006. He joined the firm from Cambridge Associates where he was a consulting associate specializing in hedge fund clients. Mr. Jones holds a B.A. degree in economics from Bowdoin College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 18 years of professional experience.
Mr. Song is a portfolio manager for the Fund and also serves as an equity analyst, specializing in non-U.S. industrials, materials and transportation sectors of the equity market. Before coming to Boston Partners in April of 2019, he was a managing director at ThornTree Capital with responsibility for its global industrials long/short portfolio. Prior to that, Mr. Song was a managing director at Bain Capital’s Brookside Fund where he co-managed its global industrials long/short portfolio. He began his investing career at Bain Capital in its North American private equity practice. Before transitioning to a career in investments, he was a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Song holds an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School, an M.Sc. in clinical medicine from Oxford University, and an A.B. in biochemical sciences from Harvard College. He has 18 years of investment experience.
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For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund paid 0.74% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Patrick Regan, CFA, serves as the sole portfolio manager for the Fund.
Mr. Regan is a portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund. Prior to this role, he was a long/short generalist with Boston Partners specializing in fundamental research of stocks held in Boston Partners’ Long/Short Equity products. He rejoined the firm after spending nearly six years with Westfield Capital, where he managed the financial sector sleeves of Westfield Capital’s small, small/mid, mid, large and all cap funds. He was also a voting member on the Westfield Investment Committee. Before that, Mr. Regan was a research analyst with Boston Partners Asset Management for ten years, where he covered numerous market sectors, including the financial, consumer, and software sectors. He began his post-graduate career at Broadview International, LLC, where he was an associate specializing in technology mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Regan holds a B.A. degree in economics from Colby College, and an M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has over 27 years of industry experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 1.60% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. and Scott Burgess serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
Mr. Feeney is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for Boston Partners. He is responsible for the firm’s strategic, financial and operating decisions, and all aspects of investment management including the firm’s fundamental and quantitative research groups. He was one of the original partners of Boston Partners Asset Management in 1995. Prior to assuming these roles, he was Director of Research. Mr. Feeney joined the firm upon its inception in 1995 from Putnam Investments where he managed mortgage-backed securities portfolios. He began his career at the Bank of Boston where he was a loan officer specializing on highly leveraged loan portfolios. Mr. Feeney holds a B.S. degree in finance (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Hampshire and an M.B.A. with High Honors from the University of Chicago. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is past President of the Fixed Income Management Society of Boston. He has over 37 years of investment experience.
Mr. Burgess is an equity analyst with Boston Partners, specializing in the technology and electronics sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm after spending three years with Putnam Investments where he was a senior investment associate. Mr. Burgess holds a B.S. degree in economics and a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from The Wharton School and The School of Engineering and Applied Science, respectively, at the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has over 24 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund paid 1.25% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Christopher K. Hart and Joshua Jones serve as portfolio managers for the Fund.
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Mr. Hart is an equity portfolio manager for the Fund. Prior thereto, he was an assistant portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value products for three years. Before that, he was a research analyst and specialized in conglomerates, engineering and construction, building, machinery, aerospace & defense, and REITs sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm from Fidelity Investments where he was a research analyst. Mr. Hart holds a B.S. degree in finance, with a concentration in corporate finance from Clemson University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 31 years of investment experience.
Mr. Jones is a portfolio manager of the Fund and also has research responsibilities for the Adviser’s Boston Partners investment team, specializing in the energy, metals and mining sectors of the equity market and is a global generalist. Mr. Jones has been with Boston Partners since 2006. He joined the firm from Cambridge Associates where he was a consulting associate specializing in hedge fund clients. Mr. Jones holds a B.A. degree in economics from Bowdoin College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has over 18 years of professional experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund paid 1.50% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Marketing Arrangements
The Adviser or its affiliates may pay additional compensation, out of profits derived from the Adviser’s management fee and not as an additional charge to the Funds managed by the Adviser, to certain financial institutions (which may include banks, securities dealers and other industry professionals) for the sale and/or distribution of Fund shares or the retention and/or servicing of Fund investors and Fund shares (“revenue sharing”). These payments are in addition to any distribution or servicing fees payable under a 12b-1 distribution and/or service plan of the Funds, any record keeping or sub-transfer agency fees payable by the Funds, or other fees described in the fee table or elsewhere in the Prospectus or SAI. Examples of “revenue sharing” payments include, but are not limited to, payment to financial institutions for “shelf space” or access to a third party platform or fund offering list or other marketing programs, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the Funds on preferred or recommended sales lists, mutual fund “supermarket” platforms and other formal sales programs; granting the Adviser access to the financial institution’s sales force; conferences and meetings; assistance in training and educating the financial institution’s personnel; and obtaining other forms of marketing support. The level of revenue sharing payments made to financial institutions may be a fixed fee or based upon one or more of the following factors: gross sales, current assets and/or number of accounts of the Funds attributable to the financial institution, or other factors as agreed to by the Adviser and the financial institution or any combination thereof. The amount of these revenue sharing payments is determined at the discretion of the Adviser from time to time, may be substantial, and may be different for different financial institutions depending upon the services provided by the financial institution. Such payments may provide an incentive for the financial institution to make shares of the Funds available to its customers and may allow the Funds greater access to the financial institution’s customers.
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Other Service Providers. The following chart shows the Funds’ service providers and includes their addresses and principal activities.
Shareholders | ||||||
Distribution and Shareholder Services |
Principal Underwriter Quasar Distributors, LLC 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Facilitates the distribution of shares and provides administrative services to beneficial shareholders of each Fund.
|
Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street* Milwaukee, WI 53202
Handles shareholder services, including recordkeeping and statements, distribution of dividends and processing of buy, sell and exchange requests.
*Do not use this address for purchase and redemptions. Please see “Purchase of Fund Shares” and “Redemption of Fund Shares” sections for further instructions.
| ||||
Asset Management |
Investment Adviser Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. Boston, MA 02108
Manages the Funds’ investment activities.
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Custodian U.S. Bank, N.A. 1555 North RiverCenter Drive Milwaukee, WI 53212
Holds the Funds’ assets, settles all portfolio trades and collects income and maturity proceeds.
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Fund Operations |
Administrator and Fund Accounting Agent U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Provides facilities, equipment and personnel to carry out administrative services related to the Funds and calculates each Fund’s NAV, dividends and distributions.
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Board of Directors
Supervises the Funds’ activities. |
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SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION |
Pricing of Fund Shares
Investor Class shares of the Funds (“Shares”) are priced at their NAV. The NAV per share of each Fund is calculated as follows:
NAV = - | Value
of Assets Attributable to the Investor Class Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Investor Class |
|
Number of Outstanding Shares of the Investor Class |
Each Fund’s NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The NYSE also may be closed on national days of mourning or due to natural disaster or other extraordinary events or emergency. Each Fund will effect purchases and redemptions of Shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt by the Transfer Agent of your purchase order or redemption request in good order (as described below). If a Fund holds securities that are primarily listed on non-U.S. exchanges, the NAV of the Fund’s Shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.
A Fund’s equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”). Equity securities listed on the NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, equity securities will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If a Fund holds foreign equity securities, the calculation of the Fund’s NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Fund’s portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.
Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses). Investments in ETFs, REITs and closed-end investment companies will be valued at their market price.
If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable by the Funds’ administrator, in consultation with the Adviser, securities will be valued by the Adviser, as the Funds’ valuation designee, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board and under the Board’s ultimate supervision. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before a Fund prices its Shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by a Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.
The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by each Fund and its Valuation Designee in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, each Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable.
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Market Timing
In accordance with the policy adopted by its Board, the Company discourages and does not accommodate market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to (i) reject a purchase or exchange order, (ii) delay payment of immediate cash redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days, (iii) revoke a shareholder’s privilege to purchase Shares (including exchanges), or (iv) limit the amount of any exchange involving the purchase of Shares. An investor may receive notice that their purchase order or exchange has been rejected after the day the order is placed or after acceptance by a financial intermediary. It is currently expected that a shareholder would receive notice that its purchase order or exchange has been rejected within 48 hours after such purchase order or exchange has been received by the Company in good order. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise its right if, in the Company’s (or the Adviser’s) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investor’s trading, in the judgment of the Company (or the Adviser), has been or may be disruptive to a Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm a Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of a Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.
The Funds generally limit the number of exchanges to six (6) exchanges per year (and one exchange per calendar month). The Funds may waive such exchange limits in certain instances. For further information on redemptions and exchanges, please see the section titled “Shareholder Information — Exchange Privilege.”
Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board, the Adviser has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Adviser may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor’s account with the Fund.
If necessary, the Company may prohibit additional purchases of Shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers’ trading activities in the Funds. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Company. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Company’s excessive trading policies, the Company may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.
There is no assurance that a Fund will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.
Purchase of Fund Shares
Shares representing interests in the Funds are offered continuously for sale by Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”).The Board has approved a Distribution Agreement and adopted a separate Plan of Distribution for the shares (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the Plan, the Distributor is entitled to receive from the Funds a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Board and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Funds’ assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
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Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in the Funds’ 12b-1 Plan. Ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders may include updating and mailing prospectuses and shareholder reports, responding to inquiries regarding shareholder accounts and acting as agent or intermediary between shareholders and the Funds or their service providers. The Distributor may delegate some or all of these functions to Service Organizations. See “Purchases Through Intermediaries” below.
The Plan obligates the Funds, during the period it is in effect, to accrue and pay to the Distributor on behalf of the Shares the fee agreed to under the Distribution Agreement. Payments under the Plan are not tied exclusively to expenses actually incurred by the Distributor, and the payments may exceed distribution expenses actually incurred.
Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Funds may also be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, “Service Organizations”). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company or its agent and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Company’s pricing on the following Business Day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by the Fund in good order, the Transfer Agent will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the appropriate Fund’s NAV next computed after they are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.
For administration, subaccounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the “Service Fee”) relating to the average annual NAV of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service Organizations or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.
The Funds may enter into agreements with Service Organizations pursuant to which a Fund will pay a Service Organization for networking, sub-transfer agency, sub-administration and/or sub-accounting services. These payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by the Service Organization or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by the Service Organization. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.
General. You may also purchase Shares of each Fund at the NAV per share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in good order as described below. The Funds’ NAVs are calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment in any Fund is $2,500 and the minimum additional investment is $100. The minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements may be reduced or waived from time to time. For purposes of meeting the minimum initial purchase, purchases by clients which are part of endowments, foundations or other related groups may be combined. You can purchase Shares of each Fund only on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Adviser and its subsidiaries and by their spouses and children either directly or through any trust that has the principal, employee, spouse or child as the primary beneficiaries, their individual retirement accounts, or any pension and profit-sharing plan of the Adviser and its subsidiaries without being subject to the minimum investment limitations.
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Initial Investment By Mail. Subject to acceptance by the Funds, an account may be opened by completing and signing an account application and mailing it to the Funds at the address noted below, together with a check payable to Boston Partners Investment Funds. All checks must be in U.S. Dollars drawn on a domestic bank. The Funds will not accept payment in cash or money orders. The Funds do not accept post-dated checks or any conditional order or payment. To prevent check fraud, the Funds will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares.
Regular Mail: | Overnight Mail: |
Boston Partners Investments Funds c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services P.O. Box 701 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 |
Boston Partners Investment Funds c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207 |
The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be their agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent of the Funds. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.
Shares will be purchased at the NAV next computed after the time the application and funds are received in proper order and accepted by the Funds. The Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee against a shareholder’s account, in addition to any loss sustained by the Funds, for any payment that is returned. It is the policy of the Funds not to accept applications under certain circumstances or in amounts considered disadvantageous to shareholders. The Funds reserve the right to reject any application.
Initial Investment By Wire. If you are making your first investment in the Funds, before you wire funds, the Transfer Agent must have a completed account application. You may mail or overnight deliver your account application to the Transfer Agent. Upon receipt of your completed account application, the Transfer Agent will establish an account for you. The account number assigned will be required as part of the instruction that should be provided to your bank to send the wire. Your bank must include both the name of the Fund you are purchasing, the account number, and your name so that monies can be correctly applied. Your bank should transmit funds by wire to:
U.S. Bank N.A.
777 East Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee WI 53202
ABA 075000022
Credit:
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
Account #112-952-137
For Further Credit to:
Boston Partners Investment Funds
(shareholder registration)
(shareholder account number)
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Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time to be eligible for same day pricing. The Funds and U.S. Bank, N.A. are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.
For Subsequent Investments – By wire
Before sending your wire, please contact the Transfer Agent to advise them of your intent to wire funds. This will ensure prompt and accurate credit upon receipt of your wire.
Telephone Purchase. Investors may purchase additional shares of the Funds by calling 1-888-261-4073. If you did not decline this option on your account application, and your account has been open for at least 7 business days, telephone orders, in amounts of $100 or more, will be accepted via electronic funds transfer from your bank account through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. You must have banking information established on your account prior to making a purchase. If you order is received prior to 4 p.m. Eastern time, your shares will be purchased at the NAV calculated on the day your order is placed.
Telephone trades must be received by or prior to market close. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waits. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.
Additional Investments. Additional investments may be made at any time (minimum additional investment $100) by purchasing Shares of any Fund at the NAV per Share of the Fund by mailing a check to the Transfer Agent at the address noted under “Initial Investment by Mail” (payable to Boston Partners [name of Fund]), by electronic funds transfer through the ACH network as indicated under “Telephone Purchase”, or by wiring monies as outlined under “Initial Investment by Wire.” Initial and additional purchases made by check or electronic funds transfer through the ACH network cannot be redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days from the date of purchase. This delay will not apply if you purchased your shares via wire payment.
Automatic Investment Plan. Once your account has been opened with the initial minimum investment you may make additional purchases at regular intervals through an automatic investment plan (the “Automatic Investment Plan”). The Automatic Investment Plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted from your bank account, for investment into the Fund, on a monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis. In order to participate in the Automatic Investment Plan, each purchase must be in the amount of $100 or more, and your financial institution must be a member of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. If your bank rejects your payment, the Fund’s transfer agent will charge a $25 fee to your account. To begin participating in the Automatic Investment Plan, please complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application or call the Funds’ transfer agent at 1-888-261-4073 for instructions. Any request to change or terminate your Automatic Investment Plan should be submitted to the Transfer Agent five (5) days prior to effective date.
Retirement Plans. The Funds offer prototype documents for a variety of retirement accounts for individuals and small businesses. Please call 1-888-261-4073 for information on:
● | Individual Retirement Plan, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs |
● | Small Business Retirement Plans, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs |
● | Coverdell Education Savings Accounts |
There may be special distribution requirements for retirement accounts, such as required distributions or mandatory Federal income tax withholding. For more information, call the number listed above. You may be charged a $15 annual account maintenance fee for each retirement account up to a maximum of $30 annually and a $25 fee for transferring assets to another custodian or for closing a retirement account.
Purchases in Kind. In certain circumstances, Shares of the Funds may be purchased “in kind” (i.e., in exchange for securities, rather than cash). The securities rendered in connection with an in-kind purchase must be liquid securities that are not restricted as to transfer and have a value that is readily ascertainable in accordance with the Company’s valuation procedures. Securities accepted by the Funds will be valued, as set forth in this Prospectus, as of the time of the next determination of NAV after such acceptance. Fund Shares that are issued to the investor in exchange for the securities will be determined as of the same time. All dividend, subscription, or other rights that are reflected in the market price of accepted securities at the time of valuation become the property of the receiving Fund and must be delivered to the Fund by the investor upon receipt from the issuer. A Fund will not accept securities in exchange for its Shares unless such securities are, at the time of the exchange, eligible to be held by the Fund and satisfy such other conditions as may be imposed by the Adviser or the Company. Purchases in-kind may result in the recognition of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on the securities transferred to the receiving Fund.
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Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interests of the Funds. Subject to the Board’s discretion, the Adviser will monitor each Fund’s total assets and may decide to close any of the Funds at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of a Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Fund’s strategy. Subject to the Board’s discretion, the Adviser may also choose to reopen a closed Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close such Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund’s size recur. If a Fund closes to new investments, generally the closed Fund would be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons, who are generally subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:
a. | Fee-based advisory model programs or financial advisors who manage fee-based wrap accounts that systematically trade in and out of the closed Fund based on model portfolio allocations; |
b. | Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Company; |
c. | Existing and future clients of registered investment advisers and planners whose clients already hold Shares of the closed Fund on transaction fee and non-transaction fee platforms; |
d. | Existing and future clients of consultants whose clients already hold shares of the closed Fund; |
e. | Certain financial intermediaries by arrangement with the Company: |
f. | Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children; |
g. | Directors of the Company; and |
h. | Defined contribution retirement plans of private employers and governed by ERISA or of state and local governments. |
Other persons who are shareholders of other Boston Partners Investment Funds are not permitted to acquire Shares of the closed Fund by exchange. Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board’s discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.
Purchases of the Shares will be made in full and fractional shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.
The Adviser is authorized to waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.
The Adviser reserves the right to close the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund to new investments from time to time at its discretion, should the assets of the Fund decline by more than 5% from the date of the last closing of the Fund. In addition, if the Adviser closes the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, the Adviser has discretion to open the Fund thereafter should the assets of the Fund increase by more than 5% from the date of the last reopening of the Fund. Subject to the approval of the Board, the Adviser may also choose to close the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently open the Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund’s size recur.
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Good Order. A purchase request is considered to be in good order when the purchase request includes the name of the Fund, the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, your account application or investment stub, and a check payable to the Fund. Purchase requests not in good order may be delayed.
Customer Identification Program. Please note that the Transfer Agent must verify certain information on your account application as part of the Company’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. You must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. Mailing addresses containing only a P. O. Box will not be accepted. Applications without the required information will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Company reserves the right (a) to place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (b) to refuse an investment in a Company portfolio or to involuntarily redeem an investor’s Shares and close an account in the event that an investor’s identity is not verified. The Company and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor’s account resulting from the investor’s delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor’s Shares when an investor’s identity cannot be verified.
Redemption of Fund Shares
Normally, your investment professional will send your request to redeem Shares to the Transfer Agent. Consult your investment professional for more information. You can redeem some or all of your Fund Shares directly through the Fund only if the account is registered in your name.
Investors may have a check sent to the address of record, proceeds may be wired to a shareholder’s bank account of record, or funds may be sent via electronic funds transfer through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, also to the bank account of record. Wires are subject to a $15 fee paid by the investor, but the investor does not incur any charge when proceeds are sent via the ACH system.
IRA and Other Retirement Plan Redemptions
If you have an IRA, you must indicate on your written redemption request whether or not to withhold federal income tax. Redemption requests failing to indicate an election to have tax withheld will be subject to 10% withholding.
Shares held in IRA accounts may be redeemed by telephone at 1-888-261-4073. Investors will be asked whether or not to withhold taxes from any distribution.
Redemption By Mail. Your redemption request should be sent to:
Boston Partners Investment Funds
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
P. O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701
If sent by overnight mail to:
Boston Partners Investment Funds
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be their agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent of the Funds. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.
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A signature guarantee, from either a Medallion program member or a non-Medallion program member, is required in the following situations:
● | If ownership is being changed on your account; |
● | When redemption proceeds are payable or sent to any person, address or bank account not on record; |
● | When a redemption is received by the Transfer Agent and the account address has changed within the last 15 calendar days. |
The Funds may waive any of the above requirements in certain instances. In addition to the situations described above, the Funds and /or the Transfer Agent reserve the right to require a signature guarantee in other instances based on the circumstances relative to the particular situation.
Non-financial transactions, including establishing or modifying certain services on an account, may require a signature guarantee, signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member, or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source.
Signature guarantees will generally be accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program and the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (“STAMP”). A notary public is not an acceptable signature guarantor.
Redemption By Telephone. Unless you have declined telephone transaction privileges on your account application, you may redeem your shares by telephone by calling the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073. Adding telephone redemption to an existing account may require a signature guarantee or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source.
Investors may have a check sent to the address of record, proceeds may be wired to a shareholder’s bank account of record, or funds may be sent via electronic funds transfer through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, also to the bank account of record. Wires are subject to a $15 fee paid by the investor, but the investor does not incur any charge when proceeds are sent via the ACH system.
Once a telephone transaction has been placed, it cannot be canceled or modified after the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
Telephone trades must be received by or prior to market close. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waits. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.
Before executing an instruction received by telephone, the Transfer Agent will use reasonable procedures to confirm that the telephone instructions are genuine. The telephone call may be recorded and the caller may be asked to verify certain personal identification information. If the Funds or its agents follow these procedures, they cannot be held liable for any loss, expense or cost arising out of any telephone redemption request that is reasonably believed to be genuine. This includes fraudulent or unauthorized requests. If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, the Funds will accept telephone instructions from any one owner or authorized person.
Involuntary Redemption. The Funds reserve the right to redeem a shareholder’s account in any Fund at any time the value of the account in such Fund falls below $500 as the result of a redemption or an exchange request. Shareholders will be notified in writing that the value of their account in a Fund is less than $500 and will be allowed 30 days to make additional investments before the redemption is processed.
The Funds may assert the right to redeem your shares at current NAV at any time and without prior notice if and to the extent that such redemption is necessary to reimburse a Fund for any loss sustained by reason of your failure to make full payment for shares of a Fund you previously purchased or subscribed for.
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Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for Shares of the Funds recently purchased by check or electronic funds transfer through the ACH network may not be distributed until payment for the purchase has been collected, which may take up to fifteen calendar days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.
Other than as described above, payment of the redemption proceeds will be made within seven days after receipt of an order for a redemption. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC and the Company’s Policy and Procedures Related to the Processing of In-Kind Redemptions. The Funds typically expect to meet redemption requests by paying out proceeds from cash or cash equivalent portfolio holdings, or by selling portfolio securities. In stressed market conditions, redemption methods may include redeeming in kind.
If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Funds to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by a Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in payment of redemptions. If a shareholder receives redemption proceeds in-kind, the shareholder will bear the market risk of the securities received in the redemption until their disposition and should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of the securities. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that a Fund is obligated to redeem its Shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of a Fund.
Good Order. A redemption request is considered to be in good order when the redemption request includes the name of the Fund, the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, the account number, and signatures by all of the shareholders whose names appear on the account registration with a signature guarantee, if applicable. Redemption requests not in good order may be delayed.
Exchange Privilege
The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the Shares being acquired may be legally sold. The Boston Partners Investment Funds reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to change or discontinue the exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend the privilege during unusual market conditions when, in the judgment of management, such change or discontinuance is in the best interests of the Funds.
Beneficial holders with financial intermediary sponsored fee-based programs of Investor Class Shares of any Boston Partners Investment Fund are eligible to exchange their shares for Institutional Class Shares of the same Boston Partners Investment Fund if the accumulated value of their Investor Class Shares exceeds the minimum initial investment amount for Institutional Class Shares ($100,000) or the shareholder is otherwise eligible to purchase the Institutional Class Shares. The Fund will determine the eligibility of an investor to exercise the exchange privilege based on the current NAV of Investor Class Shares. Such an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the Investor Class Shares next calculated after the exchange request is received by the Transfer Agent in good order. In addition, investors who hold Institutional Class Shares of any Boston Partners Investment Fund through a financial intermediary sponsored fee-based program, but who subsequently become ineligible to participate in the program or withdraw from the program, may be subject to conversion of their Institutional Class Shares by their program provider to another class of shares of the Fund having expenses (including Rule 12b-1 fees) that may be higher than the expenses of the Institutional Class Shares. Investors should contact their program provider to obtain information about their eligibility for the provider’s program and the class of shares they would receive upon such a conversion.
Shares of each class of a Boston Partners Investment Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Funds and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Institutional Class Shares can be expected to differ from the total return on Investor Class Shares. Shareholders who exercise the exchange privilege will generally not recognize a taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on an exchange of Investor Class Shares for Institutional Class Shares of the same Boston Partners Investment Fund. Under Internal Revenue Code section 1036, an exchange of shares of one class for shares of another class of the same Fund constitutes a nontaxable exchange for federal income tax purposes, and your basis and holding period for your existing shares will carry over to your new shares. The Funds intend to report any such exchange as an entirely nontaxable transaction.
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In addition, a shareholder may exchange Investor Class Shares of any Boston Partners Investment Fund for Investor Class Shares in an identically registered account of another Boston Partners Investment Fund. Such an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the exchanged Investor Class Shares and the NAV of the Investor Class Shares to be acquired next determined after the Transfer Agent’s receipt of a request for an exchange. An exchange of Investor Class Shares of one Boston Partners Investment Fund for Investor Class Shares of another Boston Partners Investment Fund will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. A shareholder may make an exchange by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent or, if authorized, by telephone (see “Redemption by Telephone” above). Defined contribution plans are not subject to the above exchange limitations.
If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own Shares of the Fund, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options as the account from which Shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed. See “Redemption by Mail” for information on signature guarantees. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, by the Funds, upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
If a shareholder wants to exchange Shares into a new account in a Fund, the dollar value of the Shares acquired must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for a new account. If a shareholder wants to exchange Shares into an existing account, the dollar value of the Shares must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for additional investments. If an amount remains in the Fund from which the exchange is being made that is below the minimum account value required, the account will be subject to involuntary redemption.
The Funds’ exchange privilege is not intended to afford shareholders a way to speculate on short-term movements in the market. Accordingly, in order to prevent excessive use of the exchange privilege, which may potentially disrupt the management of the Funds and increase transaction costs, the Funds have established a policy of limiting excessive exchange activity. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase request (including exchange purchases from other Boston Partners Investment Funds) that is deemed to be disruptive to efficient portfolio management.
Dividends and Distributions
Each Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.
The Funds will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually. The estimated amount of any annual distribution will be posted to the Adviser’s website at www.boston-partners.com or a free copy may be obtained by calling 1-888-261-4073.
The Funds may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Funds’ distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Fund Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.
All distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless you elect to receive cash. If you elect to receive distributions and/or capital gains paid in cash, and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the check, or if a check remains outstanding for six months, the Funds reserve the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account, at the Funds’ current NAV, and to reinvest all subsequent distributions. You may change the distribution option on your account at any time. You should notify the Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone at least five (5) days prior to the next distribution.
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Taxes
The following is a summary of certain United States tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.
Federal Taxes of Distributions. Each Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.
Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of a Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. The maximum federal long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 23.8% (which includes a 3.8% Medicare tax). You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.
Distributions of “qualifying dividends” will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or “qualified” foreign corporations (“qualifying dividends”), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend).The amount of a Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or non-qualified foreign corporations.
Through 2025, a Fund may make distributions to you of “section 199A dividends” with respect to qualified dividends that it receives with respect to such Fund’s investments in REITs. A section 199A dividend is any dividend or part of such dividend that the Fund pays to you and reports as a section 199A dividend in written statements furnished to you. Distributions paid by a Fund that are eligible to be treated as section 199A dividends for a taxable year may not exceed the “qualified REIT dividends” received by the Fund from a REIT reduced by the Fund’s allocable expenses. Section 199A dividends may be taxed to individuals and other non-corporate shareholders at a reduced effective federal income tax rate, provided you have satisfied a holding period requirement for the Fund’s shares and satisfied certain other conditions. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date, but only to the extent that you are not under an obligation (under a short-sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Section 199A is currently set to expire after 2025.
Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.
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It is expected that the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund and the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund will each be subject to foreign withholding or other foreign income taxes with respect to dividends or interest received from (and, in some cases, gains recognized on shares of stock of) non-U.S. companies. These Funds may, to the extent eligible, make an election to treat a proportionate amount of those taxes as constituting a distribution to each shareholder, which would allow you either (1) to credit that proportionate amount of taxes against U.S. federal income tax liability as a foreign tax credit, subject to applicable limitations, or (2) to take that amount as an itemized deduction.
A portion of distributions paid by a Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), by a high portfolio turnover rate or by investments in debt securities or foreign corporations.
If you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”
Sales and Exchanges. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares, including an exchange for shares of another Fund, based on the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Fund shares for over twelve months at the time you dispose of them.
Any loss realized on shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a disposition of shares of a Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the same Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.
For shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012, each Fund (or relevant broker or financial adviser) is required to compute and report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and furnish to Fund shareholders cost basis information when such shares are sold or exchanged. Each Fund has elected to use the average cost method, unless you instruct the Fund to use a different IRS-accepted cost basis method, or choose to specifically identify your shares at the time of each sale or exchange. If your account is held by your broker or other financial adviser, they may select a different cost basis method. In these cases, please contact your broker or other financial adviser to obtain information with respect to the available methods and elections for your account. You should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on your federal and state income tax returns. Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisers to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about how the cost basis reporting requirements apply to them.
IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless such shares were acquired with borrowed funds.
Backup Withholding. The Funds may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the IRS a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the IRS for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are “exempt recipients.” The current backup withholding rate is 24%.
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U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign shareholders. Generally, nonresident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign investors are subject to a 30% withholding tax on dividends paid by a U.S. corporation, although the rate may be reduced for an investor that is a qualified resident of a foreign country with an applicable tax treaty with the United States. In the case of regulated investment companies such as the Funds, however, certain categories of dividends are exempt from the 30% withholding tax. These generally include dividends attributable to the Funds’ net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), dividends attributable to the Funds’ interest income from U.S. obligors and dividends attributable to net short-term capital gains of the Funds.
Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale, exchange or redemption of shares in the Funds, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on capital gain dividends from the Funds.
However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in a Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business, then the foreign investor’s income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.
The Funds will also generally be required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments to foreign entities that do not provide a Form W-8BEN-E that evidences their compliance with, or exemption from, specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisers regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Funds.
Shares of the Funds have not been registered for sale outside of the United States and certain United States territories.
State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain from Fund shares. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of a Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.
More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.
Multi-Class Structure
Each Fund also offers Institutional Class Shares, which are offered directly to institutional investors without distribution fees in a separate prospectus. Shares of each class of a Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Investor Class Shares of a Fund can be expected to differ from the total return on Institutional Class Shares of the same Fund. Information concerning other classes of the Funds can be requested by calling the Funds at 1-888-261-4073.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
Electronic Delivery
Consistent with the Funds’ commitment to environmental sustainability, you may sign up to receive quarterly statements, and tax forms statements electronically. You may also sign up to receive the Funds’ financial statements and Prospectuses electronically at www.boston-partners.com. You may change your delivery preference and resume receiving these documents through the mail at any time by updating your electronic delivery preferences at www.boston-partners.com or by contacting the Funds at 1-888-261-4073.
Householding
In an effort to decrease costs, the Funds intend to reduce the number of duplicate prospectuses and other shareholder documents you receive by sending only one copy of each to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to shareholders we reasonably believe are from the same family or household. Once implemented, if you would like to discontinue householding for your accounts, please call toll-free at 1-888-261-4073 to request individual copies of these documents. Once the Funds receive notice to stop householding, we will begin sending individual copies thirty days after receiving your request. This policy does not apply to account statements.
Lost Shareholder, Inactive Accounts and Unclaimed Property
It is important that the Funds maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned to the Fund. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, the Funds will attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the Funds are unable to locate the shareholder, then they will determine whether the shareholder’s account can legally be considered abandoned. Your mutual fund account may be transferred to the state government of your state of residence if no activity occurs within your account during the “inactivity period” specified in your state’s abandoned property laws. The Funds are legally obligated to escheat (or transfer) abandoned property to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Please proactively contact the Transfer Agent at 1-888-261-4073 (toll free) at least annually to ensure your account remains in active status.
If you are a resident of the state of Texas, you may designate a representative to receive notifications that, due to inactivity, your mutual fund account assets may be delivered to the Texas Comptroller. Please contact the Transfer Agent if you wish to complete a Texas Designation of Representative form.
NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUNDS’ SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
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APPENDIX A |
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Accounts of the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing other accounts with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund. The table on the following pages is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing all such other accounts and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the other accounts net of the Fund’s annual operating expenses (after contractual waivers that were in place until September 30, 2013).The other accounts’ fees and expenses are lower than those of the Fund. The Fund’s results in the future also may be different because the other accounts are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the other accounts. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the other accounts.
The performance of the other accounts is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Returns (since July 31, 2008)1,2,3,4,5
COMPOSITE — PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2011 | 1.88% | 3.41% | 0.81% | 4.54% | (1.87)% | (1.18)% | (1.13)% | (7.75)% | (8.69)% | 11.34% | (2.38)% | ||
2010 | (3.86)% | 0.39% | 5.92% | 0.26% | (9.75)% | (4.59)% | 7.64% | (3.71)% | 10.08% | 4.6% | (2.55)% | 8.77% | 11.65% |
2009 | (8.72)% | (9.49)% | 5.18% | 11.72% | 8.44% | 0.03% | 7.41% | 5.32% | 4.33% | (1.12)% | 2.85% | 2.08% | 29.03% |
2008 | (2.37)% | (0.56)% | (9.56)% | (19.22)% | (6.17)% | 3.16% |
COMPOSITE — GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2011 | 2.01% | 3.54% | 0.94% | 4.67% | (1.74)% | (1.05)% | (1.00)% | (7.62)% | (8.56)% | 11.47% | (2.25)% | ||
2010 | (3.73)% | 0.52% | 6.05% | 0.39% | (9.62)% | (4.46)% | 7.77% | (3.58)% | 10.21% | 4.73% | (2.42)% | 8.90% | 13.38% |
2009 | (8.59)% | (9.36)% | 5.31% | 11.85% | 8.57% | 0.16% | 7.54% | 5.45% | 4.46% | (1.00)% | 2.98% | 2.21% | 30.01% |
2008 | (2.24)% | (0.43)% | (9.43)% | (19.09)% | (6.04)% | 3.29% |
MSCI® WORLD INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2011 | 2.28% | 3.55% | (0.94)% | 4.31% | (1.97)% | (1.54)% | (1.79)% | (7.00)% | (8.60)% | 10.37% | (2.38)% | ||
2010 | (4.11)% | 1.45% | 6.25% | 0.07% | (9.48)% | (3.39)% | 8.13% | (3.69)% | 9.36% | 3.75% | (2.11)% | 7.39% | 12.34% |
2009 | (8.73)% | (10.17)% | 7.60% | 11.32% | 9.19% | (0.41)% | 8.50% | 4.17% | 4.02% | (1.76)% | 4.14% | 1.83% | 30.79% |
2008 | (2.42)% | (1.36)% | (11.85)% | (18.93)% | (6.40)% | 3.26% |
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SUMMARY STATISTICS (periods ended November 30, 2011)1,2,3,4,5
RETURN
YTD | 1 Year | 2 Years | 3 Years | Since July 1, 2008 | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | (2.55)% | 5.99% | 5.39% | 13.14% | (1.07)% |
Gross Of Fees | (1.15)% | 7.64% | 7.03% | 14.89% | 0.48% |
MSCI® World Index | (5.00)% | 2.02% | 4.25% | 12.96% | (2.17)% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards (“GIPS”). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC’s standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on trade date basis. |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund’s annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that were in place until September, 2013). |
4 | The MSCI® World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets. |
5 | Although the other accounts commenced operations on January 1, 2007 or April 17, 1998, the other accounts only began investing in accordance with their current investment strategies on July 1, 2008.The performance shown represents performance since the other accounts began investing in accordance with their current investment strategies. |
76 |
APPENDIX B |
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Account of the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing a private fund with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund. The table on the following page is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing the private fund and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the private fund net of the Fund’s annual fund operating expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011 (after contractual waivers that were in place through December 31, 2012).The fees and expenses of the Fund are higher than those of the private fund, in part, because the general partner of the private fund waived its right to receive an incentive allocation from each limited partner’s capital account, generally equal to 20% of any profits achieved in a fiscal year after recoupment of prior losses. The Fund’s results in the future also may be different because the private fund is not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the private fund. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the private fund.
The performance of the private fund is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Returns (since inception April 1, 2002)1,2,3,4
PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2010 | (1.05)% | 2.15% | 2.65% | 0.14% | (3.73)% | (3.48)% | 3.99% | (3.73)% | 5.93% | ||||
2009 | (0.48)% | (5.52)% | 3.53% | 6.02% | 3.65% | 2.10% | 2.14% | 2.76% | (0.30)% | (0.78)% | 2.78% | 1.33% | 18.11% |
2008 | 1.23% | 0.67% | (4.37)% | 2.00% | 2.76% | (3.27)% | 0.96% | 1.87% | (3.12)% | (4.70)% | (5.21)% | 2.77% | (8.61)% |
2007 | 0.96% | 0.71% | 0.59% | 2.67% | 1.27% | (0.71)% | (2.33)% | 0.85% | 2.35% | (0.76)% | 0.76% | (0.64)% | 5.75% |
2006 | 1.80% | (1.21)% | 0.15% | 0.65% | (0.60)% | 0.21% | 0.58% | 0.13% | 0.16% | (0.09)% | 0.28% | 1.20% | 3.28% |
2005 | (0.71)% | 1.20% | 0.30% | (0.65)% | (0.52)% | 0.91% | 2.39% | 2.34% | 2.27% | 0.74% | 0.37% | 0.64% | 9.60% |
2004 | 0.43% | 1.27% | 2.37% | (1.16)% | (0.03)% | 3.23% | 0.96% | 0.17% | 1.39% | 0.60% | 5.46% | 2.07% | 17.92% |
2003 | 0.27% | (3.57)% | 0.03% | (1.73)% | (1.57)% | (0.08)% | 0.09% | (1.37)% | (1.00)% | (0.13)% | 0.63% | 0.17% | (8.03)% |
2002 | 0.08% | 3.60% | (2.38)% | (1.45)% | 1.95% | (2.37)% | 0.13% | 1.36% | 1.81% | 2.57% |
GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY (ended December 31) | |
2010 | (0.82)% | 2.38% | 2.87% | 0.36% | (3.51)% | (3.26)% | 4.22% | (3.50)% | 6.16% | ||||
2009 | (0.26)% | (5.29)% | 3.75% | 6.25% | 3.88% | 2.32% | 2.36% | 2.99% | (0.08)% | (0.54)% | 3.01% | 1.56% | 21.31% |
2008 | 1.45% | 0.90% | (4.15)% | 2.22% | 2.98% | (3.04)% | 1.19% | 2.09% | (2.89)% | (4.47)% | (4.99)% | 2.99% | (6.08)% |
2007 | 1.18% | 0.93% | 0.81% | 2.89% | 1.49% | (0.48)% | (2.10)% | 1.08% | 2.57% | (0.54)% | 0.99% | (0.41)% | 8.64% |
2006 | 2.03% | (0.99)% | 0.38% | 0.87% | (0.38)% | 0.44% | 0.80% | 0.36% | 0.39% | 0.14% | 0.51% | 1.43% | 6.11% |
2005 | (0.48)% | 1.43% | 0.52% | (0.43)% | (0.29)% | 1.13% | 2.61% | 2.57% | 2.50% | 0.96% | 0.60% | 0.87% | 12.59% |
2004 | 0.66% | 1.50% | 2.60% | (0.93)% | 0.19% | 3.45% | 1.19% | 0.40% | 1.62% | 0.82% | 5.69% | 2.29% | 21.11% |
2003 | 0.49% | (3.34)% | 0.25% | (1.51)% | (1.34)% | 0.15% | 0.31% | (1.14)% | (0.77)% | 0.10% | 0.85% | 0.40% | (5.48)% |
2002 | 0.31% | 3.83% | (2.15)% | (1.23)% | 2.17% | (2.15)% | 0.36% | 1.58% | 2.03% | 4.67% |
77 |
S&P 500 INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | FY
(ended December 31) | |
2010 | (3.60)% | 3.10% | 6.03% | 1.58% | (7.98)% | (5.24)% | 7.01% | (4.51)% | 8.92% | ||||
2009 | (8.43)% | (10.65)% | 8.76% | 9.57% | 5.59% | 0.20% | 7.56% | 3.61% | 3.73% | (1.86)% | 6.00% | 1.93% | 26.45% |
2008 | (6.00)% | (3.25)% | (0.43)% | 4.87% | 1.29% | (8.43)% | (0.84)% | 1.45% | (8.91)% | (16.79)% | (7.17)% | 1.06% | (36.99)% |
2007 | 1.51% | (1.96)% | 1.12% | 4.43% | 3.49% | (1.66)% | (3.10)% | 1.50% | 3.74% | 1.59% | (4.18)% | (0.69)% | 5.50% |
2006 | 2.65% | 0.27% | 1.24% | 1.34% | (2.88)% | 0.14% | 0.62% | 2.38% | 2.58% | 3.26% | 1.90% | 1.40% | 15.79% |
2005 | (2.44)% | 2.10% | (1.77)% | (1.90)% | 3.18% | 0.14% | 3.72% | (0.91)% | 0.81% | (1.67)% | 3.78% | 0.03% | 4.89% |
2004 | 1.84% | 1.39% | (1.51)% | (1.57)% | 1.37% | 1.94% | (3.31)% | 0.40% | 1.08% | 1.53% | 4.05% | 3.40% | 10.87% |
2003 | (2.62)% | (1.50)% | 0.97% | 8.24% | 5.27% | 1.27% | 1.76% | 1.95% | (1.06)% | 5.66% | 0.88% | 5.24% | 28.68% |
2002 | (6.06)% | (0.74)% | (7.12)% | (7.79)% | 0.66% | (10.87)% | 8.80% | 5.89% | (5.88)% | (22.31)% |
CALENDAR YEAR RETURNS1,2,3,4
2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | 2.76% | (8.03)% | 17.92% | 9.60% | 3.28% | 5.75% | (8.61)% | 18.11% |
Gross Of Fees | 4.67% | (5.48)% | 21.11% | 12.59% | 6.11% | 8.64% | (6.08)% | 21.31% |
S&P 500 | (22.31)% | 28.68% | 10.87% | 4.89% | 15.79% | 5.50% | (36.99)% | 26.45% |
SUMMARY STATISTICS (periods ended September 30,
2010)1,2,3,4
RETURN
Since | |||||||
YTD | 1 Year | 2 Year | 3 Year | 5 Year | 7 Year | Inception | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | 2.38% | 5.81% | 5.95% | 3.17% | 4.20% | 6.66% | 4.65% |
Gross Of Fees | 4.48% | 8.70% | 8.85% | 5.99% | 7.05% | 9.57% | 7.51% |
S&P 500 | 3.89% | 10.16% | 1.26% | (7.16)% | 0.63% | 4.03% | 1.92% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards (“GIPS”). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC’s standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on trade date basis. |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund’s annual fund operating expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011 (after contractual waivers). |
4 | The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, classified in eleven industry sectors, which represent approximately 75% of the U.S. equities market. The S&P 500® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stock’s total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index. |
78 |
APPENDIX C |
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Account of the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
The Adviser has experience in managing a private fund with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund. The table on the following page is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Adviser in managing the private fund and does not represent the performance of the Fund. Investors should not consider this performance information as a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this information as an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the Adviser. The performance information has been adjusted to show the performance of the private fund net of the Fund’s annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that were in place through December 31, 2015). The Fund’s results in the future also may be different because the private fund is not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on mutual funds under applicable U.S. securities and tax laws that, if applicable, could have adversely affected the performance of the private fund. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be identical to the securities held by the private fund.
The performance of the private fund is also compared to the performance of an appropriate broad-based securities benchmark index. This index is unmanaged and is not subject to fees and expenses typically associated with managed funds, including the Fund. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. The performance information is accompanied by additional disclosures, which are an integral part of the information.
Monthly Performance Table (since inception July 1, 2013)1,2,3,4,5
PRO FORMA NET OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
2014 | (1.99)% | 2.28% | 0.55% | (0.81)% | 1.90% | (0.18)% | 1.26% | 0.88% | (1.18)% | (0.18)% | 1.06% | |
2013 | 2.10% | (2.25)% | 1.68% | 2.82% | 1.89% | 1.61% |
GROSS OF FEES
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
2014 | (1.84)% | 2.28% | 0.70% | (0.66)% | 2.05% | (0.03)% | 1.40% | 1.03% | (1.04)% | 0.03% | 1.20% | |
2013 | 2.25% | (2.11)% | 1.82% | 2.96% | 2.04% | 1.76% |
MSCI® WORLD INDEX
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
2014 | (3.68)% | 5.06% | 0.20% | 1.08% | 2.06% | 1.83% | (1.57)% | 2.24% | (2.67)% | 0.67% | 2.05% | |
2013 | 5.29% | (2.09)% | 5.04% | 3.94% | 1.82% | 2.15% |
SUMMARY STATISTICS (periods ended November 30, 2014)1,2,3,4,5
RETURN
3 Months | YTD | Since Inception | |
Pro Forma Net Of Fees | (0.32)% | 3.56% | 8.24% |
Gross Of Fees | 0.12% | 5.09% | 10.03% |
MSCI® World Index | (0.01)% | 7.19% | 17.39% |
1 | Performance was calculated using Global Investment Performance Standards (“GIPS”). This method of calculating performance differs from the SEC’s standardized methodology, which may produce different results. |
2 | Performance is calculated using a net asset value to net asset value methodology which incorporates all trades, prices, accruals and updated security records on a trade date basis. |
79 |
3 | Performance is presented gross and net of the Fund’s annual fund operating expenses (after contractual waivers that were in place until December 31, 2014) of the Fund’s average daily net assets. |
4 | The MSCI® World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets. |
5 | Although the private fund commenced operations on March 1, 2013, the private fund only began investing in accordance with its current investment strategies on July 1, 2013. The performance shown represents performance since the private fund began investing in accordance with its current investment strategies. |
80 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
The
tables in the Financial Highlights section below set forth certain financial information for the periods indicated, including per
share information results for a single Fund share. The term “Total investment return” indicates how much your investment
would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions.
The information has been derived from the Funds' financial statements. The information for periods through August 31, 2023 has been
audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in
conjunction with the Funds’ financial statements for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024 and the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2023. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds’ annual report for
the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023. The Funds’ semi-annual report for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024 and
annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023 are available free of charge upon request (see back cover for ordering
instructions). Because the Investor Class Shares of the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund have not commenced operations as of the
date of this Prospectus, the financial highlights table provided below is for that Fund’s Institutional Class Shares. The
returns of Investor Class Shares would have been substantially similar to the returns of Institutional Class Shares; however,
Investor Class Shares are subject to a 12b-1 fee, while Institutional Class Shares are not. Had the Investor Class Shares of the
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund been operational during the periods shown, the dividend distributions (if any) and investment
performance would have been lower.
81 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 31.53 | $ | 30.58 | $ | 33.56 | $ | 24.39 | $ | 24.82 | $ | 27.69 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.12 | 0.33 | 0.25 | 0.18 | 0.30 | 0.27 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 2.98 | 3.13 | (1.51 | ) | 9.38 | (0.09 | ) | (1.75 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net increase/ (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 3.10 | 3.46 | (1.26 | ) | 9.56 | 0.21 | (1.48 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.44 | ) | (0.23 | ) | (0.24 | ) | (0.15 | ) | (0.29 | ) | (0.21 | ) | ||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (2.86 | ) | (2.28 | ) | (1.48 | ) | (0.24 | ) | (0.35 | ) | (1.18 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (3.30 | ) | (2.51 | ) | (1.72 | ) | (0.39 | ) | (0.64 | ) | (1.39 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 31.33 | $ | 31.53 | $ | 30.58 | $ | 33.56 | $ | 24.39 | $ | 24.82 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 10.39 | % | 11.68 | % | (4.00 | )% | 39.57 | % | 0.59 | % | (4.90 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 231,521 | $ | 228,631 | $ | 230,437 | $ | 279,306 | $ | 220,927 | $ | 320,962 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.05 | %(3) | 1.05 | % | 1.05 | % | 1.05 | % | 1.05 | % | 1.05 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments, if any | 1.10 | %(3) | 1.09 | % | 1.11 | % | 1.08 | % | 1.09 | % | 1.07 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.76 | %(3) | 1.10 | % | 0.75 | % | 0.61 | % | 1.21 | % | 1.09 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 15 | %(4) | 33 | % | 29 | % | 33 | % | 37 | % | 33 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
82 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 25.95 | $ | 26.12 | $ | 30.81 | $ | 20.07 | $ | 22.33 | $ | 26.53 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.06 | 0.17 | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.15 | 0.16 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.67 | 1.51 | (2.72 | ) | 10.75 | (1.85 | ) | (2.99 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.73 | 1.68 | (2.62 | ) | 10.82 | (1.70 | ) | (2.83 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.18 | ) | (0.19 | ) | (0.04 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.22 | ) | (0.06 | ) | ||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (3.06 | ) | (1.66 | ) | (2.03 | ) | — | (0.34 | ) | (1.31 | ) | |||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (3.24 | ) | (1.85 | ) | (2.07 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.56 | ) | (1.37 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 24.44 | $ | 25.95 | $ | 26.12 | $ | 30.81 | $ | 20.07 | $ | 22.33 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 6.90 | % | 6.90 | % | (9.11 | )% | 54.01 | % | (8.07 | )% | (10.20 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 57,616 | $ | 61,041 | $ | 82,898 | $ | 104,282 | $ | 77,032 | $ | 122,703 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 1.24 | %(3) | 1.24 | % | 1.24 | % | 1.24 | % | 1.32 | % | 1.35 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 1.28 | %(3) | 1.29 | % | 1.27 | % | 1.26 | % | 1.34 | % | 1.41 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.49 | %(3) | 0.66 | % | 0.36 | % | 0.27 | % | 0.69 | % | 0.72 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 32 | %(4) | 65 | % | 24 | % | 33 | % | 46 | % | 29 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
83 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 12.45 | $ | 12.54 | $ | 12.22 | $ | 13.64 | $ | 16.17 | $ | 18.88 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | — | 0.03 | (0.14 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (0.20 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.18 | 1.65 | 1.10 | 3.23 | (0.62 | ) | (0.98 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.18 | 1.68 | 0.96 | 3.09 | (0.78 | ) | (1.18 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.25 | ) | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (2.70 | ) | (1.77 | ) | (0.64 | ) | (4.51 | ) | (1.75 | ) | (1.53 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (2.95 | ) | (1.77 | ) | (0.64 | ) | (4.51 | ) | (1.75 | ) | (1.53 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 10.68 | $ | 12.45 | $ | 12.54 | $ | 12.22 | $ | 13.64 | $ | 16.17 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 10.62 | % | 14.44 | % | 8.07 | % | 28.71 | % | (5.99 | )% | (6.27 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 14,599 | $ | 11,748 | $ | 11,720 | $ | 11,571 | $ | 14,484 | $ | 28,156 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 2.30 | %(3) | 2.27 | % | 2.80 | % | 2.85 | % | 2.82 | % | 2.92 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | 2.21 | %(3) | 2.21 | % | 2.21 | % | 2.22 | % | 2.50 | % | 2.70 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 2.96 | %(3) | 2.92 | % | 3.43 | % | 3.39 | % | 2.99 | % | 2.93 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.06 | %(3) | 0.25 | % | (1.12 | )% | (1.16 | )% | (1.06 | )% | (1.19 | )% | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 18 | %(4) | 44 | % | 40 | % | 31 | % | 46 | % | 64 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
84 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 13.62 | $ | 15.48 | $ | 16.39 | $ | 13.01 | $ | 14.81 | $ | 16.31 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.04 | 0.12 | (0.05 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.04 | ) | 0.06 | |||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.08 | 0.92 | 1.14 | 3.51 | (1.44 | ) | (0.78 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/ (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.12 | 1.04 | 1.09 | 3.38 | (1.48 | ) | (0.72 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.31 | ) | (0.18 | ) | — | — | (0.17 | ) | — | |||||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | (1.16 | ) | (2.72 | ) | (2.00 | ) | — | (0.15 | ) | (0.78 | ) | |||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (1.47 | ) | (2.90 | ) | (2.00 | ) | — | (0.32 | ) | (0.78 | ) | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 13.27 | $ | 13.62 | $ | 15.48 | $ | 16.39 | $ | 13.01 | $ | 14.81 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) | 8.79 | % | 6.92 | % | 6.91 | % | 25.98 | % | (10.32 | %) | (4.27 | %) | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 6,604 | $ | 7,483 | $ | 11,989 | $ | 10,220 | $ | 24,436 | $ | 54,570 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 2.13 | %(3) | 2.13 | % | 2.20 | % | 2.40 | % | 2.46 | % | 2.40 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | 1.65 | %(3) | 1.65 | % | 1.65 | % | 1.65 | % | 1.62 | % | 1.63 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 2.13 | %(3) | 2.13 | % | 2.20 | % | 2.40 | % | 2.46 | % | 2.40 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.56 | %(3) | 0.87 | % | (0.35 | )% | (0.91 | )% | (0.26 | )% | 0.37 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 28 | %(4) | 54 | % | 85 | % | 61 | % | 66 | % | 60 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding, unless otherwise noted. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
85 |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period Ended February 29, 2024 (Unaudited) | For the Year Ended August 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2022 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2021 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2020 | For the Year Ended August 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 14.48 | $ | 13.43 | $ | 12.01 | $ | 9.61 | $ | 10.61 | $ | 11.40 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss)* | 0.04 | 0.15 | 0.01 | (0.03 | ) | (0.02 | ) | 0.05 | ||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.02 | 1.20 | 1.41 | 2.43 | (0.88 | ) | (0.84 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net increase/ (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 1.06 | 1.35 | 1.42 | 2.40 | (0.90 | ) | (0.79 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from net investment income | (0.20 | ) | (0.30 | ) | — | — | (0.10 | ) | — | |||||||||||||||
Distributions to shareholders from net realized gains | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||
Total dividend and distributions to shareholders | (0.20 | ) | (0.30 | ) | — | — | (0.10 | ) | — | |||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 15.34 | $ | 14.48 | $ | 13.43 | $ | 12.01 | $ | 9.61 | $ | 10.61 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return(1) | 7.36 | % | 10.16 | % | 11.82 | % | 24.97 | % | (8.55 | %) | (5.14 | %) | ||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $ | 11,388 | $ | 9,108 | $ | 6,159 | $ | 4,960 | $ | 6,308 | $ | 14,610 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupment if any (2) | 2.05 | %(3) | 2.64 | % | 2.81 | % | 2.54 | % | 2.71 | % | 2.72 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any (excluding dividend and interest expense) | 2.05 | %(3) | 2.05 | % | 2.06 | % | 2.08 | % | 2.00 | % | 1.90 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, reimbursements and recoupments if any | 2.05 | %(3) | 2.64 | % | 2.81 | % | 2.54 | % | 2.71 | % | 2.72 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/ (loss) to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements | 0.50 | %(3) | 1.09 | % | 0.09 | % | (0.32 | )% | (0.18 | )% | 0.44 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 94 | %(4) | 172 | % | 161 | % | 102 | % | 125 | % | 99 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding, unless otherwise noted. |
(1) | Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year. |
(2) | Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Not Annualized. |
86 |
PRIVACY NOTICE | |||
FACTS | WHAT DO THE BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? | ||
Why? | Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do. | ||
What? |
The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:
● Social Security number ● account balances ● account transactions ● transaction history ● wire transfer instructions ● checking account information
When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice. | ||
How? | All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Boston Partners Investment Funds chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. | ||
Reasons we can share your personal information | Do the Boston Partners Investment Funds share? | Can you limit this sharing? | |
For our everyday business purposes – such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus |
Yes | No | |
For our marketing purposes – to offer our products and services to you |
Yes | No | |
For joint marketing with other financial companies | No | We don’t share. | |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your transactions and experiences |
Yes | No | |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness |
No | We don’t share. | |
For our affiliates to market to you | Yes | Yes | |
For nonaffiliates to market to you | No | We don’t share. |
Questions? | Call (888) 261-4073 or go to www.boston-partners.com |
What we do | |
How do the Boston Partners Investment Funds protect my personal information? | To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. |
How do the Boston Partners Investment Funds collect my personal information? |
We collect your personal information, for example, when you
● open an account ● provide account information ● give us your contact information ● make a wire transfer ● tell us where to send the money
We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies. |
Why can’t I limit all sharing? |
Federal law gives you the right to limit only
● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes-information about your creditworthiness ● affiliates from using your information to market to you ● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you
State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. |
European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation |
In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to
● Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy) ● Request the correction of personal information about you that is inaccurate ● Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible ● Request the erasure of your personal information ● Request the restriction of processing concerning you
The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.
If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-888-261-4073.
You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.
The Boston Partners Investment Funds shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Funds and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Funds to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Funds may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Funds do take the security of your personal data seriously. |
Definitions | |
Affiliates |
Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. Our affiliate includes:
● ORIX Corporation. |
Nonaffiliates |
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.
● The Boston Partners Investment Funds don’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. The Boston Partners Investment Funds may share information with nonaffiliates that perform marketing services on our behalf. |
Joint marketing |
A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.
● The Boston Partners Investment Funds may share your information with other financial institutions with whom we have joint marketing arrangements who may suggest additional fund services or other investment products which may be of interest to you. |
Controller | “Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European union or European Member state law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European union or European Member state law. |
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
1-888-261-4073
http://www.boston-partners.com
For More Information: |
This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Boston Partners Investment Funds is available free of charge, upon request, including:
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports |
These reports contain additional information about each Fund’s investments, describe each Fund’s performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The annual report includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during their last fiscal year. The semi-annual report contains unaudited financial information about the Funds for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024. The annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders may be obtained by visiting http://www.boston-partners.com.
Statement of Additional Information |
The Funds’ SAI, dated May 3, 2024, has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Boston Partners Investment Funds, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semi-annual reports, by calling 1-888-261-4073. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus (and is legally part of the prospectus).The SAI is available on the Adviser’s website at http://www.boston-partners.com.
Shareholder Inquiries |
Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time) Monday-Friday. Call: 1-888-261-4073 or visit the website of the Adviser at http://www.boston-partners.com.
Purchases and Redemptions |
Call 1-888-261-4073.
Written Correspondence |
Street Address:
Boston Partners Investment Funds,
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services,
615 East Michigan Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53202
P.O. Box Address:
Boston Partners Investment Funds,
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services,
P.O. Box 701,
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701
Securities and Exchange Commission |
You may also view and copy information about the Company and the Funds, including the SAI, by visiting the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov.You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811-05518
RBB-BP-INV-20 | ![]() |
STATEMENT OF
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS
of
The RBB Fund, Inc.
Institutional Class
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund – BPAIX
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II – BPSIX
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund – WPGSX
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund – WPGHX
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund – WPGTX
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund – BPGSX
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund – BPGIX
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund – BPEMX
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund – BPLSX
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – BPIRX
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund – BGLSX
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund – BELSX
Investor Class
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund – BPAVX
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II – BPSCX
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund – BPGRX
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund – BPLEX
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – BPRRX
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund – BGRSX
May 3, 2024
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) provides information about the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund (the “All-Cap Value Fund”), Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (the “Small Cap Value Fund”), Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund (the “Global Sustainability Fund”), Boston Partners Global Equity Fund (the “Global Equity Fund”), Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund (the “Emerging Markets Fund”), Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (the “Long/Short Equity Fund”), Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund (the “Long/Short Research Fund”), Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund (the “Global Long/Short Fund”), Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (the “Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund”), (collectively, the “Boston Partners Funds”). The SAI also provides information about the WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund (the “WPG Small Cap Value Fund”), WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund (the “WPG Select Hedged Fund”), and the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund (the “WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund”) (collectively, the “WPG Funds”) and together with the Boston Partner Funds, the “Funds” and each, a “Fund”). The Funds are series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”). This information is in addition to the information contained in the Institutional Class shares’ Prospectus of the Funds dated May 3, 2024, and the Investor Class shares’ Prospectus of the Funds dated May 3, 2024 (each, a “Prospectus” and together, the “Prospectuses”).
This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses and the Funds’ Annual Report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023 (“Annual Report”) and Semi-Annual Report for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024 (“Semi-Annual Report”). Copies of the Prospectuses and Annual and Semi-Annual Reports may be obtained by calling toll-free 1-888-261-4073. The financial statements and notes contained in the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report are incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other part of the Annual Report or Semi-Annual Report is incorporated by reference herein. No financial statements are available for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as this Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES | 1 |
NON-PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS | 16 |
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS | 17 |
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS | 23 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY | 25 |
CODE OF ETHICS | 33 |
PROXY VOTING | 33 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES | 33 |
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES | 44 |
DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS | 52 |
FUND TRANSACTIONS | 54 |
SECURITIES LENDING | 55 |
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION | 56 |
OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS | 57 |
TELEPHONE TRANSACTION PROCEDURES | 57 |
VALUATION OF SHARES | 58 |
TAXES | 58 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES | 59 |
MISCELLANEOUS | 60 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | 60 |
APPENDIX A | A-1 |
APPENDIX B | B-1 |
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Company is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of 65 separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”) and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains to the Institutional Class and Investor Class shares representing interests in the Boston Partners Investment Funds, which are offered by the Prospectuses. Each of the Funds except for the Global Equity Fund, the Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund is diversified. Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (formerly, Robeco Investment Management, Inc.) (the “Adviser” or “Boston Partners”) serves as the investment adviser to the Funds.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES
The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectuses concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Funds. To the extent an investment policy is discussed in this SAI but not in the Prospectuses, such policy is not a principal policy of the Funds. Except as indicated, the information below relates only to those Funds that are authorized to invest in the instruments or securities described below.
The All-Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
The Small Cap Value Fund II seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
The WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
The WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
The WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks, securities convertible into common stocks and in special situations.
The Global Sustainability Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
The Global Equity Fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth.
The Emerging Markets Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
The Long/Short Equity Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The Fund seeks a total return greater than that of the S&P 500® Index over a full market cycle.
The Long/Short Research Fund seeks to provide long-term total return.
The Global Long/Short Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
The Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
The Adviser may not necessarily invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Funds’ Prospectuses and this SAI, or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Funds’ investment policies and limitations.
Asset-Backed Securities. The WPG Select Hedged Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may invest in asset-backed securities, which represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, pools of assets such as motor vehicle installment sale contracts, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables. Asset-backed securities may also be collateralized by a portfolio of U.S. government securities, but are not direct obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Such asset pools are securitized through the use of privately-formed trusts or special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset-backed securities may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present; however privately issued obligations collateralized by a portfolio of privately issued asset-backed securities do not involve any government-related guarantee or insurance. Asset-backed securities present credit risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed securities. That is because asset-backed securities generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that is comparable to mortgage assets.
The liquidity of asset-backed securities (particularly below investment grade asset-backed securities) may change over time. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions, or periods of rising unemployment, delinquencies and losses generally increase, sometimes dramatically, with respect to securitizations involving loans, sales contracts, receivables and other obligations underlying asset-backed securities.
Bank and Corporate Obligations. Each Fund may purchase obligations of issuers in the banking industry, such as short-term obligations of bank holding companies, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits issued by U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions having total assets at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion. Investment in obligations of foreign banks or foreign branches of U.S. banks may entail risks that are different from those of investments in obligations of U.S. banks due to differences in political, regulatory and economic systems and conditions. The Funds may also make interest-bearing savings deposits in commercial and savings banks in amounts not in excess of 5% of its total assets.
The activities of banks are subject to extensive regulations which may limit both the amount and types of loans that may be made and the interest rates that may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and costs of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties play an important part in the operation of this industry.
Each of the Boston Partners Funds may invest in debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations that are rated at the time of purchase within the three highest ratings categories of S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”), Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) or Moody’s Investors, Inc. (“Moody’s”) (or which, if unrated, are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality). Unrated securities will be determined to be of comparable quality to rated debt obligations if, among other things, other outstanding obligations of the issuers of such securities are rated A or better. See Appendix A to this SAI for a description of corporate debt ratings. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value.
1 |
Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow up to 33 1/3% of its respective total assets. The Adviser intends to borrow only for temporary or emergency purposes, including to meet portfolio redemption requests so as to permit the orderly disposition of portfolio securities, or to facilitate settlement transactions on portfolio securities. With respect to the All-Cap Value Fund, Small Cap Value Fund, Global Equity Fund, WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund and WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, investments will not be made when borrowings exceed 5% of a Fund’s total assets. The WPG Select hedged Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may make investments when borrowings exceed 5% of a Fund’s total assets. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, a Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Each Fund expects that some of its borrowings may be made on a secured basis. In such situations, either the custodian will segregate the pledged assets for the benefit of the lender or arrangements will be made with a suitable subcustodian, which may include the lender. If the securities held by a Fund should decline in value while borrowings are outstanding, the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund’s outstanding shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value suffered by the Fund’s securities. As a result, a Fund’s share price may be subject to greater fluctuation until the borrowing is paid off. A Fund’s short sales and related borrowings are not subject to the restrictions outlined above. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund will be required to maintain asset coverage of at least 300% for borrowings from a bank. In the event that such asset coverage is below 300%, the Fund will be required to reduce the amount of its borrowings to obtain 300% asset coverage within three business days.
Contracts for Differences. The Emerging Markets Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (for this section only, each a “Fund”) may enter into Contracts for Differences (“CFDs”). CFDs are leveraged derivative instruments that allow a Fund to take a position on the change in the market price of an underlying asset, such as a stock, or the value of an index or currency exchange rate. With a long CFD, a Fund is looking to profit from increases in the market price of a particular asset. With a short CFD a Fund is seeking to profit from falls in the market price of the asset. CFDs are subject to liquidity risk because the liquidity of CFDs is based on the liquidity of the underlying instrument, and are subject to counterparty risk, i.e., the risk that the counterparty to the CFD transaction may be unable or unwilling to make payments or to otherwise honor its financial obligations under the terms of the contract. It is also possible that the market price of the CFD will move between the time the order is placed by a Fund and when it is executed by the issuer, which can result in the trade being executed at a less favorable price. CFDs, like many other derivative instruments, involve the risk that, if the derivative security declines in value, additional margin would be required to maintain the margin level. The seller may require a Fund to deposit additional sums to cover this, and this may be at short notice. If additional margin is not provided in time, the seller may liquidate the positions at a loss for which a Fund is liable. Most CFDs are traded over-the-counter. CFDs are not registered with the SEC or any U.S. regulator, and are not subject to U.S. regulation.
Convertible Securities and Preferred Stocks. Each Fund may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities; they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. Investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than the corporation’s common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally: (1) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities; (2) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying stock since they have fixed income characteristics; and (3) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value” (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its “conversion value” (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security’s investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock and may vary in response to changes in the price of the underlying common stock, with greater volatility. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. Generally the conversion value decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.
A convertible security might be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption, that Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. The Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Small Cap Value Fund, and WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund do not presently intend to invest more than 5% (10% with respect to the All-Cap Value Fund, WPG Select Hedged Fund, Global Sustainability Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Equity Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund) of each Fund’s respective net assets, in convertible securities, or securities received by a Fund upon conversion thereof.
Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership interest in an issuer and provide their owner with claims on the company’s earnings and assets prior to the claims of owners of common stocks but after those of bond owners. Preferred stocks in which the Long/Short Equity Fund, WPG Funds, Global Equity Fund, and Global Long/Short Fund may invest include sinking fund, convertible, perpetual fixed and adjustable rate (including auction rate) preferred stocks. There is no minimum credit rating applicable to a Fund’s investment in preferred stocks and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock.
Currency Swaps and Total Return Swaps. The Funds, except for the Small Cap Value Fund II, may enter into currency swaps and total return swaps.
The Funds, except for the Small Cap Value Fund II, may enter into swap transactions for hedging purposes and to seek to increase total return. As examples, a Fund may enter into swap transactions for the purpose of attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in an economical way.
Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a particular foreign currency or security, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. Swaps agreements can be structured to provide for periodic payments over the term of the swap contract or a single payment at maturity (also known as a “bullet swap”). Currency swaps involve the exchange of the parties’ respective rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies. Total return swaps are contracts that obligate a party to pay or receive interest in exchange for payment by the other party of the total return generated by a security, a basket of securities, an index, or an index component.
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A great deal of flexibility is possible in the way swap transactions are structured. However, generally a Fund will enter into total return swaps on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Total return swaps do not normally involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to total return swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to a total return swap defaults, a Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. In contrast, currency swaps may involve the delivery of the entire principal amount of one designated currency in exchange for the other designated currency. Therefore, the entire principal value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations.
The Fund and the Adviser believe that the transactions do not constitute senior securities under the Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act provides for the regulation of a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and related instruments. Rule 18f-4 prescribes specific value-at-risk leverage limits for certain derivatives users and requires certain derivatives users to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program (including the appointment of a derivatives risk manager and the implementation of certain testing requirements), and prescribes reporting requirements in respect of derivatives. Subject to certain conditions, if a fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in Rule 18f-4, it is not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, Rule 18f-4 permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all tender option bonds or similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all tender option bonds or similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under Rule 18f-4. The Funds have adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with Rule 18f-4.
The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.
The Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund will not enter into any swap transactions unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt or claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is rated investment grade by S&P’s or Moody’s, or, if unrated by such rating organization, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.
The use of swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, credit quality, interest rates and currency exchange rates, the investment performance of the Funds would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment instruments were not used.
Cyber Security Risk. Each Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Funds to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Funds or the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Funds. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAVs, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Funds to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Funds may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Funds may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause a Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value. While a Fund and its service providers have established information technology and data security programs and have in place business continuity plans and other systems designed to prevent losses and mitigate cyber security risk, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that cyber-attacks may be highly sophisticated. Furthermore, the Funds have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Funds or their investment adviser.
Equity Markets. The Funds invest primarily in equity markets at all times. Equity markets can be highly volatile, so that investing in the Funds involves substantial risk.
European Currency Unification. As of January 1, 1999, the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) introduced a new single currency called the euro. The euro has replaced the national currencies of many European countries. The European Central Bank has control over each member country’s monetary policies. Therefore, the member countries no longer control their own monetary policies by directing independent interest rates for their currencies. The national governments of the participating countries, however, have retained the authority to set tax and spending policies and public debt levels.
European countries can be significantly affected by the tight fiscal and monetary controls that the EMU imposes for membership. Europe’s economies are diverse, its governments are decentralized, and its cultures vary widely. Several European Union (“EU”) countries, have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among EMU member countries. Member countries are required to maintain tight control over inflation, public debt, and budget deficit to qualify for membership in the EMU. These requirements can severely limit the ability of EMU member countries to implement monetary policy to address regional economic conditions. Also, it is possible that the EU’s single currency, the euro, could be abandoned in the future by countries that have already adopted its use. These or other events, including political and economic developments, could cause market disruptions, and could affect adversely the values of securities held by the Funds. Because of the number of countries using this single currency, a significant portion of the assets held by certain Funds may be denominated in the euro.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Each Fund may invest in open-end investment companies whose shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq Market System. ETF shares typically trade like shares of common stock and provide investment results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the component stocks of a widely recognized index such as the S&P 500® Index. There can be no assurance, however, that this can be accomplished as it may not be possible for an ETF to replicate the composition and relative weightings of the securities of its corresponding index. Additionally, some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers and do not seek to provide investment results that correspond to an index.
ETFs are subject to risks of an investment in a broadly based portfolio of common stocks, including the risk that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of such investment. Actively-managed ETFs may not perform as well as its investment adviser and/or sub-advisers expect, and/or the actively-managed ETFs portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result. Individual shares of an ETF are generally not redeemable at their NAV, but trade on an exchange during the day at prices that are normally close to, but not the same as, their NAV. There is no assurance that an active trading market will be maintained for the shares of an ETF or that market prices of the shares of an ETF will be close to their NAVs. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their NAV. In addition, the purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a mutual fund’s own expenses.
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Investments in securities of ETFs beyond the limitations set forth in Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act are subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an exemptive order issued by the SEC to the exchange-traded fund. Section 12(d)(1)(A) states that a mutual fund may not acquire shares of other investment companies, such as ETFs, in excess of: 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the investment company; 5% of its total assets invested in the investment company; or more than 10% of the fund’s total assets were to be invested in the aggregate in all investment companies. See “Investment Company Securities” below for additional information.
Each Fund may also acquire investment company shares received or acquired as dividends, through offers of exchange or as a result of reorganization, consolidation or merger. The purchase of shares of other investment companies may result in duplication of expenses such that investors indirectly bear a proportionate share of the expenses of such mutual funds including operating costs and investment advisory and administrative fees.
Foreign Custody Risk. The Funds may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and securities depositories appointed by a Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on a Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably less well-regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries.
Foreign Securities. Each Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers either directly or through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”). ADRs are securities, typically issued by a U.S. financial institution (a “depositary”), that evidence ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer and deposited with the depositary. ADRs may be listed on a national securities exchange or may trade in the over-the-counter market. ADR prices are denominated in U.S. dollars; the underlying security may be denominated in a foreign currency. GDRs, EDRs and IDRs are securities that represent ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by a non-U.S. or U.S. corporation. Depositary receipts may be available through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and the depositary, whereas an unsponsored facility is established by the depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depositary of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Investments in depositary receipts do not eliminate the risks in investing in foreign issuers. The underlying security may be subject to foreign government taxes, which would reduce the yield on such securities.
Investments in foreign securities involve higher costs than investments in U.S. securities, including higher transaction costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. In addition, foreign investments may include additional risks associated with more or less foreign government regulation; less public information; less stringent investor protections; less stringent accounting, corporate governance, financial reporting and disclosure standards; and less economic, political and social stability in the countries in which a Fund invests. Volume and liquidity in most foreign bond markets are less than in the United States and, at times, volatility or price can be greater than in the United States. Future political and economic information, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on interest income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions, might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on foreign obligations. Inability to dispose of Fund securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to a Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the securities, or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. Individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth or gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.
Fixed commissions on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges, although the Funds endeavor to achieve the most favorable net results on their portfolio transactions. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers, dealers and listed companies than in the United States.
Settlement mechanics (e.g., mail service between the United States and foreign countries) may be slower or less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities. Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of a Fund is uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the Funds to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities.
Although the Funds may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies, each Fund values its securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. As a result, the NAV of a Fund’s shares may fluctuate with U.S. dollar exchange rates as well as the price changes of the Fund’s securities in the various local markets and currencies. Thus, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar compared to the currencies in which a Fund makes its investments could reduce the effect of increases and magnify the effect of decreases in the price of the Fund’s securities in their local markets. Conversely, a decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar may have the opposite effect of magnifying the effect of increases and reducing the effect of decreases in the prices of a Fund’s securities in its foreign markets. In addition to favorable and unfavorable currency exchange rate developments, each Fund is subject to the possible imposition of exchange control regulations or freezes on convertibility of currency.
Each Fund may invest in obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks (Eurodollars) and U.S. branches of foreign banks (Yankee dollars) as well as foreign branches of foreign banks. These investments involve risks that are different from investments in securities of U.S. banks, including potential unfavorable political and economic developments, different tax provisions, seizure of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations or other governmental restrictions which might affect payment of principal or interest. The Funds may also invest in Yankee bonds, which are issued by foreign governments and their agencies and foreign corporations, but pay interest in U.S. dollars and are typically issued in the United States.
European countries can be affected by the significant fiscal and monetary controls that the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) imposes for membership. Europe’s economies are diverse, its governments are decentralized, and its cultures vary widely. Several European Union (“EU”) countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal, have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among EMU member countries. Member countries are required to maintain tight control over inflation, public debt, and budget deficit to qualify for membership in the EMU. These requirements can severely limit the ability of EMU member countries to implement monetary policy to address regional economic conditions.
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In June 2016, the United Kingdom (the “UK”) approved a referendum to leave the EU. The withdrawal, known colloquially as “Brexit”, was agreed to and ratified by the UK Parliament, and the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020. It began an 11-month transition period in which to negotiate a new trading relationship for goods and services that ended on December 31, 2020. The UK and the EU signed the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”) on December 30, 2020, which was applied provisionally as of January 1, 2021 and entered into force on May 1, 2021. The TCA is an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the relationship between the EU and the UK following the end of the transition period. Further discussions are to be held between the UK and the EU in relation to matters not covered by the trade agreement, such as financial services. Brexit may have significant political and financial consequences for the Eurozone markets, including greater volatility in the global stock markets and illiquidity, fluctuations in currency and exchange rates, and an increased likelihood of a recession in the UK. At this time, the impact of Brexit cannot be predicted, however, market disruption in the EU and globally may have a negative effect on the value of the Funds’ investments. Additionally, the risks related to Brexit could be more pronounced if one or more additional EU member states seek to leave the EU.
Recently, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Funds’ investments.
Recent examples of the above include conflict, loss of life and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent, duration and impact of these conflicts, related sanctions and retaliatory actions are difficult to ascertain, but could be significant and have severe adverse effects on the region, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities and commodities. These impacts could negatively affect the Funds’ investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to the applicable region, and include (but are not limited to) declines in value and reductions in liquidity. In addition, to the extent new sanctions are imposed or previously relaxed sanctions are reimposed (including with respect to countries undergoing transformation), complying with such restrictions may prevent the Funds from pursuing certain investments, cause delays or other impediments with respect to consummating such investments or divestments, require divestment or freezing of investments on unfavorable terms, render divestment of underperforming investments impracticable, negatively impact the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objectives, prevent the Funds from receiving payments otherwise due, increase diligence and other similar costs to the Funds, render valuation of affected investments challenging, or require the Funds to consummate an investment on terms that are less advantageous than would be the case absent such restrictions. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect the Funds’ performance with respect to such investments, and thus the Funds’ performance as a whole.
Investing in Emerging Countries, including Asia and Eastern Europe. The Global Sustainability Fund, Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may invest in securities of issuers located in emerging countries. The securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid and subject to greater price volatility, and have a smaller market capitalization, than the U.S. securities markets. In certain countries, there may be fewer publicly traded securities and the market may be dominated by a few issues or sectors. Issuers and securities markets in such countries are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the U.S. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging country issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for U.S. issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about emerging country issuers than is available about issuers in the United States.
Emerging country securities markets are typically marked by a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of ownership of such securities by a limited number of investors. The markets for securities in certain emerging countries are in the earliest stages of their development. Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging countries may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in the securities markets of developed countries. The limited size of many of these securities markets can cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the securities issuers. For example, prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect a Fund’s ability to accurately value its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time it wishes to do so or in order to meet redemption requests.
With respect to investments in certain emerging market countries, antiquated legal systems may have an adverse impact on a Fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more limited than those of shareholders in U.S. corporations, the legal remedies for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the remedies available in the U.S. and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited.
Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups, in emerging countries may be higher than in the United States and other developed securities markets. In addition, existing laws and regulations are often inconsistently applied. As legal systems in emerging countries develop, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.
Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit a Fund’s investment in certain emerging countries and may increase the expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer’s outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from emerging countries may be subject to restrictions which require governmental consents or prohibit repatriation entirely for a period of time. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operation of the Funds. The Funds may be required to establish special custodial or other arrangements before investing in certain emerging countries.
Emerging countries may be subject to a substantially greater degree of economic, political and social instability and disruption than is the case in the United States, Japan and most Western European countries. This instability may result from, among other things, the following: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision making, including changes or attempted changes in governments through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic or social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection or conflict; and (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing foreign private investments and private property. Such economic, political and social instability could disrupt the principal financial markets in which the Funds may invest and adversely affect the value of the Funds’ assets. The Funds’ investments can also be adversely affected by any increase in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.
The Global Sustainability Fund, Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may seek investment opportunities within former “east bloc” countries in Eastern Europe. Most Eastern European countries had a centrally planned, socialist economy for a substantial period of time. The governments of many Eastern European countries have more recently been implementing reforms directed at political and economic liberalization, including efforts to decentralize the economic decision-making process and move towards a market economy. However, business entities in many Eastern European countries do not have an extended history of operating in a market-oriented economy, and the ultimate impact of Eastern European countries’ attempts to move toward more market-oriented economies is currently unclear. In addition, any change in the leadership or policies of Eastern European countries may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities.
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The economies of emerging countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payments. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries inflation has at times accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. Other emerging countries, on the other hand, have experienced deflationary pressures and are in economic recessions. The economies of many emerging countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. In addition, the economies of some emerging countries are vulnerable to weakness in world prices for their commodity exports. A Fund’s income and, in some cases, capital gains from foreign stocks and securities will be subject to applicable taxation in certain of the countries in which it invests, and treaties between the U.S. and such countries may not be available in some cases to reduce the otherwise applicable tax rates.
Investments in China A-shares. The Global Sustainability Fund, Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may each be subject to the risks associated with investments in eligible eligible China A-shares. China A-shares are equity securities of companies domiciled in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange (“SSE”), the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”) and the Beijing Stock Exchange (“BSE”). Historically, foreign investors have been restricted from investing in eligible China A-shares, other than through a license granted under regulations in the PRC that permits investment in China A-shares only up to a specified quota. In November 2014, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (“HKEx”), the Shanghai Stock Exchange and China Securities Depositary and Clearing Corporation Limited (“ChinaClear”) launched the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program, an investment channel that established cross-border, mutual stock market access. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (together with the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program, “Stock Connect”) launched in 2016. Stock Connect provides foreign investors, such as a Fund, access to invest in eligible China A-shares through their brokers in Hong Kong without obtaining a license.
Investments in Chinese securities involve the risks of investing in emerging markets, which may include an authoritarian government, nationalization or expropriation of private assets, less developed markets and currency devaluations. China A-shares are settled only in Renminbi (“RMB”), which may subject a Fund to the risk of currency fluctuations. Trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange is also subject to daily price limits. Orders for eligible China A-shares may not vary from the previous day’s closing price by more than 10%. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular China A-share.
Investments through Stock Connect may be subject to additional risks. Stock Connect recently launched and regulations governing access to and use of Stock Connect are untested. The regulations are subject to change and there is no certainty as to how the regulations will be applied or interpreted. Regulators in the PRC or Hong Kong may issue additional regulations that impact a foreign investor’s ability to transact in eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect, which regulations may adversely impact a Fund. Investments in eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect are subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules. Securities regulations implemented in the PRC and Hong Kong differ significantly and trading through Stock Connect may give rise to issues based on these differences. Different fees, costs and taxes are imposed on foreign investors acquiring eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect, and these fees, costs and taxes may be higher than comparable fees, costs and taxes imposed on owners of other securities providing similar investment exposure.
The Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HKEx (“HKSCC”), and ChinaClear are responsible for the clearing, settlement and the provision of depositary, nominee and other related services for trades initiated by investors in their respective markets. Eligible China A-shares purchased by a foreign investor through Stock Connect are held in an omnibus account registered in the name of HKSCC, as nominee on behalf of investors. The nature and rights, and methods of enforcing any rights, of a Fund as beneficial owner of China A-shares held through HKSCC as nominee are not well-defined under PRC law. There is lack of a clear definition of, and distinction between, legal ownership and beneficial ownership under PRC law and there have been few cases involving a nominee account structure in the PRC courts. The exact nature and methods of enforcement of the rights and interests of a Fund under PRC law is also uncertain. In the event that HKSCC becomes subject to winding up proceedings in Hong Kong there is a risk that the China A-shares may not be regarded as held for the beneficial ownership of a Fund or as part of the general assets of HKSCC available for general distribution to its creditors. Notwithstanding the fact that HKSCC does not claim proprietary interests in the China A-shares held in its omnibus stock account at ChinaClear, ChinaClear as the share registrar for China A-shares will still treat HKSCC as one of the shareholders when it handles corporate actions in respect of such China A-shares. HKSCC monitors the corporate actions affecting eligible China A-shares and keeps participants of HKEx’s Central Clearing and Settlement System (“CCASS”) informed of all such corporate actions that require CCASS participants to take steps in order to participate in them. Investors may only exercise their voting rights by providing their voting instructions to the HKSCC through participants of the CCASS. All voting instructions from CCASS participants will be consolidated by HKSCC, who will then submit a combined single voting instruction to the relevant listed company.
Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Fund is established to pay compensation to investors of any nationality who suffer pecuniary losses as a result of default of a licensed intermediary or authorized financial institution in relation to exchange-traded products in Hong Kong. For defaults occurring on or after January 1, 2020, Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Fund covers investors’ losses in relation to securities (i) that are traded on the SSE or the SZSE and (ii) in respect of which an order for sale or purchase is permitted to be routed through the Northbound Trading Link of the Stock Connect. On the other hand, since a Fund is carrying out trading in eligible China A-shares through securities brokers in Hong Kong but not PRC brokers, it is not protected by the China Securities Investor Protection Fund in the PRC.
Trading through Stock Connect may only be done on days when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services in both markets are available on the corresponding settlement days. If either market is closed, a Fund will not be able to buy or sell eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect in a timely manner. Therefore, an investment in eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect may subject a Fund to the risk of price fluctuations on days where the Chinese market is open, but Stock Connect is not trading. Additionally, same day trading in China A-shares is not permitted. China A-shares will settle on the trade date (T), with cash settlement on the following day (T+1). An investor transacting in China A-shares must have a cash amount not less than the purchase price, or a number of shares not less than the size of the sell order, in its brokerage account on the day prior to the trade date. If an investor does not have sufficient funds or shares in its account, the investor’s buy or sell order will be rejected. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange conducts pre-trading checks to ensure compliance with these requirements.Foreign investors trading eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect are not subject to any individual investment quotas on trading activity, but are subject to daily quotas on the level of all trading activity through Stock Connect on a “net buy” basis. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange tracks daily trading activity in eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect in real time. If trading activity on any given day exceeds the daily quota, buy orders will not be accepted for the rest of that trading day, unless cancellation orders result in a positive daily quota balance during the trading day. Investors may continue to sell eligible China A-shares or input order cancellation requests after the daily quota has been exceeded. The investment quotas may restrict a Fund from investing in China A-shares on a timely basis, which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to effectively pursue its investment strategy, and such quotas are subject to change.
Eligible China A-shares purchased through Stock Connect may only be sold through Stock Connect and are not otherwise transferable. China A-shares designated as eligible for trading through Stock Connect may lose such designation at any time, and thereafter may be sold, but not purchased, through Stock Connect. Moreover, since all trades of eligible China A-shares through Stock Connect must be settled in RMB, investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of offshore RMB, which cannot be guaranteed.
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Forward Commitment and When-Issued Transactions. Each Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis (subject to its investment policies and restrictions). These transactions involve a commitment by a Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date (ordinarily one or two months later). The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitments are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges. A Fund will not enter into such transactions for the purpose of leverage.
When-issued purchases and forward commitments enable a Fund to lock in what is believed by the Adviser to be an attractive price or yield on a particular security for a period of time, regardless of future changes in interest rates. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling prices, a Fund might sell securities it owns on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, a Fund might sell securities it owns and purchase the same or a similar security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher yields. When-issued securities or forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date.
The value of securities purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and any subsequent fluctuations in their value are reflected in the computation of a Fund’s NAV starting on the date of the agreement to purchase the securities, and the Fund is subject to the rights and risks of ownership of the securities on that date. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date. When a Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities it owns, the proceeds to be received upon settlement are included in the Fund’s assets. Fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities are not reflected in the Fund’s NAV as long as the commitment to sell remains in effect. Settlement of when-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions generally takes place within two months after the date of the transaction, but a Fund may agree to a longer settlement period.
A Fund will make commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued basis or to purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment. A Fund also may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. A Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions, and its distributions from any net realized capital gains will be taxable to shareholders.
Forward Foreign Currency Transactions. Each of the WPG Funds, Global Sustainability Fund, Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may, to the extent that it invests in foreign securities, enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates. The Funds will conduct their foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or through entering into forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies. A forward foreign currency exchange contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days (usually less than one year) from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the spread) between the price at which they are buying and selling various currencies.
A Fund is permitted to enter into forward contracts for foreign currency under two circumstances. First, when a Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security quoted or denominated in a foreign currency, it may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed number of U.S. dollars, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying security transactions, the Fund will be able to insulate itself from a possible loss resulting from a change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received.
Second, when the Adviser believes that the currency of a particular foreign country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, it may cause a Fund to enter a forward contract to sell, for a fixed U.S. dollar amount, the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of a Fund’s portfolio securities quoted or denominated in such foreign currency. The precise matching of the forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible since the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. There is no current intention to hedge the currency exposure of any of the Funds.
The Funds may engage in cross-hedging by using forward contracts in one currency to hedge against fluctuations in the value in securities denominated or quoted in a different currency if the Adviser determines that there is a pattern of correlation between the two currencies. Cross-hedging may also include entering into a forward transaction involving two foreign currencies, using one foreign currency as a proxy for the U.S. dollar to hedge against variations in the other U.S. foreign currency, if the Adviser determines that there is a pattern of correlation between the proxy currency and the U.S. dollar.
The Funds will not enter into forward contracts to sell currency or maintain a net exposure to such contracts if the consummation of such contracts would obligate the Funds to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of the Funds’ respective portfolio securities or other assets quoted or denominated in that currency. At the consummation of the forward contract, the Funds may either make delivery of the foreign currency or terminate its contractual obligation by purchasing an offsetting contract obligating it to purchase at the same maturity date, the same amount of such foreign currency. If a Fund chooses to make delivery of foreign currency, it may be required to obtain such delivery through the sale of portfolio securities quoted or denominated in such currency or through conversion of other assets of a Fund into such currency. If a Fund engages in an offsetting transaction, the Fund will realize a gain or a loss to the extent that there has been a change in forward contract prices. Closing purchase transactions with respect to forward contracts are usually effected with the currency trader who is party to the original forward contract.
The Funds’ transactions in forward contracts will be limited to those described above. Of course, a Fund is not required to enter into such transactions with regard to its foreign currency quoted or denominated securities, and a Fund will not do so unless deemed appropriate by the Adviser.
The Funds are required to comply with Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. See the section entitled “Currency Swaps and Total Return Swaps” above for additional information.
While the Funds may enter into forward contracts to seek to reduce currency exchange rate risks, transactions in such contracts involve certain other risks. Thus, while the Funds may benefit from such transactions, unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in a poorer overall performance for the Funds than if it had not engaged in any such transactions. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between the Funds’ portfolio holdings or securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and forward contracts entered into by the Funds. Such imperfect correlation may cause the Funds to sustain losses, which will prevent the Funds from achieving a complete hedge, or expose the Funds to the risk of foreign exchange loss.
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Forward contracts are subject to the risks that the counterparty to such contract will default on its obligations. Since a forward foreign currency exchange contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearing house, a default on the contract would deprive the Funds of unrealized profits, transaction costs or the benefits of a currency hedge or force the Funds to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price.
The Funds’ foreign currency transactions (including related options, futures and forward contracts) may be limited by the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) for qualification as a regulated investment company.
Futures Contracts. Each Fund, other than the Small Cap Value Fund II, may invest in futures contracts. A futures contract may generally be described as an agreement between two parties to buy and sell particular financial instruments for an agreed price during a designated month (or to deliver the final cash settlement price, in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract). When interest rates are rising or securities prices are falling, a Fund can seek to offset a decline in the value of its current portfolio securities through the sale of futures contracts. When interest rates are falling or securities prices are rising, a Fund, through the purchase of futures contracts, can attempt to secure better rates or prices than might later be available in the market when it effects anticipated purchases.
To seek to increase total return, to equalize cash or to hedge against changes in interest rates or securities prices a Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures contracts. A Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to any of such contracts and options. The futures contracts may be based on various securities (such as U.S. government securities), securities indices, and any other financial instruments and indices. A Fund will engage in futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging purposes as described below or for purposes of seeking to increase total return, in each case, only to the extent permitted by regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). All futures contracts entered into by a Fund are traded on U.S. exchanges or boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by the CFTC or on foreign exchanges.
The Funds will limit investments in futures to below the de minimis thresholds adopted by the CFTC in its amendments to Rule 4.5 (see below for a description of these thresholds).
With respect to investments in swap transactions, commodity futures, commodity options or certain other derivatives used for purposes other than bona fide hedging purposes, an investment company must meet one of the following tests under the amended regulations in order to claim an exemption from being considered a “commodity pool” or a CPO. First, the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish an investment company’s positions in such investments may not exceed five percent (5%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments). Alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time of the most recent position established, may not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the investment company may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps and derivatives markets.
Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held to maturity but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions, which may result in a profit or a loss. While futures contracts on securities will usually be liquidated in this manner, a Fund may instead make, or take, delivery of the underlying securities or currency whenever it appears economically advantageous to do so. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange on which futures on securities are traded guarantees that, if still open, the sale or purchase will be performed on the settlement date. Hedging, by use of futures contracts, seeks to establish with more certainty than would otherwise be possible the effective price or rate of return on portfolio securities or securities that a Fund proposes to acquire or the exchange rate of currencies in which portfolio securities are quoted or denominated. A Fund may, for example, take a “short” position in the futures market by selling futures contracts to seek to hedge against an anticipated rise in interest rates or a decline in market prices that would adversely affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Such futures contracts may include contracts for the future delivery of securities held by a Fund or securities with characteristics similar to those of the Fund’s portfolio securities. If, in the opinion of the Adviser, there is a sufficient degree of correlation between price trends for a Fund’s portfolio securities and futures contracts based on other financial instruments, securities indices or other indices, the Fund may also enter into such futures contracts as part of its hedging strategy. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in a Fund’s portfolio may be more or less volatile than prices of such futures contracts, the Adviser will attempt to estimate the extent of this volatility difference based on historical patterns and compensate for any such differential by having the Fund enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts or by seeking to achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting the Fund’s portfolio securities. When hedging of this character is successful, any depreciation in the value of portfolio securities will be substantially offset by appreciation in the value of the futures position. On the other hand, any unanticipated appreciation in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.
On other occasions, a Fund may take a “long” position by purchasing futures contracts. This would be done, for example, when a Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities when it has the necessary cash, but expects the prices then available in the applicable market to be less favorable than prices that are currently available.
Options on Futures Contracts. Each Fund, other than the Small Cap Value Fund II, may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures contracts. The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts will give the Funds the right (but not the obligation) for a specified price to sell or to purchase, respectively, the underlying futures contract at any time during the option period. As the purchaser of an option on a futures contract, a Fund obtains the benefit of the futures position if prices move in a favorable direction but limits its risk of loss in the event of an unfavorable price movement to the loss of the premium and transaction costs.
The writing of a call option on a futures contract generates a premium, which may partially offset a decline in the value of the Fund’s assets. By writing a call option, a Fund becomes obligated, in exchange for the premium, (upon exercise of the option) to sell a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value higher than the exercise price. Conversely, the writing of a put option on a futures contract generates a premium, which may partially offset an increase in the price of securities that the Fund intends to purchase. However, a Fund becomes obligated (upon exercise of the option) to purchase a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value lower than the exercise price. Thus, the loss incurred by a Fund in writing options on futures is potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received. A Fund will incur transaction costs in connection with the writing of options on futures.
The holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may terminate its position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option on the same financial instrument. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. The Funds’ ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market.
The Funds will engage in futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging and to seek to increase total return as permitted by the CFTC regulations. The Funds will determine that the price fluctuations in the futures contracts and options on futures used for hedging purposes are substantially related to price fluctuations in securities held by the Funds or securities or instruments which it expects to purchase. Except as stated below, the Funds’ futures transactions will be entered into for traditional hedging purposes — i.e., futures contracts will be sold to protect against a decline in the price of securities that the Funds own or futures contracts will be purchased to protect the Funds against an increase in the price of securities it intends to purchase. As evidence of this hedging intent, each Fund expects that on 75% or more of the occasions on which it takes a long futures or option position (involving the purchase of futures contracts), the Fund will have purchased, or will be in the process of purchasing, equivalent amounts of related securities in the cash market at the time when the futures or option position is closed out. However, in particular cases, when it is economically advantageous for the Fund to do so, a long futures position may be terminated or an option may expire without the corresponding purchase of securities or other assets.
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The Funds will engage in transactions in currency forward contracts, futures contracts and options only to the extent such transactions are consistent with the requirements of the Code, for maintaining its qualification as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes.
The use of futures contracts entails certain risks, including but not limited to the following: no assurance that futures contracts transactions can be offset at favorable prices; possible reduction of the Fund’s income due to the use of hedging; possible reduction in value of both the securities hedged and the hedging instrument; possible lack of liquidity due to daily limits on price fluctuations; imperfect correlation between the contract and the securities being hedged; and potential losses in excess of the amount initially invested in the futures contracts themselves. If the expectations of the Adviser regarding movements in securities prices or interest rates are incorrect, the Fund may have experienced better investment results without hedging. The use of futures contracts and options on futures contracts requires special skills in addition to those needed to select portfolio securities.
While transactions in futures contracts and options on futures may reduce certain risks, such transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, while a Fund may benefit from the use of futures and options on futures, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in a poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. In the event of an imperfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio position which is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and a Fund may be exposed to risk of loss.
Perfect correlation between a Fund’s futures positions and portfolio positions will be impossible to achieve. There are no futures contracts based upon individual securities, except certain U.S. government securities. Other futures contracts available to hedge the Funds’ portfolio investments generally are limited to futures on various securities indices.
Initial Public Offerings. Each of the Funds may purchase stock in an initial public offering (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public. Risks associated with IPOs may include considerable fluctuation in the market value of IPO shares due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, a limited number of shares available for trading, lack of information about the issuer and limited operating history. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. When a Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As a Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, a Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs.
Investment Company Securities. Each Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, each Fund’s investments in such securities currently are limited to, subject to certain exceptions, (i) 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to investment companies in the aggregate. Investments in the securities of other investment companies will involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. Rule 12d1-1 under the 1940 Act permits a Fund to invest an unlimited amount of its uninvested cash in a money market fund so long as, among other things, said investment is consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. As a shareholder in an investment company, a Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.
The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies in excess of the limits described above. While new Rule 12d1-4 permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes new conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures.
Leveraging. The WPG Select Hedged Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may employ leverage in accordance with the fundamental investment limitations described below. Leveraging the Fund creates an opportunity for increased net income, but, at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leveraging may exaggerate changes in the NAV of the Fund’s shares and in the yield on the Fund’s portfolio. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leveraging creates interest expenses for the Fund which could exceed the income from the assets retained. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest that the Fund will have to pay, the Fund’s net income will be greater than if leveraging were not used. Conversely, if the income from the assets retained with borrowed funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of the Fund will be less than if leveraging were not used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to stockholders as dividends will be reduced. Because the SEC staff believes both reverse repurchase agreements and dollar roll transactions are collateralized borrowings, the SEC staff believes that they create leverage, which is a speculative factor. The requirement that such transactions be fully collateralized by assets segregated by the Fund’s custodian imposes a practical limit on the leverage these transactions create.
Market Fluctuation. The market value of each Fund’s investments, and thus each Fund’s NAV, will change in response to market conditions affecting the value of its portfolio securities. When interest rates decline, the value of fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate loans are reset periodically, yields on investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations. Because the investment alternatives available to each Fund may be limited by the specific objective of that Fund, investors should be aware that an investment in a particular Fund may be subject to greater market fluctuation than an investment in a portfolio of securities representing a broader range of investment alternatives. In view of the specialized nature of the investment activities of each Fund, an investment in any single Fund should not be considered a complete investment program.
Micro-Cap, Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Stocks. Each Fund may invest in securities of companies with micro-, small- and mid-size capitalizations which tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large capitalizations. This is because micro-, small- and mid-cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of micro-, small- and mid-cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid on micro-, small- and mid-cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, micro-, small- and mid-cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of micro-, small- and mid-cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large-cap companies. The market for micro- and small-cap securities may be thinly traded and as a result, greater fluctuations in the price of micro- and small-cap securities may occur.
Options on Securities and Securities Indices. Each Fund, other than the Small Cap Value Fund II, may each write covered call and secured put options on any securities in which it may invest or on any domestic stock indices based on securities in which it may invest. A Fund may purchase and write such options on securities that are listed on national domestic securities exchanges or foreign securities exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter market. A call option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date, regardless of the market price of the security. All call options written by a Fund are covered, which means that the Fund will own the securities subject to the option so long as the option is outstanding or use the other methods described below. The purpose of a Fund in writing covered call options is to realize greater income than would be realized in portfolio securities transactions alone. However, in writing covered call options for additional income, a Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security.
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A put option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date, regardless of the market price for the security. The purpose of writing such options is to generate additional income. However, in return for the option premium, the Fund accepts the risk that it will be required to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the securities’ market value at the time of purchase.
All call and put options written by a Fund are covered. A written call option or put option may be covered by (i) maintaining cash or liquid securities, either of which, in the case of the Global Sustainability Fund and WPG Funds, may be quoted or denominated in any currency, in a segregated account noted on the Fund’s records or maintained by the Fund’s custodian with a value at least equal to the Fund’s obligation under the option, (ii) entering into an offsetting forward commitment and/or (iii) purchasing an offsetting option or any other option which, by virtue of its exercise price or otherwise, reduces the Fund’s net exposure on its written option position.
A Fund may terminate its obligations under an exchange-traded call or put option by purchasing an option identical to the one it has written. Obligations under over-the-counter options may be terminated only by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparts to such option. Such purchases are referred to as “closing purchase transactions” and do not result in the ownership of an option. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying security from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying security or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying security. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transaction costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will have incurred a loss in the transaction.
A Fund may also write (sell) covered call and put options on any securities index composed of securities in which it may invest. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash settlement payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. The amount of this settlement will be equal to the difference between the closing price of the of the securities index at the time of exercise and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars, times a specified amount. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
The Funds may cover call options on a securities index by owning securities whose price changes are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index or by having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account) upon conversion or exchange of other securities in its portfolio. A Fund may also cover call and put options on a securities index by using the other methods described above.
The All-Cap Value Fund, WPG Funds, Global Sustainability Fund, Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may each purchase put and call options on any securities in which it may invest or on any securities index based on securities in which it may invest, and a Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or minimize losses on options it had purchased.
A Fund would normally purchase call options in anticipation of an increase, or put options in anticipation of a decrease (“protective puts”) in the market value of securities of the type in which it may invest. The purchase of a call option would entitle a Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during the option period. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain on the purchase of a call option if, during the option period, the value of such securities exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option. The purchase of a put option would entitle a Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell specified securities at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts is designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of a Fund’s securities. Put options may also be purchased by a Fund for the purpose of affirmatively benefiting from a decline in the price of securities which it does not own. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying securities decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on the purchase of put options may be offset by countervailing changes in the value of the underlying portfolio securities.
A Fund may purchase put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as it may purchase options on securities. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
Transactions by a Fund in options on securities and securities indices will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded governing the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held or written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options that a Fund may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Adviser. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.
Although the Funds may use option transactions to seek to generate additional income and to seek to reduce the effect of any adverse price movement in the securities or currency subject to the option, they do involve certain risks that are different in some respects from investment risks associated with similar mutual funds, which do not engage in such activities. These risks include the following: for writing call options, the inability to effect closing transactions at favorable prices and the inability to participate in the appreciation of the underlying securities above the exercise price; for writing put options, the inability to effect closing transactions at favorable prices and the obligation to purchase the specified securities or to make a cash settlement on the securities index at prices which may not reflect current market values; and for purchasing call and put options, the possible loss of the entire premium paid. In addition, the effectiveness of hedging through the purchase or sale of securities index options, including options on the S&P 500® Index, will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of the securities portfolio being hedged correlate with the price movements in the selected securities index. Perfect correlation may not be possible because the securities held or to be acquired by a Fund may not exactly match the composition of the securities index on which options are written. If the forecasts of the Adviser regarding movements in securities prices or interest rates are incorrect, a Fund’s investment results may have been better without the hedge transactions.
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There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on a domestic or foreign options exchange will exist for any particular exchange-traded option or at any particular time. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or dispose of assets held in a segregated account until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it would have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities or currencies.
Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist although outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
A Fund’s ability to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of over-the-counter options and, if it determines that such options are not readily marketable, a Fund’s ability to enter such options will be subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments on illiquid investments.
The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The successful use of options for hedging purposes depends in part on the Adviser’s ability to predict future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities markets.
Pandemic Risk. Disease outbreaks that affect local economies or the global economy may materially and adversely impact the Funds and/or the Adviser’s business. For example, uncertainties regarding the COVID-19 outbreak have resulted in serious economic disruptions across the globe. These types of outbreaks can be expected to cause severe decreases in core business activities such as manufacturing, purchasing, tourism, business conferences and workplace participation, among others. These disruptions lead to instability in the market place, including stock market losses and overall volatility, as has occurred in connection with COVID-19. In the face of such instability, governments may take extreme and unpredictable measures to combat the spread of disease and mitigate the resulting market disruptions and losses. The Adviser has in place business continuity plans reasonably designed to ensure that it maintains normal business operations, and it periodically tests those plans. However, in the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Adviser or the Funds’ service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are widely available, the full impacts of a pandemic or disease outbreaks are unknown and the pace of recovery may vary from market to market, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time.
Pay-in-Kind Securities, Zero Coupon and Capital Appreciation Bonds. To the extent consistent with its investment objective, the All-Cap Value Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in pay-in-kind (“PIK”) securities. PIK securities may be debt obligations or preferred shares that provide the issuer with the option of paying interest or dividends on such obligations in cash or in the form of additional securities rather than cash. Similarly, zero coupon and capital appreciation bonds are debt securities issued or sold at a discount from their face value and do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity or a specified date. The amount of the discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or cash payment date, prevailing interest rates, the liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. These securities also may take the form of debt securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, the coupons themselves or receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations or coupons. A portion of the discount with respect to stripped tax-exempt securities or their coupons may be taxable. Such securities are designed to give an issuer flexibility in managing cash flow. PIK securities that are debt securities can either be senior or subordinated debt and generally trade flat (i.e., without accrued interest). The trading price of PIK debt securities generally reflects the market value of the underlying debt plus an amount representing accrued interest since the last interest payment.
PIK securities, zero coupon bonds and capital appreciation bonds involve the additional risk that, unlike securities that periodically pay interest to maturity, the Fund will realize no cash until a specified future payment date unless a portion of such securities is sold and, if the issuer of such securities defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. In addition, even though such securities may not provide for the payment of current interest in cash, the Fund is nonetheless required to accrue income on such investments for each taxable year and generally is required to distribute such accrued amounts (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax. Because no cash is generally received at the time of the accrual, the Fund may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund. Additionally, the market prices of PIK securities, zero coupon bonds and capital appreciation bonds generally are more volatile than the market prices of interest bearing securities and are likely to respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than interest bearing securities having similar maturities and credit quality.
Portfolio Turnover. Those investment strategies that require periodic changes to portfolio holdings with the expectation of outperforming equity indices are typically referred to as “active” strategies. These strategies contrast with “passive” (“index”) strategies that buy and hold only the stocks in the equity indices. Passive strategies tend to trade infrequently—only as the stocks in the indices change (largely due to changes in the sizes of the companies in the indices, takeovers or bankruptcies). Most equity mutual funds pursue active strategies, which have higher turnover than passive strategies.
The generally higher portfolio turnover of active investment strategies can adversely affect taxable investors, especially those in higher marginal tax brackets, in two particularly significant ways. First, short-term capital gains, which often accompany higher turnover investment strategies, are currently taxed at ordinary income rates. Ordinary income tax rates are generally higher than long-term capital gain tax rates. Thus, the tax liability is often higher for investors in active strategies. Second, the more frequent realization of gains caused by higher turnover investment strategies means that taxes will be paid sooner. Such acceleration of the tax liability is financially more costly to investors. Less frequent realization of capital gains allows the payment of taxes to be deferred until later years, allowing more of the gains to compound before taxes are paid. Consequently, after-tax compound rates of return will generally be higher for taxable investors using investment strategies with very low turnover, compared with high turnover strategies. The difference is particularly large when the general market rates of return are higher than average.
There are no limitations on the length of time that securities must be held by any Fund and a Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary significantly from year to year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) involves correspondingly greater transaction costs, which must be borne by the applicable Fund and its shareholders.
In determining such portfolio turnover, U.S. government securities and all other securities (including options) which have maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less (“short-term securities”) are excluded. The annual portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of the cost of purchases or proceeds from sales of portfolio securities for the year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the applicable Fund during the year. The monthly average is calculated by totaling the values of the portfolio securities as of the beginning and end of the first month of the year and as of the end of the succeeding 11 months and dividing the sum by 13. A turnover rate of 100% would occur if all of a Fund’s portfolio securities (other than short-term securities) were replaced once in a period of one year. If a Fund were to write a substantial number of options, which are exercised, the portfolio turnover rate of that Fund would increase. Increased portfolio turnover results in increased brokerage costs, which a Fund must pay, and the possibility of more short-term gains, distributions of which are taxable as ordinary income.
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The Funds will trade their portfolio securities without regard to the length of time for which they have been held. To the extent that a Fund’s portfolio is traded for short-term market considerations and portfolio turnover rate exceeds 100%, the annual portfolio turnover rate of the Fund could be higher than most mutual funds.
Real Estate Investment Trust Securities. Each Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). A REIT is a pooled investment vehicle that purchases primarily income-producing real estate, real estate-related loans or other real estate-related interests. The pooled vehicle then issues shares whose value and investment performance are dependent upon the investment performance of the underlying real estate-related investments. Individual REITs may own a limited number of properties and may concentrate in a particular region or property type. A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional requirements of the Code. The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level Federal income tax and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for Federal income tax purposes. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities, derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property, and distribute to shareholders annually a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income.
Generally, REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents and capital gains from appreciation realized through property sales. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs. The values of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. Unexpected high rates of default on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of a mortgage-backed security and could result in losses to a mortgage REIT. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. To the extent that a mortgage REIT’s portfolio is exposed to lower-rated, unsecured or subordinated instruments, the risk of loss may increase, which may have a negative impact on the Fund.
The REITs in which the Funds may invest may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. REITs are sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values, property taxes, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use and rents, and management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry may also be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws. REITS whose underlying assets include long-term health care properties; such as nursing, retirement and assisted living homes, may be impacted by federal regulations concerning the health care industry. Each Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests in addition to the expenses of the Fund. Each Fund is also subject to the risk that the REITs in which it invests will fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code, and/or fail to qualify for an exemption from registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act. Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the credit extended. A REIT’s return may be adversely affected when interest rates are high or rising.
Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500®.
The REIT investments of a Fund may not provide complete tax information to the Fund until after the calendar year-end. Consequently, because of the delay, it may be necessary for the Fund to request permission to extend the deadline for issuance of Forms 1099-DIV beyond January 31. Also, under current provisions of the Code, distributions attributable to operating income of REITs in which a Fund invests are not eligible for favorable tax treatment as long-term capital gains and will be taxable to you as ordinary income. Through 2025, a Fund, however, may designate such distributions as “section 199A dividends” to the extent of the excess of the ordinary REIT dividends, other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income, that the Fund receives from a REIT for a taxable year over the Fund’s expenses allocable to such dividends. Section 199A dividends may be taxed to individuals and other non-corporate shareholders at a reduced effective federal income tax rate, provided you have satisfied a holding period requirement for the Fund’s shares and satisfied certain other conditions. Section 199A is currently set to expire after 2025.
Restricted and Illiquid Investments. Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act, each of the Funds may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment as defined in Rule 22e-4 is an investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Illiquid investments include securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale. Illiquid investments may include: repurchase agreements and time deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days; interest rate; currency, mortgage and credit default swaps; interest rate caps; floors and municipal leases; certain restricted securities, such as those purchased in a private placement of securities, unless it is determined, based upon a review of the trading markets for a specific restricted security, that such restricted security is liquid; and certain over-the-counter options. Securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have a readily available market are not considered illiquid for purposes of this limitation. With respect to each Fund, repurchase agreements subject to demand are deemed to have a maturity equal to the notice period.
Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of restricted or other illiquid investments because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities. To the extent an investment held by a Fund is deemed to be an illiquid investment or a less liquid investment, the Fund will be exposed to a greater liquidity risk.
Each Fund may purchase securities which are not registered under the Securities Act but which may be sold to “qualified institutional buyers” in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Restricted Securities”). These securities will not be considered illiquid so long as it is determined by the Adviser that an adequate trading market exists for the securities. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in a Fund during any period that qualified institutional buyers become uninterested in purchasing restricted securities.
The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of Restricted Securities held by a Fund under the supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser may consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the unregistered nature of the security; (2) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (3) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (5) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).
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The purchase price and subsequent valuation of Restricted Securities normally reflect a discount from the price at which such securities trade when they are not restricted, since the restriction makes them less liquid. The amount of the discount from the prevailing market price is expected to vary depending upon the type of security, the character of the issuer, the party who will bear the expenses of registering the Restricted Securities and prevailing supply and demand conditions.
The Company has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.
On November 2, 2022, the SEC proposed amendments to Rule 22e-4. If adopted as proposed, the proposed amendments would result in changes to the Funds’ liquidity classification framework and could potentially increase the percentage of the Funds’ investments deemed to be illiquid. In addition, the Funds’ operations and investment strategies may be adversely impacted if the proposed amendments are adopted.
Risk Considerations of Medium Grade Securities. Obligations in the lowest investment grade (i.e., BBB or Baa), referred to as “medium grade” obligations, have speculative characteristics, and changes in economic conditions and other factors are more likely to lead to weakened capacity to make interest payments and repay principal on these obligations than is the case for higher rated securities. In the event that a security purchased by a Fund is subsequently downgraded below investment grade, the Adviser will consider such event in its determination of whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.
Risk Considerations of Lower Rated Securities. The WPG Funds and the All-Cap Value Fund may invest in fixed income securities that are not investment grade but are rated as low as B by Moody’s or B by S&P (or their equivalents or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable credit quality). In the case of a security that is rated differently by two or more rating services, the higher rating is used in connection with the foregoing limitation. In the event that the rating on a security held in a Fund’s portfolio is downgraded by a rating service, such action will be considered by the Adviser in its evaluation of the overall investment merits of that security, but will not necessarily result in the sale of the security. The widespread expansion of government, consumer and corporate debt within the U.S. economy has made the corporate sector, especially cyclically sensitive industries, more vulnerable to economic downturns or increased interest rates.
An economic downturn could severely disrupt the market for high yield fixed income securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding fixed income securities and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest.
The WPG Select Hedged Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield fixed income obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. The Funds will invest in high yield fixed income instruments when the Funds believe that such instruments offer a better risk/reward profile than comparable equity opportunities. High yield fixed income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are considered speculative investments and, while generally providing greater income than investments in higher rated securities, involve greater risk of loss of principal and income (including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities) and may involve greater volatility of price (especially during periods of economic uncertainty or change) than securities in the higher rating categories. However, since yields vary over time, no specific level of income can ever be assured.
The prices of high yield fixed income securities have been found to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments. Also, during an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress, which would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing. If the issuer of a fixed income security owned by a Fund defaulted, the Fund could incur additional expenses to seek recovery. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and changes can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high yield fixed income securities and a Fund’s NAV, to the extent it holds such securities.
High yield fixed income securities also present risks based on payment expectations. For example, high yield fixed income securities may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercises these provisions in a declining interest rate market, a Fund may, to the extent it holds such fixed income securities, have to replace the securities with a lower yielding security, which may result in a decreased return for investors. Conversely, a high yield fixed income security’s value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of a Fund’s assets, to the extent it holds such fixed income securities.
In addition, to the extent that there is no established retail secondary market, there may be thin trading of high yield fixed income securities, and this may have an impact on the Adviser’s ability to accurately value such securities and a Fund’s assets and on the Fund’s ability to dispose of such securities. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield fixed income securities, especially in a thinly traded market.
New laws proposed or adopted from time to time may have an impact on the market for high yield securities.
Finally, there are risks involved in applying credit or dividend ratings as a method for evaluating high yield securities. For example, ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest or dividend payments, not market value risk of high yield securities. Also, since rating agencies may fail to timely change the credit ratings to reflect subsequent events, a Fund will continuously monitor the issuers of high yield securities in its portfolio, if any, to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to assure the security’s liquidity so the Fund can meet redemption requests.
Securities Lending. Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations that meet capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the Board. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 331/3% of the total asset value of a Fund (including the loan collateral). The Funds will not lend portfolio securities to the Adviser or its affiliates unless permissible under the 1940 Act and the rules and promulgations thereunder. Loans of portfolio securities will be fully collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government securities, and the collateral will be maintained in an amount equal to at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned domestic securities (105% of loaned foreign securities) by marking to market daily. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the applicable Fund.
Each Fund may pay a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral, or other fee, to an unaffiliated or, to the extent consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations thereunder, affiliated third party for acting as the Fund’s securities lending agent.
By lending its securities, a Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower that reflect the amount of any interest or any dividends payable on the loaned securities as well as by either investing cash collateral received from the borrower in short-term instruments or obtaining a fee from the borrower when U.S. government securities or letters of credit are used as collateral. The Funds do not have the right to vote loaned securities. A Fund will attempt to call all loaned securities back to permit the exercise of voting rights on material matters, if time and jurisdictional restrictions permit. There is no guarantee that all loans can be recalled.
Special Situation Companies. Each Fund, except the Small Cap Value Fund, may invest in “Special Situations.” The term “Special Situation” shall be deemed to refer to a security of a company in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the investment adviser of the Fund, may cause the security to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, of the trend in the securities market in general. The particular development (actual or prospective), which may qualify a security as a “Special Situation,” may be one of many different types.
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Such developments may include, among others, a technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the company’s business; a reorganization; a recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion; a merger, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets; a breakup or workout of a holding company; litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock; a new or changed management; or material changes in management policies. A “Special Situation” may often involve a comparatively small company, which is not well known, and which has not been closely watched by investors generally, but it may also involve a large company. The fact, if it exists, that an increase in the company’s earnings, dividends or business is expected, or that a given security is considered to be undervalued, would not in itself be sufficient to qualify as a “Special Situation.” A Fund may invest in securities (even if not “Special Situations”) which, in the opinion of the investment adviser of the Fund, are appropriate investments for the Fund, including securities which the investment adviser of the Fund believes are undervalued by the market. A Fund shall not be required to invest any minimum percentage of its aggregate portfolio in “Special Situations,” nor shall it be required to invest any minimum percentage of its aggregate portfolio in securities other than “Special Situations.”
Securities of Unseasoned Issuers. Each of the Funds may invest in securities of unseasoned issuers, including equity securities of unseasoned issuers which are not readily marketable, to the extent consistent with each Fund’s primary investment strategies as set forth in the Prospectuses and with each Fund’s policy on investments in illiquid investments. The aggregate investment in such securities will not exceed (a) 25% of net assets for the WPG Funds, Global Sustainability Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund or (b) 5% of net assets for each of the Small Cap Value and All-Cap Value Funds. The term “unseasoned” refers to issuers which, together with their predecessors, have been in operation for less than three years.
Short Sales. The All-Cap Value, WPG Select Hedged Fund, Long/Short Equity, Long/Short Research, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may each enter into short sales. Short sales are transactions in which a Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete such a transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to pay to the lender amounts equal to any dividend which accrues during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out.
A Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. The Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. This result is the opposite of what one would expect from a cash purchase of a long position in a security. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium or amounts in lieu of interest the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. A Fund may purchase call options to provide a hedge against an increase in the price of a security sold short by the Fund. See the section entitled “Options” above.
Short Sales “Against the Box.” In addition to the short sales discussed above, the All-Cap Value Fund, WPG Select Hedged Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may each make short sales “against the box,” transactions in which a Fund enters into a short sale of a security that the Fund owns or has the right to obtain at no additional cost. The proceeds of the short sale will be held by a broker until the settlement date at which time the Fund delivers the security to close the short position. The Fund receives the net proceeds from the short sale.
Structured Securities. The All-Cap Value Fund, Global Sustainability Fund, Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may invest in structured securities. The value of the principal of and/or interest on structured securities is determined by reference to changes in the value of specific currencies, commodities, securities, indices or other financial indicators (the “Reference”) or the relative change in two or more References. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may be increased or decreased depending upon changes in the applicable Reference. Examples of structured securities include, but are not limited to, notes where the principal repayment at maturity is determined by the value of the relative change in two or more specified securities or securities indices. The All-Cap Value Fund does not presently intend to invest more than 5% of its net assets in structured securities.
The terms of some structured securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, a Fund could suffer a total loss of its investment. Structured securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the Reference may produce an increase or decrease in the interest rate or value of the security at maturity. In addition, changes in the interest rate or the value of the security at maturity may be a multiple of the changes in the value of the Reference. Consequently, structured securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of securities. Structured securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities due to their derivative nature.
Subsidiary Risk. The Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund makes investments through a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short OffShore Ltd. (the “Subsidiary”). Investment in the Subsidiary provides the Fund with exposure to Indian futures markets. The Subsidiary is organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Fund is the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary, and it is not currently expected that shares of the Subsidiary will be sold or offered to other investors. Although the Fund may enter into these instruments directly, the Fund will likely gain exposure to these derivative instruments indirectly by investing in the Subsidiary. The Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary may vary depending on the types of instruments selected by the Adviser to gain exposure to the Indian futures markets. To the extent that the Fund invests in the Subsidiary, the Fund may be subject to the risks associated with the above mentioned derivative instruments and other securities, which are discussed elsewhere in the Prospectus and this SAI.
While the Subsidiary may be considered similar to an investment company, it is not registered under the 1940 Act and, unless otherwise noted in the Prospectus and this SAI, is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act and other U.S. regulations. Although the Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act, the Adviser complies with provisions of the 1940 Act relating to investment advisory contracts with respect to the Subsidiary. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described in the Prospectuses and this SAI and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders.
U.S. Government Obligations. Each Fund may purchase U.S. government agency and instrumentality obligations that are debt securities issued by U.S. government-sponsored enterprises and federal agencies. Some obligations of agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or by U.S. Treasury guarantees, such as securities of the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) and the Federal Housing Authority; others, by the ability of the issuer to borrow, provided approval is granted, from the U.S. Treasury, such as securities of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and others, only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality issuing the obligation, such as securities of Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”). Such guarantees of U.S. government securities held by a Fund do not, however, guarantee the market value of the shares of the Fund. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will continue to provide support to its agencies or instrumentalities in the future. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities may greatly exceed their current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. U.S. government obligations that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government are subject to greater risks than those that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. All U.S. government obligations are subject to interest rate risk.
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Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been operating under conservatorship, with the Federal Housing Finance Administration (“FHFA”) acting as their conservator, since September 2008. The entities are dependent upon the continue support of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and FHFA in order to continue their business operations. These factors, among others, could affect the future status and role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the values of their securities and the securities which they guarantee.
Each Fund’s net assets may be invested in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or the agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, including, if applicable, options and futures on such obligations. The maturities of U.S. government securities usually range from three months to thirty years. Examples of types of U.S. government obligations include U.S. Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes and Treasury Bonds and the obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, Fannie Mae, GNMA, General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Freddie Mac, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Maritime Administration, the Asian-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. U.S. government securities may include inflation-indexed fixed income securities, such as U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (“TIPS”). The interest rate of TIPS, which is set at auction, remains fixed throughout the term of the security and the principal amount of the security is adjusted for inflation. The inflation-adjusted principal is not paid until maturity.
There is risk that the U.S. government will not provide financial support to its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. Each Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, such as those issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.
Additionally, from time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could impact the creditworthiness of the United States and could impact the liquidity of the U.S. Government securities markets and ultimately the Funds.
The Small Cap Value Fund and All-Cap Value Fund do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of each Fund’s respective net assets in U.S. government obligations.
Special Note Regarding Market Events. Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The scope of these policy changes is still developing, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, particularly if a resulting policy runs counter to the market’s expectations. The outcome of such changes cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including events such as war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, social unrest, natural disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions, sanctions, the spread of infectious illness or other public health threats may add to instability in the world economy and markets generally. As a result of increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by events impacting a country or region, regardless of whether the Fund invests in issuers located in or with significant exposure to such country or region.
Disease outbreaks that affect local economies or the global economy may materially and adversely impact a Fund and/or the Adviser’s business. For example, uncertainties regarding the COVID-19 outbreak have resulted in serious economic disruptions across the globe. Governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, have in the past responded to major economic disruptions with changes to fiscal and monetary policy, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions, new monetary programs, and interest rates changes. Such policy changes may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities.
In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in a Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or to accurately price its investments. Although multiple asset classes may be affected by a market disruption, the duration and effects may not be the same for all types of assets. To the extent a Fund may overweight its investments in certain countries, companies, industries or market sectors, such position will increase the Fund’s exposure to risk of loss from adverse developments affecting those countries, companies, industries or sectors. These conditions could result in the Fund’s inability to achieve its investment objectives, cause the postponement of reconstitution or rebalance dates for benchmark indices, adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, negatively impact the Fund’s performance, and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.
Additionally, U.S. and global markets recently have experienced increased volatility, including the recent failures of certain U.S. and non-U.S. banks, which could be harmful to the Funds, underlying funds, and issuers in which they invest. Conditions in the banking sector are evolving, and the scope of any potential impacts to the Funds, underlying funds, and issuers, both from market conditions and also potential legislative or regulatory responses, are uncertain. Continued market volatility and uncertainty and/or a downturn in market and economic and financial conditions, as a result of developments in the banking industry or otherwise (including as a result of delayed access to cash or credit facilities), could have an adverse impact on the Funds, underlying funds, and issuers in which they invest.
Investing in Frontier Countries. The Global Sustainability Fund, Global Equity Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may invest in securities of issuers located in frontier countries. Frontier markets are a sub-set of emerging market countries. Frontier market countries generally have smaller economies or less developed capital markets than traditional emerging markets, and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier countries. The economies of frontier countries are less correlated to global economic cycles than those of their more developed counterparts and their markets have low trading volumes and the potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity. These factors make investing in frontier countries significantly riskier than in other countries and any one of them could cause the price of the Fund’s NAV to decline. In addition, the legal remedies for investors in frontier markets may be more limited than the remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited.
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NON-PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS
Asset-Backed Securities. The Emerging Markets Fund may invest in asset-backed securities, which represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, pools of assets such as motor vehicle installment sale contracts, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables. Asset-backed securities may also be collateralized by a portfolio of U.S. government securities, but are not direct obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Such asset pools are securitized through the use of privately-formed trusts or special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset-backed securities may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present; however privately issued obligations collateralized by a portfolio of privately issued asset-backed securities do not involve any government-related guarantee or insurance. Asset-backed securities present credit risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed securities. That is because asset-backed securities generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that is comparable to mortgage assets. The liquidity of asset-backed securities (particularly below investment grade asset-backed securities) may change over time. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions, or periods of rising unemployment, delinquencies and losses generally increase, sometimes dramatically, with respect to securitizations involving loans, sales contracts, receivables and other obligations underlying asset-backed securities.
Commercial Paper. Each Fund may purchase commercial paper rated (at the time of purchase) “A-1” by S&P® or “Prime-1” by Moody’s or, when deemed advisable by the Adviser, issues rated “A-2” or “Prime-2” by S&P® or Moody’s, respectively. These rating categories are described in Appendix “A” to this SAI. The Funds may also purchase unrated commercial paper provided that such paper is determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board. Commercial paper issues in which a Fund may invest include securities issued by corporations without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) in reliance on the exemption from such registration afforded by Section 3(a) (3) thereof, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called “private placement” exemption from registration, which is afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (“Section 4(2) paper”). Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws in that any resale must similarly be made in an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) paper is normally resold to other institutional investors through or with the assistance of investment dealers who make a market in Section 4(2) paper, thus providing liquidity. Each Fund does not presently intend to invest more than 5% of its net assets in commercial paper.
Holding Company Depository Receipts. Each Fund may invest in Holding Company Depository Receipts (“HOLDRS”). HOLDRS represent trust-issued receipts that represent individual and undivided beneficial ownership interests in the common stock or ADRs of specific companies in a particular industry, sector or group. Each of the Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of their respective net assets in HOLDRS.
Indexed Securities. The Funds may invest in indexed securities whose value is linked to securities indices. Most such securities have values which rise and fall according to the change in one or more specified indices, and may have characteristics similar to direct investments in the underlying securities. Depending on the index, such securities may have greater volatility than the market as a whole. Each of the Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of their respective net assets in indexed securities.
Large Shareholder Purchase and Redemption Risk. The Funds may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Funds. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell its securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. However, this risk may be limited to the extent that the Adviser and a Fund have entered into a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement arrangement.
Leveraging. The Emerging Markets Fund may employ leverage in accordance with the fundamental investment limitations described below. Leveraging the Fund creates an opportunity for increased net income, but, at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leveraging may exaggerate changes in the NAV of the Fund’s shares and in the yield on the Fund’s portfolio. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leveraging creates interest expenses for the Fund which could exceed the income from the assets retained. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest that the Fund will have to pay, the Fund’s net income will be greater than if leveraging were not used. Conversely, if the income from the assets retained with borrowed funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of the Fund will be less than if leveraging were not used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to stockholders as dividends will be reduced. Because the SEC staff believes both reverse repurchase agreements and dollar roll transactions are collateralized borrowings, the SEC staff believes that they create leverage, which is a speculative factor. The requirement that such transactions be fully collateralized by assets segregated by the Fund’s custodian imposes a practical limit on the leverage these transactions create.
LIBOR Transition Risk. Many financial instruments were historically tied to the London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR,” to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies, or investment value. As of June 30, 2023, almost all settings of LIBOR have ceased to be published, except that certain widely used U.S. dollar LIBORs will continue to be published on a temporary, synthetic and non-representative basis through at least September 30, 2024. In some instances, regulators have restricted new use of LIBORs prior to the date when synthetic LIBORs will cease to be published. SOFR, which has been used increasingly on a voluntary basis in new instruments and transactions, is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement market. On December 16, 2022, the Federal Reserve Board adopted regulations implementing the Adjustable Interest Rate Act, which provides a statutory fallback mechanism to replace LIBOR, by identifying benchmark rates based on SOFR that will replace LIBOR in certain financial contracts after June 30, 2023. These regulations apply only to contracts governed by U.S. law, among other limitations. The regulations include provisions that (i) provide a safe harbor for selection or use of a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; (ii) clarify who may choose the replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; and (iii) ensure that contracts adopting a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board will not be interrupted or terminated following the replacement of LIBOR. Uncertainty related to the liquidity impact of the change in rates, and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition, poses risks for the Funds. The transition away from LIBOR could have a significant impact on the financial markets in general and may also present heightened risk to market participants, including public companies, investment advisers, investment companies, and broker-dealers. The risks associated with this discontinuation and transition will be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner. For example, current information technology systems may be unable to accommodate new instruments and rates with features that differ from LIBOR. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the transition away from LIBOR on the Funds until new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts are commercially accepted and market practices become settled.
Money Market Instruments. Each Fund may invest a portion of its assets in short-term, high-quality instruments for purposes of temporary defensive measures, which instruments include, among other things, bank obligations. Bank obligations include bankers’ acceptances, negotiable certificates of deposit, and non-negotiable time deposits earning a specified return and issued by a U.S. bank which is a member of the Federal Reserve System or insured by the Bank Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), or by a savings and loan association or savings bank which is insured by the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the FDIC. Such deposits are not FDIC insured and a Fund bears the risk of bank failure. Bank obligations also include U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks. Such investments may involve risks that are different from investments in securities of domestic branches of U.S. banks. These risks may include future unfavorable political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes on interest income, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, or other governmental restrictions which might affect the payment of principal or interest on the securities held in a Fund. Additionally, these institutions may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing, reporting and recordkeeping requirements than those applicable to domestic branches of U.S. banks. A Fund will invest in obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks only when the Adviser believes that the risks associated with such investment are minimal. The value of money market instruments tends to fall when current interest rates rise, although money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer term securities. However, the risks associated with rising interest rates are heightened under current market conditions given that the U.S. Federal Reserve has begun to raise interest rates in March 2022 from historically low levels and may continue to do so.
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Purchase Warrants. Each Fund may invest in purchase warrants and similar rights. Purchase warrants are privileges issued by a corporation which enable the owner to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short lifespan to expiration. The purchase of warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the warrants’ expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. These Funds may not invest more than 5% of each Fund’s respective net assets in purchase warrants and similar rights.
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may agree to purchase securities from financial institutions subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase them at an agreed-upon time and price (“repurchase agreements”). The securities held subject to a repurchase agreement may have stated maturities exceeding 397 days, provided the repurchase agreement itself matures in less than 13 months. Default by or bankruptcy of the seller would, however, expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations.
The repurchase price under the repurchase agreements described above generally equals the price paid by a Fund plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates (which may be more or less than the rate on the securities underlying the repurchase agreement). The financial institutions with whom the Funds may enter into repurchase agreements will be banks which the Adviser considers creditworthy pursuant to criteria approved by the Board of Directors and non-bank dealers of U.S. government securities that are listed on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of reporting dealers. The Adviser will consider the creditworthiness of a seller in determining whether to have a Fund enter into a repurchase agreement. The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of the securities subject to the agreement at not less than the repurchase price plus accrued interest. The Adviser will mark to market daily the value of the securities, and will, if necessary, require the seller to maintain additional securities, to ensure that the value is not less than the repurchase price.
Default by or bankruptcy of the seller would, however, expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to portfolio securities for temporary purposes (such as to obtain cash to meet redemption requests) when the liquidation of portfolio securities is deemed disadvantageous or inconvenient by the Adviser. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by a Fund subject to the Fund’s agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and rate of interest. Such agreements are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act, and may be entered into only for temporary or emergency purposes. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund is obligated to repurchase and the interest received on the cash exchanged for the securities.
Temporary Investments. Although the Funds invest primarily in equity securities, for temporary defensive purposes, the Funds may hold cash or invest in a variety of money market instruments and short-term and medium-term debt securities including: (a) obligations of the United States or foreign governments, their respective agencies or instrumentalities; (b) bank deposits and bank obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances) of U.S. or foreign banks denominated in any currency; (c) floating rate securities and other instruments denominated in any currency issued by international development agencies; (d) finance company and corporate commercial paper and other short-term corporate debt obligations of U.S. and foreign corporations; and (e) repurchase agreements with banks and broker-dealers with respect to such securities. If a Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective for a period of time.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
The Funds have adopted the following fundamental investment limitations which may not be changed with respect to the Funds without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Funds’ outstanding shares (as defined in Section 2(a) (42) of the 1940 Act). As used in this SAI and in the Prospectuses, “shareholder approval” and a “majority of the outstanding shares” of a Fund means, with respect to the approval of an investment advisory agreement, a distribution plan or a change in a fundamental investment limitation, the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the particular Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund. Each Fund’s investment goals and strategies described in the Prospectuses may be changed by the Board without the approval of the Fund’s shareholders.
Each Boston Partners Fund other than the Long/Short Research Fund, Global Equity Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, and Emerging Markets Fund may not:
1. | Borrow money or issue senior securities, except that each Fund may borrow from banks and enter into reverse repurchase agreements, and the Small Cap Value Fund and All-Cap Value Fund may enter into dollar rolls for temporary purposes in amounts up to one-third of the value of each Fund’s respective total assets at the time of such borrowing and provided that, for any borrowing with respect to the All-Cap Value Fund and Long/Short Equity Fund there is at least 300% asset coverage for the borrowings of the Fund. A Fund may not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and then in amounts not in excess of one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing. However, with respect to the All-Cap Value Fund and Long/Short Equity Fund the amount shall not be in excess of lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 331/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing, provided that for the All-Cap Value Fund and Long/Short Equity Fund: (a) short sales and related borrowings of securities are not subject to this restriction; and (b) for the purposes of this restriction, collateral arrangements with respect to options, short sales, stock index, interest rate, currency or other futures, options on futures contracts, collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin and collateral arrangements with respect to swaps and other derivatives are not deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of assets, and provided that for the All-Cap Value Fund, any collateral arrangements with respect to the writing of options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets. The Small Cap Value and All-Cap Value Funds will not purchase securities while aggregate borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and borrowings from banks) are in excess of 5% of total assets. Securities held in escrow or separate accounts in connection with a Fund’s investment practices are not considered to be borrowings or deemed to be pledged for purposes of this limitation; (For purposes of this Limitation No. 1, any collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets) |
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2. | Issue any senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act; (For purposes of this Limitation No. 2, neither the collateral arrangements with respect to options and futures identified in Limitation No. 1, nor the purchase or sale of futures or related options are deemed to be the issuance of senior securities). |
3. | Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities; |
4. | Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts; |
5. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that a Fund may deal in forward foreign exchanges between currencies of the different countries in which it may invest and purchase and sell stock index and currency options, stock index futures, financial futures and currency futures contracts and related options on such futures; |
6. | Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; or |
7. | Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers in any particular industry (excluding the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities). |
Additionally, each Boston Partners Fund other than the Long/Short Research Fund, Global Equity Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may not:
Purchase the securities of any one issuer, other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, if immediately after and as a result of such purchase, more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be owned by the Fund, except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested without regard to such limitations.
For purposes of Investment Limitation No. 1, collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward currency contracts and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets and neither such arrangements nor the purchase or sale of futures or related options are deemed to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of Investment Limitation No. 2. Neither the purchase nor the sale of futures or related options will be deemed to be the issuance of senior securities because such transactions will be covered by the segregation of cash or liquid assets or by other means in compliance with applicable SEC guidance.
For purposes of Investment Limitation No. 7, with respect to the Long/Short Equity Fund may not:
Purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that (a) there is no limitation with respect to (i) instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States, any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and (ii) repurchase agreements secured by the instruments described in clause (i); (b) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.
In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Long/Short Equity Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations. These non-fundamental restrictions may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Long/Short Equity Fund may not:
1. | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by the Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management; or |
2. | Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may use margin to the extent necessary to engage in short sales and may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of portfolio transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, transactions in currencies or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin. |
The Long/Short Research Fund may not:
1. | Borrow money except that (a) the Fund may borrow from banks or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 331/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed); and (b) the Fund may engage in transactions in mortgage dollar rolls which are accounted for as financings. For purposes of this limitation, investment strategies which either obligate the Fund to purchase securities or require the Fund to segregate assets are not considered to be borrowings. Asset coverage of at least 300% is required for all borrowings, except where the Fund has borrowed money for temporary purposes in amounts not exceeding 5% of its total assets; |
2. | Issue senior securities as defined in the 1940 Act, except as permitted by rule, regulation or order of the SEC; |
3. | Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities; |
4. | Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts; |
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5. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may deal in forward foreign exchanges between currencies of the different countries in which it may invest and purchase and sell stock index and currency options, stock index futures, financial futures and currency futures contracts and related options on such futures; |
6. | Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; |
7. | Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers in any particular industry (excluding the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities); or |
8. | Purchase the securities of any one issuer, other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, if immediately after and as a result of such purchase, more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be owned by the Fund, except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested without regard to such limitations. |
For purposes of Investment Limitation No. 1, collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward currency contracts and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets and neither such arrangements nor the purchase or sale of futures or related options are deemed to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of Investment Limitation No. 2. Neither the purchase nor the sale of futures or related options will be deemed to be the issuance of senior securities because such transactions will be covered by the segregation of cash or liquid assets or by other means in compliance with applicable SEC guidance.
For purposes of Investment Limitation No.7, the Long/Short Research Fund may not:
Purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that (a) there is no limitation with respect to (i) instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States, any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and (ii) repurchase agreements secured by the instruments described in clause (i); (b) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.
In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Long/Short Research Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations. These non-fundamental restrictions may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Long/Short Research Fund may not:
1. | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by the Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management; or |
2. | Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may use margin to the extent necessary to engage in short sales and may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of portfolio transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, transactions in currencies or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin. |
3. | Pledge, manage or hypothecate assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act. |
Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does provide allowances for certain borrowings, firm commitment and standby commitment agreements. In addition, Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Fund to enter into derivatives transactions, notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under the 1940 Act, provided that the Fund complies with the conditions of Rule 18f-4. See the section entitled “Currency Swaps and Total Return Swaps” above for additional information.
The Global Equity Fund may not:
1. | Borrow money except that a Fund may borrow from banks or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 331/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed). For purposes of this limitation, investment strategies which either obligate a Fund to purchase securities or require the Fund to segregate assets are not considered to be borrowings. Asset coverage of at least 300% is required for all borrowings, except where a Fund has borrowed money for temporary purposes in amounts not exceeding 5% of its total assets; |
2. | Issue senior securities as defined in the 1940 Act, except as permitted by rule, regulation or order of the SEC; |
3. | Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities; |
4. | Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts; |
5. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that a Fund may deal in forward foreign exchanges between currencies of the different countries in which it may invest and purchase and sell stock index and currency options, stock index futures, financial futures and currency futures contracts and related options on such futures; |
6. | Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; or |
7. | Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers in any particular industry (excluding the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities). |
For purposes of Investment Restriction No.7, the Global Equity Fund may not:
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Purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that (a) there is no limitation with respect to (i) instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States or any of its authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and (ii) repurchase agreements secured by the instruments described in clause (i); (b) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.
In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Global Equity Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations. These non-fundamental restrictions may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Fund may not:
1. | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by a Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management; or |
2. | Purchase securities on margin, except that a Fund may use margin to the extent necessary to engage in short sales and may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of portfolio transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, transactions in currencies or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin. |
3. | Pledge, manage or hypothecate assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act. |
4. | Hold illiquid investments in an amount exceeding, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s net assets. |
Any collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, short sales and other similar instruments, and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets.
Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does provide allowances for certain borrowings, firm commitment and standby commitment agreements. In addition, Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Fund to enter into derivatives transactions, notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under the 1940 Act, provided that the Fund complies with the conditions of Rule 18f-4. See the section entitled “Credit Default Swaps, Interest Rate Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Currency Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest rate Caps, Floors and Collars” above for additional information.
The Global Long/Short Fund, Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and Emerging Markets Fund may not:
1. | Borrow money or issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from banks and enter into reverse repurchase agreements for temporary purposes in amounts up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing and provided that there is at least 300% asset coverage for the borrowings of the Fund. The Fund may not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and then in amounts not in excess of one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing. However, the amount shall not be in excess of lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 331/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing, provided that: (a) short sales and related borrowings of securities are not subject to this restriction; and (b) for the purposes of this restriction, collateral arrangements with respect to options, short sales, stock index, interest rate, currency or other futures, options on futures contracts, collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin and collateral arrangements with respect to swaps and other derivatives are not deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of assets. Securities held in escrow or separate accounts in connection with the Fund’s investment practices are not considered to be borrowings or deemed to be pledged for purposes of this limitation; |
2. | Issue any senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act; |
3. | Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities; |
4. | Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts; |
5. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may deal in forward foreign exchanges between currencies of the different countries in which it may invest and purchase and sell stock index and currency options, stock index futures, financial futures and currency futures contracts and related options on such futures; |
6. | Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; or |
7. | Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers in any particular industry (excluding the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities). |
For purposes of Investment Limitation No. 1, collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward currency contracts and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets and neither such arrangements nor the purchase or sale of futures or related options are deemed to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of Investment Limitation No. 2. Neither the purchase nor the sale of futures or related options will be deemed to be the issuance of senior securities because such transactions will be covered by the segregation of cash or liquid assets or by other means in compliance with applicable SEC guidance.
In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Global Long/Short Fund, Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and Emerging Markets Fund are subject to the following non-fundamental limitations. These non-fundamental restrictions may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. Each Fund may not:
1. | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by the Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management; or |
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2. | Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may use margin to the extent necessary to engage in short sales and may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of portfolio transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, transactions in currencies or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin. |
3. | Hold illiquid investments in an amount exceeding, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s net assets. |
Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by the Fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does provide allowances for certain borrowings, firm commitment and standby commitment agreements. In addition, Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Fund to enter into derivatives transactions, notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under the 1940 Act, provided that the Fund complies with the conditions of Rule 18f-4. See the section entitled “Currency Swaps and Total Return Swaps” above for additional information.
The WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund may not:
1. | Purchase securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activity in the same industry, if immediately after such purchase the value of its investments in such industry would exceed 25% or more of its total assets provided that this restriction shall not apply to securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. |
2. | With respect to 75% of its total assets, the Fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than the U.S. government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities and other investment companies), if: |
(a) | such purchase would cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer; or |
(b) | such purchase would at the time result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund; provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. |
3. | Lease, acquire, purchase, sell or hold real estate, but it may lease office space for its own use and invest in marketable securities of companies holding real estate or interests in real estate, including real estate investment trusts. |
4. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodities contracts, except futures contracts, including but not limited to contracts for the future delivery of securities and contracts based on securities indices and options on such futures contracts, and forward foreign currency exchange contracts. |
5. | Lend money, except that it may (i) invest in all or a portion of an issue of bonds, debentures and other obligations distributed publicly or of a type commonly purchased by financial institutions (e.g., certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances or other short-term debt obligations) or other debt obligations in accordance with its objectives or (ii) enter into repurchase agreements; provided that the Fund will not enter into repurchase agreements of more than one week’s duration if more than 15% of its net assets would be invested therein together with other illiquid or not readily marketable securities. |
6. | Lend its portfolio securities unless the borrower is a broker, dealer, bank or other qualified financial institution; provided that the terms, the structure and the aggregate amount of such loans are not inconsistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations or interpretations of the SEC thereunder. |
7. | Engage in the business of underwriting the securities of others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act when it purchases or sells portfolio securities; provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. |
8. | Borrow money except as a temporary measure to facilitate the meeting of redemption requests or for extraordinary or emergency purposes, provided that the aggregate amount of such borrowings may not exceed 33% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed), at the time of such borrowing. |
9. | Issue senior securities except as permitted under the 1940 Act and except that the Fund may issue shares of beneficial interest in multiple classes or series. |
The Fund may, notwithstanding any other fundamental or non-fundamental investment restriction or policy, invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objectives, restrictions and policies as that Fund.
For purposes of the above fundamental investment restrictions regarding industry concentration, the Adviser generally classifies issuers by industry in accordance with classifications established by nationally recognized third-party statistical information services, such as S&P. In the absence of such classification or if the Adviser determines in good faith based on its own information that the economic characteristics affecting a particular issuer make it more appropriately considered to be engaged in a different industry, the Adviser may classify an issuer according to its own sources.
In addition to the fundamental policies mentioned above, the Board has adopted the following non-fundamental policies which may be changed or amended by action of the Board without approval of shareholders. So long as these non-fundamental restrictions are in effect, the Fund may not:
(a) | Invest in the securities of an issuer for the purpose of exercising control or management, but it may do so where it is deemed advisable to protect or enhance the value of an existing investment. |
(b) | Purchase securities of any other investment company except as permitted by the 1940 Act. |
(c) | Purchase securities on margin, except any short-term credits, which may be necessary for the clearance of transactions and the initial, or maintenance margin in connection with options and futures contracts and related options. |
(d) | Invest more than 15% of its net assets in securities which are illiquid. |
(e) | Purchase additional securities if the Fund’s borrowings exceed 5% of its net assets. |
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Except with respect to the WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund’s fundamental investment restriction regarding borrowings, any investment limitation of the WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund that is expressed as a percentage is determined at the time of investment by the Fund. An increase or decrease in a Fund’s NAV or a company’s market capitalization subsequent to a Fund’s initial investment will not affect the Fund’s compliance with the percentage limitation or the company’s status as small, medium or large cap. From time to time, the Adviser may include as small, medium or large cap certain companies having market capitalizations outside the definitions described in the Prospectuses. Under the 1940 Act, the WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund will be required to maintain continuous asset coverage of at least 300% for borrowings from a bank. In the event that such asset coverage is below 300%, the applicable Fund will be required to reduce the amount of its borrowings to obtain 300% asset coverage, within three days (not including weekends and holidays) or such longer period as the rules and regulations of the SEC prescribe. In addition, under the 1940 Act, the WPG Small Cap Value Diversifed Fund may not invest more than 5% of its assets in the securities of any issuer that derives more than 15% of its gross revenue from a securities-related business, unless an exemption is available under the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder.
The WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund and Global Sustainability Fund may not:
1. | Borrow money except that the Fund may borrow from banks or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 331/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed). For purposes of this limitation, investment strategies which either obligate a Fund to purchase securities or require the Fund to segregate assets are not considered to be borrowings. Asset coverage of at least 300% is required for all borrowings, except where a Fund has borrowed money for temporary purposes in amounts not exceeding 5% of its total assets; |
2. | Issue senior securities as defined in the 1940 Act, except as permitted by rule, regulation or order of the SEC; |
3. | Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities; |
4. | Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts; |
5. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that a Fund may deal in forward foreign exchanges between currencies of the different countries in which it may invest and purchase and sell stock index and currency options, stock index futures, financial futures and currency futures contracts and related options on such futures; |
6. | Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; or |
7. | Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers in any particular industry (excluding the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities). |
8. | The Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund may not purchase the securities of any one issuer, other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, if immediately after and as a result of such purchase, more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be owned by the Fund, except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested without regard to such limitations. |
For purposes of Investment Restriction No.7, the Funds may not:
Purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that (a) there is no limitation with respect to (i) instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States or any of its authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and (ii) repurchase agreements secured by the instruments described in clause (i); (b) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.
In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, each Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations. These non-fundamental restrictions may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Fund may not:
1. | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by a Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management; or |
2. | Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may use margin to the extent necessary to engage in short sales and may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of portfolio transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, transactions in currencies or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin. |
3. | Pledge, manage or hypothecate assets, except as permitted by the 1940 Act. |
4. | Hold illiquid investments in an amount exceeding, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s net assets. |
Any collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, short sales and other similar instruments, and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets.
Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does provide allowances for certain borrowings, firm commitment and standby commitment agreements. In addition, Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Fund to enter into derivatives transactions, notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under the 1940 Act, provided that the Fund complies with the conditions of Rule 18f-4. See the section entitled “Credit Default Swaps, Interest Rate Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Currency Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest rate Caps, Floors and Collars” above for additional information.
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The WPG Select Hedged Fund may not:
1. | Borrow money or issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from banks and enter into reverse repurchase agreements, and provided that, for any borrowing with respect to the Fund there is at least 300% asset coverage for the borrowings of the Fund. The Fund may not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and then in amounts not in excess of one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing. However, with respect to the Fund the amount shall not be in excess of lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 331/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing, provided that: (a) short sales and related borrowings of securities are not subject to this restriction; and (b) for the purposes of this restriction, collateral arrangements with respect to options, short sales, stock index, interest rate, currency or other futures, options on futures contracts, collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin and collateral arrangements with respect to swaps and other derivatives are not deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of assets. Securities held in escrow or separate accounts in connection with the Fund’s investment practices are not considered to be borrowings or deemed to be pledged for purposes of this limitation; |
2. | Issue any senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act; |
3. | Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities; |
4. | Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts; |
5. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may deal in forward foreign exchanges between currencies of the different countries in which it may invest and purchase and sell stock index and currency options, stock index futures, financial futures and currency futures contracts and related options on such futures; |
6. | Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; or |
7. | Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers in any particular industry (excluding the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities). |
Additionally, the Fund may not:
For purposes of Investment Limitation No. 1, collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward currency contracts and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets and neither such arrangements nor the purchase or sale of futures or related options are deemed to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of Investment Limitation No. 2. Neither the purchase nor the sale of futures or related options will be deemed to be the issuance of senior securities because such transactions will be covered by the segregation of cash or liquid assets or by other means in compliance with applicable SEC guidance.
For purposes of Investment Limitation No. 7, the Fund may not:
Purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that (a) there is no limitation with respect to (i) instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States, any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and (ii) repurchase agreements secured by the instruments described in clause (i); (b) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.
In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations. These non-fundamental restrictions may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Fund may not:
1. | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by the Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management; or |
2. | Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may use margin to the extent necessary to engage in short sales and may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of portfolio transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, transactions in currencies or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin. |
The Funds may invest in securities issued by other investment companies within the limits prescribed by the 1940 Act. As a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses that a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.
Securities held by the Funds generally may not be purchased from, sold or loaned to the Adviser or its affiliates or any of their directors, officers or employees, acting as principal, unless pursuant to a rule or exemptive order under the 1940 Act. Neither the Company nor the Adviser has obtained such an exemptive order.
If a percentage restriction under one of the Funds’ investment policies or limitations or the use of assets is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentages resulting from changing values will not be considered a violation (except with respect to any restrictions that may apply to borrowings or senior securities issued by a Fund).
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Company has adopted, on behalf of the Funds, a policy relating to the selective disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings by the Adviser, Board, officers, or third party service providers, in accordance with regulations that seek to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio holdings is in the best interest of a Fund’s shareholders. The policies relating to the disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio holdings information where necessary to the Fund’s operation without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. It is the policy of the Company that disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings to a select person or persons prior to the release of such holdings to the public (“selective disclosure”) is prohibited, unless there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure.
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The Company discloses portfolio holdings information as required in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, discloses portfolio holdings information as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. As required by the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Company will disclose each Fund’s portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR, Form N-CEN, Form N-PORT, and such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require.
The Adviser currently makes the Funds’ complete portfolio holdings, top ten holdings, sector weightings and other portfolio characteristics publicly available on its web site, www.boston-partners.com as disclosed in the following table:
Information Posting | Frequency of Disclosure | Date of Web Posting |
Complete Portfolio Holdings and top 10 Portfolio Holdings | Monthly/Quarterly* | 5 business days after the end of each calendar month for the Funds |
* | For the WPG Select Hedged Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, Long/Short Research Fund, Global Long/Short Fund, and Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, only the complete long positions for the Funds will be publicly available on the Adviser’s website at www.boston-partners.com. |
The scope of the information relating to the Funds’ portfolios that is made available on the web site may change from time to time without notice. The Adviser or its affiliates may include a Fund’s portfolio holdings that have already been made public through a Web posting or SEC filing in marketing literature and other communications to shareholders, advisors or other parties, provided that, in the case of holdings made public through the Web, the information is disclosed no earlier than the day after the date of posting to the Web site.
The Company may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about a Fund’s portfolio holdings that is not publicly available to its third-party service providers, which include U.S. Bank, N.A., the custodian; U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services” or “Transfer Agent”), the administrator, accounting agent and transfer agent; Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm; Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, legal counsel; FilePoint, the financial printer; the Funds’ proxy voting service(s); and the Company’s liquidity classification agent. These service providers are required to keep such information confidential, and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to a Fund. Such holdings are released on conditions of confidentiality, which include appropriate trading prohibitions. “Conditions of confidentiality” include confidentiality terms included in written agreements, implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g., attorney-client relationship), or required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody services provided by financial institutions).
Portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to (i) certain independent reporting agencies recognized by the SEC as acceptable agencies for the reporting of industry statistical information, and (ii) financial consultants to assist them in determining the suitability of the Funds as an investment for their clients, in each case in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Company’s, Adviser’s fiduciary duties to the Funds’ shareholders. Disclosures to financial consultants are also subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. The foregoing disclosures are made pursuant to the Company’s policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board or a committee thereof may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in the Fund’s portfolio.
The Adviser reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any request for portfolio holdings information from a shareholder or non-shareholder if it believes that providing such information will be contrary to the best interests of a Fund.
The Board provides ongoing oversight of the Company’s policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Board receives from the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Board receives an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to a Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any violation of the policy set forth above as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such violation must be reported by the Adviser, officers or third party service providers to the Company’s CCO, who will determine whether the violation should be reported immediately to the Board or at its next quarterly Board meeting.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Portfolio turnover measures the percentage of each Fund’s total portfolio market value that was purchased or sold during the period. Each Fund’s turnover rate provides an indication of how transaction costs (which are not included in the Fund’s expenses) may affect the Fund’s performance. Also, funds with a high turnover may be more likely to distribute capital gains that may be taxable to shareholders.
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Each Fund’s portfolio turnover rates for the two most recent fiscal years are stated below. Portfolio turnover rates could change significantly in response to turbulent market conditions.
Portfolio Turnover | ||
Fund(1) | Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2023 |
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2022 |
All-Cap Value Fund | 33% | 29% |
Small Cap Value Fund II | 65% | 24% |
WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund* | 118% | 70% |
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | 90% | 92% |
Global Sustainability Fund* | 77% | 55% |
Global Equity Fund | 51% | 59% |
Emerging Markets Fund | 153% | 143% |
Long/Short Equity Fund | 44% | 40% |
Long/Short Research Fund | 54% | 85% |
Global Long/Short Fund | 172% | 161% |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | 132% | 136% |
* | The WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund and Global Sustainability Fund commenced operations on December 29, 2021, and portfolio turnover rate information for the period ended August 31, 2022 is not annualized. |
(1) | No portfolio turnover information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY
The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the oversight of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and the Company’s Charter. The Directors are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and overseeing the actions of the Company’s service providers. The officers of the Company conduct and supervise the Company’s daily business operations.
Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) are referred to as “Independent Directors.” Directors who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company are referred to as “Interested Directors.” The Board is currently composed of seven Independent Directors and one Interested Director. The Board has selected Arnold M. Reichman, an Independent Director, to act as Chair. Mr. Reichman’s duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and interfacing with management to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of his duties, Mr. Reichman will consult with the other Independent Directors and the Company’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.
The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least four times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board also relies on professionals, such as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms and legal counsel, to assist the Directors in performing their oversight responsibilities.
The Board has established seven standing committees — Audit, Contract, Executive, Nominating and Governance, Product Development, Regulatory Oversight, and Valuation Committees. The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Directors to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section entitled “Standing Committees.”
The Board has determined that the Company’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to effectively perform its oversight responsibilities.
The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth in this section.
Name, Address, and Age |
Position(s) Held with Company |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director* |
Other Directorships Held by Director |
INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS | |||||
Gregory P. Chandler 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 57
|
Director | 2012 to present | Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, HC Parent Corp. d/b/a Herspiegel Consulting LLC (life sciences consulting services); 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services). | 71 | FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018). |
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Name, Address, and Age |
Position(s) Held with Company |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director* |
Other Directorships Held by Director |
Lisa A. Dolly 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202 Age: 58 |
Director | October 2021 to present | From July 2019-December 2019, Chairman, Pershing LLC (broker dealer, clearing and custody firm); January 2016-June 2019, Chief Executive Officer, Pershing, LLC. | 71 | Allfunds Group PLC (United Kingdom wealthtech and fund distribution provider); Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (trade association for broker dealers, investment banks and asset managers); Hightower Advisors (wealth management firm). |
Nicholas A. Giordano 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 81 |
Director | 2006 to present | Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations. | 71 | IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance) (until March 2021). |
Arnold M. Reichman 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 75 |
Chair Director |
2005 to present 1991 to present |
Retired. | 71 | EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until August 2022). |
Brian T. Shea 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 63 |
Director | 2018 to present | From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm); from 1983-2014, Chief Executive Officer and various positions, Pershing LLC (broker dealer, clearing and custody firm). | 71 | Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company); WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019). |
Robert A. Straniere 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 83 |
Director | 2006 to present | Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm). | 71 | None. |
Martha A. Tirinnanzi 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 63 |
Director | January 2024 to present | Since 2014, Instructor, The Institute for Financial Markets; from 2013-2023, President and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Standards, Inc. (consulting firm); from 2020-2022, Adjunct Professor of Finance and Accounting, The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business. | 71 | Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”) (financial services company and operator of global exchanges and clearinghouses); ICE Mortgage Services, LLC (a subsidiary of ICE); ICE Mortgage Technology, Inc. (a subsidiary of ICE); Community Development Trust (real estate investment trust) (until May 2023). |
INTERESTED DIRECTOR2 | |||||
Robert Sablowsky 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 86 |
Vice Chair Director |
2016 to present 1991 to present |
Since 2022, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer). | 71 | None. |
OFFICERS | |||||
Steven Plump 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 65 |
President | August 2022 to present | From 2011 to 2021, Executive Vice President, PIMCO LLC. | N/A | N/A |
Salvatore Faia, JD, CPA, CFE Vigilant Compliance, LLC Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike Chadds Ford, PA 19317 Age: 61 |
Chief Compliance Officer | 2004 to present | Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company); since 2021, Chief Compliance Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; President of The RBB Fund Trust from 2021 to 2022; President of The RBB Fund, Inc. from 2009 to 2022. | N/A | N/A |
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Name, Address, and Age |
Position(s) Held with Company |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director* |
Other Directorships Held by Director |
James G. Shaw 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 63 |
Chief Financial Officer and
Secretary Operating Officer |
2016 to present
|
Since 2022, Chief Operating Officer of The RBB Fund Trust and The RBB Fund Inc.; since 2021, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust; since 2016, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of The RBB Fund Inc. | N/A | N/A |
Craig A. Urciuoli 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 49 |
Director of Marketing & Business Development | 2019 to present | Since 2021, Director of Marketing & Business Development of The RBB Fund Trust; since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management LLC (investment advisory firm). | N/A | N/A |
Jennifer Witt 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 41 |
Assistant Treasurer | 2018 to present | Since 2020, Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm); from 2016 to 2020, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services. | N/A | N/A |
Edward Paz 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 53 |
Assistant Secretary | 2016 to present | Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm). | N/A | N/A |
Michael P. Malloy One Logan Square Ste. 2000 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Age: 64 |
Assistant Secretary | 1999 to present | Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm). | N/A | N/A |
Jillian L. Bosmann One Logan Square Ste. 2000 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Age: 45 |
Assistant Secretary | 2017 to present | Since 2017, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm). | N/A | N/A |
* | Each Director oversees 71 portfolios of the fund complex, consisting of the series in the Company (65 portfolios) and The RBB Fund Trust (6 portfolios). |
1. | Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Giordano, Reichman, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed. |
2. | Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as a senior officer of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer. |
Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills
The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his or her qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Ms. Dolly has over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, and she has demonstrated her leadership and management abilities by serving in numerous senior executive-level positions. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing, banking, and investment services industry, including service on the boards of public companies, industry regulatory organizations and a university. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and has served on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Ms. Tirinnanzi has over 20 years of strategic, regulatory and operational management experience in the financial and mortgage industries, including service on the boards of a public company and real estate investment trust, and brings to the Board her expertise regarding derivatives markets and related businesses.
Standing Committees
The responsibilities of each Committee of the Board and its members are described below.
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Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Chandler and Giordano. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened three times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Contract Committee. The Board has a Contract Committee comprised of the Interested Director and four Independent Directors. The current members of the Contract Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, Shea and Straniere. The Contract Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the approval and continuation of agreements and plans of the Company. The Contract Committee convened six times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised of the Interested Director and three Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano, Reichman and Sablowsky. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a Nominating and Governance Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano and Reichman. The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to the Board all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Company’s Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee convened five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Product Development Committee. The Board has a Product Development Committee comprised of the Interested Director and three Independent Directors. The current members of the Product Development Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Product Development Committee oversees the process regarding the addition of new investment advisers and investment products to the Company. The Product Development Committee convened seven times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of the Interested Director and four Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, Shea and Straniere. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee comprised of the Interested Director, an Independent Director, and two officers of the Company. The members of the Valuation Committee are Messrs. Faia, Sablowsky, Shea and Shaw. The Valuation Committee is responsible for reviewing fair value determinations. The Valuation Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Risk Oversight
The Board performs its risk oversight function for the Company through a combination of (1) direct oversight by the Board as a whole and Board committees and (2) indirect oversight through the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, Company officers and the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The Company is subject to a number of risks, including but not limited to investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Company is the responsibility of the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk) that carry out the Company’s investment management and business affairs. Each of the investment advisers and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models and may differ from the Company’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls.
The Board provides risk oversight by receiving and reviewing on a regular basis reports from the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers, receiving and approving compliance policies and procedures, periodic meetings with the Company’s portfolio managers to review investment policies, strategies and risks, and meeting regularly with the Company’s CCO to discuss compliance reports, findings and issues. The Board also relies on the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, with respect to the day-to-day activities of the Company, to create and maintain procedures and controls to minimize risk and the likelihood of adverse effects on the Company’s business and reputation.
Board oversight of risk management is also provided by various Board Committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms to ensure that the Company’s respective audit scopes include risk-based considerations as to the Company’s financial position and operations. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Company’s investments or activities.
Director Ownership of Shares of the Company
The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in the Funds and in all of the portfolios of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Company’s family of investment companies overseen by him or her), as of December 31, 2023, including the amounts through the deferred compensation plan:
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Name of Director | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Funds (1) |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director within the Family of Investment Companies |
Independent Directors | ||
Gregory P. Chandler | $10,001-$50,000 | Over $100,000 |
Lisa A. Dolly | None | None |
Nicholas A. Giordano | $10,001-$50,000 | $10,001-$50,000 |
Arnold M. Reichman | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
Brian T. Shea | None | $1-$10,000 |
Robert A. Straniere | $1-$10,000 | $1-$10,000 |
Martha A. Tirinnanzi(2) | None | None |
Interested Director | ||
Robert Sablowsky | $10,001-$50,000 | Over $100,000 |
(1) | No Director ownership information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
(2) | Ms. Tirinnanzi began serving as a Director effective January 1, 2024. |
The following tables set forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in each individual Fund as of December 31, 2023:
Name of Director | Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II |
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund |
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund(1) | WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund |
Independent Directors: | ||||||
Gregory P. Chandler | $1-$10,000 | $1-$10,000 | None | None | None | $1-$10,000 |
Lisa A. Dolly | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Nicholas A. Giordano | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Arnold M. Reichman | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Brian T. Shea | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Robert A. Straniere | None | None | None | None | $1-$10,000 | None |
Martha A. Tirinnanzi(2) | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Interested Director: | ||||||
Robert Sablowsky | None | None | None | None | None | None |
(1) | No Director ownership information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
(2) | Ms. Tirinnanzi began serving as a Director effective January 1, 2024. |
Name of Director | Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund |
Independent Directors: | ||||||
Gregory P. Chandler | None | None | None | $1-$10,000 | $1-$10,000 | $1-$10,000 |
Lisa A. Dolly | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Nicholas A. Giordano | None | None | $10,001-$50,000 | None | None | None |
Arnold M. Reichman | None | None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 |
Brian T. Shea | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Robert A. Straniere | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Martha A. Tirinnanzi(1) | None | None | None | None | None | None |
Interested Director: | ||||||
Robert Sablowsky | None | None | None | $10,001-$50,000 | None | None |
(1) | Ms. Tirinnanzi began serving as a Director effective January 1, 2024. |
As of December 31, 2023, the Independent Directors and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or of record any securities of the Company’s investment advisers or distributor, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributor.
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Directors’ and Officers’ Compensation
Effective January 1, 2024, the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, based on an allocation formula, pay each Director a retainer at the rate of $175,000 annually, $13,500 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $5,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $4,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $7,500 and $5,000, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $2,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each receives an additional fee of $35,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each receives an additional fee of $25,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $15,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $100,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year for his services in this capacity.
From January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, based on an allocation formula, paid each Director a retainer at the rate of $150,000 annually, $13,500 for each regular meeting of the Board, $5,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person, $4,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person, and $2,000 for each committee meeting attended telephonically or special meeting of the Board attended in-person or telephonically. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $20,000 for his services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $10,000 per year for his services. The Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $35,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $75,000 per year for his services in this capacity.
From January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, based on an allocation formula, paid each Director a retainer at the rate of $125,000 annually, $13,500 for each regular meeting of the Board, $3,500 for each committee meeting attended in-person, and $2,000 for each committee meeting attended telephonically or special meeting of the Board attended in-person or telephonically. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $20,000 for his services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $10,000 per year for his services. The Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $35,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $75,000 per year for his services in this capacity.
Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board or any committee thereof. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as CCO of the Company and served as President of the Company until August 2022. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company, and such compensation is determined by the Board. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, Vigilant Compliance, LLC received $800,000 in the aggregate from all series of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust for its services.
Fund(1) | Compensation Paid to Vigilant Compliance, LLC for the Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2023 |
All-Cap Value Fund | $79,775 |
Small Cap Value II Fund | $40,055 |
WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund | $2,028 |
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | $1,750 |
Global Sustainability Fund | $516 |
Global Equity Fund | $11,283 |
Emerging Markets Fund | $1,269 |
Long/Short Equity Fund | $3,955 |
Long/Short Research Fund | $43,840 |
Global Long/Short Fund | $9,207 |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | $3,467 |
(1) | For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, Vigilant Compliance, LLC did not receive any fees from the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
Employees of the Company serve as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development, and are compensated for services provided. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, each of the following members of the Board and the President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development received compensation from the Company and The RBB Fund Trust in the following amounts:
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Name of Director/Officer | Aggregate
Compensation from the Funds(1) |
Pension
or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Funds Expenses |
Total Directors |
Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Directors or Officer |
Independent Directors: | ||||
Julian A. Brodsky(2) | $47,706 | N/A | N/A | $242,250 |
Gregory P. Chandler, Director | $52,882 | N/A | N/A | $266,750 |
Lisa A. Dolly, Director | $47,205 | N/A | N/A | $266,750 |
Nicholas A. Giordano, Director | $47,249 | N/A | N/A | $238,250 |
Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair | $63,201 | N/A | N/A | $316,750 |
Brian T. Shea, Director | $45,804 | N/A | N/A | $231,250 |
Robert A. Straniere, Director | $46,706 | N/A | N/A | $236,750 |
Interested Director: | ||||
Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair | $62,973 | N/A | N/A | $317,250 |
Officers: | ||||
Steven Plumb, President | $43,406 | N/A | N/A | $257,500 |
James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary | $59,613 | N/A | N/A | $353,650 |
Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development | $48,701 | N/A | N/A | $288,915 |
(1) | No Director or officer compensation information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
(2) | Mr. Brodsky retired from his role as a Director effective February 2024. |
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, each of the following members of the Board and the President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, Director of Marketing & Business Development received compensation from each of the Funds in the following amounts:
Name of Director/Officer | Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II |
WPG Select Small Cap ValueFund | WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund(1) | WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund |
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund |
Independent Directors: | ||||||
Julian A. Brodsky(2) | $19,467 | $9,989 | $319 | $0 | $431 | $83 |
Gregory P. Chandler, Director | $21,582 | $11,094 | $348 | $0 | $478 | $91 |
Lisa A. Dolly, Director | $19,254 | $9,881 | $325 | $0 | $427 | $85 |
Nicholas A. Giordano, Director | $19,289 | $9,908 | $310 | $0 | $427 | $81 |
Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair | $25,804 | $13,276 | $410 | $0 | $572 | $107 |
Brian T. Shea, Director | $18,684 | $9,611 | $306 | $0 | $414 | $80 |
Robert A. Straniere, Director | $19,048 | $9,787 | $318 | $0 | $422 | $83 |
Interested Director: | ||||||
Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair | $25,695 | $13,210 | $410 | $0 | $568 | $107 |
Officers: | ||||||
Steven Plump, President | $17,915 | $8,444 | $687 | $0 | $384 | $155 |
James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Secretary | $24,605 | $11,597 | $944 | $0 | $527 | $213 |
Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development | $20,101 | $9,474 | $771 | $0 | $431 | $174 |
(1) | No Director or officer compensation information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
(2) | Mr. Brodsky retired from his role as a Director effective February 2024. |
31 |
Name of Director/Officer | Boston Partners Global Equity Fund |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund | Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund |
Independent Directors: | ||||||
Julian A. Brodsky(1) | $2,604 | $293 | $937 | $10,720 | $2,054 | $808 |
Gregory P. Chandler, Director | $2,881 | $324 | $1,038 | $11,885 | $2,270 | $893 |
Lisa A. Dolly, Director | $2,583 | $291 | $928 | $10,592 | $2,041 | $799 |
Nicholas A. Giordano, Director | $2,574 | $290 | $927 | $10,618 | $2,026 | $799 |
Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair | $3,440 | $387 | $1,239 | $14,196 | $2,704 | $1,066 |
Brian T. Shea, Director | $2,498 | $281 | $899 | $10,284 | $1,972 | $774 |
Robert A. Straniere, Director | $2,551 | $287 | $918 | $10,485 | $2,016 | $789 |
Interested Director: | ||||||
Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair | $3,427 | $386 | $1,236 | $14,166 | $2,704 | $1,064 |
Officers: | ||||||
Steven Plump, President | $2,752 | $304 | $879 | $9,028 | $2,048 | $807 |
James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Secretary | $3,780 | $418 | $1,207 | $12,399 | $2,813 | $1,109 |
Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development | $3,088 | $342 | $986 | $10,130 | $2,298 | $906 |
(1) | Mr. Brodsky retired from his role as a Director effective February 2024. |
Each compensated Director is entitled to participate in the Company’s deferred compensation plan (the “DC Plan”). Under the DC Plan, a compensated Director may elect to defer all or a portion of his or her compensation and have the deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested by the Company in shares of one or more of the portfolios of the Company. The amount paid to the Directors under the DC Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments.
Director/Trustee Emeritus Program
The Board has created a position of Director Emeritus, whereby an incumbent Director who has attained at least the age of 75 and completed a minimum of fifteen years of service as a Director may, in the sole discretion of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company (“Committee”), be recommended to the full Board to serve as Director Emeritus.
A Director Emeritus that has been approved as such receives an annual fee in an amount equal to up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director. Compensation will be determined annually by the Committee and the Board with respect to each Director Emeritus. In addition, a Director Emeritus will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in connection with their service, including expenses of travel and lodging incurred in attendance at Board/Committee meetings. A Director Emeritus will continue to receive relevant materials concerning the Funds and will be available to consult with the Directors at reasonable times as requested. However, a Director Emeritus does not have any voting rights at Board meetings and is not subject to election by shareholders of the Funds.
A Director Emeritus will be permitted to serve in such capacity from year to year at the pleasure of the Committee and the Board for up to three years. From October 1, 2021 through January 26, 2023, J. Richard Carnall served as a Director Emeritus of the Company. Effective February 2024, Julian Brodsky serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, J. Richard Carnall received compensation for his role as a Director Emeritus in the following amounts:
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds | Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses | Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement | Total Compensation From Fund Complex |
$7,170 | N/A | N/A | $34,375 |
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Director Emeritus received compensation from each of the Funds in the following amounts:
Name of Director Emeritus |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II |
WPG Select Small Cap ValueFund(1) |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund |
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund(1) |
J. Richard Carnall | $2,950 | $1,565 | $0 | $64 | $0 |
Name of Director Emeritus |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund |
J. Richard Carnall | $361 | $41 | $136 | $1,670 | $265 | $118 |
(1) | No Director Emeritus fees were charged to the WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund or the Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023. |
32 |
CODE OF ETHICS
The Company and the Adviser have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act that permits personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Company, subject to certain restrictions.
PROXY VOTING
The Board has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by each Fund to the Fund’s Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, each Adviser is guided by its general fiduciary duty to act prudently and in the interest of the Funds. The Adviser will consider factors affecting the value of the Funds’ investments and the rights of shareholders in its determination on voting portfolio securities.
The Adviser has adopted proxy voting procedures with respect to voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds. The Adviser employs a third party service provider, Institutional Shareholder Services, to assist in the voting of proxies. These procedures have been provided to the service provider, who analyzes the proxies and makes recommendations, based on the Adviser’s policy, as to how to vote such proxies. A copy of the Adviser’s Proxy Voting Policy is included with this SAI. Please see Appendix B to this SAI for further information.
Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available, without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-261-4073 or by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
As April 17, 2024, to the Company’s knowledge, the following named persons at the addresses shown below were owners of record of approximately 5% or more of the total outstanding shares of each Fund as indicated below. See “Additional Information Concerning Company Shares” below. Any shareholder that owns 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a portfolio or class may be presumed to “control” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) the portfolio or class. Shareholders controlling a portfolio or class could have the ability to vote a majority of the shares of the portfolio or class on any matter requiring approval of the shareholders of the portfolio or class.
33 |
Name of Fund and Shareholder Name and Address(1) |
Percentage of Shares Owned as of April 17, 2024 |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund Institutional Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
21.18% |
SEI Private Trust Company Attn: Mutual Funds C/O ID 518 One Freedom Valley Drive Oaks, PA 19456-9989 |
14.17% |
Raymond James Omnibus for Mutual Funds 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Fl 33716-1102 |
11.27% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept. 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
11.10% |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith For the Sole Benefit of its Customers 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E Jacksonville, FL 32246-6486 |
6.83% |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund Investor Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
45.79% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
34.85% |
34 |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II Institutional Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
36.64% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept. 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
26.93% |
Capinco C/O US Bank NA P.O. Box 1787 Milwaukee, WI 53201-1787 |
9.28% |
Empower Trust FBO City of Tallahassee 8515 E Orchard Rd 2T2 Greenwood Village, CO 801111-50002 |
5.40% |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II Investor Class | |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept. 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
46.21% |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
29.53% |
35 |
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund Institutional Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
47.18% |
Vanguard Brokerage Services 100 Vanguard Blvd Malvern, PA 19355-2331 |
20.73% |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct. For the Exclusive Benefit of Customers 2801 Market St. Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 |
12.27% |
36 |
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund Institutional Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
13.75% |
The Jackson Foundation 104 Shockoe Slip Suite 2-B Richmond, VA 23219-4125 |
6.45% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Reinvest Account Attn: Mutual Funds Dept. 101 Montgomery St. San Francisco, CA 94101 |
6.01% |
37 |
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund Institutional Class | |
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. 60 East 42nd St New York, NY 10165-0006 |
90.01% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
9.99% |
38 |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund Institutional Class | |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
65.43% |
Ironworkers District of Council of New England Pension Fund Trust William P Hurley TR 161 Granite Ave. Dorchester, MA 02124-5491 |
14.61% |
Capinco C/O US Bank NA P.O. Box 1787 Milwaukee, WI 53201-1787 |
6.12% |
SEI Private Trust Company C/o Regions Bank One Freedom Valley Drive Oaks, PA 19456-9989 |
5.65% |
39 |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund Institutional Class | |
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. 60 East 42nd St New York, NY 10165-0006 |
99.05% |
40 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund Institutional Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
40.25% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept. 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
15.11% |
Pershing LLC 1 Pershing Plz. Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002 |
6.58% |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund Investor Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
43.46% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept. 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
37.59% |
41 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund Institutional Class | |
SEI Private Trust Company Attn: Mutual Fund Administrator One Freedom Valley Drive Oaks, PA 19456-9989 |
25.00% |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
20.01% |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith For the Sole Benefit of its Customers 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E Jacksonville, FL 32246-6486 |
16.85% |
Wells Fargo Bank NA FBO Reynolds KB FBO Presbyterian Minis PO Box 1533 Minnneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
11.72% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
7.38% |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund Investor Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
36.73% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
26.96% |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct For the Exclusive Benefit of Customers 2801 Market St. Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 |
15.89% |
42 |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund Institutional Class | |
UBS WM USA Spec. Cdy. A/C EBOC UBSFI 1000 Harbor Blvd. Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 |
32.21% |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
27.20% |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct For the Exclusive Benefit of Customers 2801 Market St. Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 |
13.44% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
7.86% |
Pershing LLC 1 Pershing Plz. Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002 |
5.22% |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund Investor Class | |
National Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefits of its Customers Attn: Mutual Funds Dept., 4th FL 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
46.12% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
27.59% |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith For the Sole Benefit of its Customers 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E Jacksonville, FL 32246-6486 |
8.87% |
TD Ameritrade Inc. For the Exclusive Benefit of its Clients P.O. Box 2226 Omaha, NE 68103-2226 |
5.47% |
43 |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund Institutional Class | |
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. 60 East 42nd St. New York, NY 10165-0006 |
82.34% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn: Mutual Funds 211 Main St. San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
9.78% |
(1) | No shareholder information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as it did not commence operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
As of April 17, 2024, the Directors and Officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each class of each Fund other than the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, where the Directors and Officers as a group owned approximately 3.1% of the shares of such Fund.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment Adviser - All Funds
The Adviser, located at One Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108, is a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation Europe N.V. (formerly Robeco Groep N.V.), a Dutch public limited liability company (“ORIX Europe”). Founded in 1929, ORIX Europe is one of the world’s oldest asset management organizations. ORIX Europe is owned by ORIX Corporation, an integrated financial services group based in Tokyo, Japan. The Adviser provides advisory services to the Funds pursuant to an Advisory Agreement between the Company and the Adviser (“Advisory Agreement”). The Adviser provides investment management and investment advisory services to other institutional and proprietary accounts.
The Adviser also serves as the investment adviser to the Subsidiary, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short OffShore Ltd., a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company, pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Subsidiary. The Adviser does not receive additional compensation for its management of the Subsidiary.
The Adviser has investment discretion for the Funds and will make all decisions affecting the assets of those Funds under the supervision of the Board and in accordance with each Fund’s stated policies. The Adviser will select investments for the Funds.
Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Adviser will provide for the overall management of the Funds, including (i) the provision of a continuous investment program for the Funds, including investment research and management with respect to all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents, (ii) the determination from time to time of what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained or sold by the Funds, and (iii) the placement from time to time of orders for all purchases and sales made for the Funds. The Adviser will provide the services rendered by it in accordance with the Funds’ investment goals, restrictions and policies as stated in the Prospectuses and in this SAI.
For its services to the Boston Partners Funds under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive a monthly advisory fee computed at an annual rate of 0.70% of the All-Cap Value Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.85% of the Small Cap Value Fund’s II average daily net assets, 0.90% of the WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund’s average daily net assets, 1.25% of the WPG Select Hedged Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.80% of the Global Sustainability Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.90% of the Global Equity Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.75% of the Emerging Markets Fund’s average daily net assets, 2.25% of the Long/Short Equity Fund’s average daily net assets, 1.25% of the Long/Short Research Fund’s average daily net assets, 1.50% of the Global Long/Short Fund’s average daily net assets, and 1.25% of Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund’s average daily net assets, respectively.
For its services to the WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, the Adviser is entitled to receive advisory fees, accrued daily and paid monthly, as follows:
● | 0.80% of average daily net assets up to $500 million |
● | 0.75% of average daily net assets in excess of $500 million |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain the following expense ratios (excluding certain items noted below) for the Funds:
Institutional* | Investor | |
All-Cap Value Fund | 0.80% | 1.05% |
Small Cap Value Fund | 0.99% | 1.24% |
WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund | 1.10% | N/A |
WPG Select Hedged Fund | 1.50% | N/A |
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | 1.10% | N/A |
Global Sustainability Fund | 0.90% | N/A |
Global Equity Fund | 0.95% | 1.20% |
Emerging Markets Fund | 1.00% | N/A |
Long/Short Equity Fund | 1.96% | 2.21% |
Long/Short Research Fund | 1.50% | 1.75% |
Global Long/Short Fund | 2.00% | 2.25% |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | 1.40% | N/A |
44 |
These limits are calculated daily based on the Funds’ average daily net assets. These limitations are effected in waivers of advisory fees and reimbursements of expenses exceeding the advisory fee as necessary. The contractual limitations are in effect until at least December 31, 2025, and may not be terminated without approval of the Board.
If at any time a Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than the above-listed expense limitation, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Funds of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.
In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause a Fund’s net annualized expense ratio to exceed the applicable expense limitation: short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes and other items as agreed upon by both parties from time to time.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, the Boston Partners Funds paid the Adviser advisory fees and the Adviser waived advisory fees as follows:
For the Fiscal Year Ended(1) | Advisory
Fees Paid (before waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Recoupments |
August 31, 2023 | |||
All-Cap Value | $9,693,764 | $(581,154) | $0 |
Small Cap Value | $5,890,652 | $(313,733) | $0 |
WPG Select Small Cap Value | $731,706 | $(52,965) | $4,502 |
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified | $243,064 | $(64,117) | $0 |
Global Sustainability Fund | $179,655 | $(102,575) | $0 |
Global Equity | $1,742,360 | $(312,531) | $0 |
Emerging Markets Fund | $162,974 | $(117,642) | $0 |
Long/Short Equity | $1,523,914 | $(440,825) | $0 |
Long/Short Research | $9,421,601 | $0 | $0 |
Global Long/Short | $2,334,126 | $0 | $0 |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $741,375 | $(150,185) | $0 |
(1) | No advisory fee information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
For the Fiscal Year Ended | Advisory Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Recoupments |
August 31, 2022 | |||
All-Cap Value | $12,113,642 | $(1,054,852) | $0 |
Small Cap Value | $7,241,656 | $(274,029) | $0 |
WPG Select Small Cap Value | $55,238 | $(112,555) | $0 |
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified | $245,903 | $(49,003) | $0 |
Global Sustainability Fund | $120,738 | $(125,165) | $0 |
Global Equity | $1,663,137 | $(327,392) | $0 |
Emerging Markets Fund | $173,986 | $(170,692) | $0 |
Long/Short Equity | $1,460,898 | $(404,556) | $0 |
Long/Short Research | $9,727,246 | $0 | $0 |
Global Long/Short | $1,720,739 | $0 | $0 |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $767,175 | $(194,970) | $0 |
For the Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Reimbursements |
August 31, 2021 | |||
All-Cap Value | $10,481,211 | $(479,510) | $0 |
Small Cap Value | $6,406,971 | $(139,323) | $1,430 |
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified | $153,166 | $(43,934) | $0 |
Global Equity | $1,335,608 | $(140,758) | $0 |
Emerging Markets Fund | $41,366 | $(123,547) | $0 |
Long/Short Equity | $1,147,598 | $(366,046) | $0 |
Long/Short Research | $10,864,407 | $0 | $0 |
Global Long/Short | $1,786,541 | $0 | $0 |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $686,082 | $(168,395) | $0 |
45 |
Each class of each Fund bears its own expenses not specifically assumed by the Adviser. General expenses of the Company not readily identifiable as belonging to a portfolio of the Company are allocated among all investment portfolios by or under the direction of the Board in such manner as it deems to be fair and equitable. Expenses borne by a portfolio include, but are not limited to the expenses listed in the Prospectuses and the following (or a portfolio’s share of the following): (a) the cost (including brokerage commissions) of securities purchased or sold by a portfolio and any losses incurred in connection therewith; (b) fees payable to and expenses incurred on behalf of a portfolio by the Adviser; (c) any costs, expenses or losses arising out of a liability of or claim for damages or other relief asserted against the Company or a portfolio for violation of any law; (d) any extraordinary expenses; (e) fees, voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; (f) the cost of investment company literature and other publications provided by the Company to its Directors and officers; (g) organizational costs; (h) fees to the investment advisers and Fund Services; (i) fees and expenses of officers and Directors who are not affiliated with a portfolio’s investment adviser or Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”); (j) taxes; (k) interest; (l) legal fees; (m) custodian fees; (n) auditing fees; (o) brokerage fees and commissions; (p) certain of the fees and expenses of registering and qualifying the portfolios and their shares for distribution under federal and state securities laws; (q) expenses of preparing prospectuses and statements of additional information and distributing annually to existing shareholders that are not attributable to a particular class of shares of the Company; (r) the expense of reports to shareholders, shareholders’ meetings and proxy solicitations that are not attributable to a particular class of shares of the Company; (s) fidelity bond and directors’ and officers’ liability insurance premiums; (t) the expense of using independent pricing services; and (u) other expenses which are not expressly assumed by a portfolio’s investment adviser under its advisory agreement with the portfolio. Each class of the Funds pays its own distribution fees, if applicable, and may pay a different share than other classes of other expenses (excluding advisory and custodial fees) if those expenses are actually incurred in a different amount by such class or if it receives different services.
Under the Advisory Agreements, the Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Funds or the Company in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreements, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of their respective duties or from reckless disregard of their duties and obligations there under.
The Advisory Agreements are terminable with respect to each Fund by vote of the Board or by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, at any time without penalty, on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser. The Advisory Agreement may also be terminated by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Company. The Advisory Agreements terminate automatically in the event of assignment thereof.
Portfolio Managers
Description of Compensation. As of the date of this SAI, the portfolio managers’ compensation is comprised of an industry competitive base salary and a discretionary bonus and long-term incentives. Through the firm’s bonus program, key investment professionals are rewarded primarily for strong investment performance. The discretionary bonus is based upon the unique structure of each team and consideration may be given to one or more of the following criteria, depending on the team.
● | Individual Contribution: an evaluation of the professional’s individual contribution based on the expectations established at the beginning of each year; |
● | Product Investment Performance: the performance of the investment product(s) with which the individual is involved versus the pre-designed index based on the excess return; |
● | Investment Team Performance: the financial results of the Portfolio Manager’s investment group; and |
● | Firm-Wide Performance: the overall financial performance of the firm. |
Compensation for portfolio managers who are also members of the Adviser’s senior management team is typically derived from a base salary and a discretionary bonus. The bonus is largely tied to firm financial performance against established goals and aligned with the primary focus on investment performance results versus benchmarks.
The firm also provides a long-term incentive program. Portions of the annual bonuses are deferred for up to 3 years.
Other Accounts. The table below discloses accounts, other than the Funds, for which each Portfolio Manager is primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management, as of August 31, 2023, except for the Portfolio Manager, Eric A. Gandhi, CFA, whose information is provided as of December 31, 2023.
Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Duilio Ramallo | Other Registered Investment Company | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 1 | $ | 5.4 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 61 | $ | 4.1 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
George Gumpert | Other Registered Investment Company | 4 | $ | 1.0 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 5 | $ | 1.2 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 70 | $ | 3.6 billion | 3 | $ | 305 million |
46 |
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund (as of December 31, 2023)
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts | Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA | Other Registered Investment Company | 7 | $ | 271 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 1 | $ | 8 million | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 10 | $ | 540 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund (as of December 31, 2023)
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts | Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA | Other Registered Investment Company | 7 | $ | 271 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 1 | $ | 8 million | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 10 | $ | 540 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts | Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Richard A. Shuster* | Other Registered Investment Company | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 4 | $ | 479 million | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Gregory N. Weiss* | Other Registered Investment Company | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 4 | $ | 479 million | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Eric A. Gandhi, CFA * | Other Registered Investment Company | 7 | $ | 271 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 1 | $ | 8 million | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 10 | $ | 540 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Global Sustainability Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Soyoun Song | Other Registered Investment Company | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Christopher K. Hart | Other Registered Investment Company | 3 | $ | 3.1 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 4 | $ | 6.2 billion | 1 | $ | 49 million | |
Other Accounts | 39 | $ | 2.8 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Joshua Jones | Other Registered Investment Company | 3 | $ | 3.1 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 4 | $ | 6.2 billion | 1 | $ | 49 million | |
Other Accounts | 39 | $ | 2.8 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Soyoun Song | Other Registered Investment Company | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
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Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. | Other Registered Investment Company | 2 | $ | 202 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
David Kim | Other Registered Investment Company | 1 | $ | 96 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Patrick Regan | Other Registered Investment Company | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 1 | $ | 110 million | 1 | $ | 110 million | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Joseph F. Feeney. Jr.* | Other Registered Investment Company | 2 | $ | 202 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Scott Burgess* | Other Registered Investment Company | 1 | $ | 106 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Christopher K. Hart | Other Registered Investment Company | 3 | $ | 3.1 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 4 | $ | 6.2 billion | 1 | $ | 49 million | |
Other Accounts | 39 | $ | 2.8 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Joshua Jones | Other Registered Investment Company | 3 | $ | 3.1 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 4 | $ | 6.2 billion | 1 | $ | 49 million | |
Other Accounts | 39 | $ | 2.8 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
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Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Name of Portfolio Manager or Team Member |
Type of Accounts |
Total # of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets |
# of Accounts Managed that Advisory Fee Based on Performance |
Total Assets that Advisory Fee Based on Performance | ||
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. | Other Registered Investment Company | 2 | $ | 202 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
David Kim | Other Registered Investment Company | 1 | $ | 96 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
* | The portfolio managers utilize a team based approach to other accounts managed. The portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for the management of a portion of the total assets and number of accounts shown. |
Conflict of Interest. Investment decisions for the Fund’s portfolios are made in conjunction with decisions for other accounts and/or funds for the same strategy. The Adviser recognizes that potential conflicts may arise with respect to the side-by-side management of registered investment companies and “investment accounts,” which include privately offered funds, separately managed accounts of high net worth individuals and institutional investors, and the other funds. These risks include, but may not be limited to: differing fee structures (including performance based fees), differing investments selected for various vehicles, and inequitable allocation and aggregation trading practices. Private investment partnerships, registered funds and separately managed accounts are generally invested pari passu thus mitigating many of the perceived risk associated with simultaneous management if possible. Additionally, the Compliance Department has developed comprehensive monitoring policies and procedures designed to mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts.
Securities Ownership. The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each portfolio manager in the Fund or Funds managed by such Portfolio Manager as of August 31, 2023.
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Portfolio Manager | Dollar ($) Value of Fund Shares Beneficially Owned |
All-Cap Value Fund | |
Duilio Ramallo | over $1,000,000 |
Small Cap Value Fund II | |
George Gumpert | over $1,000,000 |
WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund | |
Eric A. Gandhi | $100,001 - $500,000 |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | |
Richard A. Shuster | $50,001 - $100,000 |
Gregory N. Weiss | $100,001 - $500,000 |
Eric A. Gandhi | $50,001 - $100,000 |
Global Sustainability Fund | |
Soyoun Song | $100,001 - $500,000 |
Global Equity Fund | |
Christopher K. Hart | over $1,000,000 |
Joshua Jones | None |
Soyoun Song | None |
Emerging Markets Fund | |
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. | None |
David Kim | None |
Long/Short Equity Fund | |
Patrick Regan | $500,001 - $1,000,000 |
Long/Short Research Fund | |
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. | over $1,000,000 |
Scott Burgess | $500,001 - $1,000,000 |
Global Long/Short Fund | |
Christopher K. Hart | over $1,000,000 |
Joshua Jones | None |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | |
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. | None |
David Kim | None |
No portfolio manager ownership information is provided for the WPG Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.
Custodian Agreement
U.S. Bank, N.A., 1555 North River Center Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 (the “Custodian”), is custodian of the Funds’ assets pursuant to a custodian agreement (the “Custodian Agreement”). Under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian: (a) maintains a separate account or accounts in the name of each Fund; (b) holds and transfers portfolio securities on account of each Fund; (c) accepts receipts and makes disbursements of money on behalf of each Fund; (d) collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of each Fund’s portfolio securities; and (e) makes periodic reports to the Board concerning the Funds’ operations. The Custodian is authorized to select one or more banks or trust companies to serve as sub-custodian on behalf of the Funds, provided that the Custodian remains responsible for the performance of all of its duties under the Custodian Agreement and holds the Funds harmless from the acts and omissions of any sub-custodian. For its services to the Funds under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian receives a fee based on each Fund’s average daily gross assets calculated daily and payable monthly. Transaction charges and out-of-pocket expenses are also charged to the Fund.
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Transfer Agency Agreement
Fund Services serves as the transfer and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds pursuant to a transfer agency and servicing agreement (the “Transfer Agency Agreement”), under which Fund Services: (a) issues and redeems shares of each Fund; (b) addresses and mails all communications by the Funds to record owners of the shares, including reports to shareholders, dividend and distribution notices and proxy materials for its meetings of shareholders; (c) maintains shareholder accounts and, if requested, sub-accounts; and (d) makes periodic reports to the Board concerning the operations of the Funds. Fund Services may, subject to the Board’s approval, assign its duties as transfer and dividend disbursing agent to any other affiliate of Fund Services. For its services to the Funds under the Transfer Agency Agreement, Fund Services receives an annual fee based on the number of accounts in the Funds and the Funds’ average gross assets calculated daily and payable monthly. Transaction charges and out-of-pocket expenses are also charged to the Funds.
Fund Services also provides services relating to the implementation of the Company’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. In addition, Fund Services provides services relating to the implementation of the Funds’ Customer Identification Program, including verification of required customer information and the maintenance of records with respect to such verification.
Administration and Accounting Agreement
Fund Services, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202, serves as Fund Administrator to the Funds pursuant to a fund administration servicing agreement and serves as fund accountant pursuant to a fund accounting servicing agreement (the “Administration Agreements”). Under the fund accounting servicing agreement, Fund Services has agreed to furnish to the Funds statistical and research data, clerical, accounting and bookkeeping services, and certain other services required by the Funds. Under the fund administration servicing agreement, Fund Services has agreed to provide fund administration services to the Company. These services include the preparation and coordination of the Company’s annual post-effective amendment filing and supplements to the Funds’ registration statement, the preparation and assembly of board meeting materials, and certain other services necessary to the Company’s fund administration. In addition, Fund Services has agreed to prepare and file various reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepare materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Funds. The Custodian and Fund Services are affiliates.
The Administration Agreements provide that Fund Services shall be obligated to exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties and that Fund Services shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Company in connection with its duties under the Administration Agreements, except a loss resulting from Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the applicable Administration Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties thereunder.
Fund Services receives a fee under the Administration Agreements based on the average daily net assets of the Company.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 the Boston Partners Funds paid Fund Services certain administration, accounting and regulatory administration fees and related out-of-pocket expenses as follows:
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Fund | Administration, Accounting and Regulatory Administration Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) | Waivers | Reimbursements | |||||||||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||
All Cap Value | $ | 318,333 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Small Cap Value | $ | 191,497 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund | $ | 26,858 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | $ | 26,677 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Sustainability Fund | $ | 25,765 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Equity | $ | 71,293 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Emerging Markets Fund | $ | 27,234 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Long/Short Equity | $ | 43,276 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Long/Short Research | $ | 249,872 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Long/Short | $ | 59,703 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $ | 38,014 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2022 | ||||||||||||
All Cap Value | $ | 619,598 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Small Cap Value | $ | 292,303 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund* | $ | 28,937 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | $ | 26,434 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Sustainability Fund* | $ | 35,419 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Equity | $ | 84,199 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Emerging Markets Fund | $ | 31,161 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Long/Short Equity | $ | 42,627 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Long/Short Research | $ | 254,541 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Long/Short | $ | 49,269 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $ | 35,910 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||
All Cap Value | $ | 475,805 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Small Cap Value | $ | 238,217 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | $ | 24,666 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Equity | $ | 29,704 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Emerging Markets Fund | $ | 30,931 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Long/Short Equity | $ | 34,099 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Long/Short Research | $ | 302,638 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Global Long/Short | $ | 72,773 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $ | 58,371 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
* | The WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund and Global Sustainability Fund commenced operations on December 29, 2021. |
No administration fee information is provided for the WPG Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.
DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS
Distribution Agreement and Plans of Distribution
Quasar Distributors, LLC, whose principal business address is 3 Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101, serves as the underwriter to the Funds pursuant to a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”). The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor is not affiliated with the Company or the Adviser.
Under the Distribution Agreement with the Company, the Distributor acts as the agent of the Company in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Funds. The Distributor continually distributes shares of the Funds on a best efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Company.
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The Distributor may enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries for distribution of shares of the Funds. With respect to certain financial intermediaries and related fund “supermarket” platform arrangements, the Funds and/or the Adviser, rather than the Distributor, typically enter into such agreements. These financial intermediaries may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from parties other than the Distributor. These financial intermediaries may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Funds.
Investors who purchase shares through financial intermediaries will be subject to the procedures of those intermediaries through which they purchase shares, which may include charges, investment minimums, cutoff times and other restrictions in addition to, or different from, those listed herein. Information concerning any charges or services will be provided to customers by the financial intermediary through which they purchase shares. Investors purchasing shares of the Funds through financial intermediaries should acquaint themselves with their financial intermediary’s procedures and should read the Prospectus in conjunction with any materials and information provided by their financial intermediary. The financial intermediary, and not its customers, will be the shareholder of record, although customers may have the right to vote shares depending upon their arrangement with the financial intermediary. The Distributor does not receive compensation from the Funds for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Distributor a fee for certain distribution-related services.
The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities in accordance with the 1940 Act. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Company on behalf of the Funds on no less than 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund or by vote of a majority of the members of the Independent Directors who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Agreement, or by the Distributor, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor shall not be liable for any loss suffered by the Company in connection with the performance of the Distributor’s obligations and duties under the Distribution Agreement, except a loss resulting from the Distributor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of such duties and obligations, or by reason of its reckless disregard thereof.
Institutional Class. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, Quasar Distributors, LLC will use best efforts to distribute each Fund’s shares. Quasar Distributors, LLC does not receive compensation from the Company for the distribution of the Funds’ Institutional Class shares; however, the Adviser pays an annual fee to Quasar Distributors, LLC as compensation for underwriting services rendered to the Funds pursuant to the Distribution Agreement.
Investor Class. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement and the related Plans of Distribution, as amended, for the Investor Class (together, the “Investor Class Plans”), which were adopted by the Company in the manner prescribed by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, Quasar Distributors, LLC will use best efforts to distribute each Fund’s shares. Payments to Quasar Distributors, LLC under the Investor Class Plans are to compensate it for distribution assistance and expenses assumed and activities intended to result in the sale of shares of the Investor Class including advertising, printing and mailing of prospectuses to others than current shareholders, compensation to underwriters, compensation to broker-dealers, compensation to sales personnel, and interest, carrying or other financing changes. As compensation for its distribution services, Quasar Distributors, LLC receives, pursuant to the terms of the Distribution Agreement, a distribution fee under the Investor Class Plans, to be calculated daily and paid monthly by the Investor Class of each of the Funds at the annual rate set forth in the Investor Class Prospectus.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Investor Class of each of the Funds paid the Funds’ distributor fees as follows:
Fund |
Distribution Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Reimbursements |
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2023 | |||
All-Cap Value | $574,425 | $0 | $0 |
Small Cap Value | $180,791 | $0 | $0 |
Global Equity | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Long/Short Equity | $29,393 | $0 | $0 |
Long/Short Research | $25,873 | $0 | $0 |
Global Long/Short | $21,485 | $0 | $0 |
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2022 | |||
All-Cap Value | $650,398 | $0 | $0 |
Small Cap Value | $246,651 | $0 | $0 |
Global Equity | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Long/Short Equity | $29,822 | $0 | $0 |
Long/Short Research | $26,749 | $0 | $0 |
Global Long/Short | $13,118 | $0 | $0 |
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2021 | |||
All-Cap Value | $620,046 | $0 | $0 |
Small Cap Value | $239,937 | $0 | $0 |
Global Equity | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Long/Short Equity | $30,722 | $0 | $0 |
Long/Short Research | $39,894 | $0 | $0 |
Global Long/Short | $15,021 | $0 | $0 |
Among other things, the Plans provide that: (1) Quasar Distributors, LLC shall be required to submit quarterly reports to the Directors of the Company regarding all amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made, including commissions, advertising, printing, interest, carrying charges and any allocated overhead expenses; (2) the Plans will continue in effect only so long as they are approved at least annually, and any material amendment thereto is approved, by the Company’s Directors, including a majority of the Independent Directors who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plans or any agreements related to the Plans, acting in person at a meeting called for said purpose; (3) the aggregate amount to be spent by each Fund on the distribution of the Fund’s shares of a Class under the Plans shall not be materially increased without shareholder approval; and (4) while the Plans remain in effect, the selection and nomination of the Company’s Independent Directors shall be committed to the discretion of such Independent Directors.
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Mr. Sablowsky, a Director of the Company, had an indirect interest in the operation of the Plans by virtue of his position with Oppenheimer Co., Inc., formerly Fahnestock Co., Inc., a broker-dealer.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Funds’ Plan expenses were spent for the following purposes:
Investor Class* |
All-Cap Value |
Small Cap Value |
Long/ Short Equity |
Long/Short Research |
Global Long/Short |
Compensation to broker/dealers | $574,425 | $180,791 | $0 | $25,873 | $21,485 |
Compensation to sales personnel | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Advertising | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Printing and mailing of prospectuses to other than current shareholders | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Compensation to underwriters | $0 | $0 | $29,393 | $0 | $0 |
Other | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
* | The WPG Funds, Global Sustainability Fund, Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, and Emerging Markets Fund are currently offered as Institutional Class Shares only, excluding them from 12b-1 fees. |
FUND TRANSACTIONS
Subject to policies established by the Board and applicable rules, the Adviser is responsible for the execution of portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage transactions for the Funds. In executing portfolio transactions, the Adviser seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for the Funds, taking into account such factors as the price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of the order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of the firm involved. While the Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive commission rates, payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution in particular transactions.
The Funds have no obligation to deal with any broker or group of brokers in the execution of portfolio transactions. The Adviser may, consistent with the interests of the Funds and subject to the approval of the Board, select brokers on the basis of the research, statistical and pricing services they provide to the Funds and other clients of the Adviser. Information and research received from such brokers will be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to be performed by the Adviser under its respective contracts. A commission paid to such brokers may be higher than that which another qualified broker would have charged for effecting the same transaction, provided that the Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in terms either of the transaction or the overall responsibility of the Adviser to a Fund and its other clients and that the total commissions paid by a Fund will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to a Fund over the long-term.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Funds paid the following commissions to brokers on account of research services:
Fund(1) | Commissions Paid to Brokers Who Supplied Research Services |
Total Dollar Amount Involved in Such Transactions |
All-Cap Value | $274,828 | $1,065,022,417 |
Small Cap Value | $976,147 | $934,591,452 |
WPG Select Small Cap Value | $289,095 | $209,589,961 |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified | $66,167 | $53,887,755 |
Global Sustainability | $16,909 | $33,483,056 |
Global Equity | $96,500 | $188,241,291 |
Emerging Markets Fund | $65,920 | $60,979,428 |
Long/Short Equity | $107,905 | $82,893,309 |
Long/Short Research | $1,537,864 | $1,780,826,751 |
Global Long/Short | $519,673 | $802,414,369 |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $215,801 | $262,048,663 |
(1) | No brokerage commission fee information is provided for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
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The following chart shows the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by each Boston Partners Fund for the past three fiscal years ended August 31:
Fund(1) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
All-Cap Value | $282,754 | $306,900 | $389,707 |
Small Cap Value | $1,106,657 | $434,003 | $387,252 |
WPG Select Small Cap Value* | $320,086 | $23,992 | N/A |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified | $67,220 | $67,463 | $68,280 |
Global Sustainability* | $17,162 | $13,285 | N/A |
Global Equity | $108,817 | $111,774 | $156,212 |
Emerging Markets | $64,223 | $64,502 | $49,950 |
Long/Short Equity | $117,685 | $90,376 | $70,862 |
Long/Short Research | $1,466,927 | $1,719,316 | $1,287,260 |
Global Long/Short | $472,942 | $321,633 | $239,287 |
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity | $108,253 | $126,233 | $148,882 |
* | The WPG Select Small Cap Value Fund and Global Sustainability Fund commenced operations on December 29, 2021. |
(1) | No brokerage commission information is provided for the WPG Select Hedged Fund as the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. |
The Funds are required to identify any securities of the Company’s regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parents held by the Funds as of the end of the most recent fiscal year. As of August 31, 2023, the following Funds held the following securities of their regular broker-dealers or their parents:
Fund | Broker Dealer | Market Value | ||||
All-Cap Value Fund | J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. | $ | 23,308,906 | |||
Bank of America Corp. | $ | 19,766,101 | ||||
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. | $ | 14,096,773 | ||||
Citigroup, Inc. | $ | 10,406,319 | ||||
Wells Fargo & Co. | $ | 10,295,785 | ||||
Global Sustainability Fund | J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. | $ | 549,469 | |||
Bank of America Corp. | $ | 174,772 | ||||
Global Equity Fund | J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. | $ | 3,175,215 | |||
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. | $ | 2,158,626 | ||||
Bank of America Corp. | $ | 1,364,835 | ||||
Long/Short Equity Fund | Wells Fargo & Co. | $ | 587,392 | |||
Citigroup, Inc. | $ | 502,995 | ||||
Bank of America Corp. | $ | 402,985 | ||||
Long/Short Research Fund | J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. | $ | 9,610,223 | |||
Wells Fargo & Co. | $ | 8,977,767 | ||||
Bank of America Corp. | $ | 7,871,406 | ||||
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. | $ | 1,534,338 | ||||
Global Long/Short Fund | J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. | $ | 3,308,814 | |||
Wells Fargo & Co. | $ | 1,601,185 |
Investment decisions for each Fund and for other investment accounts managed by the Adviser are made independently of each other in the light of differing conditions. However, the same investment decision may be made for two or more of such accounts. In such cases, simultaneous transactions are inevitable. Purchases or sales are then averaged as to price and allocated as to amount according to a formula deemed equitable to each such account. While in some cases this practice could have a detrimental effect upon the price or value of the security as far as a Fund is concerned, in other cases it is believed to be beneficial to a Fund.
SECURITIES LENDING
U.S. Bank, N.A. serves as securities lending agent for the Funds and in that role administers the Funds’ securities lending program pursuant to the terms of a Master Securities Lending Agreement entered into between the Funds and U.S. Bank, N.A.
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As securities lending agent, U.S. Bank, N.A. is responsible for marketing to approved borrowers available securities from the Fund’s portfolio. U.S. Bank, N.A. is responsible for the administration and management of the Funds’ securities lending program, including the preparation and execution of a participant agreement with each borrower governing the terms and conditions of any securities loan, ensuring that securities loans are properly coordinated and documented with the Funds’ custodian, ensuring that loaned securities are daily valued and that the corresponding required cash collateral of at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities is delivered by the borrower(s), using best efforts to obtain additional collateral on the next business day if the value of the collateral falls below the required amount, and arranging for the investment of cash collateral received from borrowers in accordance with the Funds’ investment guidelines.
U.S. Bank, N.A. receives as compensation for its services a portion of the amount earned by the Funds for lending securities.
The following table sets forth, for a Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, the Fund’s gross income received from securities lending activities, including income from cash collateral reinvestment, the fees and/or other compensation paid by the Fund for securities lending activities, and the net income earned by the Fund for securities lending activities.
All-Cap Value Fund |
Small Cap Value Fund II |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund |
Global Equity Fund |
Long/Short Equity Fund | |
Gross income from securities lending activities: | $5,828,498 | $7,894,801 | $367,148 | $571,128 | $503,377 |
Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split: | $58,869 | $80,154 | $5,643 | $6,532 | $15,628 |
Fees paid for any cash collateral management service that are not included in the revenue split: | $38,687 | $51,770 | $2,371 | $3,732 | $3,034 |
Administrative fees not included in revenue split: | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Indemnification fee not included in revenue split: | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rebates (paid to borrower): | $5,495,467 | $7,442,264 | $336,560 | $534,734 | $422,202 |
Other fees not included in revenue split: | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities: | $5,593,024 | $7,574,188 | $344,574 | $544,998 | $440,864 |
Net income from securities lending activities: | $235,474 | $320,613 | $22,574 | $26,130 | $62,513 |
No securities lending information is provided for the WPG Select Hedged Fund because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
You may purchase shares through an account maintained by your brokerage firm and you may also purchase shares directly by mail or wire. The Company reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of a Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Company and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing that Fund’s NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. A shareholder will also bear any market risk or tax consequences as a result of a payment in securities. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act so that each Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund. A shareholder will bear the risk of a decline in market value and any tax consequences associated with a redemption in securities.
Under the 1940 Act, the Company may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE or determines an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (The Company may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions).
Shares of the Company are subject to redemption by the Company, at the redemption price of such shares as in effect from time to time, including, without limitation: (1) to reimburse a Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder as provided in the Prospectuses from time to time; (2) if such redemption is, in the opinion of the Board, desirable in order to prevent the Company or any Fund from being deemed a “personal holding company” within the meaning of the Code; (3) or if the net income with respect to any particular class of common stock should be negative or it should otherwise be appropriate to carry out the Company’s responsibilities under the 1940 Act.
Each Fund has the right to redeem your shares at current NAV at any time and without prior notice if, and to the extent that, such redemption is necessary to reimburse the particular Fund for any loss sustained by reason of your failure to make full payment for shares of the Fund you previously purchased or subscribed for.
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Automatic Investment Plan
The Automatic Investment Plan enables investors to make regular (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis) investments (Boston Partners Funds: $5,000 minimum for Institutional Class and $100 minimum for Investor Class: WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund $50 minimum), in shares of any Fund through an automatic withdrawal from your designated bank account by simply completing the Automatic Investment Plan section on the application. Please call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 for instructions. By completing the enrollment form, you authorize the Funds’ Custodians to periodically draw money from your designated account, and to invest such amounts in account(s) with the fund(s) specified.
If you elect the Automatic Investment Plan, please be aware that: (1) the privilege may be revoked without prior notice if any check is not paid upon presentation; (2) the Funds’ Custodian is under no obligation to notify you as to the non-payment of any check, and (3) this service may be modified or discontinued by the Funds’ Custodian upon five (5) business days’ written notice to you prior to any payment date, or may be discontinued by you by written notice to the Transfer Agent at least five (5) days before the next payment date.
OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS
The following information supplements the information in the Prospectuses under the caption “Shareholder Information.” Please see the Prospectuses for more complete information.
Other Purchase Information
If shares of a Fund are held in a “street name” account with an Authorized Dealer, all recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to the beneficial owner’s account will be performed by the Authorized Dealer, and not by the Fund and its Transfer Agent. Since the Funds will have no record of the beneficial owner’s transactions, a beneficial owner should contact the Authorized Dealer to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes in or give instructions concerning the account or to obtain information about the account. The transfer of shares in a “street name” account to an account with another dealer or to an account directly with the Fund involves special procedures and will require the beneficial owner to obtain historical purchase information about the shares in the account from the Authorized Dealer.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
A systematic withdrawal plan (the “Systematic Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders of the WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund and Investor Class Shares of the Boston Partners Funds whose shares are worth at least $10,000. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan provides for payments to the participating shareholder of any amount not less than $100 ($50 with respect to the WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund) on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.
Dividends and capital gain distributions on shares held under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan are reinvested in additional full and fractional shares of the applicable Fund at NAV. The Transfer Agent acts as agent for the shareholder in redeeming sufficient full and fractional shares to provide the amount of the systematic withdrawal payment. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time. Withdrawal payments should not be considered to be dividends, yield or income. If periodic withdrawals continuously exceed new purchases and reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions, the shareholder’s original investment will be correspondingly reduced and ultimately exhausted. See “Shareholder Information” in the Prospectuses. In addition, each withdrawal constitutes a redemption of shares, and any gain or loss realized must be reported for federal and state income tax purposes. A shareholder should consult his or her own tax adviser with regard to the tax consequences of participating in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. For further information or to request a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, please write or call the Transfer Agent.
Share Class Conversion
Some shareholders may hold shares of a Fund through fee-based programs, often referred to as “wrap accounts,” that are managed by investment dealers, financial advisors or other investment professionals (each, a “wrap account intermediary”). A wrap account intermediary may impose eligibility requirements on a shareholder’s participation in the fee-based program and ownership of shares through the program, which are additional to the ownership requirements described in a Fund’s Prospectus. Under the terms of its fee-based program, a wrap account intermediary may also be permitted to effect a conversion (sometimes referred to as an “in-kind exchange”) of a shareholder’s shares in a Fund, including those shares purchased by the shareholder during the shareholder’s participation in the program, to a different class of shares of that Fund in situations when the shareholder no longer meets the wrap account intermediary’s stated eligibility requirements for the ownership of the class of shares that the shareholder initially purchased. For example, the terms of its fee-based program may permit a wrap account intermediary to effect this type of conversion when a shareholder moves his position in a class of shares of a Fund out of the program that offered that class of shares and into a program or account through which the wrap account intermediary only offers a different class or classes of shares of that Fund. Under other circumstances, a financial intermediary may effect this type of conversion with respect to new clients who held one class of shares of a Fund before becoming a client of the intermediary, and who are eligible for a wrap account through which the intermediary offers a different class of shares of that Fund. Any such conversion by a wrap account intermediary will be made in accordance with the Prospectus of the applicable Fund, and will be made without the imposition by that Fund of any sales load, fee or other charge. The class of shares that a shareholder owns after the conversion may bear higher fees and expenses than the class of shares that the shareholder initially purchased.
If you own shares of a Fund through a fee-based program, you should consult with your wrap account intermediary to determine whether there are any additional eligibility requirements that the wrap account intermediary imposes on your participation in their program and your ownership of a Fund’s shares through the program, and whether the wrap account intermediary prescribes any circumstances which may result in the type of share class conversion described herein.
TELEPHONE TRANSACTION PROCEDURES
The Company’s telephone transaction procedures include the following measures: (1) requiring the appropriate telephone transaction privilege forms; (2) requiring the caller to provide the names of the account owners, the account social security number and name of the Fund, all of which must match the Company’s records; (3) requiring the Company’s service representative to complete a telephone transaction form, listing all of the above caller identification information; (4) permitting exchanges (if applicable) only if the two account registrations are identical; (5) requiring that redemption proceeds be sent only by check to the account owners of record at the address of record, or by electronic funds transfer through the ACH network or wire only to the owners of record at the bank account of record; (6) sending a written confirmation for each telephone transaction to the owners of record at the address of record within five (5) business days of the call; and (7) maintaining tapes of telephone transactions for six months, if the Company elects to record shareholder telephone transactions. For accounts held of record by broker-dealers, financial institutions, securities dealers, financial planners and other industry professionals, additional documentation or information regarding the scope of a caller’s authority is required. Finally, for telephone transactions in accounts held jointly, additional information regarding other account holders is required.
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VALUATION OF SHARES
In accordance with procedures adopted by the Board, the NAV per share of each Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to the Fund and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of the Fund. All securities are valued on each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or such other time as the NYSE or National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) market may officially close. The term “Business Day” means any day the NYSE is open for trading, which is Monday through Friday except for holidays. The NYSE is generally closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day (observed), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday (observed), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the NYSE is stopped at a time other than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Company reserves the right to reprocess purchase, redemption and exchange transactions that were initially processed at a NAV other than a Fund’s official closing NAV (as the same may be subsequently adjusted), and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders based on the official closing NAV. The Company reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC. In addition, a Fund may compute its NAV as of any time permitted pursuant to any exemption, order or statement of the SEC or its staff.
The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by each Fund and its Valuation Designee (defined below) in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, each Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Prices are generally determined using readily available market prices. Subject to the approval of the Board, the Funds may employ outside organizations, which may use a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration market indices, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments in determining the approximate market value of portfolio investments. This may result in the investments being valued at a price that differs from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash, receivables, and current payables are carried on a Fund’s books at their face value. Other assets, if any, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Valuation Designee.
The procedures used by any pricing service and its valuation results are reviewed by the officers of the Company under the general supervision of the Board.
The Funds may hold portfolio securities that are listed on foreign exchanges. These securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Funds do not calculate NAV. As a result, the value of these investments may change on days when you cannot purchase or sell Fund shares.
TAXES
The following summarizes certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the Prospectuses. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders, and the discussions here and in the Prospectuses are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Potential investors should consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax situations.
The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectuses and this SAI are based on the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and the regulations issued under it, and court decisions and administrative interpretations, as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly alter the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may be retroactive.
General
Each Fund (except the WPG Select Hedged Fund) qualified during its last taxable year and intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. The WPG Select Hedged Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. The WPG Select Hedged Fund intends to elect and expects to qualify each year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As such, each Fund generally is exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, each Fund must meet three important tests each year.
First, each Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies, or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.
Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of each Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of each Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.
Third, each Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) before taking into account any deduction for dividends paid, and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.
Each Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If a Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year a Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, taxable shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.
The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.
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Loss Carryforwards
Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Funds are permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Any losses incurred during those future taxable years will be required to be utilized prior to any losses incurred in pre-enactment taxable years. Additionally, post-enactment capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law.
As of August 31, 2023, the Global Sustainability Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $2,382,304 and long-term post-enactment capital losses of $260,274. The Global Equity Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $12,623,653. The Emerging Markets Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of 4,191,007 and long-term post-enactment capital losses of $92,514. The Global Long/Short Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $141,607. The Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $15,769,248. The capital losses can be carried forward for an unlimited period.
Taxation of Certain Investments
The tax principles applicable to transactions in financial instruments, such as futures contracts and options, that may be engaged in by a Fund, and investments in passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”), are complex and, in some cases, uncertain. Such transactions and investments may cause a Fund to recognize taxable income prior to the receipt of cash, thereby requiring the Fund to liquidate other positions, or to borrow money, so as to make sufficient distributions to shareholders to avoid corporate-level tax. Moreover, some or all of the taxable income recognized may be ordinary income or short-term capital gain, so that the distributions may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
In addition, in the case of any shares of a PFIC in which a Fund invests, the Fund may be liable for corporate-level tax on any ultimate gain or distributions on the shares if the Fund fails to make an election to recognize income annually during the period of its ownership of the shares.
State and Local Taxes
Although each Fund expects to qualify as a regulated investment company and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, a Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.
Taxation of the Subsidiary of the Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
There is, at present, no direct taxation in the Cayman Islands and interest, dividends and gains payable to the Subsidiary will be received free of all Cayman Islands taxes. The Subsidiary is registered as an “exempted company” pursuant to the Companies Law (as amended).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES
The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, 92.823 billion shares have been classified into 235 classes. However, the Company only has approximately 70 active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Company’s charter, the Board has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of common stock from time to time.
Each share that represents an interest in a Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to such Fund with each other share that represents an interest in such Fund, even where a share has a different class designation than another share representing an interest in that Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.
The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Company’s amended By-Laws provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of Common Stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.
Holders of shares of each Fund will vote in the aggregate on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio or class of shares. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or distribution agreement or any change in a fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, the Rule also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.
Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Company’s common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).
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MISCELLANEOUS
Anti-Money Laundering Program
The Funds have established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). To ensure compliance with this law, the Funds’ Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures, and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.
Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that certain of their service providers have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, and conducting a complete and thorough review of all new account applications. The Funds will not transact business with any person or legal entity whose identity and beneficial owners, if applicable, cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
Counsel
The law firm of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as independent counsel to the Company and the Independent Directors.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP, One Commerce Square, Suite 700, 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, and in that capacity audits the Funds’ financial statements.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The audited financial statements, financial highlights, and notes thereto in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023 (the “Annual Report”) have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report thereon also appears in the Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. Such financial statements, financial highlights and notes thereto in the Funds’ have been incorporated herein in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The unaudited semi-annual report for the six-month period ended February 29, 2024 are incorporated by reference herein. No other parts of the Semi-Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. No financial statements are available for the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund as this Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI. Copies of the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report may be obtained at no charge by telephoning the Transfer Agent at the telephone number appearing on the front page of this SAI.
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APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
Short-Term Credit Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. The following summarizes the rating categories used by S&P Global Ratings for short-term issues:
“A-1” – A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
“A-2” – A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
“A-3” – A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B” – A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
“C” – A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“D” – A short-term obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings – S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.
Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.
Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.
“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.
“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
“NP” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.
Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:
“F1” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
1 | A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. |
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“C” – Securities possess high short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
“RD” – Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
“D” – Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.
The DBRS Morningstar® Ratings Limited (“DBRS Morningstar”) short-term obligation ratings provide DBRS Morningstar’s opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.
The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS Morningstar for commercial paper and short-term debt:
“R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
“R-1 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from “R-1 (high)” by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
“R-1 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favorable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
“R-2 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
“R-2 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.
“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer’s ability to meet such obligations.
“R-3” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events, and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.
“R-4” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.
“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
“D” – A downgrade to “D” may occur when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding-up statute, or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods. DBRS Morningstar may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings
The following summarizes the ratings used by S&P Global Ratings for long-term issues:
“AAA” – An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.
“AA” – An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.
“A” – An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.
“BBB” – An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” – Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.
“BB” – An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B” – An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB”, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CCC” – An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CC” – An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “CC” rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
“C” – An obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.
“D” – An obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within the next five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or the next 30 calendar days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring
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Plus (+) or minus (-) – Ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.
“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned, or is no longer assigned.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings - S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
Moody’s long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more. Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:
“Aaa” – Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
“Aa” – Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
“A” – Obligations rated “A” are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
“Baa” – Obligations rated “Baa” are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
“Ba” – Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
“B” – Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
“Caa” – Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
“Ca” – Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
“C” – Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
“NR” – Is assigned to unrated obligations, obligation and/or program.
The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:
“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
“AA” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
“BBB” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
“BB” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.
“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present
“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.
“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.
“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.
Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Fitch believes that this approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.
Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below “CCC”.
“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.
The DBRS Morningstar long-term obligation ratings provide DBRS Morningstar’s opinion on the risk that investors may not be repaid in accordance with the terms under which the long-term obligation was issued. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer. All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS Morningstar for long-term debt:
“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from “AAA” only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
“A” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than “AA.” May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
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“BBB” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.
“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.
“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although “CC” and “C” ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default or subordinated to obligations rated in the “CCC” to “B” range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the “C” category.
“D” – A downgrade to “D” may occur when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods. DBRS Morningstar may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.
Municipal Note Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings’ analysis will review the following considerations:
● | Amortization schedule - the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and |
● | Source of payment - the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
Municipal Short-Term Note rating symbols are as follows:
“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
“SP-2” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
“D” – This rating is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.
Moody’s uses the global short-term Prime rating scale (listed above under Short-Term Credit Ratings) for commercial paper issued by U.S. municipalities and nonprofits. These commercial paper programs may be backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities, or by an issuer’s self-liquidity.
For other short-term municipal obligations, Moody’s uses one of two other short-term rating scales, the Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scales provided below.
Moody’s uses the MIG scale for U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.
MIG Scale
“MIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
“MIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
“MIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.
In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), Moody’s assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer’s ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders (“on demand”) and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade.
Moody’s typically assigns the VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned and it is denoted as “NR”.
“VMIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
“VMIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
“VMIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections.
“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.
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About Credit Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities.
Fitch’s credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) are assigned to corporations, sovereign entities, financial institutions such as banks, leasing companies and insurers, and public finance entities (local and regional governments). Issue-level ratings are also assigned and often include an expectation of recovery, which may be notched above or below the issuer-level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation’s documentation).
DBRS Morningstar offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on DBRS Morningstar’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria. They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. DBRS Morningstar issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. DBRS Morningstar credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.
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BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL INVESTORS, INC.
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
February 2024
Boston Partners
One Beacon Street, 30th Floor
Boston, MA 02108—www.boston-partners.com
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”) is an investment adviser comprised of two divisions, Boston Partners and Weiss, Peck & Greer Partners (“WPG”). Boston Partners’ Governance Committee (the “Committee”) is comprised of representatives from portfolio management, securities analyst, portfolio research, quantitative research, investor relations, sustainability and engagement, and legal/compliance teams. The Committee is responsible for administering and overseeing Boston Partners’ proxy voting process. The Committee makes decisions on proxy policy, establishes formal Boston Partners’ Proxy Voting Policies (the “Proxy Voting Policies”) and updates the Proxy Voting Policies as necessary, but no less frequently than annually. In addition, the Committee, in its sole discretion, delegates certain functions to internal departments and/or engages third-party vendors to assist in the proxy voting process. Finally, members of the Committee are responsible for evaluating and resolving conflicts of interest relating to Boston Partners’ proxy voting process.
To assist Boston Partners in carrying out our responsibilities with respect to proxy activities, Boston Partners has engaged Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), a third-party corporate governance research service, which is registered as an investment adviser. ISS receives all proxy-related materials for securities held in client accounts and votes the proposals in accordance with Boston Partners’ Proxy Voting Policies. ISS assists Boston Partners with voting execution through an electronic vote management system that allows ISS to pre-populate and automatically submit votes in accordance with Boston Partners’ Proxy Voting Policies. While Boston Partners may consider ISS’s recommendations on proxy issues, Boston Partners bears ultimate responsibility for proxy voting decisions and can change votes via ISS’ electronic voting platform at any time before a meeting’s cut-off date. ISS also provides recordkeeping and vote-reporting services.
How Boston Partners Votes
For those clients who delegate proxy voting authority to Boston Partners, Boston Partners has full discretion over votes cast on behalf of clients. All proxy votes on behalf of clients are voted the same way; however, Boston Partners may refrain from voting proxies for certain clients in certain markets. These arrangements are outlined in respective client investment management agreements. Boston Partners may also refrain from voting proxies on behalf of clients when shares are out on loan; when share blocking is required to vote; where it is not possible to vote shares; where there are legal or operational difficulties; where Boston Partners believes the administrative burden and/ or associated cost exceeds the expected benefit to a client; or where not voting or abstaining produces the desired outcome.
Boston Partners meets with ISS at least annually to review ISS policy changes, themes, methodology, and to review the Proxy Voting Policies. The information is taken to the Committee to discuss and decide what changes, if any, need to be made to the Proxy Voting Policies for the upcoming year.
The Proxy Voting Policies provide standard positions on likely issues for the upcoming proxy season. In determining how proxies should be voted, including those proxies the Proxy Voting Policies do not address or where the Proxy Voting Policies’ application is ambiguous, Boston Partners primarily focuses on maximizing the economic value of its clients’ investments. This is accomplished through engagements with Boston Partners’ analysts and issuers, as well as independent research conducted by Boston Partners’ Sustainability and Engagement Team. In the case of social and political responsibility issues that, in its view, do not primarily involve financial considerations, it is Boston Partners’ objective to support shareholder proposals that it believes promote good corporate citizenship. If Boston Partners believes that any research provided by ISS or other sources is incorrect, that research is ignored in the proxy voting decision, which is escalated to the Committee so that all relevant facts can be discussed, and a final vote determination can be made. Boston Partners is alerted to proposals that may require more detailed analysis via daily system generated refer notification emails. These emails prompt the Committee Secretary to call a Committee meeting to discuss the items in question.
Although Boston Partners has instructed ISS to vote in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policies, Boston Partners retains the right to deviate from the Proxy Voting Policies if, in its estimation, doing so would be in the best interest of clients.
Conflicts
Boston Partners believes clients are sufficiently insulated from any actual or perceived conflicts Boston Partners may encounter between its interests and those of its clients because Boston Partners votes proxies based on the predetermined Proxy Voting Policies. However, as noted, Boston Partners may deviate from the Proxy Voting Policies in certain circumstances, or the Proxy Voting Policies may not address certain proxy voting proposals. If a member of Boston Partners’ research or portfolio management team recommends that Boston Partners vote a particular proxy proposal in a manner inconsistent with the Proxy Voting Policies or if the Proxy Voting Policies do not address a particular proposal, Boston Partners will adhere to certain procedures designed to ensure that the decision to vote the particular proxy proposal is based on the best interest of Boston Partners’ clients. These procedures require the individual requesting a deviation from the Proxy Voting Policies to complete a Conflicts Questionnaire (the “Questionnaire”) along with written documentation of the economic rationale supporting the request. The Questionnaire seeks to identify possible relationships with the parties involved in the proxy that may not be apparent. Based on the responses to the Questionnaire, the Committee (or a subset of the Committee) will determine whether it believes a material conflict of interest is present. If a material conflict of interest is found to exist, Boston Partners will vote in accordance with client instructions, seek the recommendation of an independent third-party or resolve the conflict in such other manner as Boston Partners believes is appropriate, including by making its own determination that a particular vote is, notwithstanding the conflict, in the best interest of clients.
Oversight
Meetings and upcoming votes are reviewed by the Committee Secretary with a focus on votes against management. Votes on behalf of Boston Partners’ clients are reviewed and compared against ISS’ recommendations. When auditing vote instructions, which Boston Partners does at least annually, ballots voted for a specified period are requested from ISS, and a sample of those meetings are reviewed by Boston Partners’ Operations Team. The information is then forwarded to compliance/ the Committee Secretary for review. Any perceived exceptions are reviewed with ISS and an analysis of what the potential vote impact would have been is conducted. ISS’ most recent SOC-1 indicates they have their own control and audit personnel and procedures, and a sample of ballots are randomly selected on a quarterly basis. ISS compares ballots to applicable vote instructions recorded in their database. Due diligence meetings with ISS are conducted periodically.
Disclosures
A copy of Boston Partners’ Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, as updated from time to time, as well as information regarding the voting of securities for a client account are available upon request from your Boston Partners relationship manager. A copy of Boston Partners’ Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are also available at https://www.boston-partners.com/. For general inquires, contact (617) 832-8162.
Boston Partners Proxy Policy contains a General Policy as well as country specific Policies. The information provided for each specific country cited should be viewed as supplemental to the General Policy
GENERAL POLICY
I. The Board of Directors | 1 |
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections | 1 |
Independence | 1 |
Composition | 1 |
Attendance at Board and Committee Meetings | 1 |
Overboarded Directors (Executive and Non-Executive) | 2 |
Gender Diversity | 2 |
Underrepresented Directors (U.S. Only) | 2 |
More Candidates than Seats | 3 |
Responsiveness | 3 |
Accountability | 4 |
Problematic Takeover Defenses/Governance Structure | 4 |
Restrictions on Shareholders’ Rights | 7 |
Problematic Audit-Related Practices | 7 |
Problematic Compensation Practices | 8 |
Problematic Pledging of Company Stock | 8 |
Climate Accountability | 9 |
Governance Failures | 9 |
Voting on Director Nominees in Contested Elections | 10 |
Vote-No Campaigns | 10 |
Proxy Contests/Proxy Access — Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections | 10 |
Bundled and Unbundled Elections | 11 |
Other Board-Related Proposals | 11 |
Adopt Anti-Hedging/Pledging/Speculative Investments Policy | 11 |
Age/Term Limits | 11 |
Board Size | 12 |
Classification/Declassification of the Board | 12 |
CEO Succession Planning | 12 |
Cumulative Voting | 12 |
Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection | 12 |
Establish/Amend Nominee Qualifications | 13 |
Establish Other Board Committee Proposals | 14 |
Filling Vacancies/Removal of Directors | 14 |
Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO) | 15 |
Majority of Independent Directors/Establishment of Independent Committees | 15 |
Majority Vote Standard for the Election of Directors | 15 |
Proxy Access | 15 |
Shareholder Engagement Policy (Shareholder Advisory Committee) | 15 |
II. Audit-Related | 16 |
Auditor Indemnification and Limitation of Liability | 16 |
Auditor Ratification/Reelection | 16 |
Appointment of Internal Statutory Auditors | 17 |
Shareholder Proposals Limiting Non-Audit Services | 17 |
Shareholder Proposals on Audit Firm Rotation | 17 |
III. Shareholder Rights and Defenses | 18 |
Shareholder Proposals | 18 |
Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals/Nominations | 18 |
Amend By-laws without Shareholder Consent | 18 |
Control Share Acquisition Provisions | 19 |
Control Share Cash-Out Provisions | 19 |
Disgorgement Provisions | 19 |
Fair Price Provisions | 19 |
Freeze-Out Provisions | 20 |
Greenmail | 20 |
Litigation Rights (including Exclusive Venue and Fee-Shifting By-law Provisions) (U.S. only) | 20 |
Poison Pills (Shareholder Rights Plans) | 21 |
Shareholder Proposals to Put Pill to a Vote and/or Adopt a Pill Policy | 21 |
Management Proposals to Ratify a Poison Pill | 21 |
Net Operating Losses Protective Amendments and Management Proposals to Ratify a Pill to Preserve NOLs | 22 |
Proxy Voting Disclosure, Confidentiality, and Tabulation | 22 |
Ratification Proposals: Management Proposals to Ratify Existing Charter or By-law Provisions | 23 |
Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation Expenses | 23 |
Reincorporation Proposals | 23 |
Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent | 24 |
Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings | 24 |
Stakeholder Provisions | 24 |
State Antitakeover Statutes | 24 |
Supermajority Vote Requirements | 24 |
IV. Capital/ Restructuring | 24 |
Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock | 24 |
Shelf Registration Program | 25 |
Common Stock Authorization/ Share Issuance Requests | 25 |
General Authorization Requests | 25 |
Specific Authorization Requests | 26 |
Reduction of Capital | 26 |
Dual Class Structure | 26 |
Issue Stock for Use with Rights Plan | 27 |
Preemptive Rights | 27 |
Preferred Stock Authorization | 27 |
General Authorization Requests | 27 |
Specific Authorization Requests | 28 |
Recapitalization Plans | 28 |
Reverse Stock Splits | 29 |
Share Repurchase Programs | 29 |
Reissuance of Repurchased Shares | 30 |
Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends | 30 |
Tracking Stock | 30 |
Appraisal Rights | 31 |
Asset Purchases | 31 |
Asset Sales | 31 |
Pledging of Assets for Debt | 31 |
Increase in Borrowing Powers | 31 |
Bundled Proposals | 32 |
Conversion of Securities | 32 |
Corporate Reorganization/Debt Restructuring/Prepackaged Bankruptcy Plans/Reverse Leveraged Buyouts/Wrap Plans... | 32 |
Formation of Holding Company | 32 |
Going Private and Going Dark Transactions (LBOs and Minority Squeeze-outs) | 33 |
Joint Ventures | 33 |
Liquidations | 34 |
Mergers and Acquisitions | 34 |
Private Placements/Warrants/Convertible Debentures | 35 |
Reorganization/Restructuring Plan (Bankruptcy) | 36 |
Special Purpose Acquisition Corporations (SPACs) | 36 |
Special Purpose Acquisition Corporations (SPACs) - Proposals for Extensions | 37 |
Spin-offs | 37 |
Value Maximization Shareholder Proposals | 37 |
V. Compensation | 38 |
Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation—Management Proposals (Management Say-on-Pay) | 38 |
Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay | 38 |
Problematic Pay Practices | 39 |
Problematic Pay Practices related to Non-Performance-Based Compensation Elements | 39 |
Options Backdating | 40 |
Frequency of Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation ("Say When on Pay") | 40 |
Voting on Golden Parachutes in an Acquisition, Merger, Consolidation, or Proposed Sale | 40 |
Equity-Based and Other Incentive Plans | 41 |
Further Information on certain EPSC Factors | 42 |
SVT | 42 |
Egregious Factors | 43 |
Other Compensation Plans | 45 |
401(k) Employee Benefit Plans | 45 |
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) | 45 |
Employee Stock Purchase Plans—Qualified Plans | 45 |
Employee Stock Purchase Plans—Non-Qualified Plans | 45 |
Option Exchange Programs/Repricing Options | 46 |
Stock Plans in Lieu of Cash | 46 |
Transfer Stock Option (TSO) Programs | 47 |
Director Compensation | 47 |
Non- Executive Directors | 47 |
Equity Plans for Non- Executive Directors | 48 |
Non- Executive Director Retirement Plans | 49 |
Shareholder Proposals on Compensation | 49 |
Compensation Consultants—Disclosure of Board or Company’s Utilization | 49 |
Golden Coffins/Executive Death Benefits | 49 |
Hold Equity Past Retirement or for a Significant Period of Time | 50 |
Non-Deductible Compensation (U.S.) | 50 |
Pay Disparity | 50 |
Pay for Performance/Performance-Based Awards | 50 |
Pay for Superior Performance | 51 |
Pre-Arranged Trading Plans (10b5-1 Plans) | 52 |
Prohibit Outside CEOs from Serving on Compensation Committees | 52 |
Recoupment of Incentive or Stock Compensation in Specified Circumstances | 52 |
Severance Agreements for Executives/Golden Parachutes | 53 |
Share Buyback Proposals | 53 |
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs) | 53 |
Tax Gross-Up Proposals | 53 |
Termination of Employment Prior to Severance Payment/Eliminating Accelerated Vesting of Unvested Equity | 54 |
VI. Routine/ Miscellaneous/ Operational | 54 |
Adjourn Meeting | 54 |
Amend Quorum Requirements | 54 |
Amend Minor By-laws | 54 |
Change Company Name | 55 |
Change Date, Time, or Location of Annual Meeting | 55 |
Other Business | 55 |
Management Supported Shareholder Proposals: Reporting | 55 |
Allocation of Income | 55 |
Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternative | 55 |
Amendments to Articles of Association (Bylaws), Board Policies, and Board Committees’ Charters | 55 |
Change in Company Fiscal Term | 56 |
Lower Disclosure Threshold for Stock Ownership | 56 |
Expansion of Business Activities | 56 |
Related-Party Transactions | 56 |
Charitable Donations | 57 |
Virtual Meetings | 57 |
Financial Results/Director and Statutory Reports | 57 |
VII. Social and Environmental | 57 |
Endorsement of Principles | 58 |
Animal Welfare | 58 |
Animal Welfare Policies | 58 |
Animal Testing | 58 |
Animal Slaughter | 58 |
Consumer Issues | 59 |
Genetically Modified Ingredients | 59 |
Reports on Potentially Controversial Business/Financial Practices | 59 |
Pharmaceutical Pricing, Access to Medicines, and Prescription Drug Reimportation | 59 |
Product Safety and Toxic/Hazardous Materials | 60 |
Tobacco-Related Proposals | 60 |
Climate Change | 61 |
Say on Climate (SoC) Management Proposals | 61 |
Say on Climate (SoC) Shareholder Proposals | 62 |
Climate Change/Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions | 62 |
Energy Efficiency | 63 |
Renewable Energy | 63 |
Diversity | 63 |
Board Diversity | 63 |
Equality of Opportunity | 64 |
Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Domestic Partner Benefits | 64 |
Gender, Race/ Ethnicity Pay Gap | 64 |
Racial Equity and/or Civil Rights Audit Guidelines | 65 |
Environment and Sustainability | 65 |
Facility and Workplace Safety | 65 |
General Environmental Proposals and Community Impact Assessments | 65 |
Hydraulic Fracturing | 66 |
Operations in Protected Areas | 66 |
Recycling | 66 |
Sustainability Reporting | 67 |
Water Issues | 67 |
General Corporate Issues | 67 |
Charitable Contributions | 67 |
Data Security, Privacy, and Internet Issues | 67 |
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Compensation-Related Proposals | 68 |
Human Rights, Labor Issues, and International Operations | 68 |
Human Rights Proposals | 68 |
Operations in High Risk Markets | 69 |
Outsourcing/Offshoring | 69 |
Weapons and Military Sales | 69 |
Mandatory Arbitration | 70 |
Sexual Harassment | 70 |
Political Activities | 70 |
Lobbying | 70 |
Political Contributions | 70 |
Political Ties | 71 |
VIII. Mutual Fund Proxies | 71 |
Election of Directors | 71 |
Converting Closed-end Fund to Open-end Fund | 72 |
Proxy Contests | 72 |
Investment Advisory Agreements | 72 |
Approving New Classes or Series of Shares | 72 |
Preferred Stock Proposals | 73 |
1940 Act Policies (U.S.) | 73 |
Changing a Fundamental Restriction to a Nonfundamental Restriction | 73 |
Change Fundamental Investment Objective to Nonfundamental | 73 |
Name Change Proposals | 73 |
Change in Fund's Subclassification | 74 |
Business Development Companies—Authorization to Sell Shares of Common Stock at a Price below Net Asset Value | 74 |
Disposition of Assets/Termination/Liquidation | 74 |
Changes to the Charter Document | 74 |
Changing the Domicile of a Fund | 75 |
Authorizing the Board to Hire and Terminate Sub-advisers Without Shareholder Approval | 75 |
Distribution Agreements | 75 |
Master-Feeder Structure | 75 |
Mergers | 76 |
Closed End Funds-Unilateral Opt-in to Control Share Acquisition Statutes | 76 |
Shareholder Proposals for Mutual Funds | 76 |
Reimburse Shareholder for Expenses Incurred | 76 |
Terminate the Investment Advisor | 76 |
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND | |
I. General | 77 |
Constitutional Amendment | 77 |
Renewal of "Proportional Takeover" Clause in Constitution | 77 |
Significant Change in Activities | 77 |
II. Share Capital | 77 |
Non-Voting Shares | 77 |
Reduction of Share Capital: Cash Consideration Payable to Shareholders | 77 |
Reduction of Share Capital: Absorption of Losses | 78 |
Buybacks/Repurchases | 78 |
III. Board of Directors | 78 |
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections | 78 |
Attendance (Australia) | 78 |
Independence (Australia) | 78 |
Combined Chair and CEO (Australia) | 79 |
Problematic Remuneration Practices (Australia) | 79 |
Shareholder Nominees | 80 |
Removal of Directors (New Zealand) | 80 |
IV. Remuneration | 80 |
Remuneration Report (Australia) | 80 |
Remuneration of Executive Directors: Share Incentive Schemes (Australia) | 81 |
Remuneration of Executives: Options and Other Long-Term Incentives | 82 |
Non-Executive Director Perks/Fringe Benefits (Australia) | 84 |
Remuneration of Non-Executive Directors: Increase in Aggregate Fee Cap | 84 |
Remuneration of Non-Executive Directors: Issue of Options (New Zealand) | 85 |
Remuneration of Non-Executive Directors: Approval of Share Plan | 85 |
Transparency of CEO Incentives (New Zealand) | 85 |
Shareholder Resolutions (New Zealand) | 86 |
BRAZIL | |
I. Board of Directors | 87 |
Minimum Independent Levels | 87 |
Election of Minority Nominees (Separate Election) | 87 |
Installation of Fiscal Council | 88 |
Combined Chairman/CEO | 88 |
Board Structure | 88 |
II. Capital Structure | 88 |
Share Repurchase Plans | 88 |
III. Compensation | 89 |
Management Compensation | 89 |
Compensation Plans | 89 |
IV. Other | 90 |
Items Antitakeover Mechanisms | 90 |
CANADA: TSX- LISTED AND VENTURE LISTED COMPANIES | |
I. Board of Directors | 91 |
Director Elections | 91 |
Gender Diversity | 91 |
Audit Fee Disclosure | 92 |
Director Attendance | 92 |
Board Responsiveness | 92 |
Unilateral Adoption of an Advance Notice Provision | 92 |
Externally-Managed Issuers (EMIs) | 93 |
Proxy Access | 93 |
Proxy Contests – Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections | 93 |
II. Shareholder Rights & Defenses | 94 |
Advance Notice Requirements | 94 |
Enhanced Shareholder Meeting Quorum for Contested Director Elections | 95 |
Appointment of Additional Directors Between Annual Meetings | 95 |
Article/By-law Amendments | 95 |
Confidential Voting | 96 |
Poison Pills (Shareholder Rights Plans) | 96 |
Exclusive Forum Proposals | 97 |
III. Capital/ Restructuring | 97 |
Increases in Authorized Capital | 97 |
Private Placement Issuances | 97 |
Blank Check Preferred Stock | 98 |
Dual-class Stock | 98 |
Escrow Agreements | 99 |
IV. Compensation | 99 |
Pay for Performance Evaluation | 99 |
Step I: Quantitative Screen | 99 |
Relative | 99 |
Absolute | 99 |
Step II: Qualitative Analysis | 100 |
Problematic Pay Practices | 100 |
Equity-Based Compensation Plans | 101 |
Plan Cost | 103 |
Overriding Negative Factors | 103 |
Plan Amendment Provisions | 103 |
Non- Executive Director (NED) Participation | 103 |
Limited Participation | 103 |
Individual Grants | 104 |
Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPPs, ESOPs) | 104 |
Management Deferred Share Unit (DSU) Plans | 104 |
Non- Executive Director (NED) Deferred Share Unit (DSU) Plans | 105 |
Problematic Director Compensation Practices | 106 |
Shareholder Proposals on Compensation | 106 |
Shareholder Advisory Vote Proposals | 106 |
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) Proposals | 107 |
CHINA AND HONG KONG | |
I. Board of Directors | 108 |
Voting for Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections (Hong Kong) | 108 |
Independence and Composition | 108 |
II. Remuneration | 109 |
Director Remuneration | 109 |
Equity-based Compensation | 109 |
Employee Stock Purchase Plans | 110 |
III. Capital Raising | 110 |
Share Issuance Requests | 110 |
Share Repurchase Plans (Repurchase Mandate) (Hong Kong) | 111 |
Reissuance of Shares Repurchased (Share Reissuance Mandate) (Hong Kong) | 111 |
A-share Private Placement Issuance Requests (Hong Kong) | 111 |
Adjustments of Conversion Price of Outstanding Convertible Bonds | 111 |
Debt Issuance Request/Increase in Borrowing Powers | 111 |
Provision of Guarantees/ Loan Guarantee Requests | 112 |
IV. Amendments to Articles of Association/ Company By-laws | 112 |
Communist Party Committee | 112 |
Other Article of Association/By-law Amendments | 113 |
V. Related Party Transactions | 113 |
Loan Financing Requests | 113 |
Group Finance Companies | 113 |
VI. Proposals to Invest in Financial Products Using Idle Funds | 113 |
CONTINENTAL EUROPE | |
I. Operational Items | 114 |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees | 114 |
Approval of Non-financial Information Statement/ Report | 114 |
II. Director Elections | 114 |
Non-Contested Director Elections | 114 |
Director Terms | 115 |
Bundling of Proposals to Elect Directors | 115 |
Board Independence | 115 |
Widely-held Controlled Companies and Non widely-held Companies | 115 |
Widely-held Non-controlled Companies | 115 |
Disclosure of Names of Nominees | 115 |
Election of a Former CEO as Chairman of the Board | 115 |
Voto di Lista (Italy) | 116 |
One Board Seat per Director | 116 |
Composition of Committees | 116 |
Election of Censors (France) | 117 |
Board Gender Diversity | 117 |
Committee of Representatives and Corporate Assembly Elections (Denmark and Norway) | 118 |
III. Capital Structure | 118 |
Share Issuance Requests | 118 |
General Issuances | 118 |
For French Companies | 118 |
Increases in Authorized Capital | 119 |
IV. Compensation | 119 |
Executive Compensation-related Proposals | 119 |
Non-Executive Director Compensation | 121 |
Equity-based Compensation Guidelines | 121 |
Compensation-Related Voting Sanctions | 122 |
Stock Option Plans – Adjustment for Dividend (Nordic Region) | 122 |
Share Matching Plans (Sweden and Norway) | 122 |
V. Other Items | 123 |
Antitakeover Mechanisms | 123 |
Authority to Reduce Minimum Notice Period for Calling a Meeting | 123 |
Auditor Report Including Related Party Transactions (France) | 124 |
EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA | |
I. Operational Items | 125 |
Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports | 125 |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees | 125 |
Donations | 125 |
II. Board of Directors | 126 |
Board Independence | 126 |
Committee Independence | 126 |
Cumulative Voting System | 127 |
III. Capital Structure | 127 |
Capital Structures | 127 |
Preferred Stock | 127 |
Debt Issuance Requests | 127 |
IV. Compensation | 128 |
Remuneration Policy/Report | 128 |
V. Other Items | 129 |
Related-Party Transactions | 129 |
INDIA | |
I. Board of Directors | 129 |
Executive Appointment | 129 |
Election of Directors | 129 |
Accountability | 129 |
Composition | 129 |
Separation of Roles of Chair and CEO | 129 |
II. Remuneration | 130 |
Director Commission and Executive Compensation | 130 |
Fees for Non-executive Directors | 130 |
Executive Compensation | 130 |
Equity Compensation Plans | 130 |
III. Share Issuance Requests | 131 |
Preferential Issuance Requests and Preferential Issuance of Warrants | 131 |
Specific Issuance Requests | 131 |
IV. Debt Issuance Requests | 131 |
Debt Related Proposals | 131 |
Increase in Borrowing Powers | 132 |
Pledging of Assets for Debt | 132 |
Financial Assistance | 133 |
V. Miscellaneous | 133 |
Accept Financial Statements and Statutory Reports | 133 |
Acceptance of Deposits | 133 |
Charitable Donations | 134 |
Increase in Foreign Shareholding Limit | 134 |
ISRAEL | |
I. Operational Items | 134 |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees | 134 |
II. Compensation | 134 |
Executive Compensation-related Proposals | 134 |
Non-Executive Director Compensation | 136 |
Equity-based Compensation Guidelines | 136 |
JAPAN | |
I. Routine Miscellaneous | 137 |
Income Allocation | 137 |
Election of Statutory Auditors | 137 |
II. Election of Directors | 138 |
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections | 138 |
III. Article Amendments | 139 |
Adoption of a U.S.-style Three Committee Board Structure | 139 |
Adoption of a Board with Audit Committee Structure | 139 |
Increase in Authorized Capital | 139 |
Creation/Modification of Preferred Shares/Class Shares | 139 |
Repurchase of Shares at Board’s Discretion | 139 |
Allow Company to Make Rules Governing the Exercise of Shareholders’ Rights | 140 |
Limit Rights of Odd Shareholders | 140 |
Amendments Related to Takeover Defenses | 140 |
Decrease in Maximum Board Size | 140 |
Supermajority Vote Requirement to Remove a Director | 140 |
Creation of Advisory Positions (Sodanyaku or Komon) | 140 |
Payment of Dividends at the Board’s Discretion | 140 |
Management Buyout Related Amendments | 140 |
IV. Compensation | 140 |
Annual Bonuses for Directors/Statutory Auditors | 140 |
Retirement Bonuses | 141 |
Special Payments in Connection with Abolition of Retirement Bonus System | 141 |
Stock Option Plans/Deep-Discounted Stock Option Plans | 141 |
Stock Option Plans | 141 |
Deep-Discounted Stock Option Plans | 141 |
Director Compensation Ceiling | 142 |
Statutory Auditor Compensation Ceiling | 142 |
KOREA | |
I. Election of Directors | 142 |
Director Elections | 142 |
Independence | 142 |
Composition | 142 |
Voting on Director Nominees in Contested Elections | 142 |
II. Audit Related | 143 |
Election of Audit Committee Member(s) | 143 |
Election of Internal Auditor(s)/ Establishment of Audit Committees | 143 |
III. Capital Structure/Restructuring | 143 |
Stock Split | 143 |
Spinoff Agreement | 143 |
Reduction in Capital Accompanied by Cash Consideration | 144 |
Reduction in Capital Not Accompanied by Cash Consideration | 144 |
Merger Agreement, Sales/ Acquisition of Company Assets, and Formation of Holding Company | 144 |
IV. Compensation | 144 |
Remuneration Cap for Directors | 144 |
Remuneration Cap for Internal Auditors | 144 |
Stock Option Grants | 145 |
Amendments to Terms of Severance Payments to Executives | 145 |
Stock Option Programs for the Employee Stock Ownership Plan | 145 |
Golden Parachute Clause | 145 |
V. Routine/Miscellaneous | 146 |
Authorizing Board to Approve Financial Statements and Income Allocation | 146 |
RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN | |
I. Operation Items | 146 |
Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports | 146 |
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees | 146 |
Appointment of Audit Commission | 146 |
Early Termination of the Audit Commission | 147 |
II. Board of Directors | 147 |
Cumulative Voting System | 147 |
Early Termination of Powers of Board of Directors | 148 |
Election of General Director (CEO) | 148 |
Early Termination of Powers of General Director (CEO) | 148 |
III. Compensation | 148 |
Non-Executive Director Compensation | 148 |
Equity-based Compensation Guidelines | 149 |
SINGAPORE | |
I. Board of Directors | 149 |
Voting for Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections- Independence and Composition | 149 |
II. Remuneration | 150 |
Director Remuneration | 150 |
Equity Compensation Plans | 150 |
III. Share Issuance Requests | 151 |
Issuance Requests | 151 |
General Issuance Requests – Real Estate Investment Trusts | 151 |
Specific Issuance Requests | 151 |
Share Repurchase Plans | 151 |
IV. Articles and By-law Amendments | 152 |
V. Related Party Transactions | 152 |
SOUTH AFRICA | |
I. Operational Items | 152 |
Authority to Ratify and Execute Approved Resolutions | 152 |
II. Board of Directors | 152 |
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections | 152 |
Accountability | 153 |
Audit Committee Elections | 153 |
Social and Ethics Committee Elections | 153 |
III. Capital Structure | 153 |
Share Issuance Authorities | 154 |
Share Buyback Authorities | 154 |
IV. Remuneration | 154 |
Fees for Non-Executive Directors | 154 |
Approval of Remuneration Policy | 154 |
Approval of Implementation Report | 155 |
New Equity Incentive Scheme or Amendment to Existing Scheme | 156 |
Financial Assistance | 156 |
V. Other Items | 157 |
New Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI)/ Amendments to the MOI | 157 |
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Transactions | 157 |
Social and Ethics Committee Report | 157 |
TAIWAN | |
I. Allocation of Income and Dividends | 157 |
Allocation of Income and Dividends | 157 |
Cash Dividends or New Shares from Capital and Legal Reserves | 158 |
Stock Dividends | 158 |
II. Capital Reduction | 158 |
III. Amendments to Company Articles/By-laws | 158 |
Cash Dividend Distribution Plans | 158 |
IV. Capital Raising | 158 |
V. Compensation | 159 |
Equity Based Compensation | 159 |
VI. Release of Restrictions on Directors Competitive Activities | 159 |
UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND | |
I. Operational Items | 159 |
Accept Financial Statements and Statutory Reports | 159 |
II. The Board of Directors | 160 |
Board Diversity | 160 |
Gender Diversity | 160 |
Ethnic Diversity | 160 |
Board Independence and Tenure | 161 |
Board and Committee Composition | 162 |
III. Compensation | 162 |
Remuneration Policy | 162 |
Remuneration Report | 164 |
Approval of a New or Amended LTIP | 165 |
IV. Capital Structure | 165 |
Authorize Issue of Equity with and without Pre-emptive Rights | 166 |
Authorize Market Purchase of Ordinary Shares | 166 |
V. Other Items | 166 |
Authorize EU Political Donations and Expenditure | 166 |
Continuation of Investment Trust | 167 |
END |
Boston Partners
Proxy Voting Policies
As of March 2022
GENERAL POLICY
I. The Board of Directors
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Votes for director nominees on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Boston Partners will generally vote FOR director nominees when names of the nominee(s) and adequate disclosure have been provided in a timely manner, except under the following circumstances:
Independence
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from non-independent directors (Executive Directors and Non-Independent Non-Executive Directors) when:
1. | Independent directors comprise less than one-third of the board (Boston Partners will support higher thresholds required by local law or regulation); |
2. | A non-independent director, not including employee/ labor representatives required to sit on a board committee(s) by law, serves on the audit, compensation, or nominating committee; |
3. | The company lacks an audit, compensation or nominating committee so that the full board functions as that committee; or |
4. | The company lacks a formal nominating committee, even if the board attests that the independent directors fulfill the functions of such a committee. |
Vote AGAINST individual directors, members of a committee, or the entire board due to a conflict of interest that raises significant potential risk, in the absence of mitigating measures and/or procedures.
Except in Japanese markets where no numerical threshold is used, Boston Partners uses a three-year cooling-off period in determining whether a nominee is or is not independent. However, Boston Partners will vote in accordance with specific country or region thresholds required by law.
Composition
Attendance at Board and Committee Meetings
Generally, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from directors (except nominees who served only part of the fiscal year) who attend less than 75 percent of the of their board and committee meetings for the period for which they served, unless an acceptable reason for absences is disclosed in the proxy or another filing. Acceptable reasons for director absences are generally limited to the following:
1. | Medical issues/illness; |
2. | Family emergencies; and |
3. | Missing only one meeting (when the total of all meetings is three or fewer). |
1
In cases of chronic poor attendance without reasonable justification, in addition to voting against the director(s) with poor attendance, generally vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from appropriate members of the nominating/governance committees or the full board.
If the proxy disclosure is unclear and insufficient to determine whether a director attended at least 75 percent of the aggregate of his/her board and committee meetings during his/her period of service, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the director(s) in question.
Overboarded Directors (Executive and Non-Executive)
Vote AGAINST non-CEO nominees sitting on more than four (4) total public company boards and AGAINST or WITHHOLD votes from CEOs sitting on more than three (3) total public company boards. Additionally, vote AGAINST nominees if they exceed lesser thresholders mandated by local country or regional laws.
Gender Diversity
REFER incumbent female nominating committee members. Vote AGAINST majority gender board representatives of the nominating committee or majority gender nominees of the full board when no nominating committee exists (except nominees who served only part of the fiscal year) if there is not at least one (1) board member that is not of the majority board gender for boards with six (6) or fewer total members or at least two (2) board members that are not of the majority board gender for boards with seven (7) or greater board members.
Underrepresented1 Directors (U.S. Only)
Vote AGAINST board representatives of the nominating committee from represented communities or nominees of the full board from represented communities when no nominating committee exists (except nominees who served only part of the fiscal year) if: there is not at least one (1) board member from an underrepresented community on the board.
1 | A director from an underrepresented community is classified as an individual who is American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition); Asian or Pacific Islander (Native Hawaiian/ Other Pacific Islander); Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa); or Hispanic or Latino (speaking Spanish or descending from Spanish-speaking populations or people descending from Latin America including Brazil). If this policy is in conflict with Boston Partners’ Gender Diversity Policy, the matter will be referred to the Governance Committee for discussion and final determination on votes cast. |
2
More Candidates than Seats
Where the number of candidates exceeds the number of board seats, vote FOR all or a limited number of the independent director nominees considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:
1. | Past composition of the board, including proportion of the independent directors vis-a-vis the size of the board; |
2. | Nominee(s) qualification, knowledge, and experience; |
3. | Attendance record of the director nominees; |
4. | Company's free float. |
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that would require a company to nominate more candidates than the number of open board seats.
Classified/Staggered Board (U.S. Only)
Vote AGAINST all nominees if the Board is classified or staggered.
Responsiveness
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on individual directors, committee members, or the entire board of directors as appropriate if:
1. | The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received the support of a majority of the shares cast in the previous year or acted on a management proposal that was opposed by a majority of the shares cast in the previous year. Factors considered will be: |
a. | Disclosed outreach efforts by the board to shareholders in the wake of the vote; |
b. | Rationale provided in the proxy statement for the level of implementation; |
c. | The subject matter of the proposal; |
d. | The level of support for and opposition to the resolution in past meetings; |
e. | Actions taken by the board in response to the majority vote and its engagement with shareholders; |
f. | The continuation of the underlying issue as a voting item on the ballot (as either shareholder or management proposals); and |
g. | Other factors as appropriate. |
2. | The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of shares are tendered; |
3. | At the previous board election, any director received more than 50 percent AGAINST or WITHHOLD votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the issue(s) that caused the high AGAINST or WITHHOLD vote. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on Compensation Committee members (or, in exceptional cases, the full board) and the Say on Pay proposal if:
1. | The company failed to respond to majority-supported shareholder proposals on executive pay topics. |
3
2. | The company failed to adequately respond to the company's previous say-on-pay proposal that received the support of less than 70 percent of votes cast, taking into account: |
a. | The company's response, including: |
i. | Disclosure of engagement efforts with major institutional investors, including the frequency and timing of engagements and the company participants (including whether independent directors participated); |
ii. | Disclosure of the specific concerns voiced by dissenting shareholders that led to the say-on-pay opposition; |
iii. | Disclosure of specific and meaningful actions taken to address shareholders' concerns; |
b. | Other recent compensation actions taken by the company; |
c. | Whether the issues raised are recurring or isolated; |
d. | The company's ownership structure; and |
e. | Whether the support level was less than 50 percent, which would warrant the highest degree of responsiveness. |
3. | The board implements an advisory vote on executive compensation on a less frequent basis than the frequency that received the plurality of votes cast. |
Accountability
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the entire board of directors (except nominees being presented on a ballot for the first time or having served on a board less than a year, who should be considered CASE-BY-CASE depending on the timing of their appointment and the problematic governance issue in question) for the following:
Problematic Takeover Defenses/Governance Structure
Mandatory Takeover Bid Waivers
Vote proposals to waive mandatory takeover bid requirements on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Poison Pills
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from all nominees (except new nominees, who should be considered CASE-BY-CASE) if:
1. | The company has a poison pill that was not approved by shareholders. However, vote CASE-BY-CASE on nominees if the board adopts an initial pill with a term of one year or less, depending on the disclosed rationale for the adoption, and other factors as relevant (such as a commitment to put any renewal to a shareholder vote). |
2. | The board makes a material adverse modification to an existing pill, including, but not limited to, extension, renewal, or lowering the trigger, without shareholder approval; or |
4
3. | The pill, whether short-term2 or long-term, has a dead-hand or slow-hand feature. |
Classified Board Structure
The board is classified, and a continuing director responsible for a problematic governance issue at the board/committee level that would warrant a WITHHOLD or AGAINST vote is not up for election. All appropriate nominees (except new) may be held accountable.
Removal of Shareholder Discretion on Classified Boards
The company has opted into, or failed to opt out of, state laws requiring a classified board structure.
Director Performance Evaluation
The board lacks mechanisms to promote accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers. Sustained poor performance is measured by one-, three-, and five-year total shareholder returns in the bottom half of a company’s four-digit GICS industry group (Russell 3000 companies only). Take into consideration the company’s operational metrics and other factors as warranted. Problematic provisions include but are not limited to:
1. | A classified board structure; |
2. | A supermajority vote requirement; |
3. | Either a plurality vote standard in uncontested director elections, or a majority vote standard in contested elections; |
4. | The inability of shareholders to call special meetings; |
5. | The inability of shareholders to act by written consent; |
6. | A multi-class capital structure; and/or |
7. | A non-shareholder-approved poison pill. |
Unilateral By-law/Charter Amendments and Problematic Capital Structures
Generally, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board (except new nominees, who should be considered CASE-BY-CASE) if the board amends the company's by-laws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders' rights or that could adversely impact shareholders, considering the following factors:
1. | The board's rationale for adopting the by-law/charter amendment without shareholder ratification; |
2. | Disclosure by the company of any significant engagement with shareholders regarding the amendment; |
2 | If the short-term pill with a dead-hand or slow-hand feature is enacted but expires before the next shareholder vote, Boston Partners will generally still vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from nominees at the next shareholder meeting following its adoption. |
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3. | The level of impairment of shareholders' rights caused by the board's unilateral amendment to the by-laws/charter; |
4. | The board's track record with regard to unilateral board action on by-law/charter amendments or other entrenchment provisions; |
5. | Whether the amendment was made prior to or in connection with the company’s initial public offering; |
6. | The company's ownership structure; |
7. | The company's existing governance provisions; |
8. | The timing of the board's amendment to the by-laws/charter in connection with a significant business development; and |
9. | Other factors, as deemed appropriate, that may be relevant to determine the impact of the amendment on shareholders. |
Unless the adverse amendment is reversed or submitted to a binding shareholder vote, in subsequent years vote CASE-BY-CASE on director nominees. Generally, vote AGAINST (except new nominees, who should be considered CASE-BY-CASE) if the directors:
1. | Classified the board; |
2. | Adopted supermajority vote requirements to amend the by-laws or charter; or |
3. | Eliminated shareholders' ability to amend by-laws. |
Problematic Capital Structure - Newly Public Companies
For newly public companies, generally vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the entire board (except new nominees, who should be considered CASE-BY-CASE) if, prior to or in connection with the company's public offering, the company or its board implemented a multi-class capital structure in which the classes have unequal voting rights without subjecting the multi-class capital structure to a reasonable time-based sunset. In assessing the reasonableness of a time-based sunset provision, consideration will be given to the company’s lifespan, its post-IPO ownership structure and the board’s disclosed rationale for the sunset period selected. No sunset period of more than seven years from the date of the IPO will be considered reasonable.
Continue to vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from incumbent directors in subsequent years, unless the problematic capital structure is reversed, removed, or subject to a newly added reasonable sunset.
Common Stock Capital Structure with Unequal Voting Rights
Generally, vote WITHHOLD or AGAINST directors individually, committee members, or the entire board (except new nominees), who should be considered CASE-BY-CASE), if the company employs a common stock structure with unequal voting rights.
Exceptions to this policy will generally be limited to:
1. | Newly-public companies with a sunset provision of no more than seven years from the date of going public; |
2. | Limited Partnerships and the Operating Partnership (OP) unit structure of REITs; |
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3. | Situations where the unequal voting rights are considered de minimis; or |
4. | The company provides sufficient protections for minority shareholders, such as allowing minority shareholders a regular binding vote on whether the capital structure should be maintained. |
Problematic Governance Structure - Newly Public Companies
For newly public companies (generally defined as companies that emerge from bankruptcy, spin-offs, direct listings, and those who complete a traditional initial public offering), generally vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board (except new nominees, who should be considered CASE-BY-CASE) if, prior to or in connection with the company's public offering, the company or its board adopted the following by-law or charter provisions that are considered materially adverse to shareholder rights:
1. | Supermajority vote requirements to amend the by-laws or charter; |
2. | A classified board structure; or |
3. | Other egregious provisions. |
A reasonable sunset provision will be considered a mitigating factor.
Unless the adverse provision is reversed or removed, vote CASE-BY-CASE on director nominees in subsequent years.
Restrictions on Shareholders’ Rights
Restricting Binding Shareholder Proposals
Generally, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the governance committee if the company’s governing documents impose undue restrictions on shareholders’ ability to amend the by-laws. Such restrictions include but are not limited to outright prohibition on the submission of binding shareholder proposals or share ownership requirements, subject matter restrictions, or time holding requirements in excess of SEC Rule 14a-8. Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD on an ongoing basis.
Submission of management proposals to approve or ratify requirements in excess of SEC Rule 14a-8 for the submission of binding by-law amendments will generally be viewed as an insufficient restoration of shareholder’ rights. Generally, continue to vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD on an ongoing basis until shareholders are provided with an unfretted ability to amend the by-laws or a proposal providing for such unfretted right is submitted for shareholder approval.
Problematic Audit-Related Practices
Generally, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Audit Committee if:
1. | The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive (greater than 50 percent); |
2. | The company receives an adverse opinion on the company’s financial statements from its auditor; |
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3. | There is persuasive evidence that the Audit Committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm; |
4. | The company did not disclose the audit fees and/or non-audit fees in the latest fiscal year; or |
5. | There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the Audit Committee and potentially the full board if poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a level of serious concern, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP or other acceptable accounting practices; and material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures. Examine the severity, breadth, chronological sequence, and duration, as well as the company’s efforts at remediation or corrective actions, in determining whether AGAINST or WITHHOLD votes are warranted.
Problematic Compensation Practices
In the absence of an Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say on Pay) ballot item or in egregious situations, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Compensation Committee and potentially the full board if:
1. | There is an unmitigated misalignment between CEO pay and company performance (pay for performance); |
2. | The company maintains significant problematic pay practices; or |
3. | The board exhibits a significant level of poor communication and responsiveness to shareholders. |
Generally, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the Compensation Committee chair, other committee members, or potentially the full board if:
1. | The company fails to include a Say on Pay ballot item when required under SEC provisions, or under the company’s declared frequency of say on pay; or |
2. | The company fails to include a Frequency of Say on Pay ballot item when required under SEC provisions. |
Generally, vote AGAINST members of the board committee responsible for approving/setting non- executive director compensation if there is a pattern (i.e. two or more years) of awarding excessive non- executive director compensation without disclosing a compelling rationale or other mitigating factors.
Problematic Pledging of Company Stock
Vote AGAINST the members of the committee that oversees risks related to pledging, or the full board, where a significant level of pledged company stock by executives or directors raises concerns. The following factors will be considered:
1. | The presence of an anti-pledging policy, disclosed in the proxy statement, that prohibits future pledging activity; |
2. | The magnitude of aggregate pledged shares in terms of total common shares outstanding, market value, and trading volume; |
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3. | Disclosure of progress or lack thereof in reducing the magnitude of aggregate pledged shares over time; |
4. | Disclosure in the proxy statement that shares subject to stock ownership and holding requirements do not include pledged company stock; and |
5. | Any other relevant factors. |
Climate Accountability
For companies that are significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters (those on the current Climate Action 100+ Focus Group list), through their operations or value chain, generally, vote FOR the incumbent chair of the responsible committee (or other directors) (or in the U.K. and Ireland, Russia, and Kazakhstan just the board chair) where Boston Partners determines that the company is taking the minimum steps needed to understand, assess, and mitigate risks related to climate change to the company and the larger economy.
Minimum steps to understand and mitigate those risks are considered to be the following. Both minimum criteria will be required to be in compliance:
1. | Detailed disclosure of climate-related risks, such as according to the framework established by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), including: |
a. | Board governance measures; |
b. | Corporate strategy; |
c. | Risk management analyses; and |
d. | Metrics and targets. |
2. | Appropriate GHG emissions reduction targets. |
“Appropriate GHG emissions reductions targets” will be any well-defined GHG reduction targets. Targets should cover at least a significant portion of the company’s direct emissions. Expectations about what constitutes “minimum steps to mitigate risks related to climate change” will increase over time.
Otherwise, vote CASE-BY-CASE.
Governance Failures
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board at any company whose board the director serves, due to:
1. | Criminal wrongdoing or material failures of governance, stewardship, risk oversight, or fiduciary responsibilities at any company including, but not limited to: bribery; large or serial fines or sanctions from regulatory bodies; demonstrably poor risk oversight of environmental and social issues, including climate change; significant adverse legal judgments or settlement; or hedging of company stock; |
2. | Failure to replace management or directors as appropriate; or |
3. | Egregious actions related to a director’s service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company. |
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Voting on Director Nominees in Contested Elections
For contested elections of directors, e.g. the election of shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, Boston Partners will vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, determining which directors are best suited to add value for shareholders.
The analysis will generally be based on, but not limited to, the following major decision factors:
1. | Company performance relative to its peers; |
2. | Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents; |
3. | Independence of directors/nominees; |
4. | Experience and skills of board candidates; |
5. | Governance profile of the company; |
6. | Evidence of management entrenchment; |
7. | Responsiveness to shareholders; |
8. | Whether a takeover offer has been rebuffed; |
9. | Whether minority or majority representation is being sought. |
When analyzing a contested election of directors, Boston Partners will generally focus on two central questions: (1) Have the dissidents proved that board change is warranted? And (2) if so, are the dissident board nominees likely to affect positive change? (i.e., maximize long-term shareholder value).
Vote-No Campaigns
In cases where companies are targeted in connection with public “vote-no” campaigns, evaluate director nominees under the existing governance policies for voting on director nominees in uncontested elections. Take into consideration the arguments submitted by shareholders and other publicly available information.
Proxy Contests/Proxy Access — Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election of directors in contested elections, considering the following factors:
1. | Long-term financial performance of the company relative to its industry; |
2. | Management’s track record; |
3. | Background to the contested election; |
4. | Nominee qualifications (both slates) and any compensatory arrangements; |
5. | Strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of the critique against management; |
6. | Likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved (both slates); and |
7. | Stock ownership positions. |
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In the case of candidates nominated pursuant to proxy access, vote CASE-BY-CASE considering any applicable factors listed above or additional factors which may be relevant, including those that are specific to the company, to the nominee(s) and/or to the nature of the election (such as whether there are more candidates than board seats).
Bundled and Unbundled Elections
Vote FOR the bundled election of nominees unless:
1. | Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner, including nominee name(s); |
2. | There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; |
3. | There have been questionable transactions with conflicts of interest (; |
4. | There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; |
5. | The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards; |
6. | There are specific concerns about individual nominees, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities; |
7. | The company does not comply with market legal requirements for minimum board independence or the board is not at least one-third independent, whichever is higher; or |
8. | Repeated absences at board and key committee meetings (less than 75 percent attendance) have not been explained (in countries where this information is disclosed). |
In an unbundled election, generally vote FOR all director nominees, unless:
1. | The company has not provided adequate disclosure of the proposed nominees; |
2. | There are concerns regarding the candidate(s) and/or the company; or |
3. | The board does not meet a one-third independence threshold, or the threshold required by local regulations. If the proposed board falls below one-third independence or market regulation requirements, vote FOR the independent nominees presented individually, and vote AGAINST the non-independent candidates. |
Other Board-Related Proposals
Adopt Anti-Hedging/Pledging/Speculative Investments Policy
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking a policy that prohibits named executive officers from engaging in derivative or speculative transactions involving company stock, including hedging, holding stock in a margin account, or pledging stock as collateral for a loan. However, the company’s existing policies regarding responsible use of company stock will be considered.
Age/Term Limits
Vote AGAINST management and shareholder proposals to limit the tenure of directors through mandatory retirement ages.
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Vote AGAINST management proposals to limit the tenure of outside through term limits.
Boston Partners follows respective market thresholds for independence determinations.
Board Size
Vote FOR proposals seeking to fix the size of the board. Vote AGAINST if the proposal would result in the board size being fewer than five (5) or more than fifteen (15) seats.
Vote AGAINST proposals that give management the ability to alter the size of the board without shareholder approval.
Vote AGAINST proposals to alter board structure or size in the context of a fight for control of the company or the board.
Classification/Declassification of the Board
Vote AGAINST proposals to classify or stagger the board.
Vote FOR proposals to repeal classified boards and to elect all directors annually.
CEO Succession Planning
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking disclosure on a CEO succession planning policy, considering, at a minimum, the following factors:
1. | The reasonableness/scope of the request; and |
2. | The company’s existing disclosure on its current CEO succession planning process. |
Cumulative Voting
Generally, vote AGAINST management proposals to eliminate cumulative voting unless:
1. | The company has proxy access, thereby allowing shareholders to nominate directors to the company’s ballot; and |
2. | The company has adopted a majority vote standard, with a carve-out for plurality voting in situations where there are more nominees than seats, and a director resignation policy to address failed elections. |
Vote FOR proposals for cumulative voting at controlled companies (insider voting power > 50%).
Vote FOR shareholder proposals that restore or introduce cumulative voting.
Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals concerning director and officer indemnification and liability protection taking into account the following:
1. | Safeguards to prevent potential conflict of interests, including the independence of the decision-making process for approval of indemnification coverage; |
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2. | The disclosure of a publicly available, board approved indemnification policy; |
3. | Clear description of acts and events that can and cannot be covered by the indemnity policy or contract; |
4. | Information regarding potential financial impact of the indemnity policy or contracts to the company; |
5. | Eligible beneficiaries of the policy, including the length of the post-employment period that will be covered by the policy or contract; |
6. | Treatment of indemnity payments already made in the event of a final irreversible court ruling has determined that associated actions were outside the scope of indemnification coverage. |
Vote AGAINST proposals that would:
1. | Limit or eliminate entirely directors' and officers' liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care; |
2. | Expand coverage beyond just legal expenses to liability for acts that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligation than mere carelessness; |
3. | Expand the scope of indemnification to provide for mandatory indemnification of company officials in connection with acts that previously the company was permitted to provide indemnification for, at the discretion of the company's board (i.e., "permissive indemnification"), but that previously the company was not required to indemnify; |
4. | Allow indemnity coverage for current and/or former director, officers, and/or fiscal council members who have entered into leniency agreements with the country's authorities in the context of corruption investigations; and |
5. | Allow indemnity coverage of acts committed outside the normal exercise of duties of the administrator, acts performed in bad faith, malice, or fraud, or acts committed in detriment of the company’s best interest. |
Vote FOR only those proposals providing such expanded coverage in cases when a director’s or officer’s legal defense was unsuccessful if both of the following apply:
1. | If the director was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that s/he reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company; and |
2. | If only the director’s legal expenses would be covered. |
Establish/Amend Nominee Qualifications
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals that establish or amend director qualifications. Votes should be based on the reasonableness of the criteria and the degree to which they may preclude dissident nominees from joining the board.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder resolutions seeking a director nominee who possesses a particular subject matter expertise, considering:
1. | The company’s board committee structure, existing subject matter expertise, and board nomination provisions relative to that of its peers; |
2. | The company’s existing board and management oversight mechanisms regarding the issue for which board oversight is sought; |
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3. | The company’s disclosure and performance relating to the issue for which board oversight is sought and any significant related controversies; and |
4. | The scope and structure of the proposal. |
Establish Other Board Committee Proposals
Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals to establish a new board committee, as such proposals seek a specific oversight mechanism/structure that potentially limits a company’s flexibility to determine an appropriate oversight mechanism for itself. However, the following factors will be considered:
1. | Existing oversight mechanisms (including current committee structure) regarding the issue for which board oversight is sought; |
2. | Level of disclosure regarding the issue for which board oversight is sought; |
3. | Company performance related to the issue for which board oversight is sought; |
4. | Board committee structure compared to that of other companies in its industry sector; and |
5. | The scope and structure of the proposal. |
Filling Vacancies/Removal of Directors
Vote CASE-BY-CASE when a company proposes to dismiss directors, paying particular attention, but not limited, to:
1. | Whether the company has presented a compelling rationale for the request, and |
2. | Whether the newly proposed board is one-third independent. |
Generally, vote FOR the discharge of directors, including members of the management board and/or supervisory board, unless there is reliable information about significant and compelling controversies as to whether the board is fulfilling its fiduciary duties, as evidenced by:
1. | A lack of oversight or actions by board members that invoke shareholder distrust related to malfeasance or poor supervision, such as operating in private or company interest rather than in shareholder interest; or |
2. | Any legal proceedings (either civil or criminal) aiming to hold the board responsible for breach of trust in the past or related to currently alleged actions yet to be confirmed (and not only the fiscal year in question), such as price fixing, insider trading, bribery, fraud, and other illegal actions; or |
3. | Other egregious governance issues where shareholders will bring legal action against the company or its directors. |
For markets that do not routinely request discharge resolutions (e.g. common law countries or markets where discharge is not mandatory), analysts may voice concern in other appropriate agenda items, such as approval of the annual accounts or other relevant resolutions, to enable shareholders to express discontent with the board.
Vote AGAINST proposals that provide that directors may be removed only for cause.
Vote FOR proposals to restore shareholders’ ability to remove directors with or without cause.
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Vote AGAINST proposals that provide that only continuing directors may elect replacements to fill board vacancies.
Vote FOR proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.
Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director and FOR the separation of the offices of CEO and chair.
Majority of Independent Directors/Establishment of Independent Committees
Vote FOR shareholder proposals asking that a majority or more of directors be independent.
Vote FOR shareholder proposals asking that board audit, compensation, and/or nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.
Majority Vote Standard for the Election of Directors
Vote for proposals requiring a majority vote standard.
Companies are strongly encouraged to also adopt a post-election policy (also known as a director resignation policy) that will provide guidelines so that the company will promptly address the situation of a holdover director.
Proxy Access
Generally, vote FOR management and shareholder proposals for proxy access with the following provisions:
1. | Ownership threshold: maximum requirement not more than three percent (3%) of the voting power; |
2. | Ownership duration: maximum requirement not longer than three (3) years of continuous ownership for each member of the nominating group; |
3. | Aggregation: minimal or no limits on the number of shareholders permitted to form a nominating group; |
4. | Cap: cap on nominees of generally twenty-five percent (25%) of the board. |
Review for reasonableness any other restrictions on the right of proxy access.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals that are more restrictive than these guidelines.
Shareholder Engagement Policy (Shareholder Advisory Committee)
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the board establish an internal mechanism/process, which may include a committee, in order to improve communications between directors and shareholders, unless the company has the following features, as appropriate:
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1. | Established a communication structure that goes beyond the exchange requirements to facilitate the exchange of information between shareholders and members of the board; |
2. | Effectively disclosed information with respect to this structure to its shareholders; |
3. | Company has not ignored majority-supported shareholder proposals or a majority WITHHOLD vote on a director nominee; and |
4. | The company has an independent chairman or a lead director. This individual must be made available for periodic consultation and direct communication with major shareholders. |
II. Audit-Related
Auditor Indemnification and Limitation of Liability
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the issue of auditor indemnification and limitation of liability. Factors to be assessed include, but are not limited to:
1. | The terms of the auditor agreement—the degree to which these agreements impact shareholders' rights; |
2. | The motivation and rationale for establishing the agreements; |
3. | The quality of the company’s disclosure; and |
4. | The company’s historical practices in the audit area. |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from members of an audit committee in situations where there is persuasive evidence that the audit committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm.
Vote AGAINST proposals that would indemnify external auditors.
Auditor Ratification/Reelection
Vote AGAINST incumbent audit committee members if the ratification of auditors is not up for shareholder vote. (U.S. only). This does not apply to mutual fund companies.
Vote FOR proposals to ratify/reelect auditors and/or proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:
1. | The name(s) of the proposed auditors has not been published; |
2. | The auditors are being changed without explanation; |
3. | An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, for example, external auditors have previously served the company in an executive capacity and is therefore not independent; |
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4. | There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
5. | There are serious concerns about the accounts presented or the procedures used by the auditor or poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a serious level of concern, such as fraud or misapplication of GAAP or other acceptable accounting standards; |
6. | The profile of the new audit firm being appointed is not disclosed or not available in the public domain; or |
7. | Fees for non-audit services (“Other” fees) are excessive (greater than 50 percent). |
Non-audit fees are excessive if Non-audit (“other”) fees > audit fees + audit-related fees + tax compliance/preparation fees
Tax compliance and preparation include the preparation of original and amended tax returns and refund claims, and tax payment planning. All other services in the tax category, such as tax advice, planning, or consulting, should be added to “Other” fees. If the breakout of tax fees cannot be determined, add all tax fees to “Other” fees.
In circumstances where "Other" fees include fees related to significant one-time capital structure events (such as initial public offerings, bankruptcy emergence, and spin-offs) and the company makes public disclosure of the amount and nature of those fees that are an exception to the standard "non-audit fee" category, then such fees may be excluded from the non-audit fees considered in determining the ratio of non-audit to audit/audit-related fees/tax compliance and preparation for purposes of determining whether non-audit fees are excessive.
For concerns related to the audit procedures, independence of auditors, and/or name of auditors, Boston Partners may vote AGAINST the auditor's (re)election. For concerns related to fees paid to the auditors, Boston Partners may vote AGAINST remuneration of auditors if this is a separate voting item; otherwise Boston Partners may vote AGAINST the auditor election.
Appointment of Internal Statutory Auditors
Vote FOR the appointment or (re)election of statutory auditors, unless:
1. | There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or the audit procedures used; |
2. | Questions exist concerning any of the statutory auditors being appointed; or |
3. | The auditors have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company. |
Shareholder Proposals Limiting Non-Audit Services
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking companies to prohibit or limit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services.
Shareholder Proposals on Audit Firm Rotation
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking for audit firm rotation, taking into account:
1. | The tenure of the audit firm; |
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2. | The length of rotation specified in the proposal; |
3. | Any significant audit-related issues at the company; |
4. | The number of Audit Committee meetings held each year; |
5. | The number of financial experts serving on the committee; and |
6. | Whether the company has a periodic renewal process where the auditor is evaluated for both audit quality and competitive price. |
III. Shareholder Rights and Defenses
Shareholder Proposals
Vote all shareholder proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote FOR proposals that would improve the company’s corporate governance or business profile at a reasonable cost.
Vote AGAINST proposals that limit the company’s business activities or capabilities or result in significant costs being incurred with little or no benefit.
Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals/Nominations
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on advance notice proposals, giving support to those proposals which allow shareholders to submit proposals/nominations as close to the meeting date as reasonably possible and within the broadest window possible, recognizing the need to allow sufficient notice for company, regulatory, and shareholder review.
To be reasonable, the company’s deadline for shareholder notice of a proposal/nominations must not be more than 60 days prior to the meeting, with a submittal window of at least 30 days prior to the deadline. The submittal window is the period under which a shareholder must file his proposal/nominations prior to the deadline.
In general, support additional efforts by companies to ensure full disclosure in regard to a proponent’s economic and voting position in the company so long as the informational requirements are reasonable and aimed at providing shareholders with the necessary information to review such proposals.
Amend By-laws without Shareholder Consent
Vote AGAINST proposals giving the board exclusive authority to amend the by-laws.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals giving the board the ability to amend the by-laws in addition to shareholders, taking into account the following:
1. | Any impediments to shareholders' ability to amend the by-laws (i.e. supermajority voting requirements); |
2. | The company's ownership structure and historical voting turnout; |
3. | Whether the board could amend by-laws adopted by shareholders; and |
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4. | Whether shareholders would retain the ability to ratify any board-initiated amendments. |
Control Share Acquisition Provisions
Control share acquisition statutes function by denying shares their voting rights when they contribute to ownership in excess of certain thresholds. Voting rights for those shares exceeding ownership limits may only be restored by approval of either a majority or supermajority of disinterested shares. Thus, control share acquisition statutes effectively require a hostile bidder to put its offer to a shareholder vote or risk voting disenfranchisement if the bidder continues buying up a large block of shares.
Vote FOR proposals to opt out of control share acquisition statutes unless doing so would enable the completion of a takeover that would be detrimental to shareholders.
Vote AGAINST proposals to amend the charter to include control share acquisition provisions.
Vote FOR proposals to restore voting rights to the control shares.
Control Share Cash-Out Provisions
Control share cash-out statutes give dissident shareholders the right to "cash-out" of their position in a company at the expense of the shareholder who has taken a control position. In other words, when an investor crosses a preset threshold level, remaining shareholders are given the right to sell their shares to the acquirer, who must buy them at the highest acquiring price.
Vote FOR proposals to opt out of control share cash-out statutes.
Disgorgement Provisions
Disgorgement provisions require an acquirer or potential acquirer of more than a certain percentage of a company's stock to disgorge, or pay back, to the company any profits realized from the sale of that company's stock purchased 24 months before achieving control status. All sales of company stock by the acquirer occurring within a certain period of time (between 18 months and 24 months) prior to the investor's gaining control status are subject to these recapture-of-profits provisions.
Vote FOR proposals to opt out of state disgorgement provisions.
Fair Price Provisions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to adopt fair price provisions (provisions that stipulate that an acquirer must pay the same price to acquire all shares as it paid to acquire the control shares), evaluating factors such as the vote required to approve the proposed acquisition, the vote required to repeal the fair price provision, and the mechanism for determining the fair price.
Generally, vote AGAINST fair price provisions with shareholder vote requirements greater than a majority of disinterested shares.
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Freeze-Out Provisions
Vote FOR proposals to opt out of state freeze-out provisions. Freeze-out provisions force an investor who surpasses a certain ownership threshold in a company to wait a specified period of time before gaining control of the company.
Greenmail
Greenmail payments are targeted share repurchases by management of company stock from individuals or groups seeking control of the company. Since only the hostile party receives payment, usually at a substantial premium over the market value of its shares, the practice discriminates against all other shareholders.
Vote FOR proposals to adopt anti-greenmail charter or by-law amendments or otherwise restrict a company’s ability to make greenmail payments.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on anti-greenmail proposals when they are bundled with other charter or by-law amendments.
Litigation Rights (including Exclusive Venue and Fee-Shifting By-law Provisions) (U.S. only)
Generally, vote FOR federal selection provisions in the charter or bylaws that specify “the district courts of the United States” as the exclusive forum for federal securities law matters, in the absence of serious concerns about corporate governance or board responsiveness to shareholders.
Vote AGAINST provisions that restrict the forum to a particular federal district court; unilateral adoption (without shareholder vote) of such a provision will generally be considered a one-time failure under our Unilateral By-law/Charter Amendments policy.
Generally, vote FOR charter or by-law provisions that specify courts located within the state of Delaware as the exclusive for corporate law matters for Delaware corporations, in the absence of serious concerns about corporate governance or board responsiveness to shareholders.
For states other than Delaware, vote CASE-BY-CASE on exclusive forum provisions, taking into consideration:
1. | The company's stated rationale for adopting such a provision; |
2. | Disclosure of past harm from duplicative shareholder lawsuits in more than one forum; |
3. | The breadth of application of the charter or by-law provision, including the types of lawsuits to which it would apply and the definition of key terms; and |
4. | Governance features such as shareholders' ability to repeal the provision at a later date (including the vote standard applied when shareholders attempt to amend the charter or by-laws) and their ability to hold directors accountable through annual director elections and a majority vote standard in uncontested elections. |
Generally, vote AGAINST provisions that specify a state other than the state of incorporation as the exclusive forum of corporate law matters, or that specify a particular local court within the state; unilateral adoption of such a provision will generally be considered a one-time failure under our Unilateral By-law/Charter Amendments policy.
Generally, vote AGAINST provisions that mandate fee-shifting whenever plaintiffs are not completely successful on the merits (i.e., including cases where the plaintiffs are partially successful).
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Unilateral adoption of a fee-shifting provision will generally be considered an ongoing failure under our Unilateral By-law/Charter Amendments policy.
Poison Pills (Shareholder Rights Plans)
Generally, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from all nominees (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-cast) if:
1. | The company has a poison pill with a deadhand or slowhand feature; |
2. | The board makes a material adverse modification to an existing pill, including, but not limited to, extension, renewal, or lowering the trigger, without shareholder approval, or |
3. | The company has a long-term poison pill (with a term of over one year) that was not approved by the public shareholders. |
Shareholder Proposals to Put Pill to a Vote and/or Adopt a Pill Policy
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the company submit its poison pill to a shareholder vote or redeem it unless the company has: (1) A shareholder approved poison pill in place; or (2) The company has adopted a policy concerning the adoption of a pill in the future specifying that the board will only adopt a shareholder rights plan if either:
1. | Shareholders have approved the adoption of the plan; or |
2. | The board, in its exercise of its fiduciary responsibilities, determines that it is in the best interest of shareholders under the circumstances to adopt a pill without the delay in adoption that would result from seeking stockholder approval (i.e., the “fiduciary out” provision). A poison pill adopted under this fiduciary out will be put to a shareholder ratification vote within 12 months of adoption or expire. If the pill is not approved by a majority of the votes cast on this issue, the plan will immediately terminate. |
If the shareholder proposal calls for a time period of less than 12 months for shareholder ratification after adoption, vote FOR the proposal, but add the caveat that a vote within 12 months would be considered sufficient implementation.
Management Proposals to Ratify a Poison Pill
Vote case-by-case on nominees if the board adopts an initial short-term pill (with a term of one year or less) without shareholder approval, taking into consideration:
1. | The disclosed rationale for the adoption; |
2. | The trigger; |
3. | The company’s market capitalization (including absolute level and sudden changes); |
4. | A commitment to put any renewal to a shareholder vote; and other factors as relevant. |
In addition, the rationale for adopting the pill should be thoroughly explained by the company. In examining the request for the pill, take into consideration the company’s existing governance structure, including: board independence, existing takeover defenses, and any problematic governance concerns.
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Net Operating Losses (NOLs) Protective Amendments and Management Proposals to Ratify a Pill to Preserve NOLs
Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt a protective amendment or poison pill for the stated purpose of protecting a company's net operating losses (NOL) if the term of the protective amendment or pill would exceed the shorter of three years and the exhaustion of the NOL.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals for protective amendments or poison pill ratification, considering the following factors, if the term of the pill would be the shorter of three years (or less) and the exhaustion of the NOL:
1. | The ownership threshold to transfer (NOL protective amendments and pills generally prohibit stock ownership transfers that would result in a new 5-percent holder or increase the stock ownership percentage of an existing 5-percent holder); |
2. | The value of the NOLs; |
3. | Shareholder protection mechanisms (sunset provision or commitment to cause expiration of the pill upon exhaustion or expiration of NOLs); |
4. | The company's existing governance structure including: board independence, existing takeover defenses, track record of responsiveness to shareholders, and any other problematic governance concerns; and |
5. | Any other factors that may be applicable. |
Proxy Voting Disclosure, Confidentiality, and Tabulation
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals regarding proxy voting mechanics, taking into consideration whether implementation of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder rights. Specific issues covered under the policy include, but are not limited to, confidential voting of individual proxies and ballots, confidentiality of running vote tallies, and the treatment of abstentions and/or broker non-votes in the company's vote-counting methodology.
While a variety of factors may be considered in each analysis, the guiding principles are: transparency, consistency, and fairness in the proxy voting process. The factors considered, as applicable to the proposal, may include:
1. | The scope and structure of the proposal; |
2. | The company's stated confidential voting policy (or other relevant policies) and whether it ensures a "level playing field" by providing shareholder proponents with equal access to vote information prior to the annual meeting; |
3. | The company's vote standard for management and shareholder proposals and whether it ensures consistency and fairness in the proxy voting process and maintains the integrity of vote results; |
4. | Whether the company's disclosure regarding its vote counting method and other relevant voting policies with respect to management and shareholder proposals are consistent and clear; |
5. | Any recent controversies or concerns related to the company's proxy voting mechanics; |
6. | Any unintended consequences resulting from implementation of the proposal; and |
7. | Any other factors that may be relevant. |
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Ratification Proposals: Management Proposals to Ratify Existing Charter or By-law Provisions
Generally, vote AGAINST management proposals to ratify provisions of the company’s existing charter or by-laws, unless these governance provisions align with best practice.
In addition, voting AGAINST or WITHHOLD from individual directors, members of the governance committee, or the full board may be warranted, considering:
1. | The presence of a shareholder proposal addressing the same issue on the same ballot; |
2. | The board's rationale for seeking ratification; |
3. | Disclosure of actions to be taken by the board should the ratification proposal fail; |
4. | Disclosure of shareholder engagement regarding the board’s ratification request; |
5. | The level of impairment to shareholders' rights caused by the existing provision; |
6. | The history of management and shareholder proposals on the provision at the company’s past meetings; |
7. | Whether the current provision was adopted in response to the shareholder proposal; |
8. | The company's ownership structure; and |
9. | Previous use of ratification proposals to exclude shareholder proposals. |
Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation Expenses
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to reimburse proxy solicitation expenses.
When voting in conjunction with support of a dissident slate, vote FOR the reimbursement of all appropriate proxy solicitation expenses associated with the election.
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals calling for the reimbursement of reasonable costs incurred in connection with nominating one or more candidates in a contested election where the following apply:
1. | The election of fewer than 50 percent of the directors to be elected is contested in the election; |
2. | One or more of the dissident’s candidates is elected; |
3. | Shareholders are not permitted to cumulate their votes for directors; and |
4. | The election occurred, and the expenses were incurred, after the adoption of this by-law. |
Reincorporation Proposals
Management or shareholder proposals to change a company's state of incorporation should be evaluated CASE-BY-CASE, giving consideration to both financial and corporate governance concerns including the following:
1. | Reasons for reincorporation; |
2. | Comparison of company's governance practices and provisions prior to and following the reincorporation; and |
3. | Comparison of corporation laws of original state and destination state. |
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4. | Vote FOR reincorporation when the economic factors outweigh any neutral or negative governance changes. |
Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent
Vote AGAINST management and shareholder proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholders' ability to act by written consent.
Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings
Vote AGAINST management or shareholder proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholders’ ability to call special meetings.
Vote FOR management or shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings as long as the proposed minimum threshold is 10 percent or higher, with 10 percent being the preferred percentage.
Stakeholder Provisions
Vote AGAINST proposals that ask the board to consider non-shareholder constituencies or other non-financial effects when evaluating a merger or business combination.
State Antitakeover Statutes
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, and anti-greenmail provisions).
Supermajority Vote Requirements
Vote AGAINST proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote.
Vote FOR management or shareholder proposals to reduce supermajority vote requirements.
IV. Capital/ Restructuring
Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock
In the U.S. and Korea, vote FOR proposals to reduce/adjust the par value of common stock unless the action is being taken to facilitate an anti-takeover device or some other negative corporate governance action.
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Vote FOR management proposals to eliminate par value.
For countries and regions outside the U.S., vote FOR requests to capitalize reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase par value.
Shelf Registration Program
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis on all requests, with or without preemptive rights.
Approval of a multi-year authority for the issuance of securities under Shelf Registration Programs will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, taking into consideration, but not limited to, the following:
1. | Whether the company has provided adequate and timely disclosure including detailed information regarding the rationale for the proposed program; |
2. | Whether the proposed amount to be approved under such authority, the use of the resources, the length of the authorization, the nature of the securities to be issued under such authority, including any potential risk of dilution to shareholders is disclosed; and |
3. | Whether there are concerns regarding questionable finances, the use of the proceeds, or other governance concerns |
Common Stock Authorization/ Share Issuance Requests
General Authorization Requests
Vote FOR proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock that are to be used for general corporate purposes:
1. | With preemptive rights to a maximum of 50 percent over currently issued capital; |
2. | Without preemptive rights to a maximum of 10 percent of currently issued capital; |
3. | In Malaysia, for real estate investment trusts (REITs), issuance requests without preemptive rights to a maximum of 20 percent of currently issued capital; |
4. | In the U.S., in the case of a stock split, the allowable increase is calculated (per above) based on the post-split adjusted authorization. |
In the U.S., generally vote AGAINST proposed increases, even if within the above ratios, if the proposal or the company’s prior or ongoing use of authorized shares is problematic, including, but not limited to:
1. | The proposal seeks to increase the number of authorized shares of the class of common stock that has superior voting rights to other share classes; |
2. | On the same ballot is a proposal for a reverse split for which support is warranted despite the fact that it would result in an excessive increase in the share authorization; |
3. | The company has a non-shareholder approved poison pill (including an NOL pill); or |
4. | The company has previous sizeable placements (within the past 3 years) of stock with insiders at prices substantially below market value, or with problematic voting rights, without shareholder approval. |
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However, generally vote FOR proposed increases beyond the above ratios or problematic situations when there is disclosure of specific and severe risks to shareholders of not approving the request, such as:
1. | In, or subsequent to, the company's most recent 10-K filing, the company discloses that there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern; |
2. | The company states that there is a risk of imminent bankruptcy or imminent liquidation if shareholders do not approve the increase in authorized capital; or |
3. | A government body has in the past year required the company to increase its capital ratios. |
For companies incorporated in states that allow increases in authorized capital without shareholder approval, generally vote WITHHOLD or AGAINST all nominees if a unilateral capital authorization increase does not conform to the above policies.
Specific Authorization Requests
In the U.S., generally, vote FOR proposals to increase the number of authorized common shares where the primary purpose of the increase is to issue shares in connection with transaction(s) (such as acquisitions, SPAC transactions, private placements, or similar transactions) on the same ballot, or disclosed in the proxy statement, that warrant support.
For such transactions, the allowable increase will be the greater of:
1. | twice the amount needed to support the transactions on the ballot, and |
2. | the allowable increase as calculated for general issuances above. |
Elsewhere, vote FOR specific proposals to increase authorized capital to any amount, unless:
1. | The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not meet guidelines for the purpose being proposed; or |
2. | The increase would leave the company with less than 30 percent of its new authorization outstanding after adjusting for all proposed issuances. |
Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt unlimited capital authorizations.
Reduction of Capital
Vote FOR proposals to reduce capital for routine accounting purposes unless the terms are unfavorable to shareholders.
Vote proposals to reduce capital in connection with corporate restructuring on a CASE-BY-CASE basis
Dual Class Structure
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to create or maintain a new class of common stock unless:
1. | The company discloses a compelling rationale for the dual-class capital structure, such as: |
a. | The company's auditor has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern; or |
b. | The new class of shares will be transitory; |
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2. | The new class is intended for financing purposes with minimal or no dilution to current shareholders in both the short term and long term; and |
3. | The new class is not designed to preserve or increase the voting power of an insider or significant shareholder. |
Issue Stock for Use with Rights Plan
Vote AGAINST proposals that increase authorized common stock for the explicit purpose of implementing a non-shareholder-approved shareholder rights plan (poison pill).
Preemptive Rights
We vote FOR proposals to create preemptive rights and AGAINST proposals to eliminate preemptive rights.
Preferred Stock Authorization
General Authorization Requests
Vote FOR the creation of a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50 percent of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of preferred stock that are to be used for general corporate purposes:
1. | If share usage (outstanding plus reserved) is less than 50% of the current authorized shares, vote for an increase of up to 50% of current authorized shares. |
2. | If share usage is 50% to 100% of the current authorized, vote for an increase of up to 100% of current authorized shares. |
3. | If share usage is greater than current authorized shares, vote for an increase of up to the current share usage. |
4. | In the case of a stock split, the allowable increase is calculated (per above) based on the post-split adjusted authorization. |
5. | If no preferred shares are currently issued and outstanding, vote against the request, unless the company discloses a specific use for the shares. |
Generally, vote AGAINST proposed increases, even if within the above ratios, if the proposal or the company’s prior or ongoing use of authorized shares is problematic, including, but not limited to:
1. | If the shares requested are blank check preferred shares that can be used for antitakeover purposes; |
2. | The company seeks to increase a class of non-convertible preferred shares entitled to more than one vote per share on matters that do not solely affect the rights of preferred stockholders "supervoting shares"); |
3. | The company seeks to increase a class of convertible preferred shares entitled to a number of votes greater than the number of common shares into which they're convertible ("supervoting shares") on matters that do not solely affect the rights of preferred stockholders; |
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4. | The stated intent of the increase in the general authorization is to allow the company to increase an existing designated class of supervoting preferred shares; |
5. | On the same ballot is a proposal for a reverse split for which support is warranted despite the fact that it would result in an excessive increase in the share authorization; |
6. | The company has a non-shareholder approved poison pill (including an NOL pill); or |
7. | The company has previous sizeable placements (within the past 3 years) of stock with insiders at prices substantially below market value, or with problematic voting rights, without shareholder approval. |
However, generally vote FOR proposed increases beyond the above ratios or problematic situations when there is disclosure of specific and severe risks to shareholders of not approving the request, such as:
1. | In, or subsequent to, the company's most recent 10-K filing, the company discloses that there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern; |
2. | The company states that there is a risk of imminent bankruptcy or imminent liquidation if shareholders do not approve the increase in authorized capital; or |
3. | A government body has in the past year required the company to increase its capital ratios. |
For companies incorporated in states that allow increases in authorized capital without shareholder approval, generally vote WITHHOLD or AGAINST all nominees if a unilateral capital authorization increase does not conform to the above policies.
Specific Authorization Requests
Generally vote FOR proposals to increase the number of authorized preferred shares where the primary purpose of the increase is to issue shares in connection with transaction(s) (such as acquisitions, SPAC transactions, private placements, or similar transactions) on the same ballot, or disclosed in the proxy statement, that warrant support. For such transactions, the allowable increase will be the greater of:
1. | twice the amount needed to support the transactions on the ballot, and |
2. | the allowable increase as calculated for general issuances above. |
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issue requests.
Recapitalization Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on recapitalizations (reclassifications of securities), taking into account the following:
1. | More simplified capital structure; |
2. | Enhanced liquidity; |
3. | Fairness of conversion terms; |
4. | Impact on voting power and dividends; |
5. | Reasons for the reclassification; |
6. | Conflicts of interest; and |
7. | Other alternatives considered. |
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Reverse Stock Splits
Vote FOR management proposals to implement a reverse stock split if:
1. | The number of authorized shares will be proportionately reduced; or |
2. | The effective increase in authorized shares is equal to or less than the allowable increase. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals that do not meet either of the above conditions, taking into consideration the following factors:
1. | Stock exchange notification to the company of a potential delisting; |
2. | Disclosure of substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern without additional financing; |
3. | The company's rationale; or |
4. | Other factors as applicable. |
Share Repurchase Programs
For U.S.-incorporated companies, and foreign-incorporated U.S. Domestic Issuers that are traded solely on U.S. exchanges, vote FOR management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms, or to grant the board authority to conduct open-market repurchases, in the absence of company-specific concerns regarding:
1. | Greenmail, |
2. | The use of buybacks to inappropriately manipulate incentive compensation metrics, |
3. | Threats to the company's long-term viability, or |
4. | Other company-specific factors as warranted. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to repurchase shares directly from specified shareholders, balancing the stated rationale against the possibility for the repurchase authority to be misused, such as to repurchase shares from insiders at a premium to market price.
Generally, vote FOR market repurchase authorities (share repurchase programs) if the terms comply with the following criteria:
1. | A repurchase limit of up to 10 percent of issued share capital; |
2. | A holding limit of up to 10 percent of a company’s issued share capital in treasury (“on the shelf”); and |
3. | A duration that does not exceed market practice. In Asian markets, a duration of no more than five years, or such lower threshold as may be set by applicable law, regulation or code of governance best practice. |
Authorities to repurchase shares in excess of the 10 percent repurchase limit will be assessed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Boston Partners may support such share repurchase authorities under special circumstances, which are required to be publicly disclosed by the company, provided that, on balance, the proposal is in shareholders’ interests. In such cases, the authority must comply with the following criteria:
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1. | A holding limit of up to 10 percent of a company’s issued share capital in treasury (“on the shelf”); and |
2. | A duration of no more than 18 months. |
In markets where it is normal practice not to provide a repurchase limit, Boston Partners will evaluate the proposal based on the company’s historical practice. However, Boston Partners expects companies to disclose such limits and, in the future, may vote AGAINST companies that fail to do so. In such cases, the authority must comply with the following criteria:
1. | A holding limit of up to 10 percent of a company’s issued share capital in treasury (“on the shelf”); and |
2. | A duration of no more than 18 months. |
In addition, Boston Partners will vote AGAINST any proposal where:
1. | The repurchase can be used for takeover defenses; |
2. | There is clear evidence of abuse; |
3. | There is no safeguard against selective buybacks; and/or |
4. | Pricing provisions and safeguards are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice. |
Reissuance of Repurchased Shares
Vote FOR requests to reissue any repurchased shares unless there is clear evidence of abuse of this authority in the past.
Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends
Generally, vote FOR management proposals to increase the common share authorization for stock split or stock dividend, provided that the effective increase in authorized shares is equal to or is less than the allowable increase(s).
Tracking Stock
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the creation of tracking stock, weighing the strategic value of the transaction against such factors as:
1. | Adverse governance changes; |
2. | Excessive increases in authorized capital stock; |
3. | Unfair method of distribution; |
4. | Diminution of voting rights; |
5. | Adverse conversion features; |
6. | Negative impact on stock option plans; and |
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7. | Alternatives such as spin-off. |
Appraisal Rights
Vote FOR proposals to restore or provide shareholders with rights of appraisal.
Asset Purchases
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on asset purchase proposals, considering the following factors:
1. | Purchase price; |
2. | Fairness opinion; |
3. | Financial and strategic benefits; |
4. | How the deal was negotiated; |
5. | Conflicts of interest; |
6. | Other alternatives for the business; |
7. | Non-completion risk. |
Asset Sales
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on asset sales, considering the following factors:
1. | Impact on the balance sheet/working capital; |
2. | Potential elimination of diseconomies; |
3. | Anticipated financial and operating benefits; |
4. | Anticipated use of funds; |
5. | Value received for the asset; |
6. | Fairness opinion; |
7. | How the deal was negotiated; |
8. | Conflicts of interest. |
Pledging of Assets for Debt
Vote proposals to approve the pledging of assets for debt on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Increase in Borrowing Powers
Vote proposals to approve increases in a company’s borrowing powers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
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Bundled Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on bundled or “conditional” proxy proposals. In the case of items that are conditioned upon each other, examine the benefits and costs of the packaged items. In instances when the joint effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders’ best interests, vote AGAINST the proposals. If the combined effect is positive, support such proposals.
Conversion of Securities
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals regarding conversion of securities. When evaluating these proposals, the investor should review the dilution to existing shareholders, the conversion price relative to market value, financial issues, control issues, termination penalties, and conflicts of interest.
Vote FOR the conversion if it is expected that the company will be subject to onerous penalties or will be forced to file for bankruptcy if the transaction is not approved.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible debt instruments as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Corporate Reorganization/Debt Restructuring/Prepackaged Bankruptcy Plans/Reverse Leveraged Buyouts/Wrap Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares, with or without preemptive rights, and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan, after evaluating:
1. | Dilution to existing shareholders' positions; |
2. | Terms of the offer - discount/premium in purchase price to investor, including any fairness opinion; termination penalties; exit strategy; |
3. | Financial issues - company's financial situation; degree of need for capital; use of proceeds; effect of the financing on the company's cost of capital; |
4. | Management's efforts to pursue other alternatives; |
5. | Control issues - change in management; change in control, guaranteed board and committee seats; standstill provisions; voting agreements; veto power over certain corporate actions; and |
6. | Conflict of interest - arm's length transaction, managerial incentives. |
Vote FOR the debt restructuring if it is expected that the company will file for bankruptcy if the transaction is not approved.
Formation of Holding Company
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals regarding the formation of a holding company, taking into consideration the following:
1. | The reasons for the change; |
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2. | Any financial or tax benefits; |
3. | Regulatory benefits; |
4. | Increases in capital structure; and |
5. | Changes to the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the company. |
Absent compelling financial reasons for the transaction, vote AGAINST the formation of a holding company if the transaction would include either of the following:
1. | Increases in common or preferred stock in excess of the allowable maximum (see discussion under “Capital”); or |
2. | Adverse changes in shareholder rights. |
Going Private and Going Dark Transactions (LBOs and Minority Squeeze-outs)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on going private transactions, taking into account the following:
1. | Offer price/premium; |
2. | Fairness opinion; |
3. | How the deal was negotiated; |
4. | Conflicts of interest; |
5. | Other alternatives/offers considered; and |
6. | Non-completion risk. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on going dark transactions, determining whether the transaction enhances shareholder value by taking into consideration:
1. | Whether the company has attained benefits from being publicly traded (examination of trading volume, liquidity, and market research of the stock); |
2. | Balanced interests of continuing vs. cashed-out shareholders, taking into account the following: |
a. | Are all shareholders able to participate in the transaction? |
b. | Will there be a liquid market for remaining shareholders following the transaction? |
c. | Does the company have strong corporate governance? |
d. | Will insiders reap the gains of control following the proposed transaction? |
e. | Does the state of incorporation have laws requiring continued reporting that may benefit shareholders? |
Joint Ventures
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to form joint ventures, taking into account the following:
1. | Percentage of assets/business contributed; |
2. | Percentage ownership; |
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3. | Financial and strategic benefits; |
4. | Governance structure; |
5. | Conflicts of interest; |
6. | Other alternatives; and |
7. | Non-completion risk. |
Liquidations
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on liquidations, taking into account the following:
1. | Management’s efforts to pursue other alternatives; |
2. | Appraisal value of assets; and |
3. | The compensation plan for executives managing the liquidation. |
Vote FOR the liquidation if the company will file for bankruptcy if the proposal is not approved.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions. Review and evaluate the merits and drawbacks of the proposed transaction, balancing various and sometimes countervailing factors including:
1. | Valuation - Is the value to be received by the target shareholders (or paid by the acquirer) reasonable? While the fairness opinion may provide an initial starting point for assessing valuation reasonableness, emphasis is placed on the offer premium, market reaction, and strategic rationale. |
2. | Market reaction - How has the market responded to the proposed deal? A negative market reaction should cause closer scrutiny of a deal. |
3. | Strategic rationale - Does the deal make sense strategically? From where is the value derived? Cost and revenue synergies should not be overly aggressive or optimistic, but reasonably achievable. Management should also have a favorable track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions. |
4. | Negotiations and process - Were the terms of the transaction negotiated at arm's-length? Was the process fair and equitable? A fair process helps to ensure the best price for shareholders. Significant negotiation "wins" can also signify the deal makers' competency. The comprehensiveness of the sales process (e.g., full auction, partial auction, no auction) can also affect shareholder value. |
5. | Conflicts of interest - Are insiders benefiting from the transaction disproportionately and inappropriately as compared to non-insider shareholders? As the result of potential conflicts, the directors and officers of the company may be more likely to vote to approve a merger than if they did not hold these interests. Consider whether these interests may have influenced these directors and officers to support or recommend the merger. |
6. | Governance - Will the combined company have a better or worse governance profile than the current governance profiles of the respective parties to the transaction? If the governance profile is to change for the worse, the burden is on the company to prove that other issues (such as valuation) outweigh any deterioration in governance. |
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Vote AGAINST if the companies do not provide sufficient information upon request to make an informed voting decision.
Private Placements/Warrants/Convertible Debentures
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals regarding private placements, warrants, and convertible debentures taking into consideration:
1. | Dilution to existing shareholders' position: The amount and timing of shareholder ownership dilution should be weighed against the needs and proposed shareholder benefits of the capital infusion. Although newly issued common stock, absent preemptive rights, is typically dilutive to existing shareholders, share price appreciation is often the necessary event to trigger the exercise of "out of the money" warrants and convertible debt. In these instances, from a value standpoint, the negative impact of dilution is mitigated by the increase in the company's stock price that must occur to trigger the dilutive event. |
2. | Terms of the offer (discount/premium in purchase price to investor, including any fairness opinion, conversion features, termination penalties, exit strategy): |
a. | The terms of the offer should be weighed against the alternatives of the company and in light of company's financial condition. Ideally, the conversion price for convertible debt and the exercise price for warrants should be at a premium to the then prevailing stock price at the time of private placement. |
b. | When evaluating the magnitude of a private placement discount or premium, consider factors that influence the discount or premium, such as, liquidity, due diligence costs, control and monitoring costs, capital scarcity, information asymmetry, and anticipation of future performance. |
3. | Financial issues: |
a. | The company's financial condition; |
b. | Degree of need for capital; |
c. | Use of proceeds; |
d. | Effect of the financing on the company's cost of capital; |
e. | Current and proposed cash burn rate; |
f. | Going concern viability and the state of the capital and credit markets. |
4. | Management's efforts to pursue alternatives and whether the company engaged in a process to evaluate alternatives: A fair, unconstrained process helps to ensure the best price for shareholders. Financing alternatives can include joint ventures, partnership, merger, or sale of part or all of the company. |
5. | Control issues: |
a. | Change in management; |
b. | Change in control; |
c. | Guaranteed board and committee seats; |
d. | Standstill provisions; |
e. | Voting agreements; |
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f. | Veto power over certain corporate actions; and |
g. | Minority versus majority ownership and corresponding minority discount or majority control premium. |
6. | Conflicts of interest: |
a. | Conflicts of interest should be viewed from the perspective of the company and the investor. |
b. | Were the terms of the transaction negotiated at arm's length? Are managerial incentives aligned with shareholder interests? |
7. | Market reaction: The market's response to the proposed deal. A negative market reaction is a cause for concern. Market reaction may be addressed by analyzing the one day impact on the unaffected stock price. |
Vote FOR the private placement, or for the issuance of warrants and/or convertible debentures in a private placement, if it is expected that the company will file for bankruptcy if the transaction is not approved.
Reorganization/Restructuring Plan (Bankruptcy)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to common shareholders on bankruptcy plans of reorganization, considering the following factors including, but not limited to:
1. | Estimated value and financial prospects of the reorganized company; |
2. | Percentage ownership of current shareholders in the reorganized company; |
3. | Whether shareholders are adequately represented in the reorganization process (particularly through the existence of an Official Equity Committee); |
4. | The cause(s) of the bankruptcy filing, and the extent to which the plan of reorganization addresses the cause(s); |
5. | Existence of a superior alternative to the plan of reorganization; and |
6. | Governance of the reorganized company. |
Special Purpose Acquisition Corporations (SPACs)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on SPAC mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following:
1. | Valuation |
2. | Market reaction |
3. | Deal timing |
4. | Negotiations and process. |
5. | Conflicts of interest |
6. | Voting agreements |
7. | Governance |
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Special Purpose Acquisition Corporations (SPACs) - Proposals for Extensions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on SPAC extension proposals taking into account the length of the requested extension, the status of any pending transaction(s) or progression of the acquisition process, any added incentive for non-redeeming shareholders, and any prior extension requests.
Spin-offs
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on spin-offs, considering:
1. | Tax and regulatory advantages; |
2. | Planned use of the sale proceeds; |
3. | Valuation of spinoff; |
4. | Fairness opinion; |
5. | Benefits to the parent company; |
6. | Conflicts of interest; |
7. | Managerial incentives; |
8. | Corporate governance changes; |
9. | Changes in the capital structure. |
Value Maximization Shareholder Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals seeking to maximize shareholder value by:
1. | Hiring a financial advisor to explore strategic alternatives; |
2. | Selling the company; or |
3. | Liquidating the company and distributing the proceeds to shareholders. |
These proposals should be evaluated based on the following factors:
1. | Prolonged poor performance with no turnaround in sight; |
2. | Signs of entrenched board and management (such as the adoption of takeover defenses); |
3. | Strategic plan in place for improving value; |
4. | Likelihood of receiving reasonable value in a sale or dissolution; and |
5. | The company actively exploring its strategic options, including retaining a financial advisor. |
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V. Compensation
Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation—Management Proposals (Management Say-on-Pay)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on ballot items related to executive pay and practices, as well as certain aspects of outside director compensation.
Vote AGAINST Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay or “SOP”) if:
1. | There is an unmitigated misalignment between CEO pay and company performance (pay for performance); |
2. | The company maintains significant problematic pay practices; |
3. | The board exhibits a significant level of poor communication and responsiveness to shareholders. |
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Compensation Committee and potentially the full board if:
1. | There is no SOP on the ballot, and an AGAINST vote on SOP would otherwise be warranted due to pay-for-performance misalignment, problematic pay practices, or the lack of adequate responsiveness on compensation issues raised previously, or a combination thereof; |
2. | The board fails to respond adequately to a previous SOP proposal that received less than 70 percent support of votes cast; |
3. | The company has recently practiced or approved problematic pay practices, such as option repricing or option backdating; or |
4. | The situation is egregious. |
Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay
Pay-for-Performance Evaluation
Analysis considers the following:
1. | Peer Group Alignment: |
a. | The degree of alignment between the company's annualized TSR rank and the CEO's annualized total pay rank within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period. |
b. | The rankings of CEO total pay and company financial performance within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period. |
c. | The multiple of the CEO's total pay relative to the peer group median in the most recent fiscal year. |
2. | Absolute Alignment – the absolute alignment between the trend in CEO pay and company TSR over the prior five fiscal years – i.e., the difference between the trend in annual pay changes and the trend in annualized TSR during the period. |
If the above analysis demonstrates significant unsatisfactory long-term pay-for-performance alignment or, in the case of companies outside the Russell indices, misaligned pay and performance are otherwise suggested, our analysis may include any of the following qualitative factors, as relevant to evaluating how various pay elements may work to encourage or to undermine long-term value creation and alignment with shareholder interests:
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1. | The ratio of performance- to time-based incentive awards; |
2. | The overall ratio of performance-based compensation; |
3. | The completeness of disclosure and rigor of performance goals; |
4. | The company's peer group benchmarking practices; |
5. | Actual results of financial/operational metrics, both absolute and relative to peers; |
6. | Special circumstances related to, for example, a new CEO in the prior FY or anomalous equity grant practices (e.g., bi-annual awards); |
7. | Realizable pay compared to grant pay; and |
8. | Any other factors deemed relevant. |
Problematic Pay Practices
The focus is on executive compensation practices that contravene the global pay principles, including:
1. | Problematic practices related to non-performance-based compensation elements; |
2. | Incentives that may motivate excessive risk-taking or present a windfall risk; and |
3. | Pay decisions that circumvent pay-for-performance, such as options backdating or waiving performance requirements. |
Problematic Pay Practices related to Non-Performance-Based Compensation Elements
Pay elements that are not directly based on performance are generally evaluated CASE-BY-CASE considering the context of a company's overall pay program and demonstrated pay-for-performance philosophy. The list below highlights the problematic practices that carry significant weight in this overall consideration and may result in an adverse vote:
1. | Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/SARS without prior shareholder approval (including cash buyouts and voluntary surrender of underwater options); |
2. | Extraordinary perquisites or tax gross-ups; |
3. | New or materially amended agreements that provide for: |
a. | Excessive termination or CIC severance payments (generally exceeding 3 times base salary and average/target/most recent bonus); |
b. | CIC severance payments without involuntary job loss or substantial diminution of duties ("single" or "modified single" triggers) or in connection with a problematic Good Reason definition; |
c. | CIC excise tax gross-up entitlements (including "modified" gross-ups); |
d. | Multi-year guaranteed awards that are not at risk due to rigorous performance conditions; |
e. | Liberal CIC definition combined with any single-trigger CIC benefits; |
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4. | Insufficient executive compensation disclosure by externally-managed issuers (EMIs) such that a reasonable assessment of pay programs and practices applicable to the EMI's executives is not possible; |
5. | Any other provision or practice deemed to be egregious and present a significant risk to investors. |
Options Backdating
The following factors should be examined CASE-BY-CASE to allow for distinctions to be made between “sloppy” plan administration versus deliberate action or fraud:
1. | Reason and motive for the options backdating issue, such as inadvertent vs. deliberate grant date changes; |
2. | Duration of options backdating; |
3. | Size of restatement due to options backdating; |
4. | Corrective actions taken by the board or compensation committee, such as canceling or re-pricing backdated options, the recouping of option gains on backdated grants; and |
5. | Adoption of a grant policy that prohibits backdating and creates a fixed grant schedule or window period for equity grants in the future. |
Frequency of Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation ("Say When on Pay")
Vote FOR annual advisory votes on compensation, which provide the most consistent and clear communication channel for shareholder concerns about companies' executive pay programs.
Voting on Golden Parachutes in an Acquisition, Merger, Consolidation, or Proposed Sale
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on Golden Parachute proposals, including consideration of existing change-in-control arrangements maintained with named executive and non-executive officers rather than focusing primarily on new or extended arrangements.
Features that may result in an AGAINST vote include one or more of the following, depending on the number, magnitude, and/or timing of issue(s):
1. | Single- or modified-single-trigger cash severance; |
2. | Single-trigger acceleration of unvested equity awards; |
3. | Full acceleration of equity awards granted shortly before the change in control; |
4. | Acceleration of performance awards above the target level of performance without compelling rationale; |
5. | Excessive cash severance (generally >3x base salary and bonus); |
6. | Excise tax gross-ups triggered and payable; |
7. | Excessive golden parachute payments (on an absolute basis or as a percentage of transaction equity value); or |
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8. | Recent amendments that incorporate any problematic features (such as those above) or recent actions (such as extraordinary equity grants) that may make packages so attractive as to influence merger agreements that may not be in the best interests of shareholders; or |
9. | The company's assertion that a proposed transaction is conditioned on shareholder approval of the golden parachute advisory vote. |
Recent amendment(s) that incorporate problematic features will tend to carry more weight on the overall analysis. However, the presence of multiple legacy problematic features will also be closely scrutinized.
In cases where the golden parachute vote is incorporated into a company's advisory vote on compensation (management say-on-pay), evaluate the say-on-pay proposal in accordance with these guidelines, which may give higher weight to that component of the overall evaluation.
Equity-Based and Other Incentive Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on certain equity-based compensation plans depending on a combination of certain plan features and equity grant practices, where positive factors may counterbalance negative factors, and vice versa, as evaluated using an "Equity Plan Scorecard" (EPSC) approach with three pillars:
1. | Plan Cost: The total estimated cost of the company’s equity plans relative to industry/market cap peers, measured by the company's estimated Shareholder Value Transfer (SVT) in relation to peers and considering both: |
a. | SVT based on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants, plus outstanding unvested/unexercised grants; and |
b. | SVT based only on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants. |
2. | Plan Features: |
a. | General quality of disclosure, especially around vesting upon a change in control (CIC); |
b. | Discretionary vesting authority; |
c. | Liberal share recycling on various award types; |
d. | Lack of minimum vesting period for grants made under the plan; |
e. | Dividends payable prior to award vesting. |
3. | Grant Practices: |
a. | The company’s three-year burn rate relative to its industry/market cap peers (shouldn’t exceed 3.5%); |
b. | Vesting requirements in CEO's recent equity grants (3-year look-back); |
c. | The estimated duration of the plan (based on the sum of shares remaining available and the new shares requested, divided by the average annual shares granted in the prior three years); |
d. | The proportion of the CEO's most recent equity grants/awards subject to performance conditions; |
e. | Whether the company maintains a sufficient claw-back policy; |
f. | Whether the company maintains sufficient post-exercise/vesting share-holding requirements. |
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Generally, vote AGAINST the plan proposal if the combination of above factors indicates that the plan is not, overall, in shareholders' interests, or if any of the following egregious factors ("overriding factors") apply:
1. | Awards may vest in connection with a liberal change-of-control definition; |
2. | The plan would permit repricing or cash buyout of underwater options without shareholder approval (either by expressly permitting it – for NYSE and Nasdaq listed companies – or by not prohibiting it when the company has a history of repricing – for non-listed companies); |
3. | The plan is a vehicle for problematic pay practices or a significant pay-for-performance disconnect under certain circumstances; |
4. | The plan is excessively dilutive to shareholders' holdings; |
5. | The plan contains an evergreen (automatic share replenishment) feature; or |
6. | Any other plan features are determined to have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests. |
Further Information on certain EPSC Factors
SVT
The cost of the equity plans is expressed as SVT, which is measured using a binomial option pricing model that assesses the amount of shareholders’ equity flowing out of the company to employees and directors. SVT is expressed as both a dollar amount and as a percentage of market value, and includes the new shares proposed, shares available under existing plans, and shares granted but unexercised (using two measures, in the case of plans subject to the Equity Plan Scorecard evaluation, as noted above). All award types are valued. For omnibus plans, unless limitations are placed on the most expensive types of awards (for example, full-value awards), the assumption is made that all awards to be granted will be the most expensive types. See discussion of specific types of awards.
Except for proposals subject to Equity Plan Scorecard evaluation, SVT is reasonable if it falls below a company-specific benchmark. The benchmark is determined as follows: The top quartile performers in each industry group (using the Global Industry Classification Standard: GICS) are identified. Benchmark SVT levels for each industry are established based on these top performers’ historic SVT. Regression analyses are run on each industry group to identify the variables most strongly correlated to SVT. The benchmark industry SVT level is then adjusted upwards or downwards for the specific company by plugging the company-specific performance measures, size and cash compensation into the industry cap equations to arrive at the company’s benchmark.
For meetings held prior to February 1, 2023, three-Year Burn Rate Burn-rate benchmarks (utilized in Equity Plan Scorecard evaluations) are calculated as the greater of: (1) the mean (μ) plus one standard deviation (σ) of the company’s GICS group segmented by S&P 500, Russell 3000 index (less the S&P500), and non-Russell 3000 index; and (2) two percent of weighted common shares outstanding. In addition, year-over-year burn-rate benchmark changes will be limited to a maximum of two (2) percentage points plus or minus the prior year’s burn-rate benchmark.
For meetings held prior to February 1, 2023, a company’s adjusted burn rate is calculated as follows:
Burn Rate = (# of appreciation awards granted + # of full value awards granted * Volatility Multiplier) / Weighted average common shares outstanding
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The Volatility Multiplier is used to provide more equivalent valuation between stock options and full value shares, based on the company’s historical stock price volatility.
Effective for meetings held on or after February 1, 2023, a "Value-Adjusted Burn Rate" is used for stock plan evaluations. Value-Adjusted Burn Rate benchmarks will be calculated as the greater of: (1) an industry-specific threshold based on three-year burn rates within the company's GICS group segmented by S&P 500, Russell 3000 index (less the S&P 500) and non-Russell 3000 index; and (2) a de minimis threshold established separately for each of the S&P 500, the Russell 3000 index less the S&P 500, and the non-Russell 3000 index. Year-over-year burn-rate benchmark changes will be limited to a predetermined range above or below the prior year's burn-rate benchmark.
The Value-Adjusted Burn Rate will be calculated as follows:
Value-Adjusted Burn Rate = ((# of options * option’s dollar value using a Black-Scholes model) + (# of full-value awards * stock price)) / (Weighted average common shares * stock price).
Boston Partners will vote AGAINST plans if the three-year average adjusted and value adjusted burn rate exceeds 3.5 percent.
Egregious Factors
Liberal Change in Control Definition
Generally, vote AGAINST equity plans if the plan has a liberal definition of change in control and the equity awards could vest upon such liberal definition of change in control, even though an actual change in control may not occur. Examples of such a definition include, but are not limited to, announcement or commencement of a tender offer, provisions for acceleration upon a “potential” takeover, shareholder approval of a merger or other transactions, or similar language.
Repricing Provisions
Vote AGAINST plans that expressly permit the repricing or exchange of underwater stock options/stock appreciate rights (SARs) without prior shareholder approval. "Repricing" typically includes the ability to do any of the following:
1. | Amend the terms of outstanding options or SARs to reduce the exercise price of such outstanding options or SARs; |
2. | Cancel outstanding options or SARs in exchange for options or SARs with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original options or SARs; |
3. | The cancellation of underwater options in exchange for stock awards; or |
4. | Cash buyouts of underwater options. |
While the above cover most types of repricing, Boston Partners may view other provisions as akin to repricing depending on the facts and circumstances.
Also, vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from members of the Compensation Committee who approved repricing (as defined above or otherwise determined by Boston Partners), without prior shareholder approval, even if such repricings are allowed in their equity plan.
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Vote AGAINST plans that do not expressly prohibit repricing or cash buyout of underwater options without shareholder approval if the company has a history of repricing/buyouts without shareholder approval, and the applicable listing standards would not preclude them from doing so.
Problematic Pay Practices or Significant Pay-for-Performance Disconnect
If the equity plan on the ballot is a vehicle for problematic pay practices, vote AGAINST the plan.
May vote AGAINST the equity plan if the plan is determined to be a vehicle for pay-for-performance misalignment. Considerations in voting AGAINST the equity plan may include, but are not limited to:
1. | Severity of the pay-for-performance misalignment; |
2. | Whether problematic equity grant practices are driving the misalignment; and/or |
3. | Whether equity plan awards have been heavily concentrated to the CEO and/or the other NEOs. |
Amending Cash and Equity Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on amendments to cash and equity incentive plans.
Generally, vote FOR proposals to amend executive cash, stock, or cash and stock incentive plans if the proposal addresses administrative features only. Vote CASE-BY-CASE on all other proposals to amend cash incentive plans. This includes plans presented to shareholders for the first time after the company's IPO and/or proposals that bundle material amendment(s).
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on all other proposals to amend equity incentive plans, considering the following:
1. | If the proposal requests additional shares and/or the amendments include a term extension or addition of full value awards as an award type, the vote will be based on the Equity Plan Scorecard evaluation as well as an analysis of the overall impact of the amendments. |
2. | If the plan is being presented to shareholders for the first time (including after the company's IPO), whether or not additional shares are being requested, the vote will be based on the Equity Plan Scorecard evaluation as well as an analysis of the overall impact of any amendments. |
3. | If there is no request for additional shares and the amendments do not include a term extension or addition of full value awards as an award type, then the vote will be based entirely on an analysis of the overall impact of the amendments, and the EPSC evaluation will be shown only for informational purposes. |
In the first two CASE-BY-CASE evaluation scenarios, the EPSC evaluation/score is the more heavily weighted consideration.
Specific Treatment of Certain Award Types in Equity Plan Evaluations: Dividend Equivalent Rights
Options that have Dividend Equivalent Rights (DERs) associated with them will have a higher calculated award value than those without DERs under the binomial model, based on the value of these dividend streams. The higher value will be applied to new shares, shares available under existing plans, and shares awarded but not exercised per the plan specifications. DERS transfer more shareholder equity to employees and non- executive directors and this cost should be captured.
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Operating Partnership (OP) Units in Equity Plan Analysis of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
For Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS), include the common shares issuable upon conversion of outstanding Operating Partnership (OP) units in the share count for the purposes of determining: (1) market capitalization in the SVT analysis and (2) shares outstanding in the burn rate analysis.
Other Compensation Plans
401(k) Employee Benefit Plans
Vote FOR proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
Vote FOR proposals to implement an ESOP or increase authorized shares for existing ESOPs, unless the number of shares allocated to the ESOP is excessive (more than five percent of outstanding shares).
Employee Stock Purchase Plans—Qualified Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on qualified employee stock purchase plans. Vote FOR employee stock purchase plans where all of the following apply:
1. | Purchase price is at least 85 percent of fair market value; |
2. | Offering period is 27 months or less; and |
3. | The number of shares allocated to the plan is 10 percent or less of the outstanding shares. |
Vote AGAINST qualified employee stock purchase plans where any of the following apply:
1. | Purchase price is less than 85 percent of fair market value; or |
2. | Offering period is greater than 27 months; or |
3. | The number of shares allocated to the plan is more than 10 percent of the outstanding shares. |
Employee Stock Purchase Plans—Non-Qualified Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on nonqualified employee stock purchase plans. Vote FOR nonqualified employee stock purchase plans with all the following features:
1. | Broad-based participation (i.e., all employees of the company with the exclusion of individuals with 5 percent or more of beneficial ownership of the company); |
2. | Limits on employee contribution, which may be a fixed dollar amount or expressed as a percent of base salary; |
3. | Company matching contribution up to 25 percent of employee’s contribution, which is effectively a discount of 20 percent from market value; and |
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4. | No discount on the stock price on the date of purchase when there is a company matching contribution. |
Vote AGAINST nonqualified employee stock purchase plans when the plan features do not meet all of the above criteria. If the matching contribution or effective discount exceeds the above, may evaluate the SVT cost of the plan as part of the assessment.
Option Exchange Programs/Repricing Options
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals seeking approval to exchange/reprice options taking into consideration:
1. | Historic trading patterns—the stock price should not be so volatile that the options are likely to be back “in-the-money” over the near term; |
2. | Rationale for the re-pricing—was the stock price decline beyond management's control?; |
3. | Is this a value-for-value exchange?; |
4. | Are surrendered stock options added back to the plan reserve?; |
5. | Timing—repricing should occur at least one year out from any precipitous drop in company's stock price; |
6. | Option vesting—does the new option vest immediately or is there a black-out period?; |
7. | Term of the option—the term should remain the same as that of the replaced option; |
8. | Exercise price—should be set at fair market or a premium to market; |
9. | Participants—executive officers and directors must be excluded. |
If the surrendered options are added back to the equity plans for re-issuance, then also take into consideration the company’s total cost of equity plans and its three-year average burn rate (shouldn’t exceed 3.5%).
In addition to the above considerations, evaluate the intent, rationale, and timing of the repricing proposal. The proposal should clearly articulate why the board is choosing to conduct an exchange program at this point in time. Repricing underwater options after a recent precipitous drop in the company’s stock price demonstrates poor timing and warrants additional scrutiny. Also, consider the terms of the surrendered options, such as the grant date, exercise price and vesting schedule. Grant dates of surrendered options should be far enough back (two to three years) so as not to suggest that repricings are being done to take advantage of short-term downward price movements. Similarly, the exercise price of surrendered options should be above the 52-week high for the stock price.
Vote FOR shareholder proposals to put option repricings to a shareholder vote.
Stock Plans in Lieu of Cash
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on plans that provide participants with the option of taking all or a portion of their cash compensation in the form of stock.
Vote non- executive director-only equity plans that provide a dollar-for-dollar cash-for-stock exchange.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on plans which do not provide a dollar-for-dollar cash for stock exchange. In cases where the exchange is not dollar-for-dollar, the request for new or additional shares for such equity program will be considered using the binomial option pricing model. In an effort to capture the total cost of total compensation, no adjustments will be made to carve out the in-lieu-of cash compensation.
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Transfer Stock Option (TSO) Programs
One-time Transfers: Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from compensation committee members if they fail to submit one-time transfers to shareholders for approval.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on one-time transfers. Vote FOR if:
1. | Executive officers and non- executive directors are excluded from participating; |
2. | Stock options are purchased by third-party financial institutions at a discount to their fair value using option pricing models such as Black-Scholes or a Binomial Option Valuation or other appropriate financial models; and |
3. | There is a two-year minimum holding period for sale proceeds (cash or stock) for all participants. |
Additionally, management should provide a clear explanation of why options are being transferred to a third-party institution and whether the events leading up to a decline in stock price were beyond management's control. A review of the company's historic stock price volatility should indicate if the options are likely to be back “in-the-money” over the near term.
Ongoing TSO program: Vote AGAINST equity plan proposals if the details of ongoing TSO programs are not provided to shareholders. Since TSOs will be one of the award types under a stock plan, the ongoing TSO program, structure and mechanics must be disclosed to shareholders. The specific criteria to be considered in evaluating these proposals include, but not limited, to the following:
1. | Eligibility; |
2. | Vesting; |
3. | Bid-price; |
4. | Term of options; |
5. | Cost of the program and impact of the TSOs on company’s total option expense; and |
6. | Option repricing policy. |
Amendments to existing plans that allow for introduction of transferability of stock options should make clear that only options granted post-amendment shall be transferable.
Director Compensation
Non- Executive Directors
Vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors unless the amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals seeking ratification of non- executive director compensation, based on the following factors:
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1. | If the equity plan under which non- executive director grants are made is bundled into a single resolution or is on the ballot, whether or not it warrants support; and |
2. | An assessment of the following qualitative factors: |
a. | The relative magnitude of director compensation as compared to companies of a similar profile; |
b. | The presence of problematic pay practices relating to director compensation; |
c. | Director stock ownership guidelines and holding requirements; |
d. | Equity award vesting schedules; |
e. | The mix of cash and equity-based compensation; |
f. | Meaningful limits on director compensation; |
g. | The availability of retirement benefits or perquisites; and |
h. | The quality of disclosure surrounding director compensation. |
Equity Plans for Non- Executive Directors
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on compensation plans for non- executive directors, based on:
1. | The total estimated cost of the company’s equity plans relative to industry/market cap peers, measured by the company’s estimated SVT based on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants, plus outstanding unvested/unexercised grants; |
2. | The company’s three-year burn rate relative to its industry/market cap peers (in certain circumstances) (shouldn’t exceed 3.5%); and |
3. | The presence of any egregious plan features (such as an option repricing provision or liberal CIC vesting risk). |
On occasion, non- executive director stock plans will exceed the plan cost or burn-rate benchmarks when combined with employee or executive stock plans. In such cases, vote CASE-BY-CASE on the plan taking into consideration the following qualitative factors:
1. | The relative magnitude of director compensation as compared to companies of a similar profile; |
2. | The presence of problematic pay practices relating to director compensation; |
3. | Director stock ownership guidelines and holding requirements; |
4. | Equity award vesting schedules; |
5. | The mix of cash and equity-based compensation; |
6. | Meaningful limits on director compensation; |
7. | The availability of retirement benefits or perquisites; and |
8. | The quality of disclosure surrounding director compensation. |
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Non- Executive Director Retirement Plans
Vote AGAINST retirement plans for non- executive directors. Vote FOR shareholder proposals to eliminate retirement plans for non- executive directors.
Shareholder Proposals on Compensation
Bonus Banking/Bonus Banking “Plus”
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals seeking deferral of a portion of annual bonus pay, with ultimate payout linked to sustained results for the performance metrics on which the bonus was earned (whether for the named executive officers or a wider group of employees), taking into account the following factors:
1. | The company’s past practices regarding equity and cash compensation; |
2. | Whether the company has a holding period or stock ownership requirements in place, such as a meaningful retention ratio (at least 50 percent for full tenure); and |
3. | Whether the company has a rigorous claw-back policy in place. |
Compensation Consultants—Disclosure of Board or Company’s Utilization
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals seeking disclosure regarding the Company, Board, or Compensation Committee’s use of compensation consultants, such as company name, business relationship(s), and fees paid.
Disclosure/Setting Levels or Types of Compensation for Executives and Directors
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals seeking additional disclosure of executive and director pay information, provided the information requested is relevant to shareholders' needs, would not put the company at a competitive disadvantage relative to its industry, and is not unduly burdensome to the company.
Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals seeking to set absolute levels on compensation or otherwise dictate the amount or form of compensation (such as types of compensation elements or specific metrics) to be used for executive or directors.
Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that mandate a minimum amount of stock that directors must own in order to qualify as a director or to remain on the board.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on all other shareholder proposals regarding executive and director pay, taking into account relevant factors, including but not limited to: company performance, pay level and design versus peers, history of compensation concerns or pay-for-performance disconnect, and/or the scope and prescriptive nature of the proposal.
Golden Coffins/Executive Death Benefits
Generally, vote FOR proposals calling for companies to adopt a policy of obtaining shareholder approval for any future agreements and corporate policies that could oblige the company to make payments or awards following the death of a senior executive in the form of unearned salary or bonuses, accelerated vesting or the continuation in force of unvested equity grants, perquisites and other payments or awards made in lieu of compensation. This would not apply to any benefit programs or equity plan proposals for which the broad-based employee population is eligible.
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Hold Equity Past Retirement or for a Significant Period of Time
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking companies to adopt policies requiring senior executive officers to retain a portion of net shares acquired through compensation plans. The following factors will be taken into account:
1. | The percentage/ratio of net shares required to be retained; |
2. | The time period required to retain the shares; |
3. | Whether the company has equity retention, holding period, and/or stock ownership requirements in place and the robustness of such requirements; |
4. | Whether the company has any other policies aimed at mitigating risk taking by executives; |
5. | Executives' actual stock ownership and the degree to which it meets or exceeds the proponent’s suggested holding period/retention ratio or the company’s existing requirements; and |
6. | Problematic pay practices, current and past, which may demonstrate a short-term versus long-term focus. |
Non-Deductible Compensation (U.S.)
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking disclosure of the extent to which the company paid non-deductible compensation to senior executives under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m), while considering the company’s existing disclosure practices. Section 162(m) imposes a $1 million annual limit on the amount of compensation that a publicly held corporation can deduct with respect to certain executives.
Pay Disparity
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals calling for an analysis of the pay disparity between corporate executives and other non-executive employees. The following factors will be considered:
1. | The company’s current level of disclosure of its executive compensation setting process, including how the company considers pay disparity; |
2. | If any problematic pay practices or pay-for-performance concerns have been identified at the company; and |
3. | The level of shareholder support for the company's pay programs. |
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals calling for the company to use the pay disparity analysis or pay ratio in a specific way to set or limit executive pay.
Pay for Performance/Performance-Based Awards
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals requesting that a significant amount of future long-term incentive compensation awarded to senior executives shall be performance-based and requesting that the board adopt and disclose challenging performance metrics to shareholders, based on the following analytical steps:
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1. | First, vote FOR shareholder proposals advocating the use of performance-based equity awards, such as performance contingent options or restricted stock, indexed options or premium-priced options, unless the proposal is overly restrictive or if the company has demonstrated that it is using a “substantial” portion of performance-based awards for its top executives. Standard stock options and performance-accelerated awards do not meet the criteria to be considered as performance-based awards. Further, premium-priced options should have a meaningful premium to be considered performance-based awards. |
2. | Second, assess the rigor of the company’s performance-based equity program. If the bar set for the performance-based program is too low based on the company’s historical or peer group comparison, generally vote FOR the proposal. Furthermore, if target performance results in an above target payout, vote FOR the shareholder proposal due to program’s poor design. If the company does not disclose the performance metric of the performance-based equity program, vote FOR the shareholder proposal regardless of the outcome of the first step to the test. |
In general, vote FOR the shareholder proposal if the company does not meet both of the above two steps.
Pay for Superior Performance
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals that request the board establish a pay-for-superior performance standard in the company's executive compensation plan for senior executives. These proposals generally include the following principles:
1. | Set compensation targets for the plan’s annual and long-term incentive pay components at or below the peer group median; |
2. | Deliver a majority of the plan’s target long-term compensation through performance-vested, not simply time-vested, equity awards; |
3. | Provide the strategic rationale and relative weightings of the financial and non-financial performance metrics or criteria used in the annual and performance-vested long-term incentive components of the plan; |
4. | Establish performance targets for each plan financial metric relative to the performance of the company’s peer companies; |
5. | Limit payment under the annual and performance-vested long-term incentive components of the plan to when the company’s performance on its selected financial performance metrics exceeds peer group median performance. |
Consider the following factors in evaluating this proposal:
1. | What aspects of the company’s annual and long-term equity incentive programs are performance driven? |
2. | If the annual and long-term equity incentive programs are performance driven, are the performance criteria and hurdle rates disclosed to shareholders or are they benchmarked against a disclosed peer group? |
3. | Can shareholders assess the correlation between pay and performance based on the current disclosure? |
4. | What type of industry and stage of business cycle does the company belong to? |
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Pre-Arranged Trading Plans (10b5-1 Plans)
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals calling for certain principles regarding the use of prearranged trading plans (10b5-1 plans) for executives. These principles include:
1. | Adoption, amendment, or termination of a 10b5-1 Plan must be disclosed within two business days in a Form 8-K; |
2. | Amendment or early termination of a 10b5-1 Plan is allowed only under extraordinary circumstances, as determined by the board; |
3. | Ninety days must elapse between adoption or amendment of a 10b5-1 Plan and initial trading under the plan; |
4. | Reports on Form 4 must identify transactions made pursuant to a 10b5-1 Plan; |
5. | An executive may not trade in company stock outside the 10b5-1 Plan; |
6. | Trades under a 10b5-1 Plan must be handled by a broker who does not handle other securities transactions for the executive. |
Prohibit Outside CEOs from Serving on Compensation Committees
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals seeking a policy to prohibit any outside CEO from serving on a company’s compensation committee, unless the company has demonstrated problematic pay practices that raise concerns about the performance and composition of the committee.
Recoupment of Incentive or Stock Compensation in Specified Circumstances
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to recoup incentive cash or stock compensation made to senior executives if it is later determined that the figures upon which incentive compensation is earned turn out to have been in error, or if the senior executive has breached company policy or has engaged in misconduct that may be significantly detrimental to the company's financial position or reputation, or if the senior executive failed to manage or monitor risks that subsequently led to significant financial or reputational harm to the company. Many companies have adopted policies that permit recoupment in cases where an executive's fraud, misconduct, or negligence significantly contributed to a restatement of financial results that led to the awarding of unearned incentive compensation. However, such policies may be narrow given that not all misconduct or negligence may result in significant financial restatements. Misconduct, negligence or lack of sufficient oversight by senior executives may lead to significant financial loss or reputational damage that may have long-lasting impact.
In considering whether to support such shareholder proposals, Boston Partners will consider the following factors:
1. | If the company has adopted a formal recoupment policy; |
2. | The rigor of the recoupment policy focusing on how and under what circumstances the company may recoup incentive or stock compensation; |
3. | Whether the company has chronic restatement history or material financial problems; |
4. | Whether the company’s policy substantially addresses the concerns raised by the proponent; |
5. | Disclosure of recoupment of incentive or stock compensation from senior executives or lack thereof; or |
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6. | Any other relevant factors. |
Severance Agreements for Executives/Golden Parachutes
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requiring prior shareholder approval of any severance arrangement that would pay severance exceeding the limitation set forth in Section 280G of the Internal revenue code. Vote AGAINST if the proposal does not specifically mention 280G.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to ratify or cancel golden parachutes. An acceptable parachute should include, but is not limited to, the following:
1. | The triggering mechanism should be beyond the control of management; |
2. | The amount should not exceed 2.99 times base amount (defined as the average annual taxable W-2 compensation during the five years prior to the year in which the change of control occurs); |
3. | Change-in-control payments should be double-triggered, i.e., (1) after a change in control has taken place, and (2) termination of the executive as a result of the change in control. Change in control is defined as a change in the company ownership structure. |
Share Buyback Proposals
Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals prohibiting executives from selling shares of company stock during periods in which the company has announced that it may or will be repurchasing shares of its stock. Vote FOR the proposal when there is a pattern of abuse by executives exercising options or selling shares during periods of share buybacks.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting the company exclude the impact of share buybacks from the calculation of incentive program metrics, considering the following factors:
1. | The frequency and timing of the company's share buybacks; |
2. | The use of per-share metrics in incentive plans; |
3. | The effect of recent buybacks on incentive metric results and payouts; and |
4. | Whether there is any indication of metric result manipulation. |
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs)
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting to put extraordinary benefits contained in SERP agreements to a shareholder vote unless the company’s executive pension plans do not contain excessive benefits beyond what is offered under employee-wide plans.
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting to limit the executive benefits provided under the company’s supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP) by limiting covered compensation to a senior executive’s annual salary or those pay elements covered for the general employee population.
Tax Gross-Up Proposals
Generally, vote FOR proposals calling for companies to adopt a policy of not providing tax gross-up payments to executives, except in situations where gross-ups are provided pursuant to a plan, policy, or arrangement applicable to management employees of the company, such as a relocation or expatriate tax equalization policy.
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Termination of Employment Prior to Severance Payment/Eliminating Accelerated Vesting of Unvested Equity
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals seeking a policy requiring termination of employment prior to severance payment and/or eliminating accelerated vesting of unvested equity.
The following factors will be considered:
1. | The company's current treatment of equity upon employment termination and/or in change-in-control situations (i.e., vesting is double triggered and/or pro rata, does it allow for the assumption of equity by acquiring company, the treatment of performance shares, etc.); |
2. | Current employment agreements, including potential poor pay practices such as gross-ups embedded in those agreements. |
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking a policy that prohibits automatic acceleration of the vesting of equity awards to senior executives upon a voluntary termination of employment or in the event of a change in control (except for pro rata vesting considering the time elapsed and attainment of any related performance goals between the award date and the change in control).
VI. Routine/ Miscellaneous/ Operational
Adjourn Meeting
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to provide management with the authority to adjourn an annual or special meeting absent compelling reasons to support the proposal.
Vote FOR proposals that relate specifically to soliciting votes for a merger or transaction if supporting that merger or transaction.
Vote AGAINST proposals if the wording is too vague or if the proposal includes "other business."
Amend Quorum Requirements
Vote AGAINST proposals to reduce quorum requirements for shareholder meetings below a majority of the shares outstanding unless there are compelling reasons to support the proposal. Otherwise, vote CASE-BY-CASE.
Amend Minor By-laws
Vote FOR by-law or charter changes that are of a housekeeping nature (updates or corrections).
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Change Company Name
Vote FOR proposals to change the corporate name unless there is compelling evidence that the change would adversely impact shareholder value.
Change Date, Time, or Location of Annual Meeting
Vote FOR management proposals to change the date, time, or location of the annual meeting unless the proposed change is unreasonable.
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals to change the date, time, or location of the annual meeting unless the current scheduling or location is unreasonable.
Other Business
Vote AGAINST proposals to approve other business when it appears as a voting item.
Management Supported Shareholder Proposals: Reporting
Vote FOR shareholder proposals for additional reporting beyond what is regulatorily required when the proposal is supported by management.
Allocation of Income
Vote FOR approval of the allocation of income, unless:
1. | The dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30 percent (consistently low in Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore) without adequate explanation or in the absence of positive shareholder returns; or |
2. | The payout is excessive given the company's financial position. |
Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternative
Vote FOR most stock (scrip) dividend proposals considering whether the proposal is in line with market standards.
Vote AGAINST proposals that do not allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.
Amendments to Articles of Association (Bylaws), Board Policies, and Board Committees’ Charters
Vote amendments to the articles of association (bylaws), board policies or board Committees’ charters on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
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Generally, vote AGAINST if the draft of the current bylaws, board policies or board committees' charters and their proposed amendments are not disclosed or publicly available in a timely manner; if the proposed changes are not adequately highlighted in the shareholder notice; or the proposed amendments are not in shareholders’ interest.
Generally, vote FOR proposals where the changes are driven by regulatory or compliance considerations.
This policy applies to both bundled and unbundled proposals.
Change in Company Fiscal Term
Vote FOR resolutions to change a company's fiscal term unless a company's motivation for the change is to postpone its annual general meeting.
Lower Disclosure Threshold for Stock Ownership
Vote AGAINST resolutions to lower the stock ownership disclosure threshold below 5 percent unless specific reasons exist to implement a lower threshold.
Expansion of Business Activities
Vote FOR resolutions to expand business activities unless a company has performed poorly for several years and the new business takes the company into risky areas and enterprises unrelated to its core business.
Related-Party Transactions
In evaluating resolutions that seek shareholder approval on related-party transactions (RPTs), vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering long-term shareholder value for the company's existing shareholders and such factors including, but not limited to, the following:
1. | The parties on either side of the transaction; |
2. | The nature of the asset to be transferred/service to be provided; |
3. | The pricing of the transaction (and any associated professional valuation); |
4. | The views of independent directors (where provided); |
5. | The views of an independent financial adviser (where appointed); |
6. | Whether any entities party to the transaction (including advisers) is conflicted; and |
7. | The stated rationale for the transaction, including discussions of timing. |
If there is a transaction that Boston Partners deemed problematic and that was not put to a shareholder vote, Boston Partners may vote AGAINST the election of the director involved in the related-party transaction or the full board.
Generally, vote AGAINST perpetual arrangements where the transactions will not be subjected to further shareholder review going forward.
For proposals on royalty payments, vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis based on disclosures provided.
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Charitable Donations
Vote proposals seeking the approval of donations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:
1. | Size of the proposed donation request; |
2. | The destination of the proposed allocation of funds; and |
3. | The company’s historical donations practices, including allocations approved at prior shareholder meetings. |
Virtual Meetings
Generally, vote FOR proposals allowing for the convening of hybrid shareholder meetings if it is clear that it is not the intention to hold virtual-only annual general meetings.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals allowing for the convening of virtual-only shareholder meetings. However, if the company specifies in the articles that it intends to hold virtual only meetings only in unusual situations such as the spread of an infectious disease or the occurrence of a natural disaster, vote FOR the article amendments.
Financial Results/Director and Statutory Reports
Generally, vote FOR the approval of financial statements, report of the board of directors, independent auditor reports, and other statutory reports, unless:
1. | There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or |
2. | The external auditor expresses no opinion or qualified opinion over the financial statements. |
VII. Social and Environmental
Generally, vote CASE-BY-CASE, examining primarily whether implementation of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value. The following factors will be considered:
1. | If the issues presented in the proposal are more appropriately or effectively dealt with through legislation or government regulation; |
2. | If the company has already responded in an appropriate and sufficient manner to the issue(s) raised in the proposal; |
3. | Whether the proposal's request is unduly burdensome (scope or timeframe) or overly prescriptive; |
4. | The company's approach compared with any industry standard practices for addressing the issue(s) raised by the proposal; |
5. | Whether there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company's environmental or social practices; |
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6. | If the proposal requests increased disclosure or greater transparency, whether reasonable and sufficient information is currently available to shareholders from the company or from other publicly available sources; and |
7. | If the proposal requests increased disclosure or greater transparency, whether implementation would reveal proprietary or confidential information that could place the company at a competitive disadvantage. |
Endorsement of Principles
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals seeking a company's endorsement of principles that support a particular public policy position. Endorsing a set of principles may require a company to take a stand on an issue that is beyond its own control and may limit its flexibility with respect to future developments. Management and the board should be afforded the flexibility to make decisions on specific public policy positions based on their own assessment of the most beneficial strategies for the company.
Animal Welfare
Animal Welfare Policies
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking a report on a company’s animal welfare standards, or animal welfare-related risks, unless:
1. | The company has already published a set of animal welfare standards and monitors compliance; |
2. | The company’s standards are comparable to industry peers; and |
3. | There are no recent significant fines, litigation, or controversies related to the company’s and/or its suppliers' treatment of animals. |
Animal Testing
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to phase out the use of animals in product testing, unless:
1. | The company is conducting animal testing programs that are unnecessary or not required by regulation; |
2. | The company is conducting animal testing when suitable alternatives are commonly accepted and used by industry peers; or |
3. | There are recent, significant fines or litigation related to the company’s treatment of animals. |
Animal Slaughter
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals requesting the implementation of Controlled Atmosphere Killing (CAK) methods at company and/or supplier operations unless such methods are required by legislation or generally accepted as the industry standard.
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Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting a report on the feasibility of implementing CAK methods at company and/or supplier operations considering the availability of existing research conducted by the company or industry groups on this topic and any fines or litigation related to current animal processing procedures at the company.
Consumer Issues
Genetically Modified Ingredients
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals requesting that a company voluntarily label genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in its products. The labeling of products with GE ingredients is best left to the appropriate regulatory authorities.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals asking for a report on the feasibility of labeling products containing GE ingredients, taking into account:
1. | The potential impact of such labeling on the company's business; |
2. | The quality of the company’s disclosure on GE product labeling, related voluntary initiatives, and how this disclosure compares with industry peer disclosure; and |
3. | Company’s current disclosure on the feasibility of GE product labeling. |
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals seeking a report on the social, health, and environmental effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Studies of this sort are better undertaken by regulators and the scientific community.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to eliminate GE ingredients from the company's products, or proposals asking for reports outlining the steps necessary to eliminate GE ingredients from the company’s products. Such decisions are more appropriately made by management with consideration of current regulations.
Reports on Potentially Controversial Business/Financial Practices
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for reports on a company’s potentially controversial business or financial practices or products, taking into account:
1. | Whether the company has adequately disclosed mechanisms in place to prevent abuses; |
2. | Whether the company has adequately disclosed the financial risks of the products/practices in question; |
3. | Whether the company has been subject to violations of related laws or serious controversies; and |
4. | Peer companies’ policies/practices in this area. |
Pharmaceutical Pricing, Access to Medicines, and Prescription Drug Reimportation
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals requesting that companies implement specific price restraints on pharmaceutical products unless the company fails to adhere to legislative guidelines or industry norms in its product pricing practices.
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Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting that a company report on its product pricing or access to medicine policies, considering:
1. | The potential for reputational, market, and regulatory risk exposure; |
2. | Existing disclosure of relevant policies; |
3. | Deviation from established industry norms; |
4. | Relevant company initiatives to provide research and/or products to disadvantaged consumers; |
5. | Whether the proposal focuses on specific products or geographic regions; |
6. | The potential burden and scope of the requested report; |
7. | Recent significant controversies, litigation, or fines at the company. |
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting that a company report on the financial and legal impact of its prescription drug reimportation policies unless such information is already publicly disclosed.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals requesting that companies adopt specific policies to encourage or constrain prescription drug reimportation. Such matters are more appropriately the province of legislative activity and may place the company at a competitive disadvantage relative to its peers.
Product Safety and Toxic/Hazardous Materials
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting that a company report on its policies, initiatives/procedures, and oversight mechanisms related to toxic/hazardous materials or product safety in its supply chain, unless:
1. | The company already discloses similar information through existing reports such as a supplier code of conduct and/or a sustainability report; |
2. | The company has formally committed to the implementation of a toxic/hazardous materials and/or product safety and supply chain reporting and monitoring program based on industry norms or similar standards within a specified time frame; and |
3. | The company has not been recently involved in relevant significant controversies, fines, or litigation. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on resolutions requesting that companies develop a feasibility assessment to phase-out of certain toxic/hazardous materials, or evaluate and disclose the potential financial and legal risks associated with utilizing certain materials, considering:
1. | The company’s current level of disclosure regarding its product safety policies, initiatives, and oversight mechanisms; |
2. | Current regulations in the markets in which the company operates; and |
3. | Recent significant controversies, litigation, or fines stemming from toxic/hazardous materials at the company. |
Generally, vote AGAINST resolutions requiring that a company reformulate its products.
Tobacco-Related Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on resolutions regarding the advertisement of tobacco products, considering:
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1. | Recent related fines, controversies, or significant litigation; |
2. | Whether the company complies with relevant laws and regulations on the marketing of tobacco; |
3. | Whether the company’s advertising restrictions deviate from those of industry peers; |
4. | Whether the company entered into the Master Settlement Agreement, which restricts marketing of tobacco to youth; and |
5. | Whether restrictions on marketing to youth extend to foreign countries. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals regarding second-hand smoke, considering;
1. | Whether the company complies with all laws and regulations; |
2. | The degree that voluntary restrictions beyond those mandated by law might hurt the company’s competitiveness; and |
3. | The risk of any health-related liabilities. |
Generally, vote AGAINST resolutions to cease production of tobacco-related products, to avoid selling products to tobacco companies, to spin-off tobacco-related businesses, or prohibit investment in tobacco equities. Such business decisions are better left to company management or portfolio managers.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals regarding tobacco product warnings. Such decisions are better left to public health authorities.
Climate Change
Say on Climate (SoC) Management Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals that request shareholders to approve the company’s climate transition action plan, taking into account the completeness and rigor of the plan. Information that will be considered where available includes the following:
1. | The extent to which the company’s climate related disclosures are in line with TCFD recommendations and meet other market standards; |
2. | Disclosure of its operational supply chain GHG emissions (Scopes 1, 2, and 3); |
3. | The completeness and rigor of company’s short-, medium-, and long-term targets for reducing operational and supply chain GHG emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3 if relevant); |
4. | Whether the company has sought and approved third-party approval that its targets are science- based; |
5. | Whether the company has made a commitment to be “net zero” for operational and supply chain emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) by 2050; |
6. | Whether the company discloses a commitment to report on the implementation of its plan in subsequent years; |
7. | Whether the company’s climate data has received third-party assurance; |
8. | Disclosure of how the company’s lobbying activities and its capital expenditures align with company strategy; |
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9. | Whether there are specific industry decarbonization challenges; and |
10. | The company’s related commitment, disclosure, and performance compared to its industry peers. |
Say on Climate (SoC) Shareholder Proposals
Vote AGAINST if the proposal calls for scope 3 reduction targets. Unless there is a significant relevant controversy or the company significantly lags peers, generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that request the company to disclose a report providing its GHG emissions levels and reduction targets and/or its upcoming/approved climate transition action plan and provide shareholders the opportunity to express approval or disapproval of its GHG emissions reduction plan. If there is a significant relevant controversy or the company significantly lags peers, Boston Partners will taking the following into account:
1. | The completeness and rigor of the company’s climate-related disclosure; |
2. | The company’s actual GHG emissions performance; |
3. | Whether the company has been the subject of recent, significant violations, fines, litigation, or controversy related to its GHG emissions; and |
4. | Whether the proposal’s request is unduly burdensome (scope or timeframe) or overly prescriptive. |
Climate Change/Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Generally, vote FOR resolutions requesting that a company disclose information on the financial, physical, or regulatory risks it faces related to climate change on its operations and investments or on how the company identifies, measures, and manages such risks, considering:
1. | Whether the company already provides current, publicly-available information on the impact that climate change may have on the company as well as associated company policies and procedures to address related risks and/or opportunities; |
2. | The company's level of disclosure compared to industry peers; and |
3. | Whether there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company's climate change-related performance. |
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting a report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from company operations and/or products and operations, unless:
1. | The company already discloses current, publicly-available information on the impacts that GHG emissions may have on the company as well as associated company policies and procedures to address related risks and/or opportunities; |
2. | The company's level of disclosure is comparable to that of industry peers; and |
3. | There are no significant, controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company's GHG emissions. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals that call for the adoption of GHG reduction goals from products and operations, taking into account:
1. | Whether the company provides disclosure of year-over-year GHG emissions performance data; |
2. | Whether company disclosure lags behind industry peers; |
3. | The company's actual GHG emissions performance; |
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4. | The company's current GHG emission policies, oversight mechanisms, and related initiatives; and |
5. | Whether the company has been the subject of recent, significant violations, fines, litigation, or controversy related to GHG emissions. |
Energy Efficiency
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting that a company report on its energy efficiency policies, unless:
1. | The company complies with applicable energy efficiency regulations and laws, and discloses its participation in energy efficiency policies and programs, including disclosure of benchmark data, targets, and performance measures; or |
2. | The proponent requests adoption of specific energy efficiency goals within specific timelines. |
Renewable Energy
Generally, vote FOR requests for reports on the feasibility of developing renewable energy resources unless the report would be duplicative of existing disclosure or irrelevant to the company’s line of business.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals requesting that the company invest in renewable energy resources. Such decisions are best left to management’s evaluation of the feasibility and financial impact that such programs may have on the company.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals that call for the adoption of renewable energy goals, taking into account:
1. | The scope and structure of the proposal; |
2. | The company's current level of disclosure on renewable energy use and GHG emissions; and |
3. | The company's disclosure of policies, practices, and oversight implemented to manage GHG emissions and mitigate climate change risks. |
Diversity
Board Diversity
Generally, vote FOR requests for reports on a company's efforts to diversify the board, unless:
1. | The gender and racial minority representation of the company’s board is reasonably inclusive in relation to companies of similar size and business; and |
2. | The board already reports on its nominating procedures and gender and racial minority initiatives on the board and within the company. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals asking a company to increase the gender and racial minority representation on its board, taking into account:
1. | The degree of existing gender and racial minority diversity on the company’s board and among its executive officers; |
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2. | The level of gender and racial minority representation that exists at the company’s industry peers; |
3. | The company’s established process for addressing gender and racial minority board representation; |
4. | Whether the proposal includes an overly prescriptive request to amend nominating committee charter language; |
5. | The independence of the company’s nominating committee; |
6. | Whether the company uses an outside search firm to identify potential director nominees; and |
7. | Whether the company has had recent controversies, fines, or litigation regarding equal employment practices. |
Equality of Opportunity
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting a company disclose its diversity policies or initiatives, or proposals requesting disclosure of a company’s comprehensive workforce diversity data, including requests for EEO-1 data, unless:
1. | The company publicly discloses equal opportunity policies and initiatives in a comprehensive manner; |
2. | The company already publicly discloses comprehensive workforce diversity data; and |
3. | The company has no recent significant EEO-related violations or litigation. |
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals seeking information on the diversity efforts of suppliers and service providers. Such requests may pose a significant burden on the company.
Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Domestic Partner Benefits
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking to amend a company’s EEO statement or diversity policies to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity, unless the change would be unduly burdensome.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to extend company benefits to, or eliminate benefits from, domestic partners. Decisions regarding benefits should be left to the discretion of the company.
Gender, Race/ Ethnicity Pay Gap
REFER requests for reports on a company's pay data by gender, race, ethnicity, or a report on a company’s policies and goals to reduce any gender, race, or ethnicity pay gap, taking into account:
1. | The company's current policies and disclosure related to both its diversity and inclusion policies and practices and its compensation philosophy and fair and equitable compensation practices; |
2. | Whether the company has been the subject of recent controversy, litigation, or regulatory actions related to gender, race, or ethnicity pay gap issues; and |
3. | The company’s disclosure regarding gender, race, or ethnicity pay gap policies or initiatives compared to its industry peers; and |
4. | Local laws regarding categorization of race and/or ethnicity and definitions of ethnic and/or racial minorities. |
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Racial Equity and/or Civil Rights Audit Guidelines
REFER proposals asking a company to conduct an independent racial equity and/or civil rights audit, taking into account:
1. | The company’s established process or framework for addressing racial inequity and discrimination internally; |
2. | Whether the company has issued a public statement related to its racial justice efforts in recent years, or has committed to internal policy review; |
3. | Whether the company has engaged with impacted communities, stakeholders, and civil rights experts; |
4. | The company’s track record in recent years of racial justice measures and outreach externally; |
5. | Whether the company has been the subject of recent controversy, litigation, or regulatory actions related to racial inequity or discrimination; and |
6. | Whether the company’s actions are aligned with market norms on civil rights, and racial or ethnic diversity. |
Environment and Sustainability
Facility and Workplace Safety
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for workplace safety reports, including reports on accident risk reduction efforts, taking into account:
1. | The company’s current level of disclosure of its workplace health and safety performance data, health and safety management policies, initiatives, and oversight mechanisms; |
2. | The nature of the company’s business, specifically regarding company and employee exposure to health and safety risks; |
3. | Recent significant controversies, fines, or violations related to workplace health and safety; and |
4. | The company's workplace health and safety performance relative to industry peers. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on resolutions requesting that a company report on safety and/or security risks associated with its operations and/or facilities, considering:
1. | The company’s compliance with applicable regulations and guidelines; |
2. | The company’s current level of disclosure regarding its security and safety policies, procedures, and compliance monitoring; and |
3. | The existence of recent, significant violations, fines, or controversy regarding the safety and security of the company’s operations and/or facilities. |
General Environmental Proposals and Community Impact Assessments
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for reports on policies and/or the potential (community) social and/or environmental impact of company operations, considering:
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1. | Current disclosure of applicable policies and risk assessment report(s) and risk management procedures; |
2. | The impact of regulatory non-compliance, litigation, remediation, or reputational loss that may be associated with failure to manage the company’s operations in question, including the management of relevant community and stakeholder relations; |
3. | The nature, purpose, and scope of the company’s operations in the specific region(s); |
4. | The degree to which company policies and procedures are consistent with industry norms; and |
5. | The scope of the resolution. |
Hydraulic Fracturing
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting greater disclosure of a company's (natural gas) hydraulic fracturing operations, including measures the company has taken to manage and mitigate the potential community and environmental impacts of those operations, considering:
1. | The company's current level of disclosure of relevant policies and oversight mechanisms; |
2. | The company's current level of such disclosure relative to its industry peers; |
3. | Potential relevant local, state, or national regulatory developments; and |
4. | Controversies, fines, or litigation related to the company's hydraulic fracturing operations. |
Operations in Protected Areas
Generally, vote FOR requests for reports on potential environmental damage as a result of company operations in protected regions, unless:
1. | Operations in the specified regions are not permitted by current laws or regulations; |
2. | The company does not currently have operations or plans to develop operations in these protected regions; or |
3. | The company’s disclosure of its operations and environmental policies in these regions is comparable to industry peers. |
Recycling
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to report on an existing recycling program, or adopt a new recycling program, taking into account:
1. | The nature of the company’s business; |
2. | The current level of disclosure of the company's existing related programs; |
3. | The timetable and methods of program implementation prescribed by the proposal; |
4. | The company’s ability to address the issues raised in the proposal; and |
5. | How the company's recycling programs compare to similar programs of its industry peers. |
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Sustainability Reporting
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting that a company report on its policies, initiatives, and oversight mechanisms related to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, unless:
1. | The company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies such as an environment, health, and safety (EHS) report; a comprehensive code of corporate conduct; and/or a diversity report; or |
2. | The company has formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines or a similar standard within a specified time frame. |
Water Issues
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting a company report on, or adopt a new policy on, water-related risks and concerns, taking into account:
1. | The company's current disclosure of relevant policies, initiatives, oversight mechanisms, and water usage metrics; |
2. | Whether or not the company's existing water-related policies and practices are consistent with relevant internationally recognized standards and national/local regulations; |
3. | The potential financial impact or risk to the company associated with water-related concerns or issues; and |
4. | Recent, significant company controversies, fines, or litigation regarding water use by the company and its suppliers. |
General Corporate Issues
Charitable Contributions
Vote AGAINST proposals restricting a company from making charitable contributions. Charitable contributions are generally useful for assisting worthwhile causes and for creating goodwill in the community. In the absence of bad faith, self-dealing, or gross negligence, management should determine which, and if, contributions are in the best interests of the company.
Data Security, Privacy, and Internet Issues
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting the disclosure or implementation of data security, privacy, or information access and management policies and procedures, considering:
1. | The level of disclosure of company policies and procedures relating to data security, privacy, freedom of speech, information access and management, and Internet censorship; |
2. | Engagement in dialogue with governments or relevant groups with respect to data security, privacy, or the free flow of information on the Internet; |
3. | The scope of business involvement and of investment in countries whose governments censor or monitor the Internet and other telecommunications; |
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4. | Applicable market-specific laws or regulations that may be imposed on the company; and |
5. | Controversies, fines, or litigation related to data security, privacy, freedom of speech, or Internet censorship. |
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Compensation-Related Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to link, or report on linking, executive compensation to sustainability (environmental and social) criteria, considering:
1. | The scope and prescriptive nature of the proposal; |
2. | Whether the company has significant and/or persistent controversies or regulatory violations regarding social and/or environmental issues; |
3. | Whether the company has management systems and oversight mechanisms in place regarding its social and environmental performance; |
4. | The degree to which industry peers have incorporated similar non-financial performance criteria in their executive compensation practices; and |
5. | The company's current level of disclosure regarding its environmental and social performance. |
Human Rights, Labor Issues, and International Operations
Human Rights Proposals
Generally, vote FOR proposals requesting a report on company or company supplier labor and/or human rights standards and policies unless such information is already publicly disclosed.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to implement company or company supplier labor and/or human rights standards and policies, considering:
1. | The degree to which existing relevant policies and practices are disclosed; |
2. | Whether or not existing relevant policies are consistent with internationally recognized standards; |
3. | Whether company facilities and those of its suppliers are monitored and how; |
4. | Company participation in fair labor organizations or other internationally recognized human rights initiatives; |
5. | Scope and nature of business conducted in markets known to have higher risk of workplace labor/human rights abuse; |
6. | Recent, significant company controversies, fines, or litigation regarding human rights at the company or its suppliers; |
7. | The scope of the request; and |
8. | Deviation from industry sector peer company standards and practices. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting that a company conduct an assessment of the human rights risks in its operations or in its supply chain, or report on its human rights risk assessment process, considering:
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1. | The degree to which existing relevant policies and practices are disclosed, including information on the implementation of these policies and any related oversight mechanisms; |
2. | The company’s industry and whether the company or its suppliers operate in countries or areas where there is a history of human rights concerns; |
3. | Recent significant controversies, fines, or litigation regarding human rights involving the company or its suppliers, and whether the company has taken remedial steps; and |
4. | Whether the proposal is unduly burdensome or overly prescriptive. |
Operations in High Risk Markets
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for a report on a company’s potential financial and reputational risks associated with operations in “high-risk” markets, such as a terrorism-sponsoring state or politically/socially unstable region, taking into account:
1. | The nature, purpose, and scope of the operations and business involved that could be affected by social or political disruption; |
2. | Current disclosure of applicable risk assessment(s) and risk management procedures; |
3. | Compliance with U.S. sanctions and laws; |
4. | Consideration of other international policies, standards, and laws; and |
5. | Whether the company has been recently involved in recent, significant controversies, fines, or litigation related to its operations in "high-risk" markets. |
Outsourcing/Offshoring
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals calling for companies to report on the risks associated with outsourcing/plant closures, considering:
1. | Controversies surrounding operations in the relevant market(s); |
2. | The value of the requested report to shareholders; |
3. | The company’s current level of disclosure of relevant information on outsourcing and plant closure procedures; and |
4. | The company’s existing human rights standards relative to industry peers. |
Weapons and Military Sales
Vote AGAINST reports on foreign military sales or offsets. Such disclosures may involve sensitive and confidential information. Moreover, companies must comply with government controls and reporting on foreign military sales.
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals asking a company to cease production or report on the risks associated with the use of depleted uranium munitions or nuclear weapons components and delivery systems, including disengaging from current and proposed contracts. Such contracts are monitored by government agencies, serve multiple military and non-military uses, and withdrawal from these contracts could have a negative impact on the company’s business.
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Mandatory Arbitration
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for a report on a company’s use of mandatory arbitration on employment-related claims, taking into account:
1. | The company’s current policies and practices related to the use of mandatory arbitration agreements on workplace claims; |
2. | Whether the company has been the subject of recent controversy, litigation, or regulatory actions related to the use of mandatory arbitration agreements on workplace claims; and |
3. | The company’s disclosure of its policies and practices related to the use of mandatory arbitration agreements compared to its peers. |
Sexual Harassment
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for a report on company actions taken to strengthen policies and oversight to prevent workplace sexual harassment, or a report on risks posed by a company’s failure to prevent workplace sexual harassment, taking into account:
1. | The company’s current policies, practices, oversight mechanisms related to preventing workplace sexual harassment; |
2. | Whether the company has been the subject of recent controversy, litigation or regulatory actions related to workplace sexual harassment issues; and |
3. | The company’s disclosure regarding workplace sexual harassment policies or initiatives compared to its industry peers. |
Political Activities
Lobbying
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting information on a company’s lobbying (including direct, indirect, and grassroots lobbying) activities, policies, or procedures, considering:
1. | The company’s current disclosure of relevant lobbying policies, and management and board oversight; |
2. | The company’s disclosure regarding trade associations or other groups that it supports, or is a member of, that engage in lobbying activities; and |
3. | Recent significant controversies, fines, or litigation regarding the company’s lobbying-related activities. |
Boston Partners will vote AGAINST proposals that impose significantly higher standards of reporting and oversight than required by legislation and-or industry standard and that would put the firm at a competitive disadvantage.
Political Contributions
Generally, vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting greater disclosure of a company's direct political contributions and trade association spending policies and activities, considering:
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1. | The company's policies, and management and board oversight related to its direct political contributions and payments to trade associations or other groups that may be used for political purposes; |
2. | The company's disclosure regarding its support of, and participation in, trade associations or other groups that may make political contributions; and |
3. | Recent significant controversies, fines, or litigation related to the company's political contributions or political activities. |
Boston Partners will vote AGAINST proposals that impose significantly higher standards of reporting and oversight than required by legislation and-or industry standard and that would put the firm at a competitive disadvantage.
Vote AGAINST proposals barring a company from making political contributions. Businesses are affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level; barring political contributions can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Vote AGAINST proposals to publish in newspapers and other media a company's political contributions. Such publications could present significant cost to the company without providing commensurate value to shareholders.
Vote AGAINST proposals requesting disclosure of a company’s indirect political contributions.
Political Ties
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals asking a company to affirm political nonpartisanship in the workplace, so long as:
1. | There are no recent, significant controversies, fines, or litigation regarding the company’s political contributions or trade association spending; and |
2. | The company has procedures in place to ensure that employee contributions to company-sponsored political action committees (PACs) are strictly voluntary and prohibit coercion. |
Vote AGAINST proposals asking for a list of company executives, directors, consultants, legal counsels, lobbyists, or investment bankers that have prior government service and whether such service had a bearing on the business of the company. Such a list would be burdensome to prepare without providing any meaningful information to shareholders.
Vote AGAINST political congruency proposals.
VIII. Mutual Fund Proxies
Election of Directors
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election of directors and trustees, following the same guidelines for uncontested directors for public company shareholder meetings. However, mutual fund boards do not usually have compensation committees, so do not withhold for the lack of this committee.
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Converting Closed-end Fund to Open-end Fund
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on conversion proposals, considering the following factors:
1. | Past performance as a closed-end fund; |
2. | Market in which the fund invests; |
3. | Measures taken by the board to address the discount; and |
4. | Past shareholder activism, board activity, and votes on related proposals. |
Proxy Contests
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proxy contests, considering the following factors:
1. | Past performance relative to its peers; |
2. | Market in which the fund invests; |
3. | Measures taken by the board to address the issues; |
4. | Past shareholder activism, board activity, and votes on related proposals; |
5. | Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents; |
6. | Independence of directors; |
7. | Experience and skills of director candidates; |
8. | Governance profile of the company; |
9. | Evidence of management entrenchment. |
Investment Advisory Agreements
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on investment advisory agreements, considering the following factors:
1. | Proposed and current fee schedules; |
2. | Fund category/investment objective; |
3. | Performance benchmarks; |
4. | Share price performance as compared with peers; |
5. | Resulting fees relative to peers; |
6. | Assignments (where the advisor undergoes a change of control). |
Approving New Classes or Series of Shares
Vote FOR the establishment of new classes or series of shares.
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Preferred Stock Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the authorization for or increase in preferred shares, considering the following factors:
1. | Stated specific financing purpose; |
2. | Possible dilution for common shares; |
3. | Whether the shares can be used for antitakeover purposes. |
1940 Act Policies (U.S.)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on policies under the Investment Advisor Act of 1940, considering the following factors:
1. | Potential competitiveness; |
2. | Regulatory developments; |
3. | Current and potential returns; and |
4. | Current and potential risk. |
Generally, vote FOR these amendments as long as the proposed changes do not fundamentally alter the investment focus of the fund and do comply with the current SEC interpretation.
Changing a Fundamental Restriction to a Nonfundamental Restriction
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to change a fundamental restriction to a non-fundamental restriction, considering the following factors:
1. | The fund's target investments; |
2. | The reasons given by the fund for the change; and |
3. | The projected impact of the change on the portfolio. |
Change Fundamental Investment Objective to Nonfundamental
Vote AGAINST proposals to change a fund’s fundamental investment objective to non-fundamental.
Name Change Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on name change proposals, considering the following factors:
1. | Political/economic changes in the target market; |
2. | Consolidation in the target market; and |
3. | Current asset composition. |
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Change in Fund's Subclassification
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on changes in a fund's sub-classification, considering the following factors:
1. | Potential competitiveness; |
2. | Current and potential returns; |
3. | Risk of concentration; |
4. | Consolidation in target industry. |
Business Development Companies—Authorization to Sell Shares of Common Stock at a Price below Net Asset Value
Vote FOR proposals authorizing the board to issue shares below Net Asset Value (NAV) if:
1. | The proposal to allow share issuances below NAV has an expiration date no more than one year from the date shareholders approve the underlying proposal, as required under the Investment Company Act of 1940; |
2. | The sale is deemed to be in the best interests of shareholders by (1) a majority of the company's independent directors and (2) a majority of the company's directors who have no financial interest in the issuance; and |
3. | The company has demonstrated responsible past use of share issuances by either: |
a. | Outperforming peers in its 8-digit GICS group as measured by one- and three-year median TSRs; or |
b. | Providing disclosure that its past share issuances were priced at levels that resulted in only small or moderate discounts to NAV and economic dilution to existing non-participating shareholders. |
Disposition of Assets/Termination/Liquidation
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to dispose of assets, to terminate or liquidate, considering the following factors:
1. | Strategies employed to salvage the company; |
2. | The fund’s past performance; |
3. | The terms of the liquidation. |
Changes to the Charter Document
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on changes to the charter document, considering the following factors:
1. | The degree of change implied by the proposal; |
2. | The efficiencies that could result; |
3. | The state of incorporation; |
4. | Regulatory standards and implications. |
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Vote AGAINST any of the following changes:
1. | Removal of shareholder approval requirement to reorganize or terminate the trust or any of its series; |
2. | Removal of shareholder approval requirement for amendments to the new declaration of trust; |
3. | Removal of shareholder approval requirement to amend the fund's management contract, allowing the contract to be modified by the investment manager and the trust management, as permitted by the 1940 Act; |
4. | Allow the trustees to impose other fees in addition to sales charges on investment in a fund, such as deferred sales charges and redemption fees that may be imposed upon redemption of a fund's shares; |
5. | Removal of shareholder approval requirement to engage in and terminate sub-advisory arrangements; |
6. | Removal of shareholder approval requirement to change the domicile of the fund. |
Changing the Domicile of a Fund
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on re-incorporations, considering the following factors:
1. | Regulations of both states; |
2. | Required fundamental policies of both states; |
3. | The increased flexibility available. |
Authorizing the Board to Hire and Terminate Sub-advisers Without Shareholder Approval
Vote AGAINST proposals authorizing the board to hire or terminate sub-advisers without shareholder approval if the investment adviser currently employs only one sub-adviser.
Distribution Agreements
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on distribution agreement proposals, considering the following factors:
1. | Fees charged to comparably sized funds with similar objectives; |
2. | The proposed distributor’s reputation and past performance; |
3. | The competitiveness of the fund in the industry; |
4. | The terms of the agreement. |
Master-Feeder Structure
Vote FOR the establishment of a master-feeder structure.
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Mergers
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on merger proposals, considering the following factors:
1. | Resulting fee structure; |
2. | Performance of both funds; |
3. | Continuity of management personnel; |
4. | Changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights. |
Closed End Funds-Unilateral Opt-in to Control Share Acquisition Statutes
For closed-end management investment companies (“CEFs”), vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from nominating/governance committee members (or other directors on a CASE-BY-CASE basis) at CEFs that have not provided a compelling rationale for opting-in to a Control Share Acquisition statute, nor submitted a by-law amendment to a shareholder vote.
Shareholder Proposals for Mutual Funds
Establish Director Ownership Requirement
Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that mandate a specific minimum amount of stock that directors must own in order to qualify as a director or to remain on the board.
Reimburse Shareholder for Expenses Incurred
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals to reimburse proxy solicitation expenses. When supporting the dissidents, vote FOR the reimbursement of the proxy solicitation expenses.
Terminate the Investment Advisor
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to terminate the investment advisor, considering the following factors:
1. | Performance of the fund’s Net Asset Value (NAV); |
2. | The fund’s history of shareholder relations; |
3. | The performance of other funds under the advisor’s management. |
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AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
I. General
Constitutional Amendment
Vote case-by case on proposals to amend the company's constitution.
Any proposals to amend the company's constitution, including updating of various clauses to reflect changes in corporate law, to complete replacement of an existing constitution with a new "plain language," and updated, version, are required to be approved by a special resolution (with a 75 percent super majority of votes cast requirement).
Renewal of "Proportional Takeover" Clause in Constitution
Vote FOR the renewal of the proportional takeover clause in the company’s constitution.
Significant Change in Activities
Vote FOR resolutions to change the nature or scale of business activities provided the notice of meeting and explanatory statement provide a sound business case for the proposed change.
II. Share Capital
Non-Voting Shares
Vote AGAINST proposals to create a new class of non-voting or sub-voting shares. Only vote FOR if:
1. | It is intended for financing purposes with minimal or no dilution to current shareholders; |
2. | It is not designed to preserve the voting power of an insider or significant shareholder. |
Generally, vote FOR the cancellation of classes of non-voting or sub-voting shares.
Reduction of Share Capital: Cash Consideration Payable to Shareholders
Generally, vote FOR the reduction of share capital with the accompanying return of cash to shareholders.
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Reduction of Share Capital: Absorption of Losses
Vote FOR reduction of share capital proposals, with absorption of losses as they represent routine accounting measures.
Buybacks/Repurchases
Generally, vote FOR requests to repurchase shares, unless:
1. | There is clear evidence available of past abuse of this authority; or |
2. | It is a selective buyback, and the notice of meeting and explanatory statement does not provide a sound business case for it. |
Consider the following conditions in buyback plans:
1. | Limitations on a company's ability to use the plan to repurchase shares from third parties at a premium; |
2. | Limitations on the exercise of the authority to thwart takeover threats; and |
3. | A requirement that repurchases be made at arms-length through independent third parties. |
Some shareholders object to companies repurchasing shares, preferring to see extra cash invested in new businesses or paid out as dividends. However, when timed correctly, buybacks are a legitimate use of corporate funds and can add to long-term shareholder returns.
III. Board of Directors
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Attendance (Australia)
Vote AGAINST director nominees that attended less than 75 percent of board and committee meetings over the fiscal year without a satisfactory explanation.
Generally, vote AGAINST the chairman or deputy chairman if no disclosure of board and/or committee attendance is provided. Subject to section 300(10) of the Corporations Act, an Australian listed company must include in its annual report information about each director’s attendance at board and committee meetings.
Independence (Australia)
Vote AGAINST a director nominee(s) in the following circumstances:
1. | The director nominee is an executive or board chair, and no “lead director” has been appointed from among the independent directors or other control mechanisms are in place. Exceptions may be made for company founders who are integral to the company or if other exceptional circumstances apply; |
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2. | The director nominee is an executive and a member of the audit committee or remuneration committee. In these situations, also vote AGAINST the chairman of the board and/or the chairman of the relevant committee; |
3. | The director nominee is a former partner or employee of the company’s auditor who serves on the audit committee; and |
4. | The director nominee is a former partner of the company’s audit firm and receives post-employment benefits. |
If the board is not a majority (over 50 percent) independent, generally vote AGAINST nominees who are:
1. | Executive directors (except the CEO and founders integral to the company); or |
2. | Non-independent NEDs whose presence causes the board not to be majority independent without sufficient justification. Exceptional factors may include: |
a. | Whether a non-independent director represents a substantial shareholder owning at least 15 percent of the company’s shares and whose percentage board representation is proportionate to its ownership interest in the company; and |
b. | The level of board independence (i.e. generally, a recommendation against non-independent directors if the board composition is wholly non-independent, whereas a CASE-BY-CASE analysis may be undertaken where a board is at or near 50% independent and the reasons for nonindependence of certain directors may include excessive board tenure greater than 12 years). |
Combined Chair and CEO (Australia)
Generally, vote AGAINST a director who combines the CEO and chairman roles, unless the company provides strong justification as to why this non-standard governance arrangement is appropriate for the specific situation of the company. Exceptional circumstances may include a limited timeframe for the combined role upon departure of the CEO, or a non-operating, research, development or exploration company. In some circumstances an executive chair may be considered to effectively combine the chair and CEO roles, notwithstanding the presence of another director on the board with the title of CEO. In assessing this situation, Boston Partners will assess the disclosure surrounding the split of responsibilities and their comparative pay levels.
Problematic Remuneration Practices (Australia)
Generally, vote AGAINST members of the remuneration committee if the remuneration resolution at the previous general meeting (usually the previous year) received support of less than 75 percent of votes cast, taking into account:
1. | The company's response in addressing specific concerns, engagement with institutional investors, and other compensation practices; |
2. | The company's ownership structure; |
3. | Whether the issues are considered to be recurring or isolated; |
4. | Whether the director has served on a remuneration committee of a non-associated company which has also demonstrated problematic remuneration practices; and |
5. | Whether the level of support was less than 50 percent. |
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Shareholder Nominees
Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder-nominated candidates who lack board endorsement and do not present conclusive rationale to justify their nomination, including unmatched skills and experience, or other reason. Vote FOR such candidates if they demonstrate a clear ability to contribute positively to board deliberations.
Removal of Directors (New Zealand)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on resolutions for the removal of directors, taking into consideration:
1. | Company performance relative to its peers; |
2. | Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents; |
3. | Independence of directors/nominees; |
4. | Experience and skills of board candidates; |
5. | Governance profile of the company; |
6. | Evidence of management entrenchment; |
7. | Responsiveness to shareholders; and, |
8. | Level of disclosure by company to shareholders. |
IV. Remuneration
Remuneration Report (Australia)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the remuneration report, taking into account the pay of executives and non-executive directors, including where applicable:
1. | The quantum of total fixed remuneration and short-term incentive payments relative to peers; |
2. | Whether any increases, either to fixed or variable remuneration, for the year under review or the upcoming year were well-explained and not excessive; |
3. | The listed entity's workforce; |
4. | Financial performance and alignment with shareholder returns; |
5. | The adequacy and quality of the company's disclosure generally; |
6. | The appropriateness and quality of the company's disclosure linking identified material business risks and pre-determined key performance indicators (KPIs) that determine annual variable executive compensation outcomes; |
7. | The existence of appropriate performance criteria against which vesting and the quantum of cash and equity bonuses are assessed prior to any payment being made; |
8. | Whether appropriate targets for incentives, including in the STI or LTI, are in place and are disclosed with an appropriate level of detail; |
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9. | Whether performance measures and targets for incentives, including in the STI and LTI, are measured over an appropriate period and are sufficiently stretching; |
10. | Any special arrangements for new joiners were in line with good market practice; |
11. | The remuneration committee exercised discretion appropriately, and such discretion is appropriately explained; and |
12. | The alignment of CEO and executive pay with the company's financial performance and returns for shareholders. |
Where a remuneration report contains multiple areas of non-compliance with good practice, the vote will reflect the severity of the issues identified. A small number of minor breaches may still result in an overall qualified FOR vote whereas a single, serious deviation may be sufficient to justify an AGAINST vote.
In cases where a serious breach of good practice, or departure from accepted market standards and shareholder requirements, is identified and typically where issues have been raised by shareholders over one or more years, the chair of the remuneration committee (or, where relevant, another member of the remuneration committee) may also receive a negative vote.
Elements of the remuneration report include:
1. | Base Pay; |
2. | Superannuation, pension contributions and benefits; |
3. | Short term incentive (STI); |
4. | Long-term incentive (LTI); |
5. | Dilution Limits; |
6. | Malus/ clawback; |
7. | Good leavers; |
8. | Change in control; |
9. | Shareholding requirement; |
10. | Executive' service contracts, including exit payments; |
11. | Arrangements for new joiners; |
12. | Discretion; |
13. | Non-executive director fees; |
14. | All-employee schemes. |
Remuneration of Executive Directors: Share Incentive Schemes (Australia)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on share-based incentives for executive directors.
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Remuneration of Executives: Options and Other Long-Term Incentives
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on options and long-term incentives for executives. Vote AGAINST plans and proposed grants under plans if:
1. | The company failed to disclose adequate information regarding any element of the scheme; |
2. | The performance hurdles are not sufficiently demanding; |
3. | The plan permits retesting of grants based on rolling performance; |
4. | The plan allows for excessive dilution. |
Evaluate long-term incentive plans (and proposed grants of equity awards to particular directors) according to the following criteria:
Exercise Price
1. | Option exercise prices should not be at a discount to market price at the grant date (in the absence of demanding performance hurdles). |
2. | Plans should not allow the repricing of underwater options. |
Vesting Period: Appropriate time restrictions before options can be exercised (if 50 percent or more of securities can vest in two to three years or less, this is generally considered too short).
Performance Hurdles
1. | Generally, a hurdle that relates to total shareholder return (TSR) is preferable to a hurdle that specifies an absolute share price target or an accounting measure of performance (such as earnings per share (EPS)). |
2. | Where a relative hurdle is used (comparing the company's performance against a group of peers or against an index), no vesting should occur for sub-median performance. |
3. | The use of ‘indexed options’ – where the exercise price of an option is increased by the movement in a suitable index of peer companies – is generally considered a sufficiently demanding hurdle. |
4. | A sliding-scale hurdle – under which the percentage of rights that vest increases according to a sliding scale of performance (whether absolute or relative) – is generally preferable to a hurdle under which 100 percent of the award vests once a single target is achieved (i.e. no "cliff vesting"). |
5. | In the absence of relative performance hurdles, absolute share price hurdles may be appropriate so long as they are sufficiently stretching. Where an absolute share-price target is used, executives can be rewarded by a rising market even if their company does relatively poorly. In addition, even if a share price hurdle is set at a significantly higher level than the prevailing share price, if the option has a long life then the hurdle may not be particularly stretching. |
6. | In determining whether an absolute share price target is sufficiently stretching, take into consideration the company’s explanation of how the target share price has been calculated. ISS will be more likely to consider an absolute share price target as sufficiently stretching when the target price is reflected in the option exercise price. |
7. | The issue of options with no performance conditions other than continued service and the exercise price (set as being equal to the share price on date of issue) is not generally considered to be a sufficiently demanding hurdle. |
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8. | Support incentive schemes with accounting-based hurdles if they are sufficiently demanding. An accounting-based hurdle does not necessarily require that shareholder value be improved before the incentive vests as it is possible for incentives to vest – and executives to be rewarded – without any medium- to long-term improvement in returns to shareholders. Growth in EPS may, but does not always, translate into a material increase in share price and dividends over the medium to long-term. |
9. | Hurdles which relate option vesting to share price performance against a company’s cost of capital may be considered acceptable if the exercise price is adjusted to reflect the cost of capital over the vesting period. Shareholders must also be given sufficient information to determine if the cost of capital will be calculated or reviewed independently of management. |
10. | Two different types of options should be distinguished: (1) grants of market-exercise-price options (traditional options), and (2) zero exercise price options (also called conditional awards, performance shares, and performance rights). Traditional options have an in-built share price appreciation hurdle, because the share price must increase above its level at grant date for the executive to have an incentive to exercise. Performance rights have no exercise price; the executive pays nothing to the company on exercising the rights. An EPS hurdle can lead to executive reward without any increase in shareholder return if the instruments are performance rights, but not if they are traditional options. Therefore, an EPS hurdle can more readily be supported if traditional options, rather than performance rights, are being granted. |
11. | For an EPS target to be sufficiently stretching, where a single target is used (with 100 percent of options/rights vesting on the target being achieved), the target should generally specify a challenging target that is at least in line with analyst and management earnings forecasts. For targets which see rewards vest based on a sliding scale, vesting should start at a level below consensus forecasts only if a substantial portion of the award vests for performance above consensus forecasts. |
Retesting
1. | Do not support excessive retesting of options grants against performance hurdles. Many NZ companies use performance hurdles such as cost of capital relative to share price that allow for continual retesting and the issue of retesting against performance hurdles does not appear to have been raised with companies in the past and many equity grants to executive directors have been modest in size. As such, it is not appropriate for Boston Partners to vote AGAINST a particular options grant on the basis of excessive retesting. |
2. | Generally, vote AGAINST incentive schemes that provide for retesting against performance hurdles on a rolling-basis. For retesting to be acceptable, at a minimum it should assess performance against the hurdle from the inception date to the date of vesting. |
Transparency
1. | The methodology for determining exercise price of options should be disclosed. |
2. | Shareholders should be presented with sufficient information to determine whether an incentive scheme will reward superior future performance. |
3. | The proposed volume of securities which may be issued under an incentive scheme should be disclosed to enable shareholders to assess dilution. |
4. | Time restrictions before options can be exercised should be disclosed, as should the expiry date of the options. Any restrictions on disposing of shares received on the exercise of options should be disclosed. |
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5. | If a value has been assigned to the options, the method used to calculate cost of options should be disclosed. |
6. | The method of purchase or issue of shares on exercise of options should be disclosed. |
Dilution of Existing Shareholders' Equity
Aggregate number of all shares and options issued under all employee and executive incentive schemes should not exceed 10 percent of issued capital.
Level of Reward
Value of options granted (assuming performance hurdles are met) should be consistent with comparable schemes operating in similar companies.
Eligibility for Participation in the Scheme
1. | Scheme should be open to all key executives. |
2. | Scheme should not be open to non-executive directors. |
Other
1. | Incentive plans should include reasonable change-in-control provisions (i.e. pro-rata vesting based on the proportion of the vesting period expired and performance against the hurdles taking into account the size of awards). |
2. | Incentive plans should include ‘good’ leaver/’bad’ leaver provisions to minimize excessive and unearned payouts. |
Non-Executive Director Perks/Fringe Benefits (Australia)
Where a company provides fringe benefits to non-executive directors in addition to directors' board and committee fees, vote CASE-BY-CASE on:
1. | The remuneration report; |
2. | Proposals to increase the non-executive directors’ aggregate fee cap; and/or |
3. | The election of the chairman of the board, chairman of the remuneration committee, or any member of the remuneration committee standing for re-election. |
Vote AGAINST when post-employment fringe benefits are paid to non-executive directors, which are often represented as an entitlement per year of service on the board of the company.
Remuneration of Non-Executive Directors: Increase in Aggregate Fee Cap
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on resolution that seeks shareholder approval for an increase in the maximum aggregate level of fees payable to the company's non-executive directors.
In assessing director remuneration, consider how remuneration relates to shareholders’ interests, specifically:
1. | The size of the proposed increase; |
2. | The level of fees compared to those at peer companies; |
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3. | The explanation the board has given for the proposed increase; |
4. | Whether the company has discontinued retirement benefits; |
5. | Whether there is sufficient capacity within the previously approved aggregate fee cap to accommodate any proposed increases in director's fees; |
6. | The company’s absolute and relative performance over (at least) the past three years based on measures such as (but not limited to) share price, earnings per share and return on capital employed; |
7. | The company’s policy and practices on non-executive director remuneration, including equity ownership; |
8. | The number of directors presently on the board and any planned increases to the size of the board; |
9. | The level of board turnover. |
Generally, vote FOR a fee cap resolution that also seeks to allow directors to receive part or all of their fees in shares.
In Australia, vote AGAINST the increase if the company has an active retirement benefits plan for non-executive directors. Vote AGAINST where a company is seeking an increase after a period of poor absolute and relative performance, where the same board (or largely the same board) has overseen this period of poor performance and where the fee cap increase is not sought for the purposes of board renewal.
Remuneration of Non-Executive Directors: Issue of Options (New Zealand)
Generally, vote AGAINST the issue of options to non-executive directors.
Remuneration of Non-Executive Directors: Approval of Share Plan
For New Zealand, generally vote AGAINST the issue of options to non-executive directors. For Australia, generally, vote FOR the approval of NED share plans which are essentially salary-sacrifice structures and have the effect of increasing directors' shareholdings and alignment with investors.
Transparency of CEO Incentives (New Zealand)
Vote AGAINST the re-election of members of the remuneration committee if:
1. | The remuneration of the CEO is not subject to any shareholder approval or scrutiny; or |
2. | There is evidence that the CEO has been granted a substantial quantity of equity incentives; and, |
3. | There is no apparent credible explanation for the CEO not being a member of the board; |
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Shareholder Resolutions (New Zealand)
Generally, vote FOR appropriately-structured shareholder resolutions calling for increased disclosure of executive remuneration and/or the introduction of a non-binding shareholder vote on a company’s remuneration policy.
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BRAZIL
I. Board of Directors
Minimum Independent Levels
Vote AGAINST the bundled election of directors if the post-election board at Novo Mercado and Nivel 2 companies would be less than 50 percent.3
Vote AGAINST the bundled election of directors if the post-election board of Nivel 1 and traditional companies would not have at least one-third of the board or two directors, whichever is higher, classified as independent.
Boston Partners applies a five-year cooling off period to former executives when determining nominee independence in Brazil.
Election of Minority Nominees (Separate Election)
Vote FOR the election of minority board nominees (ordinary and preferred holders), as well as minority fiscal council nominees, presented under a separate election when timely disclosure is provided of their names and biographical information, in the absence of other concerns regarding the proposed nominees. If competing minority nominees are disclosed by different minority shareholders, the contested election policy will be applied.
In the absence of timely disclosure regarding minority nominees, an ABSTAIN vote will be issued for the separate minority election proposal.
In the absence of publicly disclosed information regarding the existence of board nominees presented by minority shareholders, an ABSTAIN vote will be issued for the procedural question requesting a separate election for the election of a director appointed by minority ordinary and/or preferred shareholders.
For fiscal council elections, in the event of publicly-disclosed minority nominee(s), Boston Partners will prioritize the support for the election of minority representatives, issuing an ABSTAIN vote for the management nominees. In the absence of timely disclosure of a minority fiscal council nominee, an ABSTAIN vote will be recommended for the fiscal council minority separate election agenda item, with a vote recommendation presented for the management fiscal council nominees.
Boston Partners will vote on a best effort basis, whenever the names and biographical information of minority nominees are disclosed following the publication of the original report, up to a minimum of eight (8) days prior to the shareholder meeting, in which case priority will be given to allow minority shareholders to elect a representative to the board of directors and/or fiscal council.
3 | 2021 and 2022 are transitionary periods. Vote AGAINST proposed board with overall independence below 40 percent during this period. |
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Installation of Fiscal Council
Vote FOR approval of the fiscal council installation unless no fiscal council nominees, appointed by either the company's management or by minority shareholders, have been disclosed in a timely manner. Vote to ABSTAIN from such proposals in the absence of publicly disclosed candidates.
In the event management recommends against the installation of the fiscal council, vote CASE-BY-CASE.
Combined Chairman/CEO
Vote AGAINST the bundled election of directors of companies listed under the differentiated corporate governance segments of the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (BM&Fbovespa)–Novo Mercado, Nivel 2, and Nivel 1–if the company maintains or proposes a combined chairman/CEO structure, after three (3) years from the date the company’s shares began trading on the respective differentiated corporate governance segment.
Vote AGAINST the election of the company’s chairman, if the nominee is also the company’s CEO, when it is presented as a separate election at companies listed under the differentiated corporate governance segments of the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (BM&Fbovespa), Novo Mercado, Nivel 2, and Nivel 1–after three (3) years from the date the company’s shares began trading on the respective differentiated corporate governance segment.
Board Structure
Vote AGAINST proposals to increase board terms.
II. Capital Structure
Share Repurchase Plans
Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST any proposal where:
1. | The repurchase can be used for takeover defenses; |
2. | There is clear evidence of abuse; |
3. | There is no safeguard against selective buybacks; or |
Pricing provisions and safeguards are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice.
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III. Compensation
Management Compensation
Generally, vote FOR management compensation proposals that are presented in a timely manner and include all disclosure elements required by the Brazilian Securities Regulator (CVM).
Vote AGAINST management compensation proposals when:
1. | The company fails to present a detailed remuneration proposal or the proposal lacks clarity; |
2. | The company does not disclose the total remuneration of its highest-paid executive; or |
3. | The figure provided by the company for the total compensation of its highest-paid administrator is not inclusive of all elements of the executive’s pay. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on global remuneration cap (or company’s total remuneration estimate, as applicable) proposals that represent a significant increase of the amount approved at the previous annual general meeting (year-over-year increase). When further scrutinizing year-over-year significant remuneration increases, jointly consider some or all of the following factors, as relevant:
1. | Whether there is a clearly stated and compelling rationale for the proposed increase; |
2. | Whether the remuneration increase is aligned with the company’s long-term performance and/or operational performance targets disclosed by the company; |
3. | Whether the company has had positive TSR for the most recent one- and/or three-year periods; |
4. | Whether the relation between fixed and variable executive pay adequately aligns compensation with the company’s future performance. |
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis when the company proposes to amend previously-approved compensation caps, paying particular attention as to whether the company has presented a compelling rationale for the request.
Compensation Plans
Boston Partners will generally support reasonable equity pay plans that encourage long-term commitment and ownership by its recipients without posing significant risks to shareholder value. Things to be considered include the presence of discounted exercise prices (which are common in Brazil), particularly in the absence of specific performance criteria; the potential for conflict of interests when administrators are also beneficiaries of the plan; and whether there are sufficient safeguards to mitigate such concerns are considered.
Vote AGAINST a stock option plan and/or restricted share plan, or an amendment to the plan, if:
1. | The plan lacks a minimum vesting cycle of three years; |
2. | The plan permits options to be issued with an exercise price at a discount to the current market price, or permits restricted shares to be awarded (essentially shares with a 100 percent discount to market price), in the absence of explicitly stated, challenging performance hurdles related to the company’s historical financial performance or the industry benchmarks; |
3. | The maximum dilution exceeds 5 percent of issued capital for a mature company and 10 percent for a growth company. However, Boston Partners will support plans at mature companies with dilution levels up to 10 percent if the plan includes other positive features such as challenging performance criteria and meaningful vesting periods, as these features partially offset dilution concerns by reducing the likelihood that options will become exercisable unless there is a clear improvement in shareholder value; or |
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4. | Directors eligible to receive options or shares under the scheme are involved in the administration of the plan. |
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if non-executive directors are among the plan’s potential beneficiaries, paying special attention to:
1. | Whether there are sufficient safeguards to ensure that beneficiaries do not participate in the plan’s administration; and |
2. | The type of grant (if time-based, performance-based, or in lieu of cash), considering the long-term strategic role of boards of directors. |
Specifically, for share matching plans, in addition to the abovementioned factors, vote AGAINST the plan, or an amendment to the plan, if:
1. | The shares to be acquired by the participant to become eligible to the share matching plan lack a minimum three-year lock-up period. |
Furthermore, for share matching plans with no disclosed performance criteria, Boston Partners will vote AGAINST the plan if:
1. | The shares of the initial investment may be purchased by the participant at a discount to the market price; |
2. | The initial investment is made using resources other than the annual variable remuneration received by the participant; or |
3. | The plan lacks a reasonable ratio between the number of shares awarded by the company (matching) and each share acquired by the participant. |
IV. Other
Items Antitakeover Mechanisms
Vote FOR mandatory bid provisions that are structured in line with the recommendations of the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange’s Novo Mercado listing segment:
1. | Ownership trigger of 30 percent or higher; and |
2. | Reasonable pricing provisions. |
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CANADA: TSX- LISTED AND VENTURE LISTED COMPANIES
I. Board of Directors
Director Elections
Generally, vote WITHHOLD for all directors nominated only by slate ballot at the annual/general or annual/special shareholders’ meetings. This policy will not apply to contested director elections.
Individual director elections are required for companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).
Policy Considerations for Majority Owned Companies
Support a one-share, one-vote principle. In recognition of the substantial equity stake held by certain shareholders, on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, non-management director nominees who are or who represent a controlling shareholder of a majority owned company may be supported if the company meets all of the following independence and governance criteria:
1. | The number of directors related to the controlling shareholder should not exceed the proportion of common shares controlled by the controlling shareholder. In no event, however, should the number of directors related to the controlling shareholder exceed two-thirds of the board; |
2. | In addition to the above, if the CEO is related to the controlling shareholder, no more than one-third of the board should be related to management (as distinct from the controlling shareholder); |
3. | If the CEO and chair roles are combined or the CEO is or is related to the controlling shareholder, then there should be an independent lead director and the board should have an effective and transparent process to deal with any conflicts of interest between the company, minority shareholders, and the controlling shareholder; |
4. | A majority of the audit and nominating committees should be either independent directors or in addition to at least one independent director, may be directors who are related to the controlling shareholder. All members of the compensation committee should be independent of management. If the CEO is related to the controlling shareholder, no more than one member of the compensation committee should be a director who is related to the controlling shareholder; and |
5. | Prompt disclosure of detailed vote results following each shareholder meeting. |
If any of the above independence and governance criteria are not met, the policy exemption will not be applied. This policy will not be considered at dual class companies having common shares with unequal voting or unequal board representation rights.
Gender Diversity
WITHOLD votes from the Chair of the Nominating Committee when the company has not disclosed a formal written gender diversity policy if the Chair is of the majority gender. REFER if the Chair is not of the majority gender.
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Racial/Ethnic Diversity
WITHHOLD votes from incumbent Nominating Committee members when the company has not disclosed a formal written racial/ethnic diversity policy. In addition, vote AGAINST Nominating Committee members when the board lacks at least one racially/ethnically diverse director.
Audit Fee Disclosure
For TSX-listed companies, vote WITHHOLD for the members of the audit committee as constituted in the most recently completed fiscal year if no audit fee information is disclosed by the company within a reasonable period of time prior to a shareholders’ meeting at which ratification of auditors is a voting item.
For Canada Venture Listed companies, vote WITHHOLD for the members of the audit committee as constituted in the most recently completed fiscal year if no audit fee information is disclosed by the company within 120 days after its fiscal year end. In the event that the shareholders’ meeting at which ratification of auditors is a voting item is scheduled prior to the end of the 120 day reporting deadline and the audit fees for the most recently completed fiscal year have not yet been provided, the vote will be based on the fee disclosure for the prior fiscal year.
Director Attendance
Vote WITHHOLD for individual director nominees (except nominees who served for only part of the fiscal year or newly publicly listed companies or companies that have recently graduated to the TSX, should be considered CASE-BY-CASE) if the company has not adopted a majority voting director resignation policy and, if they have, a pattern of low attendance exists based on prior years’ meeting attendance.
Board Responsiveness
Vote WITHHOLD for continuing individual directors, nominating committee members, or the continuing members of the entire board of directors if at the previous board election, any director received more than 50 percent WITHHOLD votes of the votes cast under a majority voting director resignation policy and the nominating committee has not required that the director leave the board after 90 days, or has not provided another form of acceptable response to the shareholder vote which will be reviewed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis;
Unilateral Adoption of an Advance Notice Provision
Vote WITHHOLD for individual directors, committee members, or the entire board as appropriate in situations where an advance notice policy has been adopted by the board but has not been included on the voting agenda at the next shareholders’ meeting.
Continued lack of shareholder approval of the advanced notice policy in subsequent years may result in further WITHHOLD votes.
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Externally-Managed Issuers (EMIs)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on say-on-pay resolutions where provided, or on individual directors, committee members, or the entire board as appropriate, when an issuer is externally managed and has provided minimal or no disclosure about their management services agreements and how senior management is compensated. Factors taken into consideration may include but are not limited to:
1. | The size and scope of the management services agreement; |
2. | Executive compensation in comparison to issuer peers and/or similarly structured issuers; |
3. | Overall performance; |
4. | Related party transactions; |
5. | Board and committee independence; |
6. | Conflicts of interest and process for managing conflicts effectively; |
7. | Disclosure and independence of the decision-making process involved in the selection of the management services provider; |
8. | Risk mitigating factors included within the management services agreement such as fee recoupment mechanisms; |
9. | Historical compensation concerns; |
10. | Executives’ responsibilities; and |
11. | Other factors that may reasonably be deemed appropriate to assess an externally-managed issuer’s governance framework. |
Proxy Access
Proxy Contests – Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections
In addition to the General Policy when a dissident seeks a majority of board seats, Boston Partners will require from the dissident a well-reasoned and detailed business plan, including the dissident’s strategic initiatives, a transition plan and the identification of a qualified and credible new management team. The detailed dissident plan will be compared against the incumbent plan and the dissident director nominees and management team will be compared against the incumbent team in order to arrive at a vote decision.
When a dissident seeks a minority of board seats, the burden of proof imposed on the dissident is lower. In such cases, Boston Partners will not require from the dissident a detailed plan of action, nor is the dissident required to prove that its plan is preferable to the incumbent plan. Instead, the dissident will be required to prove that board change is preferable to the status quo and that the dissident director slate will add value to board deliberations including by, among other factors, considering issues from a viewpoint different from that of the current board members.
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II. Shareholder Rights & Defenses
Advance Notice Requirements
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to adopt or amend an advance notice board policy or to adopt or amend articles or by-laws containing or adding an advance notice requirement. These provisions will be evaluated to ensure that all of the provisions included within the requirement solely support the stated purpose of the requirement. The purpose of advance notice requirements, as generally stated in the market, is:
1. | To prevent stealth proxy contests; |
2. | To provide a reasonable framework for shareholders to nominate directors by allowing shareholders to submit director nominations within a reasonable timeframe; and |
3. | To provide all shareholders with sufficient information about potential nominees in order for them to make informed voting decisions on such nominees. |
Features that may be considered problematic include but are not limited to:
1. | For annual notice of meeting given not less than 50 days prior to the meeting date, the notification timeframe within the advance notice requirement should allow shareholders the ability to provide notice of director nominations at any time not less than 30 days prior to the shareholders’ meeting. The notification timeframe should not be subject to any maximum notice period. If notice of annual meeting is given less than 50 days prior to the meeting date, a provision to require shareholder notice by close of business on the 10th day following first public announcement of the annual meeting is supportable. In the case of a special meeting, a requirement that a nominating shareholder must provide notice by close of business on the 15th day following first public announcement of the special shareholders’ meeting is also acceptable; |
2. | The board’s inability to waive all sections of the advance notice provision under the policy or by-law, in its sole discretion; |
3. | A requirement that any nominating shareholder provide representation that the nominating shareholder be present at the meeting in person or by proxy at which his or her nominee is standing for election for the nomination to be accepted, notwithstanding the number of votes obtained by such nominee; |
4. | A requirement that any proposed nominee deliver a written agreement wherein the proposed nominee acknowledges and agrees, in advance, to comply with all policies and guidelines of the company that are applicable to directors; |
5. | Any provision that restricts the notification period to that established for the originally scheduled meeting in the event that the meeting has been adjourned or postponed; |
6. | Any disclosure request within the advance notice requirement, or the company’s ability to request additional disclosure of the nominating shareholder(s) or the shareholder nominee(s) that: exceeds what is required in a dissident proxy circular; goes beyond what is necessary to determine director nominee qualifications, relevant experience, shareholding or voting interest in the company, or independence in the same manner as would be required for management nominees; or, goes beyond what is required under law or regulation; |
7. | Stipulations within the provision that the corporation will not be obligated to include any information provided by dissident director nominees or nominating shareholders in any shareholder communications, including the proxy statement; and |
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8. | Any other feature or provision determined to have a negative impact on shareholders’ interests and deemed outside the purview of the stated purpose of the advance notice requirement. |
Enhanced Shareholder Meeting Quorum for Contested Director Elections
Vote AGAINST new by-laws or amended by-laws that would establish two different quorum levels which would result in implementing a higher quorum solely for those shareholder meetings where common share investors seek to replace the majority of current board members (“Enhanced Quorum”).
Appointment of Additional Directors Between Annual Meetings
Vote FOR these resolutions where:
1. | The company is incorporated under a statute (such as the Canada Business Corporations Act) that permits removal of directors by simple majority vote; |
2. | The number of directors to be appointed between meetings does not exceed one-third of the number of directors appointed at the previous annual meeting; and |
3. | Such appointments must be ratified by shareholders at the annual meeting immediately following the date of their appointment. |
Article/By-law Amendments
Vote FOR proposals to adopt or amend articles/by-laws unless the resulting document contains any of the following:
1. | The quorum for a meeting of shareholders is set below two persons holding 25 percent of the eligible vote (this may be reduced to no less than 10 percent in the case of a small company that can demonstrate, based on publicly disclosed voting results, that it is unable to achieve a higher quorum and where there is no controlling shareholder); |
2. | The quorum for a meeting of directors is less than 50 percent of the number of directors; |
3. | The chair of the board has a casting vote in the event of a deadlock at a meeting of directors; |
4. | An alternate director provision that permits a director to appoint another person to serve as an alternate director to attend board or committee meetings in place of the duly elected director; |
5. | An advance notice requirement that includes one or more provisions which could have a negative impact on shareholders’ interests and which are deemed outside the purview of the stated purpose of the requirement; |
6. | Authority is granted to the board with regard to altering future capital authorizations or alteration of the capital structure without further shareholder approval; or |
7. | Any other provisions that may adversely impact shareholders’ rights or diminish independent effective board oversight. |
In any event, proposals to adopt or amend articles or by-laws will generally be opposed if the complete article or by-law document is not included in the meeting materials for thorough review or referenced for ease of location on SEDAR, which is the equivalent to the U.S.’ EDGAR System.
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Vote FOR proposals to adopt or amend articles/by-laws if the proposed amendment is limited to only that which is required by regulation or will simplify share registration.
Confidential Voting
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting that corporations adopt confidential voting, use independent vote tabulators, and use independent inspectors of election, as long as the proposal includes a provision for proxy contests as follows: In the case of a contested election, management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honor its confidential voting policy. If the dissidents agree, the policy remains in place. If the dissidents will not agree, the confidential voting policy is waived for that particular vote.
Generally, vote FOR management proposals to adopt confidential voting.
Poison Pills (Shareholder Rights Plans)
As required by the TSX, the adoption of a shareholder rights plan must be ratified by shareholders within six months of adoption.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals to ratify a shareholder rights plan (poison pill) taking into account whether it conforms to ‘new generation’ rights plan best practice guidelines and its scope is limited to the following two specific purposes:
1. | To give the board more time to find an alternative value enhancing transaction; and |
2. | To ensure the equal treatment of all shareholders. |
Vote AGAINST plans that go beyond these purposes if:
1. | The plan gives discretion to the board to either: |
a. | Determine whether actions by shareholders constitute a change in control; |
b. | Amend material provisions without shareholder approval; |
c. | Interpret other provisions; |
d. | Redeem the rights or waive the plan’s application without a shareholder vote; or |
e. | Prevent a bid from going to shareholders. |
2. | The plan has any of the following characteristics: |
a. | Unacceptable key definitions; |
b. | Reference to Derivatives Contracts within the definition of Beneficial Owner; |
c. | Flip over provision; |
d. | Permitted bid minimum period greater than 105 days; |
e. | Maximum triggering threshold set at less than 20 percent of outstanding shares; |
f. | Does not permit partial bids; |
g. | Includes a Shareholder Endorsed Insider Bid (SEIB) provision; |
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h. | Bidder must frequently update holdings; |
i. | Requirement for a shareholder meeting to approve a bid; and |
j. | Requirement that the bidder provide evidence of financing. |
3. | The plan does not: |
a. | Include an exemption for a “permitted lock up agreement”; |
b. | Include clear exemptions for money managers, pension funds, mutual funds, trustees, and custodians who are not making a takeover bid; and |
c. | Exclude reference to voting agreements among shareholders. |
Exclusive Forum Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to adopt an exclusive forum by-law or to amend by-laws to add an exclusive forum provision, taking the following into consideration:
1. | Jurisdiction of incorporation; |
2. | Board rationale for adopting exclusive forum; |
3. | Legal actions subject to the exclusive forum provision; |
4. | Evidence of past harm as a result of shareholder legal action against the company originating outside of the jurisdiction of incorporation; |
5. | Company corporate governance provisions and shareholder rights; or |
6. | Any other problematic provisions that raise concerns regarding shareholder rights. |
III. Capital/ Restructuring
Increases in Authorized Capital
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance. Generally, vote FOR proposals to approve increased authorized capital if:
1. | A company’s shares are in danger of being de-listed; or |
2. | A company’s ability to continue to operate as a going concern is uncertain. |
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to approve unlimited capital authorization.
Private Placement Issuances
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on private placement issuances taking into account:
1. | Whether other resolutions are bundled with the issuance; |
2. | Whether the rationale for the private placement issuance is disclosed; |
3. | Dilution to existing shareholders’ position; |
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4. | Issuance that represents no more than 30 percent of the company’s outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis is considered generally acceptable; |
5. | Discount/premium in issuance price to the unaffected share price before the announcement of the private placement; |
6. | Market reaction: The market’s response to the proposed private placement since announcement; and |
7. | Other applicable factors, including conflict of interest, change in control/management, evaluation of other alternatives. |
Generally, vote FOR the private placement issuance if it is expected that the company will file for bankruptcy if the transaction is not approved or the company’s auditor/management has indicated that the company has going concern issues.
Blank Check Preferred Stock
Vote AGAINST proposals to create unlimited blank check preferred shares or increase blank cheque preferred shares where:
1. | The shares carry unspecified rights, restrictions, and terms; or |
2. | The company does not specify any specific purpose for the increase in such shares. |
Generally, vote FOR proposals to create a reasonably limited number of preferred shares where both of the following apply:
1. | The company has stated in writing and publicly disclosed that the shares will not be used for antitakeover purposes; and |
2. | The voting, conversion, and other rights, restrictions, and terms of such stock where specified in the articles, are reasonable. |
Dual-class Stock
Vote AGAINST proposals to create a new class of common stock that will create a class of common shareholders with diminished or superior voting rights.
The following is an exceptional set of circumstances under which Boston Partners would generally support a dual class capital structure. Such a structure must meet all of the following criteria:
1. | It is required due to foreign ownership restrictions and financing is required to be done out of country; |
2. | It is not designed to preserve the voting power of an insider or significant shareholder; |
3. | The subordinate class may elect some board nominees; |
4. | There is a sunset provision; and |
5. | There is a coattail provision that places a prohibition on any change in control transaction without approval of the subordinate class shareholders. |
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Escrow Agreements
Vote AGAINST an amendment to an existing escrow agreement where the company is proposing to delete all performance-based release requirements in favor of time-driven release requirements.
IV. Compensation
Pay for Performance Evaluation
This policy will be applied at all S&P/TSX Composite Index Companies and for all management say-on-pay proposals (MSOP) resolutions.
On a CASE-BY-CASE basis, Boston Partners will evaluate the alignment of the CEO’s total compensation with company performance over time, focusing particularly on companies that have underperformed their peers over a sustained period. From a shareholder’s perspective, performance is predominantly gauged by the company’s share price performance over time. Even when financial or operational measures are used as the basis for incentive awards, the achievement related to these measures should ultimately translate into superior shareholder returns in the long term.
Vote AGAINST MSOP proposals and/or vote WITHHOLD for compensation committee members (or, in rare cases where the full board is deemed responsible, all directors including the CEO) and/or AGAINST an equity-based incentive plan proposal if there is significant long-term misalignment between CEO pay and company performance.
The determination of long-term pay for performance alignment is a two-step process: step one is a quantitative screen, which includes a relative and absolute analysis on pay for performance, and step two is a qualitative assessment of the CEO’s pay and company performance. A pay for performance disconnect will be determined as follows:
Step I: Quantitative Screen
Relative:
1. | The Relative Degree of Alignment (RDA) is the difference between the company’s annualized TSR rank and the CEO’s annualized total pay rank within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period or less if pay or performance data is unavailable for the full three years; |
2. | The Financial Performance Assessment (FPA) is the ranking of CEO total pay and company financial performance within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period; |
3. | Multiple of Median (MOM) is the total compensation in the last reported fiscal year relative to the median compensation of the peer group; and |
Absolute:
1. | The CEO Pay-to-TSR Alignment (PTA) over the prior five fiscal years, i.e., the difference between absolute pay changes and absolute TSR changes during the prior five-year period (or less as company disclosure permits). |
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Step II: Qualitative Analysis
Companies identified by the methodology as having potential misalignment will receive a qualitative assessment to determine the ultimate vote, considering a range of CASE-BY-CASE factors which may include:
1. | The ratio of performance- to time-based equity grants and the overall mix of performance-based compensation relative to total compensation (considering whether the ratio is more than 50 percent); standard time-vested stock options and restricted shares are not considered to be performance-based for this consideration; |
2. | The quality of disclosure and appropriateness of the performance measure(s) and goal(s) utilized, so that shareholders can assess the rigor of the performance program. The use of non-GAAP financial metrics also makes it challenging for shareholders to ascertain the rigor of the program as shareholders often cannot tell the type of adjustments being made and if the adjustments were made consistently. Complete and transparent disclosure helps shareholders to better understand the company’s pay for performance linkage; |
3. | The trend in other financial metrics, such as growth in revenue, earnings, return measures such as ROE, ROA, ROIC, etc.; |
4. | The use of discretionary out-of-plan payments or awards and the rationale provided as well as frequency of such payments or awards; |
5. | The trend considering prior years’ P4P concern; |
6. | Extraordinary situation due to a new CEO in the last reported FY; and |
7. | Any other factors deemed relevant. |
Problematic Pay Practices
Vote AGAINST MSOP resolutions and/or vote WITHHOLD for compensation committee members if the company has significant problematic compensation practices. Generally, vote AGAINST equity plans if the plan is a vehicle for problematic compensation practices.
Generally, vote based on the preponderance of problematic elements; however, certain adverse practices may warrant WITHHOLD or AGAINST votes on a stand-alone basis in particularly egregious cases. The following practices, while not an exhaustive list, are examples of problematic compensation practices that may warrant an AGAINST or WITHHOLD vote:
Poor disclosure practices: General omission of timely information necessary to understand the rationale for compensation setting process and outcomes, or omission of material contracts, agreements or shareholder disclosure documents;
New CEO with overly generous new hire package:
1. | Excessive “make whole” provisions; |
2. | Any of the problematic pay practices listed in this policy; |
Egregious employment contracts: Contracts containing multiyear guarantees for salary increases, bonuses, or equity compensation;
Employee Loans: Interest free or low interest loans extended by the company to employees for the purpose of exercising options or acquiring equity to meet holding requirements or as compensation;
Excessive severance and/or change-in-control provisions:
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1. | Inclusion of excessive change-in-control or severance payments, especially those with a multiple in excess of 2X cash pay (salary + bonus); |
2. | Severance paid for a “performance termination” (i.e., due to the executive’s failure to perform job functions at the appropriate level); |
3. | Employment or severance agreements that provide for modified single triggers, under which an executive may voluntarily leave following a change in control without cause and still receive the severance package; |
4. | Perquisites for former executives such as car allowance, personal use of corporate aircraft, or other inappropriate arrangements; |
5. | Change-in-control payouts without loss of job or substantial diminution of job duties (single-triggered); |
Abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure: Performance metrics that are changed, canceled, or replaced during the performance period without adequate explanation of the action and the link to performance;
Excessive perks: Overly generous cost and/or reimbursement of taxes for personal use of corporate aircraft, personal security systems maintenance and/or installation, car allowances, and/or other excessive arrangements relative to base salary;
Payment of dividends on performance awards: Performance award grants for which dividends are paid during the period before the performance criteria or goals have been achieved, and therefore not yet earned;
Problematic option granting practices:
1. | Backdating options (i.e. retroactively setting a stock option’s exercise price lower than the prevailing market value at the grant date); |
2. | Springloading options (i.e. timing the grant of options to effectively guarantee an increase in share price shortly after the grant date); |
3. | Cancellation and subsequent re-grant of options; |
Internal Pay Disparity: Excessive differential between CEO total pay and that of next highest-paid named executive officer (NEO);
Absence of pay practices that discourage excessive risk taking:
1. | These provisions include but are not limited to: clawbacks, holdbacks, stock ownership requirements, deferred bonus and equity award compensation practices, etc.; |
2. | Financial institutions will be expected to have adopted or at least addressed the provisions listed above in accordance with the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) Compensation Practices and standards for financial companies; |
Other excessive compensation payouts or problematic pay practices at the company.
Equity-Based Compensation Plans
In addition to the General Policy, consider the following:
1. | Plan Features: |
a. | Detailed disclosure regarding the treatment of outstanding awards under a change in control (CIC) |
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b. | No financial assistance to plan participants for the exercise or settlement of awards; |
c. | Public disclosure of the full text of the plan document; and |
d. | Reasonable share dilution from equity plans relative to market best practices. For Canada Venture Listed Companies, the basic dilution (i.e. not including warrants or shares reserved for equity compensation) represented by all equity compensation plans should not be greater than 10 percent. |
e. | For Canada Venture Listed Companies, generally vote AGAINST if the plan expressly permits the repricing of options without shareholder approval and the company has repriced options within the past three years; and the plan is a rolling equity plan that enables auto-replenishment of share reserves without requiring periodic shareholder approval of at least every three years (i.e., evergreen plan). |
i. | Generally, WITHHOLD votes from the continuing compensation committee members, (or, where no compensation committee has been identified, the board chair or full board), if the company maintains an evergreen plan (including those adopted prior to an initial public offering) and has not sought shareholder approval in the past two years and does not seek shareholder approval of the plan at the meeting. |
2. | Grant Practices: |
a. | Reasonable three-year average burn rate relative to market best practices (shouldn’t exceed 3.5%); |
b. | Meaningful time vesting requirements for the CEO’s most recent equity grants (three-year lookback); |
c. | The issuance of performance-based equity to the CEO; |
d. | A clawback provision applicable to equity awards; and |
e. | Post-exercise or post-settlement share-holding requirements (S&P/TSX Composite Index only). |
Generally, vote AGAINST the plan proposal if the combination of above factors, as determined by an overall score, indicates that the plan is not in shareholders’ best interests.
Overriding Negative Factors: In addition, vote AGAINST the plan if any of the following unacceptable factors have been identified:
1. | Discretionary or insufficiently limited non- executive director participation; |
2. | An amendment provision which fails to adequately restrict the company’s ability to amend the plan without shareholder approval; |
3. | A history of repricing stock options without shareholder approval (three-year look-back); |
4. | The plan is a vehicle for problematic pay practices, or a significant pay-for-performance disconnect under certain circumstances; or |
5. | Any other plan features that are determined to have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests. |
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Plan Cost
Vote AGAINST equity plans if the cost is unreasonable.
Overriding Negative Factors
Plan Amendment Provisions
Vote AGAINST the approval of proposed Amendment Procedures that do not require shareholder approval for the following types of amendments under any security-based compensation arrangement, whether or not such approval is required under current regulatory rules:
1. | Any increase in the number of shares reserved for issuance under a plan or plan maximum; |
2. | Any reduction in exercise price or cancellation and reissue of options or other entitlements; |
3. | Any amendment that extends the term of options beyond the original expiry; |
4. | Amendments to eligible participants that may permit the introduction or reintroduction of non- executive directors on a discretionary basis or amendments that increase limits previously imposed on non- executive director participation; |
5. | Any amendment which would permit options granted under the Plan to be transferable or assignable other than for normal estate settlement purposes; and |
6. | Amendments to the plan amendment provisions. |
To clarify application of the above criteria, all items will apply to all equity-based compensation arrangements under which treasury shares are reserved for grants of, for example: restricted stock, restricted share units, or deferred share units, except those items that specifically refer to option grants.
Non- Executive Director (NED) Participation
Discretionary Participation
Vote AGAINST a management equity compensation plan that permits discretionary NED participation.
Limited Participation
Vote AGAINST an equity compensation plan proposal where:
1. | The NED aggregate share reserve under the plan exceeds 1 percent of the outstanding common shares; or |
2. | The equity plan document does not specify an annual individual NED grant limit with a maximum value of (i) $100,000 worth of stock options, or (ii) $150,000 worth of shares. |
The maximum annual individual NED limit should not exceed $150,000 under any type of equity compensation plan, of which no more than $100,000 of value may comprise stock options.
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Individual Grants
Vote AGAINST individual equity grants to NEDs in the following circumstances:
1. | In conjunction with an equity compensation plan that is on the agenda at the shareholder meeting if voting AGAINST the underlying equity compensation plan; and |
2. | Outside of an equity compensation plan if the director’s annual grant would exceed the above individual director limit. |
Shares taken in lieu of cash fees and a one-time initial equity grant upon a director joining the board will not be included in the maximum award limit.
Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPPs, ESOPs)
Vote FOR broadly based (preferably all employees of the company with the exclusion of individuals with 5 percent or more beneficial ownership of the company) employee stock purchase plans where the following apply:
1. | Reasonable limit on employee contribution (may be expressed as a fixed dollar amount or as a percentage of base salary excluding bonus, commissions and special compensation); |
2. | Employer contribution of up to 25 percent of employee contribution and no purchase price discount or employer contribution of more than 25 percent of employee contribution and SVT cost of the company’s equity plans is within the allowable cap for the company; |
3. | Purchase price is at least 80 percent of fair market value with no employer contribution; |
4. | Potential dilution together with all other equity-based plans is 10 percent of outstanding common shares or less; and |
5. | The Plan Amendment Provision requires shareholder approval for amendments to: |
a. | The number of shares reserved for the plan; |
b. | The allowable purchase price discount; |
c. | The employer matching contribution amount. |
Treasury funded ESPPs, as well as market purchase funded ESPPs requesting shareholder approval, will be considered to be incentive-based compensation if the employer match is greater than 25 percent of the employee contribution. In this case, Boston Partners will assess the SVT cost of the plan together with the company’s other equity-based compensation plans.
Eligibility and administration are also key factors in determining the acceptability of an ESPP/ESOP plan.
Management Deferred Share Unit (DSU) Plans
Vote FOR deferred compensation plans if:
1. | SVT cost of the plan does not exceed the company’s allowable cap; |
2. | If the SVT cost cannot be calculated, potential dilution together with all other equity-based compensation is 10 percent of the outstanding common shares or less; |
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3. | NED participation is acceptably limited or the plan explicitly states that NEDs may only receive DSUs in lieu of cash in a value for value exchange (please refer to Overriding Negative Factors/NED Participation above); |
4. | The plan amendment provisions require shareholder approval for any amendment to: |
5. | Increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under the plan; |
6. | Change the eligible participants that may permit the introduction or reintroduction of non- executive directors on a discretionary basis or amendments that increase limits previously imposed on NED participation; |
7. | Amend the plan amendment provisions. |
In addition, for Canada Venture Listed Companies, vote FOR deferred compensation plans if:
1. | Potential dilution together with all other equity-based compensation is 10 percent of the outstanding common shares or less; |
2. | The average annual burn rate is no more than 3.5 percent per year (generally averaged over most recent three-year period and rounded to the nearest whole number for policy application purposes. |
Non- Executive Director (NED) Deferred Share Unit (DSU) Plans
Vote FOR a NED deferred compensation plan if:
1. | DSUs may ONLY be granted in lieu of cash fees on a value for value basis (no discretionary or other grants are permitted), and |
2. | Potential dilution together with all other equity-based compensation is 10 percent of the outstanding common shares or less. |
Vote FOR NED deferred compensation plans that permit discretionary grants (not ONLY in lieu of cash fees) if:
1. | Potential dilution together with all other equity-based compensation is 10 percent of the outstanding common shares or less; |
2. | If the plan includes a company matching or top-up provision, the SVT cost of the plan does not exceed the company’s allowable cap; |
3. | NED participation is acceptably limited (please refer to Overriding Negative Factors/NED Participation above); |
4. | The plan amendment provisions require shareholder approval for any amendment to: |
a. | Increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under the plan; Change the eligible participants that may permit the introduction or reintroduction of non- executive directors on a discretionary basis or amendments that increase limits previously imposed on NED participation; |
b. | Amend the plan amendment provisions. |
5. | In addition, for Canada Venture Listed Companies, vote FOR deferred compensation plans if the average annual burn rate is no more than 3.5 percent per year (generally averaged over most recent three-year period and rounded to the nearest whole number for policy application purposes. |
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Other elements of director compensation evaluated in conjunction with DSU plan proposals include:
1. | Director stock ownership guidelines of a minimum of three times annual cash retainer; |
2. | Vesting schedule or mandatory deferral period which requires that shares in payment of deferred units may not be paid out until the end of board service; |
3. | The mix of remuneration between cash and equity; and |
4. | Other forms of equity-based compensation, i.e. stock options, restricted stock. |
Problematic Director Compensation Practices
On a CASE-BY-CASE basis, generally vote WITHHOLD for members of the committee responsible for director compensation (or, where no such committee has been identified, the board chair or full board) where director compensation practices which pose a risk of compromising a non- executive director’s independence or which otherwise appear problematic from the perspective of shareholders have been identified, including:
1. | Excessive (relative to standard market practice) inducement grants issued upon the appointment or election of a new director to the board (consideration will be given to the form in which the compensation has been issued and the board’s rationale for the inducement grant); |
2. | Performance-based equity grants to non- executive directors which could pose a risk of aligning directors’ interests away from those of shareholders and toward those of management; and |
3. | Other significant problematic practices relating to director compensation. |
Shareholder Proposals on Compensation
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis for shareholder proposals targeting executive and director pay, taking into account the target company’s performance, absolute and relative pay levels as well as the wording of the proposal itself.
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the exercise of some, but not all stock options be tied to the achievement of performance hurdles.
Shareholder Advisory Vote Proposals
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting the adoption of a non-binding advisory shareholder vote to ratify the report of the compensation committee.
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting a binding vote on executive or director compensation as being overly prescriptive and which may lead to shareholder micro-management of compensation issues that are more appropriately within the purview of the compensation committee of the board of directors.
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Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) Proposals
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting the exclusion of bonus amounts and extra service credits to determine SERP payouts, unless the company’s SERP disclosure includes the following problematic pay practices:
1. | Inclusion of equity-based compensation in the pension calculation; |
2. | Inclusion of excessive bonus amounts in the pension calculation; |
3. | Addition of extra years’ service credited in other than exceptional circumstances and without compelling rationale; |
4. | No absolute limit on SERP annual pension benefits (ideally expressed in dollar terms); |
5. | No reduction in benefits on a pro-rata basis in the case of early retirement. |
In addition, consideration will also be given to the extent to which executive compensation is performance driven and “at risk,” as well as whether bonus payouts can exceed 100 percent of base salary.
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CHINA AND HONG KONG
I. Board of Directors
Voting for Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections (Hong Kong)
Independence and Composition
Boston Partners applies a five-year cooling off period to former employees or executives when determining nominee independence in Hong Kong.
Generally, vote FOR the re/election of directors unless:
1. | The nominee has been a partner of the company's auditor within the last three years, and serves on the audit committee; |
2. | Any non-independent director nominees where the board is less than one-third independent4; |
3. | The nominee is an executive director serving on the audit committee; |
4. | The nominee is an executive director serving on the remuneration committee or nomination committee, and the committee is not majority independent; |
5. | The nominee is a non-independent director serving as the chairman of the audit committee, remuneration committee, and/or nomination committee (except for a non-independent director serving as chairman of the nomination committee who also serves as the chairman of the board) |
6. | There is a conflict of interest with the resolution(s) to be discussed in the board or committee meeting |
When the board does not have a formal audit committee, remuneration committee, and/or nomination committee, vote AGAINST if:
1. | The nominee is an executive director and the board is not majority independent; |
2. | The nominee is a non-independent chairman of the board. |
4 | Not applicable if the lack of board independence is due to the immediate retirement, abrupt resignation, or death of an independent non-executive director, provided that the company mentioned or announced a definite timeline of up to three months for the appointment of a new independent non-executive director to have adequate level of board independence. |
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Boston Partners will consider an independent non-executive director non-independent if such director serves as a director for more than nine years, and the company fails to disclose the reasons why such director should still be considered independent, or where such reasons raise concerns regarding the director's true level of independence.
Generally, Boston Partners will vote FOR the election of a CEO, managing director, executive chairman, or founder whose removal from the board would be expected to have a material negative impact on shareholder value.
II. Remuneration
Director Remuneration
Generally, vote FOR resolutions regarding directors’ and supervisors’ fees unless they are excessive relative to fees paid by other companies of similar size.
Equity-based Compensation
A-share Stock Option Schemes and Performance Share Schemes
Vote AGAINST a stock option and/or performance share scheme if:
1. | Pricing Basis – The plan permits the exercise price of the stock options and/or grant price of the performance shares to be set at an unreasonable price compared to the market price without sufficient justification; |
2. | Dilution – The maximum dilution level for the scheme exceeds 10 percent of issued capital; or of 5 percent of issued capital for a mature company and 10 percent for a growth company. However, Boston Partners will support plans at mature companies with dilution levels up to 10 percent if the plan includes other positive features such as challenging performance criteria and meaningful vesting periods, as these features partially offset dilution concerns by reducing the likelihood that options will become exercisable unless there is a clear improvement in shareholder value; |
3. | Performance benchmark – The scheme is proposed in the second half of the year and the measurement of the company’s financial performance starts from the same year. The rationale is that the company’s financial performance has been largely determined for that particular year and thus by linking the vesting conditions of part of the options and/or performance shares to that year’s financial performance, the company is providing incentives for the period of the second half only, which can either be too aggressive (if the target is far out of reach) or too insufficient (i.e., the target has already been reached); or |
4. | Incentive plan administration – Directors eligible to receive options and/or performance shares under the scheme are involved in the administration of the scheme are involved in the administration of the scheme. |
Additionally, in Hong Kong, generally vote FOR an equity-based compensation plan unless:
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1. | The maximum dilution level for the scheme, together with all outstanding schemes, exceeds 5 percent of issued capital for a mature company and 10 percent for a growth company. In addition, Boston Partners will support a plan’s dilution limit that exceeds these thresholds if the annual grant limit under all plans is 0.5 percent or less for a mature company (1 percent or less for a mature company with clearly disclosed performance criteria) and 1 percent or less for a growth company. |
2. | The plan permits options to be issued with an exercise price at a discount to the current market price; or |
3. | Directors eligible to receive options or awards under the scheme are involved in the administration of the scheme and the administrator has the discretion over their awards. |
Employee Stock Purchase Plans
Generally, vote FOR employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs) unless any of the following applies:
1. | The total stock allocated to the ESPP exceeds 10 percent of the company’s total shares outstanding at any given time; |
2. | The share purchase price is less than 90 percent of the market price (calculated as the average trading price 20 trading days prior to the pricing reference date pursuant to the CSRC’s guidelines on private placements) when the share purchase is conducted solely through private placement; |
3. | The company’s significant shareholders (i.e. individuals with 5 percent or more of beneficial ownership of the company) are involved as plan participants; |
4. | The ESPP is proposed in connection with an equity financing scheme which does not warrant shareholder support; or |
5. | The ESPP contains any other terms that are deemed disadvantageous to shareholders. |
III. Capital Raising
Share Issuance Requests
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on share issuance request, with reference to the identity of the placees, the use of proceeds, and the company’s past share issuance requests.
For Hong Kong, generally vote FOR the general share issuance mandate for companies that:
1. | Limit the issuance request to 10 percent or less of the relevant class of issued share capital; |
2. | Limit the discount to 10 percent of the market price of shares (rather than the maximum 20 percent permitted by the Listing Rules); and |
3. | Have no history of renewing the general issuance mandate several times within a period of one year which may result in the share issuance limit exceeding 10 percent of the relevant class of issued share capital within the 12-month period. |
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Share Repurchase Plans (Repurchase Mandate) (Hong Kong)
Generally, vote FOR resolutions seeking for share repurchase mandate.
Reissuance of Shares Repurchased (Share Reissuance Mandate) (Hong Kong)
Generally, vote FOR the share reissuance mandate for companies that:
1. | Limit the aggregate issuance request – that is, for the general issuance mandate and the share reissuance mandate combined – to 10 percent or less of the relevant class of issued share capital; |
2. | Limit the discount to 10 percent of the market price of shares (rather than the maximum 20 percent permitted by the Listing Rules); and |
3. | Have no history of renewing the general issuance mandate several times within a period of one year. |
A-share Private Placement Issuance Requests (Hong Kong)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on share issuance requests, with reference to the identity of the places, the use of proceeds, and the company’s past share issuance requests.
Adjustments of Conversion Price of Outstanding Convertible Bonds
Generally, vote AGAINST the downward adjustment of the conversion price of A-share convertible bonds unless the proposed adjusted conversion price is deemed reasonable given the company’s justification; and the company is under extraordinary circumstances, such as liquidation or debt restructuring process due to financial distress.
Debt Issuance Request/Increase in Borrowing Powers
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on non-convertible debt issuance requests, proposals to approve the specific pledging of assets for debt and increases in borrowing power. Generally, vote FOR such requests if:
1. | The size of the debt being requested is disclosed; |
2. | A credible reason for the need for additional funding is provided; |
3. | Details regarding the assets to be pledged are disclosed (for specific asset pledge proposals); and |
4. | There are no significant causes for shareholder concerns regarding the terms and conditions of the debt. |
A vote AGAINST will be warranted only in extremely egregious cases or where the company fails to provide sufficient information to enable a meaningful shareholder review.
For the issuance of convertible debt instruments, as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion is acceptable on equity issuance requests, a vote FOR will be warranted. Boston Partners will vote FOR proposals to restructure existing debt arrangements unless the terms of the restructuring would adversely affect the rights of shareholders.
Moreover, where a general authority to issue debt or pledge assets is requested, in addition to the above criteria, we will oppose such a proposal if it could result in a potentially excessive increase in debt. A potential increase in debt may be considered excessive when:
1. | The proposed maximum amount is more than twice the company’s total debt; |
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2. | It could result in the company’s debt-to-equity ratio exceeding 300 percent (for non-financial companies); and |
3. | The maximum hypothetical debt-to-equity ratio is more than three times the industry and/or market norm. |
If data on the normal level of debt in that particular industry or market is not available, only the company-specific information will be considered.
For Hong Kong, for proposals seeking a general authority to pledge assets for debt, the specific assets to be pledged need not be disclosed. However, in such cases, the authority should be limited such that it would not result in an excessive increase in debt. If the proposal grants excessive authority to the board or management, vote AGAINST.
In certain countries, shareholder approval is required when a company needs to secure a debt issuance with its assets. In many cases, this is a routine request and is a formality under the relevant law. When reviewing such proposals, Boston Partners takes into account the terms of the proposed debt issuance, the company’s overall debt level, and the company’s justification for the pledging of assets.
Boston Partners will vote AGAINST specific requests to pledge an asset in cases where no information regarding the size of the debt to be raised is disclosed, no credible explanation for the need of funding is provided, no details regarding the assets to be pledged are disclosed, or in extreme cases where shareholders’ rights and economic interests could be negatively affected.
Provision of Guarantees/ Loan Guarantee Requests
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to provide loan guarantees for subsidiaries, affiliates, and related parties. Generally, vote AGAINST the provision of a guarantee where:
1. | The identity of the entity receiving the guarantee is not disclosed; |
2. | The guarantee is being provided to a director, executive, parent company or affiliated entities where the company has no direct or indirect equity ownership; or |
3. | The guarantee is provided to an entity in which the company’s ownership stake is less than 75 percent; and such guarantee is not proportionate to the company’s equity stake or other parties have not provided a counter guarantee. |
When the proposed guarantee does not fall into the above criteria, vote FOR such request provided that there are no significant concerns regarding the entity receiving the guarantee, the relationship between the listed company and the entity receiving the guarantee, the purpose of the guarantee, or the terms of the guarantee agreement. Examples of such concerns include a previous default by the entity receiving the guarantee or a sub-investment grade credit rating.
IV. Amendments to Articles of Association/ Company By-laws
Communist Party Committee
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals for article and/or by-law amendments regarding Party Committees where the proposed amendments lack transparency or are not considered to adequately provide for accountability and transparency to shareholders.
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Other Article of Association/By-law Amendments
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on Articles of Association/bylaw amendments.
In China, generally, vote FOR by-law amendments if:
1. | They are driven by regulatory changes and are technical in nature; or |
2. | They are meant to update company-specific information in the by-laws such as registered capital, address, and business scope, etc. |
Generally, vote AGAINST the amendments if:
1. | The company has failed to provide either a comparison table or a summary of the proposed amendments; or |
2. | The amendments include the increase in the decision authority which is considered excessive and the company fails to provide a compelling justification. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the adoption of new constitutional document with no previous reference.
V. Related Party Transactions
Loan Financing Requests
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on loans and financing proposals.
In assessing requests for loan financing provided by a related party:
1. | Boston Partners will examine stated uses of proceeds, the size or specific amount of the loan requested, and the interest rate to be charged. Boston Partners also gives importance to, and seeks disclosure on, the specific relation of the party providing the loan to the company. |
In assessing requests to provide loan financing to a related party:
1. | Boston Partners will examine stated uses of proceeds, the size or specific amount of the loan requested, and interest rates to be charged. Boston Partners also gives importance to, and seeks disclosure on, the specific relation of the party to be granted the loan by the company. |
2. | Boston Partner will generally vote AGAINST the provision of loans to clients, controlling shareholders, and actual controlling persons of the company. |
3. | Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST the provision of loans to an entity in which the company’s ownership stake is less than 75 percent and the financing provision is not proportionate to the company’s equity stake. |
Group Finance Companies
Vote AGAINST requests to deposit monies with a group finance company.
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VI. Proposals to Invest in Financial Products Using Idle Funds
Vote on proposals to invest in financial products using idle funds on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Key factors for evaluating such requests include:
1. | Any known concerns with previous investments; |
2. | The amount of the proposed investment relative to the company’s assets; |
3. | Disclosure of the nature of the products in which the company proposes to invest; and |
4. | Disclosure of associated risks of the proposed investments and related risk management efforts by the company. |
Generally, vote FOR such proposals unless the company fails to provide sufficient information to enable a meaningful shareholder or there are significant concerns with the company’s previous similar investments.
CONTINENTAL EUROPE
Applies to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland. Also applies to the United Kingdom and Ireland to the extent policies are shared. For specific United Kingdom and Ireland policies, please see that section of the Policy.
I. Operational Items
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
Vote FOR proposals to (re)appoint auditors and/or proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:
1. | The lead audit partner(s) has been linked with a significant auditing controversy; and |
2. | Fees for non-audit services exceed either 100 percent of standard audit-related fees or any stricter limit set in local best practice recommendations or law. |
Approval of Non-financial Information Statement/ Report
Generally, vote FOR the approval of mandatory non-financial information statement/report, unless the independent assurance services provider has raised material concerns about the information presented.
II. Director Elections
Non-Contested Director Elections
Boston Partners may vote AGAINST proposals due to concerns related to at least one of the following specific factors, which are presented below as separate subsections.
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Director Terms
1. | Generally, vote AGAINST the election or re-election of any director when his/her term is not disclosed or when it exceeds four years and adequate explanation for non-compliance has not been provided. Under best practice recommendations, companies should shorten the terms for directors when the terms exceed the limits suggested by best practices. The policy will be applied to all companies in these markets, for bundled as well as unbundled items. |
2. | Vote AGAINST article amendment proposals to extend board terms. |
Bundling of Proposals to Elect Directors
1. | Directors should be elected individually. |
2. | For the markets of Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland*, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, vote AGAINST the election or reelection of any directors if individual director elections are an established market practice and the company proposes a single slate of directors. |
· | * Bundled director elections in Poland may be supported for companies that go beyond market practice by disclosing the names of nominees on a timely basis. |
Board Independence
Boston Partners applies a five-year cooling off period to former executives when determining nominee independence in Continental Europe.
Widely-held Controlled Companies and Non widely-held Companies
Generally, vote AGAINST the election or reelection of any non-independent directors (excluding the CEO) if less than one-third of the board members are independent.
Widely-held Non-controlled Companies
Generally, vote AGAINST the election or reelection of any non-independent directors (excluding the CEO) if fewer than 50 percent of the board members elected by shareholders– excluding, where relevant, employee shareholder representatives – would be independent (Portugal is excluded from this provision); or fewer than one-third of all board members would be independent.
Disclosure of Names of Nominees
Vote AGAINST the election or reelection of any and all director nominees when the names of the nominees are not available.
Election of a Former CEO as Chairman of the Board
Generally, vote AGAINST the (re)election of a former CEO to the supervisory board or board of directors in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands if the former CEO is to be chair of the relevant board.
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Companies are expected to confirm prior to the general meeting that the former CEO will not be (re)appointed as chair of the relevant board.
Given the importance of board leadership, Boston Partners may consider that the chair of the board should be an independent non-executive director.
Voto di Lista (Italy)
Boston Partners will vote CASE-BY-CASE.
One Board Seat per Director
1. | In cases where a director holds more than one board seat on a single board and the corresponding votes, manifested as one seat as a physical person plus an additional seat(s) as a representative of a legal entity, vote AGAINST the election/reelection of such legal entities and in favor of the physical person. |
2. | If the representative of the legal entity holds the position of CEO, generally vote in favor of the legal entity and AGAINST the election/reelection of the physical person. |
Composition of Committees
1. | For widely held companies, generally vote AGAINST the (re)election of any non-independent members of the audit committee if: |
a. | Fewer than 50 percent of the audit committee members, who are elected by shareholders– excluding, where relevant, employee shareholder representatives – would be independent; or |
b. | Fewer than one-third of all audit committee members would be independent. |
For companies whose boards are legally required to have 50 percent of directors not elected by shareholders, the second criterion is not applicable.
2. | Generally, vote AGAINST the election or reelection of the non-independent member of the audit committee designated as chairman of that committee. |
3. | For widely held companies generally vote AGAINST the (re)election of any non-independent members of the remuneration committee if: |
a. | Fewer than 50 percent of the remuneration committee members, who are elected by shareholders– excluding, where relevant, employee shareholder representatives – would be independent; or |
b. | Fewer than one-third of all remuneration committee members would be independent. |
For companies whose boards are legally required to have 50 percent of directors not elected by shareholders, the second criterion is not applicable.
4. | Generally, vote AGAINST the (re)election of executives who serve on the company’s audit or remuneration committee. Boston Partners may vote AGAINST if the disclosure is too poor to determine whether an executive serves or will serve on a committee. If a company does not have an audit or a remuneration committee, Boston Partners may consider that the entire board fulfills the role of a committee. In such case, Boston Partners may vote AGAINST the executives, including the CEO, up for election to the board. |
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5. | Composition of Nominating Committee (Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway) |
a. | Vote FOR proposals in Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden to elect or appoint a nominating committee consisting mainly of non-board members. |
b. | Vote FOR shareholder proposals calling for disclosure of the names of the proposed candidates at the meeting, as well as the inclusion of a representative of minority shareholders in the committee. |
c. | Vote AGAINST proposals where the names of the candidates (in the case of an election) or the principles for the establishment of the committee have not been disclosed in a timely manner. |
d. | Vote AGAINST proposals in Sweden to elect or appoint such a committee if the company is on the MSCI-EAFE or local main index and the following conditions exist: |
I. | A member of the executive management would be a member of the committee; |
II. | More than one board member who is dependent on a major shareholder would be on the committee; or |
III. | The chair of the board would also be the chair of the committee. |
e. | In cases where the principles for the establishment of the nominating committee, rather than the election of the committee itself, are being voted on, vote AGAINST the adoption of the principles if any of the above conditions are met for the current committee, and there is no publicly available information indicating that this would no longer be the case for the new nominating committee. |
Election of Censors (France)
Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST proposals seeking shareholder approval to elect a censor, to amend by-laws to authorize the appointment of censors, or to extend the maximum number of censors to the board.
Boston Partners will vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis when the company provides assurance that the censor would serve on a short-term basis (maximum one year) with the intent to retain the nominee before his/her election as director. In this case, consideration shall also be given to the nominee’s situation (notably overboarding or other factors of concern).
Vote AGAINST any proposal to renew the term of a censor or to extend the statutory term of censors.
Board Gender Diversity
Generally, vote AGAINST the chair of the nomination committee (or other directors on a CASE-BY-CASE basis) if:
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1. | The underrepresented gender accounts for less than 30 percent (or any higher domestic threshold) of shareholder-elected directors of a widely held company Excluding, where relevant, employee shareholder representatives.5 |
2. | Both genders are not represented on the board of a non-widely-held company. |
Mitigating factors may include:
1. | Compliance with the relevant standard at the preceding annual meeting and a firm commitment, publicly available, to comply with the relevant standard within a year; or |
2. | Other relevant factors as applicable. |
Committee of Representatives and Corporate Assembly Elections (Denmark and Norway)
For Norwegian and Danish companies where shareholders vote on elections for members of the corporate assembly or committee of representatives, but not directly on the board of directors, vote CASE-BY-CASE on corporate assembly and committee of representative elections based on the board of directors’ compliance with Boston Partners’ director election policy.
III. Capital Structure
Share Issuance Requests
General Issuances
Vote FOR issuance authorities with pre-emptive rights to a maximum of 50 percent over currently issued capital and as long as the share issuance authorities’ periods are clearly disclosed (or implied by the application of a legal maximum duration) and in line with market-specific practices and/or recommended guidelines (e.g. issuance periods limited to 18 months for the Netherlands).
Vote FOR issuance authorities without pre-emptive rights to a maximum of 10 percent (or a lower limit if local market best practice recommendations provide) of currently issued capital as long as the share issuance authorities’ periods are clearly disclosed (or implied by the application of a legal maximum duration) and in line with market-specific practices and/or recommended guidelines (e.g. issuance periods limited to 18 months for the Netherlands).
These thresholds are mutually exclusive. When calculating the defined limits, all authorized and conditional capital authorizations are considered, including existing authorizations that will remain valid beyond the concerned shareholders' meeting.
For French Companies
Vote FOR general issuance requests with preemptive rights, or without preemptive rights but with a binding “priority right,” for a maximum of 50 percent over currently issued capital.
5 | In France, when employees exceed a given shareholding threshold in the company, they must be represented by employee shareholder representative(s) on the [supervisory] board. |
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Generally, vote FOR general authorities to issue shares without preemptive rights up to a maximum of 10 percent of share capital. When companies are listed on a regulated market, the maximum discount on share issuance price proposed in the resolution must, in addition, comply with the legal discount (i.e., a maximum of 5 percent discount to the share listing price) for a vote FOR to be warranted.
Increases in Authorized Capital
Vote for proposals to increase authorized capital on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if such proposals do not include the authorization to issue shares from the (pre-)approved limit.
In case the proposals to increase authorized capital include the authorization to issue shares according to the (pre-) approved limit without obtaining separate shareholder approval, the general issuance policy applies.
IV. Compensation
Executive Compensation-related Proposals
Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST a company’s compensation-related proposal if such proposal fails to comply with one or a combination of several of the global principles and their corresponding rules:
1. | Provide shareholders with clear and comprehensive compensation disclosures: |
a. | Information on compensation-related proposals shall be made available to shareholders in a timely manner; |
b. | The level of disclosure of the proposed compensation policy and remuneration report shall be sufficient for shareholders to make an informed decision and shall be in line with what local market best practice standards dictate; |
i. | Remuneration report disclosure is expected to include amongst others: amounts paid to executives, alignment between company performance and payout to executives, disclosure of variable incentive targets and according levels of achievement and performance awards made, after the relevant performance period (ex-post), and disclosure and explanation of use of any discretionary authority or derogation clause by the board or remuneration committee to adjust pay outcomes. |
ii. | Companies are expected to provide meaningful information regarding the average remuneration of employees of the company, in a manner which permits comparison with directors’ remuneration. |
c. | Companies shall adequately disclose all elements of the compensation, including: |
i. | Any short- or long-term compensation component must include a maximum award limit. |
ii. | Long-term incentive plans must provide sufficient disclosure of (i) the exercise price/strike price (options); (ii) discount on grant; (iii) grant date/period; (iv) exercise/vesting period; and, if applicable, (v) performance criteria. |
iii. | Discretionary payments, if applicable. |
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iv. | The derogation policy, if applicable, which shall clearly define and limit any elements (e.g., base salary, STI, LTI, etc.) and extent (e.g., caps, weightings, etc.) to which derogations may apply. |
2. | Maintain appropriate pay structure with emphasis on long-term shareholder value: |
a. | The structure of the company’s short-term incentive plan shall be appropriate. |
b. | The compensation policy must notably avoid guaranteed or discretionary compensation. |
c. | The structure of the company’s long-term incentives shall be appropriate, including, but not limited to, dilution, vesting period, and, if applicable, performance conditions. |
i. | Equity-based plans or awards that are linked to long-term company performance will be evaluated using Boston Partners’ General Policy for equity-based plans; and |
ii. | For awards granted to executives, generally require a clear link between shareholder value and awards, and stringent performance-based elements. |
d. | The balance between short- and long-term variable compensation shall be appropriate. The company’s executive compensation policy must notably avoid disproportionate focus on short-term variable element(s). |
3. | Avoid arrangements that risk “pay for failure”: |
a. | The board shall demonstrate good stewardship of investor’s interests regarding executive compensation practices (principle being supported by Pay for Performance Evaluation). |
i. | There shall be a clear link between the company’s performance and variable incentives. Financial and non-financial conditions, including ESG criteria, are relevant as long as they reward an effective performance in line with the purpose, strategy, and objectives adopted by the company. |
ii. | There shall not be significant discrepancies between the company’s performance, financial and non-financial and real executive payouts. |
iii. | The level of pay for the CEO and members of executive management should not be excessive relative to peers, company performance, and market practices. |
iv. | Significant pay increases shall be explained by a detailed and compelling disclosure. |
b. | Termination payments (any payment linked to early termination of contracts for executive or managing directors, including payments related to the duration of a notice period or a non-competition clause included in the contract) must not be in excess of (i) 24 months’ pay or of (ii) any more restrictive provision pursuant to local legal requirements and/or market best practices. |
c. | Arrangements with a company executive regarding pensions and post-mandate exercise of equity-based awards must not result in an adverse impact on shareholders’ interests or be misaligned with good market practices. |
4. | Maintain an independent and effective compensation committee: |
a. | No executives may serve on the compensation committee. |
b. | In certain markets the compensation committee shall be composed of a majority of independent members. |
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c. | Compensation committees should use the discretion afforded them by shareholders to ensure that rewards properly reflect business performance. |
In addition, Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST a compensation-related proposal if such proposal is in breach of any other Boston Partners’ voting policy.
Non-Executive Director Compensation
Though always seeking to avoid inappropriate pay to non-executive directors, Boston Partners will generally vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors, and will otherwise vote AGAINST where:
1. | Documents (including general meeting documents, annual report) provided prior to the general meeting do not mention fees paid to non-executive directors. |
2. | Proposed amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry. |
3. | The company intends to increase the fees excessively in comparison with market/sector practices, without stating compelling reasons that justify the increase. |
4. | Proposals provide for the granting of stock options, performance-based places compensation (including stock appreciation rights and performance-vesting restricted stock), and performance-based cash to non-executive directors. |
5. | Proposals introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors. |
Boston Partners will vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis where:
1. | Proposals include both cash and share-based components to non-executive directors. |
2. | Proposals bundle compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a single resolution. |
Equity-based Compensation Guidelines
Boston Partners will generally vote FOR equity-based compensation proposals of the like if the plan(s) is (are) in line with long-term shareholder interests and align the award with shareholder value. This assessment includes, but is not limited to, the following factors:
1. | The volume of awards (to be) transferred to participants under all outstanding plans must not be excessive. |
2. | Awards must not exceed: |
a. | 5 percent of a company's issued share capital. This number can be up to 10 percent for high-growth companies or particularly well-designed plans (e.g., with challenging performance criteria, extended vesting/performance period, etc.); |
b. | The plan(s) must be sufficiently long-term in nature/structure: the vesting of awards (i) must occur no less than three years from the grant date, and (ii) if applicable, should be conditioned on meeting performance targets that are measured over a period of at least three consecutive years; |
c. | If applicable, performance criteria must be fully disclosed, measurable, quantifiable, and long-term oriented; |
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d. | The awards must be granted at market price. Discounts, if any, must be mitigated by performance criteria or other features that justify such discount. |
Compensation-Related Voting Sanctions
Should a company be deemed:
· | To have egregious remuneration practices; |
· | To have failed to follow market practice by not submitting expected resolutions on executive compensation; or |
· | To have failed to respond to significant shareholder dissent on remuneration-related proposals; |
an adverse vote could be applied to any of the following on a CASE-BY-CASE basis:
1. | The (re)election of the chair of the remuneration committee or, where relevant, any other members of the remuneration committee; |
2. | The reelection of the board chair; |
3. | The discharge of directors; or |
4. | The annual report and accounts. |
Other adverse recommendations under existing remuneration proposals (if any) should also be considered.
Stock Option Plans – Adjustment for Dividend (Nordic Region)
Vote AGAINST stock option plans in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden if evidence is found that they contain provisions that may result in a disconnect between shareholder value and employee/executive reward. This includes one or a combination of the following:
1. | Adjusting the strike price for future ordinary dividends AND including expected dividend yield above 0 percent when determining the number of options awarded under the plan; |
2. | Having significantly higher expected dividends than actual historical dividends; |
3. | Favorably adjusting the terms of existing options plans without valid reason; and/or |
4. | Any other provisions or performance measures that result in undue award. |
Boston Partners will make an exception if a company proposes to reduce the strike price by the amount of future special (extraordinary) dividends only.
Generally, vote AGAINST if the potential increase of share capital amounts to more than 5 percent for mature companies or 10 percent for growth companies or if options may be exercised below the market price of the share at the date of grant, or that employee options do not lapse if employment is terminated.
Share Matching Plans (Sweden and Norway)
Boston Partners considers the following factors when evaluating share matching plans:
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1. | For every share matching plan, Boston Partners requires a holding period. |
2. | For plans without performance criteria, the shares must be purchased at market price. |
3. | For broad-based share matching plans directed at all employees, Boston Partners accepts an arrangement up to a 1:1 ratio, i.e. no more than one free share is awarded for every share purchased at market value. |
4. | In addition, for plans directed at executives, we require that sufficiently challenging performance criteria be attached to the plan. Higher discounts demand proportionally higher performance criteria. |
The dilution of the plan when combined with the dilution from any other proposed or outstanding employee stock purchase/stock matching plans, must comply with Boston Partners guidelines.
V. Other Items
Antitakeover Mechanisms
For the Netherlands, votes regarding management proposals to approve protective preference shares will be determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. In general, Boston Partners will vote FOR protective preference shares (PPS) only if:
1. | The supervisory board needs to approve an issuance of shares and the supervisory board is independent within the meaning Boston Partners’ guidelines and the Dutch Corporate Governance Code (i.e. a maximum of one member can be non-independent); |
2. | No call / put option agreement exists between the company and a foundation for the issuance of PPS; |
3. | The issuance authority is for a maximum of 18 months; |
4. | The board of the company-friendly foundation is fully independent; |
5. | There are no priority shares or other egregious protective or entrenchment tools; |
6. | The company states specifically that the issue of PPS is not meant to block a takeover, but will only be used to investigate alternative bids or to negotiate a better deal; |
7. | The foundation buying the PPS does not have as a statutory goal to block a takeover; and |
8. | The PPS will be outstanding for a period of maximum 6 months (an EGM must be called to determine the continued use of such shares after this period). |
For French companies listed on a regulated market, generally vote AGAINST any general authorities impacting the share capital (i.e. authorities for share repurchase plans and any general share issuances with or without preemptive rights) if they can be used for antitakeover purposes without shareholders’ prior explicit approval.
Authority to Reduce Minimum Notice Period for Calling a Meeting
A FOR vote to approve the “enabling” authority proposal would be on the basis that Boston Partners would generally expect companies to call EGMs/GMs using a notice period of less than 21 days only in limited circumstances where a shorter notice period will be to the advantage of shareholders as a whole, for example, to keep a period of uncertainty about the future of the company to a minimum. This is particularly true of capital raising proposals or other price sensitive transactions. By definition, annual general meetings, being regular meetings of the company, should not merit a notice period of less than 21 days.
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In a market where local legislation permits an EGM/GM to be called at no less than 14-days’ notice, Boston will generally vote FOR a resolution to approve the enabling authority if the company discloses that the shorter notice period of between 20 and 14 days would not be used as a matter of routine for such meetings, but only when the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting. Where the proposal(s) at a given EGM/GM is (are) not time-sensitive, such as the approval of incentive plans, Boston Partners would not expect a company to invoke the shorter notice notwithstanding any prior approval of the enabling authority proposal by shareholders.
In evaluating an enabling authority proposal, Boston Partners would first require that the company make a clear disclosure of its compliance with any hurdle conditions for the authority imposed by applicable law, such as the provision of an electronic voting facility for shareholders. In addition, with the exception of the first annual general meeting at which approval of the enabling authority is sought following implementation of the European Shareholder Rights Directive, when evaluating an enabling authority proposal Boston Partners will take into consideration the company’s use (if any) of shorter notice periods in the preceding year to ensure that such shorter notice periods were invoked solely in connection with genuinely time-sensitive matters. Where the company has not limited its use of the shorter notice periods to such time sensitive-matters and fails to provide a clear explanation for this, Boston Partners will consider a vote AGAINST the enabling authority for the coming year.
Auditor Report Including Related Party Transactions (France)
Boston Partners will review all auditor reports on related-party transactions and screen for and evaluate agreements with respect to the following issues:
1. | Director Remuneration |
2. | Consulting Services |
3. | Liability Coverage |
4. | Certain Business Transactions |
In general, Boston Partners expects companies to provide the following regarding related-party transactions:
1. | Adequate disclosure of terms under listed transactions (including individual details of any consulting, or other remuneration agreements with directors and for any asset sales and/or acquisitions); |
2. | Sufficient justification on transactions that appear to be unrelated to operations and/or not in shareholders’ best interests; |
3. | Fairness opinion (if applicable in special business transactions); and |
4. | Any other relevant information that may affect or impair shareholder value, rights, and/or judgment. |
In the event that the company fails to provide an annual report in a timely manner, generally at least 21 days prior to the meeting, Boston Partners will vote AGAINST these proposals.
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EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA
Applies to: Markets in South-Eastern Europe and the Near East; Albania, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malawi, Mauritius, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Also applies to Russia and Kazakhstan, and Israel to the extent policies are shared. For specific Russia and Kazakhstan, and Israel policies, please see those sections of the Policy.
I. Operational Items
Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports
Vote FOR approval of financial statements and director and auditor reports, unless:
1. | There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or |
2. | The company is not responsive to shareholder questions about specific items that should be publicly disclosed. |
Generally, vote for approval of the corporate governance and/or the board report, unless information about corporate governance practices to be included in those reports has not been publicly disclosed by the company in a timely manner.
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
Vote FOR the (re)election of auditors and/or proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:
for widely-held companies, fees (if disclosed) for non-audit services exceed either 100 percent of standard audit-related fees or any stricter limit set in local best practice recommendations or law.
Donations
Vote FOR proposals seeking the approval of donations for the fiscal year under review unless:
1. | The amount of donations for the fiscal year in review is not publicly available at the time of analysis; or |
2. | There are controversies surrounding the company's use of donations. |
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Vote FOR proposals seeking the approval of donations for the upcoming fiscal year unless:
1. | The company does not provide a cap for the amount of future donations, and there is no disclosure regarding donations being made under the fiscal year in review; or |
2. | There are controversies surrounding the company's use of donations. |
II. Board of Directors
Board Independence
Boston Partners applies a five-year cooling off period to former executives when determining nominee independence in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
If a nominee cannot be categorized, Boston Partners will consider that nominee as non-independent and include that nominee in the calculation of overall board independence.
Generally, vote AGAINST the election or reelection of any non-independent directors (excluding the CEO) if overall board independence is less than one-third, excluding, where relevant, employee shareholder representatives.
Vote FOR (AGAINST) employee or labor representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee and are (not) required by law to be on these committees.
Committee Independence
Vote AGAINST proposals seeking the election of non-independent members of the audit committee if:
1. | Fewer than one-third of all audit committee members6 excluding, where relevant, employee shareholder representatives, would be independent; or |
2. | A non-independent member is being presented for election or reelection as the audit committee chair. |
This policy applies to bundled and unbundled items.
For companies incorporated in Turkey, vote AGAINST the (re)election of any non-independent members of the audit committee.
Vote AGAINST the (re)election of executives who serve on the company’s audit committee. Vote AGAINST if the disclosure is insufficient to determine whether an executive serves or will serve on the audit committee. If Boston Partners believes the entire board fulfills the audit committee role, vote AGAINST any executives, including the CEO.
For Nigerian companies, vote FOR the election of shareholders' representatives as members of the statutory audit committee unless the names of the proposed candidates are not publicly disclosed in a timely manner or there are specific concerns about the candidates.
6 | For Saudi Arabian companies, Boston Partners will include external (non-board members) nominees in the assessment of the audit committee's level of independence. |
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Cumulative Voting System
When directors are elected through a cumulative voting system, or when the number of nominees exceeds the number of board vacancies vote CASE-BY-CASE on directors, taking into consideration additional factors to identify the nominees best suited to add value for shareholders.
Generally, ABSTAIN votes from all candidates if the disclosure provided by the company is not sufficient to allow the assessment of independence and the support of all proposed candidates on equal terms.
If the disclosure is sufficient to allow an assessment of the independence of proposed candidates, generally vote in favor of the following types of candidates:
1. | Candidates who can be identified as representatives of minority shareholders of the company, or independent candidates. |
2. | Candidates whose professional background may have the following benefits: |
a. | Increasing the diversity of incumbent directors ' professional profiles and skills (thanks to their financial expertise, international experience, executive positions/directorships at other listed companies, or other relevant factors). |
b. | Bringing to the current board of directors relevant experience in areas linked to the company's business, evidenced by current or past board memberships or management functions at other companies. |
3. | Incumbent board members and candidates explicitly supported by the company's management. |
III. Capital Structure
Capital Structures
Vote FOR resolutions that seek to maintain or convert to a one-share, one-vote capital structure.
Vote AGAINST requests for the creation or continuation of dual-class capital structures or the creation of new or additional super-voting shares.
Preferred Stock
Vote AGAINST the creation of a new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to the common shares.
Vote AGAINST the creation of blank check preferred stock unless the board clearly states that the authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.
Vote proposals to increase blank check preferred authorizations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Debt Issuance Requests
Vote non-convertible debt issuance requests on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with or without preemptive rights.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible debt instruments as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.
Vote FOR proposals to restructure existing debt arrangements unless the terms of the restructuring would adversely affect the rights of shareholders.
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IV. Compensation
Vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors unless:
1. | The board fees paid for the fiscal year under review are not disclosed in a timely manner; |
2. | The proposed amounts are excessive relative to similarly sized companies in the same market/sector, with no justification provided by the company; or |
3. | There is significant concern on the company's past practices regarding directors' remuneration. |
In case there is a significant increase in fees with limited or no justification, vote on the proposal on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote non-executive director compensation proposals that include both cash and share-based components on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote proposals that bundle compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a single resolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors.
Remuneration Policy/Report
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on compensation related-proposal including both non-executive and executive directors (or executive directors only) taking into account the following factors:
1. | Information on compensation-related proposals shall be made publicly available in a timely manner; |
2. | The level of disclosure of the proposed compensation policy shall be sufficient for shareholders to make an informed decision and shall be in line with what local best market practice standards dictate; |
3. | Companies shall adequately disclose all elements of the compensation, including any short- or long-term compensation component. |
When assessing a company's remuneration policy and/or report, generally vote AGAINST if the level of disclosure around the policy and/or the application of the policy is below what is required for shareholders to make an informed judgment. In the event of satisfactory disclosure, vote FOR the approval of the executive remuneration policy and/or the remuneration report on a CASE-BY-CASE approach paying particular attention as to whether the proposed policy and/ or amendments are aligned with shareholders’ interest.
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V. Other Items
Related-Party Transactions
In the case of Nigerian companies, vote FOR proposals relating to renewal of the general mandate for the company to enter into recurrent transactions with related parties necessary for its day-to-day operations in the absence of any concerns with the related party transactions concluded pursuant to the general mandate.
INDIA
I. Board of Directors
Executive Appointment
Vote FOR executive appointment and remuneration proposals, unless there is evidence of problems in the past or significant concerns with the individual’s qualifications, proposed remuneration, or performance or the position.
Election of Directors
Accountability
Generally, vote AGAINST directors who are not liable to retire by rotation and whose continuation on the board will not be subject to shareholder review and approval going forward.
Composition
Separation of Roles of Chair and CEO
For the NIFTY 500 and BSE 500 companies, vote AGAINST the board chair and the chair of the nomination committee (or a senior member of the nomination committee on a CASE-BY-CASE basis) up for reelection, if there is no separation of roles between the CEO and chairperson, as required under the applicable regulations.
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II. Remuneration
Director Commission and Executive Compensation
Fees for Non-executive Directors
For aggregate non-executive director remuneration, generally, vote FOR resolutions regarding director fees unless there is a clear indication that directors are being rewarded for poor performance, or the fees are excessive relative to fees paid by other companies of similar size.
For individual non-executive director remuneration, vote on a case-to-case basis depending on the role and contribution of the concerned director, company performance, the quantum of proposed remuneration, peer benchmarking, and the overall pay structure.
Executive Compensation
Generally, vote AGAINST the payment of remuneration in excess of the minimum remuneration and the waiver of recovery of excess remuneration paid to executives in the event of loss or inadequate profit unless compelling justification is provided in support of the proposal.
Any increases in total remuneration for executives should not be out of line with general increases at the company. Vote CASE-BY-CASE on executive compensation proposals considering whether:
1. | Quantum of pay and proposed hike is reasonable and commensurate with the size and scale of company; |
2. | Past remuneration has been aligned with performance; |
3. | Pay is benchmarked to industry/market peers; |
4. | Pay as a multiple of median employee pay is reasonable; |
5. | The proposed pay structure has sufficient degree of variable pay; |
6. | Terms of LTIP/stock option plans are disclosed; |
7. | The award levels for the different components of variable pay are clearly defined and capped; |
8. | Performance conditions have been stated; |
9. | Malus/clawback/deferred pay provisions are in place; and |
10. | The board has unreasonable level of discretion and flexibility in deciding the final pay. |
Equity Compensation Plans
Generally, vote FOR option plans and restricted share plans.
Vote AGAINST an option plan if:
1. | The maximum dilution level for the plan exceeds: |
a. | 5 percent of issued share capital for a mature company (this may be increased to 10 percent if the plan includes other positive features such as a challenging performance criteria and meaningful vesting periods as these partially offset dilution concerns by reducing the likelihood that options will become exercisable or performance shares are issued unless there is a clear improvement in shareholder value); |
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b. | 10 percent for a growth company; or |
2. | The plan permits options to be issued with an exercise price at a discount to the current market price. |
Vote AGAINST a restricted share plan if:
1. | The maximum dilution level for the plan exceeds 5 percent of issued share capital for a mature company or 10 percent for a growth company; or |
2. | The plan does not include a challenging performance criteria and meaningful vesting periods to partially offset dilution concerns by reducing the likelihood that performance shares are issued unless there is a clear improvement in shareholder value. |
III. Share Issuance Requests
Preferential Issuance Requests and Preferential Issuance of Warrants
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for preferential issuance (private placements) and issuance of preferential warrants.
Specific Issuance Requests
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on issuances of shares for specific purposes.
IV. Debt Issuance Requests
Debt Related Proposals
In evaluating debt-related proposals, consider the following factors:
1. | Rationale/use of proceeds: Why does the company need additional capital? How will that capital be used? |
2. | Terms of the debts: Are the debt instruments convertible into equity? What are the interest rate and maturity dates? Any call or put options? Often these terms will not be determined until the time of issuance of debt instruments (or when the actual loan agreement is signed). The terms of the debts would generally be determined by the market conditions, and lack of disclosure concerning these terms should not be a cause for significant concern so long as the debt is not convertible into equity. |
3. | Size: At a minimum, the size of the debt issuance/potential borrowing should be disclosed. |
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4. | The company’s financial position: What is the company’s current leverage and how does that compare to its peers? |
5. | The risk of non-approval: What might happen if the proposal is not approved? Are there any alternative sources of funding? Could the company continue to fund its operations? Would it hinder the company’s ability to realize opportunities? |
A distinction should be made between a specific debt issuance or pledging of assets, and authority to issue or increase debt; as in the case of specific equity issuances and requests for authority to issue equity.
Increase in Borrowing Powers
Vote FOR proposals to approve increases in a company’s borrowing powers if:
1. | The size of the debt being requested is disclosed; |
2. | A credible reason for the need for additional funding is provided; |
3. | The potential increase in debt is not excessive; and |
4. | There are no significant causes for shareholder concern regarding the terms and conditions of the debt. |
For non-financial companies, the following criteria are used to assess whether the potential increase in debt is considered excessive:
1. | The proposed maximum amount is more than twice the company’s total debt; |
2. | It could result in the company’s debt-to-equity ratio, or gearing level, exceeding 300 percent; and |
3. | The maximum hypothetical debt-to-equity ratio is more than three times the industry and/or market norm. |
Generally, vote FOR debt-related proposals of financial companies taking into account the current financial standing of the company, including but not limited to:
1. | The capital adequacy to risk (weighted) assets; or |
2. | Capital adequacy ratio vis-à-vis the regulatory norm; |
3. | Revenue growth; and |
4. | Asset base. |
Pledging of Assets for Debt
Vote FOR proposals to approve the specific pledging of assets for debt if:
1. | The size of the debt being requested is disclosed; |
2. | A credible reason for the need for additional funding is provided; |
3. | Details regarding the assets to be pledged are disclosed; and |
4. | There are no significant causes for shareholder concern regarding the terms and conditions of the debt. |
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For proposals seeking a general authority to pledge assets for debt, the specific assets to be pledged need not be disclosed. However, in such cases, the authority should be limited such that it would not result in an excessive increase in debt. Vote AGAINST proposals that grant excessive authority to the board or management.
Financial Assistance
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests for financial assistance. Generally, vote AGAINST the provision of a guarantee where:
1. | The identity of the entity receiving the guarantee is not disclosed; |
2. | The guarantee is being provided to a director, executive, parent company, or affiliated entities where the company has no direct or indirect equity ownership; or |
3. | The guarantee is provided to an entity in which the company’s ownership stake is less than 75 percent; and such guarantee is not proportionate to the company’s equity stake or other parties have not provided a counter guarantee. |
When the proposed guarantee does not fall into the above criteria, generally vote FOR the request provided that there are no significant concerns regarding the entity receiving the guarantee, the relationship between the listed company and the entity receiving the guarantee, the purpose of the guarantee, or the terms of the guarantee agreement. Examples of such concerns include a previous default by the entity receiving the guarantee or a sub-investment grade credit rating.
V. Miscellaneous
Accept Financial Statements and Statutory Reports
Generally, vote FOR the approval of financial statements and statutory reports, unless:
1. | There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or |
2. | There has been an accounting fraud or materials misstatement during the year. |
Acceptance of Deposits
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to accept deposits from shareholders and/or the public, unless there are no significant causes for shareholder concern regarding the terms and conditions of the deposit. Sufficient information regarding the deposits must be disclosed, including:
1. | Justification for the need for additional funding; and |
2. | The interest rate offered, which must not exceed the interest rate prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for acceptance of deposits by non-banking financial companies (NBFCs). |
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Charitable Donations
Vote AGAINST proposed charitable donations, unless:
1. | Adequate disclosure on the rationale for the donation and exact term of the authority are provided in the meeting materials, and |
2. | The party receiving the charitable donation is an independent third party. |
Increase in Foreign Shareholding Limit
Vote FOR requests for increases in foreign shareholder limits, unless there are outstanding issues concerning the company.
ISRAEL
I. Operational Items
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
Vote FOR the (re)election of auditors and/or proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees unless, fees for non-audit services exceed standard annual audit-related fees (only applies to companies on the MSCI EAFE index and/or listed on any country main index); or audit fees are being reported together with tax / other fees.
II. Compensation
Executive Compensation-related Proposals
Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST a company’s compensation-related proposal if such proposal fails to comply with one or a combination of several of the global principles and their corresponding rules:
1. | Provide shareholders with clear and comprehensive compensation disclosures: |
a. | Information on compensation-related proposals shall be made available to shareholders in a timely manner; |
b. | The level of disclosure of the proposed compensation policy shall be sufficient for shareholders to make an informed decision and shall be in line with what local market best practice standards dictate; |
c. | Companies shall adequately disclose all elements of the compensation, including: |
i. | Any short- or long-term compensation component must include a maximum award limit. |
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ii. | Long-term incentive plans must provide sufficient disclosure of (i) the exercise price/strike price (options); (ii) discount on grant; (iii) grant date/period; (iv) exercise/vesting period; and, if applicable, (v) performance criteria. |
iii. | Discretionary payments, if applicable. |
2. | Maintain appropriate pay structure with emphasis on long-term shareholder value: |
a. | The structure of the company’s short-term incentive plan shall be appropriate. |
b. | The compensation policy must notably avoid guaranteed or discretionary compensation. |
c. | The structure of the company’s long-term incentives shall be appropriate, including, but not limited to, dilution, vesting period, and, if applicable, performance conditions. |
i. | Equity-based plans or awards that are linked to long-term company performance will be evaluated using Boston Partners’ General Policy for equity-based plans; and |
ii. | For awards granted to executives, generally require a clear link between shareholder value and awards, and stringent performance-based elements. |
d. | The balance between short- and long-term variable compensation shall be appropriate. The company’s executive compensation policy must notably avoid disproportionate focus on short-term variable element(s). |
3. | Avoid arrangements that risk “pay for failure”: |
a. | The board shall demonstrate good stewardship of investor’s interests regarding executive compensation practices (principle being supported by Pay for Performance Evaluation). |
i. | There shall be a clear link between the company’s performance and variable awards. |
ii. | There shall not be significant discrepancies between the company’s performance and real executive payouts. |
iii. | The level of pay for the CEO and members of executive management should not be excessive relative to peers, company performance, and market practices. |
iv. | Significant pay increases shall be explained by a detailed and compelling disclosure. |
b. | Termination payments (any payment linked to early termination of contracts for executive or managing directors, including payments related to the duration of a notice period or a non-competition clause included in the contract) must not be in excess of (i) 24 months’ pay or of (ii) any more restrictive provision pursuant to local legal requirements and/or market best practices. |
c. | Arrangements with a company executive regarding pensions and post-mandate exercise of equity-based awards must not result in an adverse impact on shareholders’ interests or be misaligned with good market practices. |
4. | Maintain an independent and effective compensation committee: |
a. | No executives may serve on the compensation committee. |
b. | In certain markets the compensation committee shall be composed of a majority of independent members. |
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c. | Compensation committees should use the discretion afforded them by shareholders to ensure that rewards properly reflect business performance. |
In addition, Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST a compensation-related proposal if such proposal is in breach of any other Boston Partners’ voting policy.
Non-Executive Director Compensation
Though always seeking to avoid inappropriate pay to non-executive directors, Boston Partners will generally vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors, and will otherwise vote AGAINST where:
1. | Documents (including general meeting documents, annual report) provided prior to the general meeting do not mention fees paid to non-executive directors. |
2. | Proposed amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry. |
3. | The company intends to increase the fees excessively in comparison with market/sector practices, without stating compelling reasons that justify the increase. |
4. | Proposals provide for the granting of stock options, performance-based places compensation (including stock appreciation rights and performance-vesting restricted stock), and performance-based cash to non-executive directors. |
5. | Proposals introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors. |
Equity-based Compensation Guidelines
Vote FOR equity- based compensation proposals for employees if the plan(s) are in line with long-term shareholder interests and align the award with shareholder value.
Boston Partners will vote AGAINST plans if the three-year average burn rate exceeds 3.5 percent.
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JAPAN
I. Routine Miscellaneous
Income Allocation
Generally, vote FOR approval of income allocation, unless:
1. | Payout ratio is consistently low without adequate justification; or |
2. | Payout ratio is too high, potentially damaging financial health. |
Election of Statutory Auditors
Generally, vote FOR the election of statutory auditors, unless:
1. | The outside statutory auditor nominee is regarded as non-independent; or |
2. | The outside statutory nominee attended less than 75 percent of meetings of the board of directors or board of statutory auditors during the year under review; or |
3. | The statutory auditor is judged to be responsible for clear mismanagement or shareholder-unfriendly behavior. |
4. | Egregious actions related to a statutory auditor’s service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company. |
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II. Election of Directors
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
There are three policies for director elections in Japan: one for companies with a statutory auditor board structure, one for companies with a U.S.-type three committee structure, and one for companies with a board with audit committee structure.
1. | At companies with a statutory auditor structure: vote FOR the election of directors, except: |
a) | Top executive(s) at a company that has underperformed in terms of capital efficiency (i.e., when the company has posted average return on equity (ROE) of less than five percent over the last five fiscal years), unless an improvement is observed; |
b) | For meetings on or after Feb. 1, 2022, top executive(s) at a company that allocates a significant portion (20 percent or more) of its net assets to cross-shareholdings. Exceptions may be considered for cases such as where the top executive has newly joined the company in connection with a bailout or restructuring; |
c) | Top executive(s) if the board, after the shareholder meeting, will not include at least two outside directors and, for meetings on or after Feb. 1, 2022, at least one-third of the board members will not be outside directors; |
d) | Top executive(s) at a company that has a controlling shareholder, where the board, after the shareholder meeting, will not include at least two independent directors and at least one-third of the board members will be independent directors; |
e) | Top executive(s) who are responsible for not implementing a shareholder proposal which has received a majority of votes cast, or not putting a similar proposal on the ballot as a management proposal the following year (with a management recommendation of FOR), when that proposal is deemed to be in the interest of independent shareholders; or |
f) | An outside director nominee who attended less than 75 percent of board meetings during the year under review. |
2. | At companies with a U.S.-type three committee structure: (In addition to the guidelines for companies with a statutory auditor structure) vote FOR the election of directors, except: |
a) | Where an outside director nominee is regarded as non-independent and the board, after the shareholder meeting, is not majority independent; |
b) | Top executive(s) if at least one-third of the board members, after the shareholder meeting, will not be outside directors; or |
c) | Where the company has a controlling shareholder, a director nominee sits on the nomination committee and is an insider, or non-independent outsider, when the board, after the shareholder meeting, does not include at least two independent directors and at least one-third of the board members will be independent directors. |
3. | At companies with a board with audit committee structure: (In addition to the guidelines for companies with a statutory auditor structure) vote FOR the election of directors, except: |
a. | Where an outside director nominee who is also nominated as an audit committee member (outside director nominees who are not nominated as audit committee members are not subject to this policy) is regarded as non-independent; or |
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b. | Top executive(s) if at least one-third of the board members, after the shareholder meeting, will not be outside directors. |
III. Article Amendments
Adoption of a U.S.-style Three Committee Board Structure
Generally, vote FOR the adoption of a U.S. style, three-committee board structure.
Adoption of a Board with Audit Committee Structure
Generally, vote FOR an article amendment to adopt a board with audit committee structure. However, if the adoption of the new governance structure would eliminate shareholders’ ability to submit shareholder proposals on income allocation, vote AGAINST the article amendments. Vote CASE-BY-CASE if the board currently has a three-committee structure.
Increase in Authorized Capital
Generally, vote CASE-BY-CASE on this request if the company explicitly provides reasons for the increase.
If the company does not provide reasons for the increase, generally vote FOR proposals to increase authorized capital, unless the increase is intended for a poison pill.
Creation/Modification of Preferred Shares/Class Shares
Generally, vote CASE-BY-CASE on this request.
Repurchase of Shares at Board’s Discretion
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on article amendments to give the board discretionary authority over share repurchases, taking into account the company’s:
1. | Balance sheet conditions; |
2. | Capital efficiency and return on equity; |
3. | Past share buybacks and dividend payouts; |
4. | Board composition; |
5. | Shareholding structure; and |
6. | Other relevant factors. |
Generally, vote AGAINST these amendments if shareholders will lose the ability to submit shareholder proposals on share repurchases.
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Allow Company to Make Rules Governing the Exercise of Shareholders’ Rights
Generally, vote AGAINST this change.
Limit Rights of Odd Shareholders
Generally, vote FOR this change.
Amendments Related to Takeover Defenses
Generally, vote FOR this proposal, unless Boston Partners opposes or has opposed the poison pill proposal by itself.
Decrease in Maximum Board Size
Generally, vote FOR this proposal, unless the decrease eliminates all vacant seats, leaving no flexibility to add shareholder nominees or other outsiders to the board without removing an incumbent director.
Supermajority Vote Requirement to Remove a Director
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals seeking a supermajority requirement to remove a director.
Creation of Advisory Positions (Sodanyaku or Komon)
Generally, vote AGAINST amendments to articles of incorporation to create new advisory positions such as “sodanyaku” or “komon,” unless the advisors will serve on the board of directors and thus be accountable to shareholders.
Payment of Dividends at the Board’s Discretion
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals allowing the board to pay dividends at its discretion. However, if the company employs board with committee structure and the proposal would not eliminate shareholders’ ability to submit shareholder proposals on income allocation, vote FOR the article amendments.
Management Buyout Related Amendments
Generally, vote CASE-BY-CASE on management related buyout amendments.
IV. Compensation
Annual Bonuses for Directors/Statutory Auditors
Vote FOR approval of annual bonuses, unless recipients include those who are judged to be responsible for clear mismanagement or shareholder-unfriendly behavior.
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Retirement Bonuses
Generally, vote FOR approval of retirement bonuses, unless:
1. | Recipients include outsiders; or |
2. | Neither the individual payments nor the aggregate amount of the payments is disclosed; or |
3. | Recipients include those who are judged to be responsible for clear mismanagement or shareholder-unfriendly behavior. |
Special Payments in Connection with Abolition of Retirement Bonus System
Generally, vote FOR approval of special payments in connection with abolition of retirement bonus system, unless:
1. | Recipients include outsiders; or |
2. | Neither the individual payments nor the aggregate amount of the payments is disclosed; or |
3. | Recipients include those who are judged to be responsible for clear mismanagement or shareholder-unfriendly behavior. |
Stock Option Plans/Deep-Discounted Stock Option Plans
Stock Option Plans
Generally, vote FOR approval of stock option plans, unless:
1. | Total dilution from proposed plan(s) and previous option plans exceeds 5 percent for mature companies, or 10 percent for growth companies; or; |
2. | Recipients include individuals who are not in a position to affect the company’s stock price, including employees of business partners or unspecified “collaborators;” or |
3. | The maximum number of options that can be issued per year is not disclosed. |
Deep-Discounted Stock Option Plans
Generally, vote FOR approval of deep-discounted stock option plans10, unless:
1. | Total dilution from proposed plan(s) and previous option plans exceeds 5 percent for mature companies, or 10 percent for growth companies; or |
2. | Recipients include individuals who are not in a position to affect the company’s stock price, including employees of business partners or unspecified “collaborators;” or |
3. | The maximum number of options that can be issued per year is not disclosed; or |
4. | No specific performance hurdles are specified (However, if the vesting period before exercise lasts for at least three years, this policy may not apply). |
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Director Compensation Ceiling
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking to increase director fees, if:
1. | The specific reason(s) for the increase are explained; or |
2. | The company is introducing or increasing a ceiling for performance-based compensation. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals seeking to increase director fees, taking into account the company’s stock price performance and capital efficiency if:
1. | The proposals are intended to increase fixed cash compensation or do not specify whether it is fixed or performance-based compensation which will be increased. |
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals seeking to increase director fees if there are serious concerns about corporate malfeasance.
Statutory Auditor Compensation Ceiling
Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking to increase statutory auditor compensation ceiling, unless statutory auditors are judged to be responsible for clear mismanagement or shareholder-unfriendly behavior
KOREA
I. Election of Directors
Director Elections
Independence
Boston Partners applies a five-year cooling off period to former employees or executives when determining nominee independence in Korea.
Vote AGAINST any non-independent director nominees where the board is less than majority-independent (in the case of large companies) or less than 25 percent independent (in the case of small companies).
Composition
For cases where the election of multiple directors are presented as a bundled item, vote AGAINST the entire slate of directors if one of the nominees presents any governance concerns.
Voting on Director Nominees in Contested Elections
Vote CASE-BY-CASE, determining which directors are best suited to add value for shareholders. The analysis will generally be based on, but not limited to, the following major decision factors:
1. | Management’s track record; |
2. | Background to the contested election; |
3. | Nominee qualifications and any compensatory arrangements; |
4. | Strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of the critique against management; |
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5. | Likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved (both slates); and |
6. | Stock ownership positions. |
II. Audit Related
Election of Audit Committee Member(s)
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election of audit committee members. Consider the history of a particular director when deciding whether to vote in favor of his/her (re)election.
For small companies, Boston Partners will vote AGAINST a non-independent director nominee if the audit committee is less than two-thirds independent.
Election of Internal Auditor(s)/ Establishment of Audit Committees
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election of internal auditor(s). Consider the history of a particular internal auditor when deciding whether to vote in favor of his or her (re)election.
Under Korean law, small companies are required to appoint at least one internal auditor. These companies may alternatively choose to establish an audit committee. For those small companies which choose to create an audit committee in place of the internal auditor system vote FOR the election of an inside director as an audit committee member only if the company's audit committee, after the election, satisfies the legal requirement.
Generally, vote FOR the establishment of an audit committee as a replacement for the internal auditor system.
III. Capital Structure/Restructuring
Stock Split
Generally, vote FOR stock splits or reverse stock splits unless there is potential dilution impact on existing shareholders as a result of stock split and/or reverse stock split.
Spinoff Agreement
Generally, vote FOR the approval of a spinoff agreement, unless:
1. | The impact on earnings or voting rights for one class of shareholders is disproportionate to the relative contributions of the group; |
2. | The company's structure following the spinoff does not reflect good corporate governance; |
3. | There are concerns over the process of negotiation that may have had an adverse impact on the valuation of the terms of the offer; and/or |
4. | The company does not provide sufficient information upon request to make an informed voting decision. |
5. | There is an accompanying reduction in capital. |
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Reduction in Capital Accompanied by Cash Consideration
Generally, vote FOR proposals to reduce a company's capital that accompany return of funds to shareholders and are part of a capital-management strategy and an alternative to a buyback or a special dividend. Such a resolution is normally implemented proportionately AGAINST all outstanding capital, and therefore do not involve any material change relative to shareholder value.
Reduction in Capital Not Accompanied by Cash Consideration
Generally, vote FOR proposals to reduce capital that do not involve any funds being returned to shareholders. A company may take this action if its net assets are in danger of falling below the aggregate of its liabilities and its stated capital. Such proposals are considered to be routine accounting measures.
Merger Agreement, Sales/ Acquisition of Company Assets, and Formation of Holding Company
Generally, vote FOR the approval of a sale of company assets, merger agreement, and/or formation of a holding company, unless:
1. | The impact on earnings or voting rights for one class of shareholders is disproportionate to the relative contributions of the group; |
2. | The company's structure following such transactions does not reflect good corporate governance; |
3. | There are concerns over the process of negotiation that may have had an adverse impact on the valuation of the terms of the offer; |
4. | The company does not provide sufficient information upon request to make an informed voting decision; and/or |
5. | The proposed buyback price carries a significant premium at the date of writing, conferring on shareholders a trading opportunity. |
IV. Compensation
Remuneration Cap for Directors
Generally, vote FOR approval of the remuneration cap for directors, unless:
1. | The proposed cap on directors' remuneration is excessive relative to peer companies' remuneration without reasonable justification; or |
2. | The company is asking for an increase in the remuneration cap where the company has not provided a reasonable justification for the proposed increase. |
Remuneration Cap for Internal Auditors
Generally, vote FOR the remuneration cap for internal auditors, unless:
1. | The proposed remuneration cap for internal auditors is excessive relative to peer companies' remuneration caps without reasonable justification; or |
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2. | The company is asking for an increase in the remuneration cap where the company has not provided a reasonable justification for the proposed increase; or |
3. | There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or audit procedures used. |
Stock Option Grants
In Korea, the manner in which stock options are granted and exercised is stipulated under the law.
Under Korean law, companies are allowed to grant stock options up to 15 percent of the total number of issued shares pursuant to a shareholder meeting resolution. The board is also allowed to grant stock options up to 3 percent of the total issued shares and to seek shareholders' approval retrospectively at the first general meeting after the grant.
Generally, vote FOR stock option grant proposals, unless:
1. | The maximum dilution level under the plan exceeds 5 percent of issued capital for a mature company; or |
2. | The maximum dilution level under the plan exceeds 10 percent for a growth company. |
Amendments to Terms of Severance Payments to Executives
Generally, vote FOR the establishment of, or amendments, to executives' severance payment terms, unless:
1. | The company fails to provide any information in regard to the changes to the terms of severance payments to executives; |
2. | The negative provisions proposed in a resolution outweigh any positive ones; and/or |
3. | The company proposes to introduce a new clause that is effectively a golden parachute clause. |
Stock Option Programs for the Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Generally, vote FOR article amendments to establish stock option programs for the Employee Stock Ownership Plan if:
1. | The company explicitly states that shareholders’ approval will be required for the board to grant stock options to individual members of the employee stock ownership plan pursuant to the Framework Act on Labor Welfare, either prior to the grant or retrospectively at the earliest general meeting; and |
2. | The maximum dilution level under the program does not exceed 5 percent of issued capital for a mature company and 10 percent for a growth company. |
Golden Parachute Clause
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to introduce a provision that entitles the company's directors to an excessive level of remuneration in the event that they are dismissed or terminated.
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V. Routine/Miscellaneous
Authorizing Board to Approve Financial Statements and Income Allocation
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to introduce a provision that gives the board of directors the authority to approve financial statements and income allocation (including dividend payout). Insertion of such a clause would potentially take away shareholders' right to approve the company's dividend payment decision without any countervailing benefits.
RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN
I. Operation Items
Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports
Vote FOR approval of financial statements and director and auditor reports, unless the financial statements and/or auditor's report are not disclosed or are incomplete.
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
For widely-held companies, vote AGAINST the authorization of auditor fees, or AGAINST the election of auditors if the authorization of auditor fees is not presented as a separate item, if:
1. | Non-audit fees exceed audit-related fees (or any stricter limit under local law or best practice); or |
2. | Audit fees are not disclosed. |
Appointment of Audit Commission
Vote FOR the election of the audit commission members where the number of nominees is equal to the number of seats on the audit commission unless:
1. | Adequate disclosure, including the nominees' names, has not been provided in a timely manner; |
2. | There are serious concerns about the work and/or the composition of the audit commission; |
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3. | There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or the audit procedures used; |
4. | There are serious concerns over questionable finances or restatements. |
Where the number of nominees exceeds the number of seats on the audit commission, vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis considering the following factors:
1. | Nominees' independence and potential conflicts of interest; |
2. | Nominees' qualifications, experience, and past track records; |
3. | Current composition of the audit commission. |
Early Termination of the Audit Commission
Vote FOR the early termination of powers of the audit commission unless there are any concerns with the proposal.
II. Board of Directors
Cumulative Voting System
Where the number of candidates is equal to the number of board seats, vote FOR all independent director nominees.
Where the number of candidates exceeds the number of board seats, vote FOR all or a limited number of the independent director nominees considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:
1. | Past composition of the board, including proportion of the independent directors vis-a-vis the size of the board; |
2. | Nominee(s) qualification, knowledge, and experience; |
3. | Attendance record of the director nominees; |
4. | Company's free float. |
Where none of the director nominees can be classified as independent Boston Partners will consider factors including, but not limited to, the following when deciding whether to vote in favor of a candidate's (re)election:
1. | A director nominee, while not classified as independent per Boston Partners’ classification of directors, has been classified as independent per company's director classification criteria and/or any other directors classification criteria widely used in the market; |
2. | A director nominee possesses adequate qualification, knowledge and experience; |
3. | There are no specific concerns about the individual, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities. |
At companies on the main index, Boston Partners may vote AGAINST all nominees, if none of the proposed candidates can be classified as independent non-executive directors.
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Vote CASE-BY-CASE for contested elections of directors, e.g. the election of shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, determining which directors may be best suited to add value for shareholders.
For the companies that have a status of an International Company re-domiciliated to Russia and choose to follow the regulation of a country from which they have re-domiciliated, vote in accordance with the Country Guidelines applicable to the company prior to its re-domiciliation.
Early Termination of Powers of Board of Directors
Vote FOR the early termination of powers of the board of directors where such a proposal is supported by compelling justification.
Vote AGAINST proposals seeking to alter the composition of the board and resulting in majority shareholder increasing its influence on the board.
Election of General Director (CEO)
Vote FOR the election of the general director, unless there are significant concerns with the proposed candidate and/or compelling controversies with the election process exist.
Early Termination of Powers of General Director (CEO)
Vote FOR (AGAINST) the early termination of powers of the general director where such a proposal is (is not) supported by compelling justification.
III. Compensation
Vote compensation plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Non-Executive Director Compensation
Generally, vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors, and will otherwise vote AGAINST where:
1. | Documents (including general meeting documents, annual report) provided prior to the general meeting do not mention fees paid to non-executive directors. |
2. | Proposed amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry. |
3. | The company intends to increase the fees excessively in comparison with market/sector practices, without stating compelling reasons that justify the increase. |
4. | Proposals provide for the granting of stock options, performance-based places compensation (including stock appreciation rights and performance-vesting restricted stock), and performance-based cash to non-executive directors. |
5. | Proposals introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors. |
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Equity-based Compensation Guidelines
Boston Partners will generally vote FOR equity-based compensation proposals for employees if the plan(s) are in line with long-term shareholder interests and align the award with shareholder value. This assessment includes, but is not limited to, the following factors:
1. | The volume of awards transferred to participants must not be excessive; |
2. | The potential volume of fully diluted issued share capital from equity-based compensation plans must not exceed the following guidelines: |
a. | The shares reserved for all share plans may not exceed 5 percent of a company's issued share capital, except in the case of high-growth companies or particularly well-designed plans, in which case we allow dilution of between 5 and 10 percent. In this case, we will need to have performance conditions attached to the plans which should be acceptable; |
b. | The plan(s) must be sufficiently long-term in nature/structure: the minimum vesting period must be no less than three years from date of grant; |
c. | The awards must be granted at market price. Discounts, if any, must be mitigated by performance criteria or other features that justify such discount; |
3. | If applicable, performance standards must be fully disclosed, quantified, and long-term, with relative performance measures preferred. |
SINGAPORE
I. Board of Directors
Voting for Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections- Independence and Composition
Boston Partners applies a five-year cooling off period to former employees or executives when determining nominee independence in Singapore.
Generally, vote FOR the re-election of directors, unless:
1. | The nominee has been a partner of the company's auditor within the last three years, and serves on the audit committee; |
2. | Any non-independent director nominees where the board is less than one-third independent7; |
7 | Not applicable if the lack of board independence is due to the immediate retirement, abrupt resignation, or death of an independent non-executive director, provided that the company mentioned or announced a definite timeline of up to three months for the appointment of a new independent non-executive director to have adequate level of board independence. |
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3. | The nominee is a member of the nomination committee and the board does not have a lead/senior independent director and/or the board is less than majority independent under the following scenarios: |
a. | The chairman and the CEO are the same person; |
b. | The chairman and the CEO are immediate family members; |
c. | The chairman is part of the management team; or |
d. | The chairman is not an independent director. |
4. | The nominee is an executive director serving on the audit, remuneration, and/or nomination committee; |
5. | The nominee is a non-independent director serving as the chairman of the audit committee, remuneration committee, and/or nomination committee. |
6. | There is a conflict of interest in the resolution(s) to be discussed in the board or committee meeting. |
When the board does not have a formal audit committee, remuneration committee, and/or nomination committee, vote AGAINST if:
1. | The nominee is an executive director; |
2. | The nominee is a non-independent chairman of the board. |
Boston Partners will consider an independent non-executive director non-independent if such director serves as a director for more than nine years, and the company fails to disclose the reasons why such director should still be considered independent, or where such reasons raise concerns regarding the director's true level of independence.
Boston Partners will generally vote FOR the election of a CEO, managing director, executive chairman, or founder whose removal from the board would be expected to have a material negative impact on shareholder value
II. Remuneration
Director Remuneration
Generally, vote FOR resolutions regarding directors’ and supervisors’ fees unless they are excessive relative to fees paid by other companies of similar size.
Equity Compensation Plans
Generally, vote FOR an equity-based compensation plan unless:
1. | The maximum dilution level for the scheme, together with all outstanding schemes, exceeds 5 percent of issued capital for a mature company and 10 percent for a growth company. In addition, Boston Partners will support a plan’s dilution limit that exceeds these thresholds if the annual grant limit under all plans is 0.5 percent or less for a mature company (1 percent or less for a mature company with clearly disclosed performance criteria) and 1 percent or less for a growth company. |
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2. | The plan permits options to be issued with an exercise price at a discount to the current market price; or |
3. | Directors eligible to receive options or awards under the scheme are involved in the administration of the scheme and the administrator has the discretion over their awards. |
III. Share Issuance Requests
Issuance Requests
For companies listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange, generally vote FOR a general issuance of equity or equity-linked securities without preemptive rights when the share issuance limit is not more than 10 percent of the company's issued share capital and 50 percent with preemptive rights.
For companies listed on the Catalist market of the SGX, generally vote FOR a general issuance of equity or equity-linked securities without preemptive rights when the share issuance limit is not more than 10 percent of the company's issued share capital and 50 percent with preemptive rights.
General Issuance Requests – Real Estate Investment Trusts
Generally, vote FOR a general issuance of equity or equity-linked securities without preemptive rights when the share issuance limit is not more than 10 percent of the company's issued share capital and 50 percent with preemptive rights for all Singapore companies..
For Singapore companies listed on the Catalist market of the SGX, generally vote FOR a general issuance of equity or equity-linked securities without preemptive rights when the share issuance limit is not more than 10 percent of the company's issued share capital and 50 percent with preemptive rights. For Real Estate Investment Trusts, generally vote FOR a general issuance of equity or equity-linked securities without preemptive rights when the unit issuance limit is not more than 10 percent of its issued unit capital and 50 percent with preemptive rights.
Specific Issuance Requests
For issuance requests relating equity compensation plans, apply the policy on equity compensation plans. For other issuance requests, vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Share Repurchase Plans
Generally, vote FOR resolutions authorizing the company to repurchase its own shares, unless the premium over the average trading price of the shares as implied by the price limit for on-market repurchases exceeds 5 percent or the premium over the overage trading price of the shares as implied by the price limit for off-market repurchased exceeds 20 percent.
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IV. Articles and By-law Amendments
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposed amendments to the Articles and By-Laws based on the details of the proposed amendments provided by the company.
In the absence of adequate information that would specify the details of proposed amendments, generally vote AGAINST:
1. | The proposed amendments; |
2. | The adoption of new Articles of Association; or |
3. | The replacement of the current constitutional document. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the adoption of new constitutional document with no previous reference.
V. Related Party Transactions
Generally, vote FOR mandate for recurrent interested-party transactions if such transactions are carried out at arms-length and on normal commercial terms.
SOUTH AFRICA
I. Operational Items
Authority to Ratify and Execute Approved Resolutions
Vote FOR the authority to ratify and execute approved resolutions, unless opposing all other items on the agenda.
II. Board of Directors
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Boston Partners applies a five-year cooling off period to former executives when determining nominee independence in South Africa. Boston Partners applies a three-year cooling off period to immediate family members, auditors, and senior legal advisors.
Generally, vote FOR the election/ reelection of directors unless the director is a non-independent NED:
1. | Serving on the audit committee (unless there is a separate annual general meeting proposal specifically covering his/her election as an audit committee member); |
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2. | Serving on the remuneration or nomination committee and there is no majority of independent NEDs on the committee. However, such a consideration should take into account the potential implications for the board's Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) credentials; or |
3. | The majority of NEDs on the board are not independent. However, such a consideration should take into account the potential implications for the board's BEE credentials. |
Accountability
Do not support bundled elections.
Alternative Directors: Proposals to re-elect alternate directors will take into account the vote that applies for the director for whom they serve as an alternate. In addition, the specific nature of the alternate role will be considered, for example whether or not the individual serves as a genuine alternate (i.e. only attending board and committee meetings in the absence of a particular director) or appears to have a broader board position.
Audit Committee Elections
Vote for the re-election of the audit committee and/or audit committee members, unless:
1. | Committee member elections are bundled into a single voting item, and the committee includes one or more non-independent NEDs; |
2. | Committee members are elected individually, and the audit committee member is a non-independent NED; |
3. | The board chair is a member of the audit committee, in line with the position stated in King IV. Boston Partners will only apply this provision to large, widely held companies; |
4. | Repeated absences (less than 75 percent attendance) at committee meetings have not been explained; or |
5. | There are serious concerns about the accounts presented, the audit procedures used, or some other feature for which the audit committee has responsibility. |
Companies (other than those covered by the Banks Act) must establish an audit committee of at least three members, which must be elected by shareholders at the AGM (CA s94).
Social and Ethics Committee Elections
Vote FOR the reelection of the social and ethics committee and/or social and ethics committee members, unless:
1. | The committee does not satisfy the minimum guidelines for membership, as set out in South African company law; or |
2. | Serious concerns have been raised with the work of the committee during the year. |
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III. Capital Structure
Share Issuance Authorities
Vote FOR a general authority to place authorized but unissued ordinary shares under the control of the directors, unless:
1. | The authority is over a number of shares equivalent to more than 10 percent of the current issued share capital; |
2. | The authority would allow shares to be used for share incentive scheme purposes and the underlying scheme(s) raises concern; or |
3. | The company used the authority during the previous year in a manner deemed not be in shareholders' best interests. |
Vote FOR a general authority to issue ordinary shares for cash, unless:
1. | The authority is over a number of shares equivalent to more than 10 percent of the current issued share capital; or |
2. | The company used the authority during the previous year in a manner deemed not to be in shareholders' interests. |
Vote FOR a general authority to issue preference shares, unless:
1. | Following the issue, preference shares would comprise greater than 50 percent of the company's issued share capital; or |
2. | The terms of the preference shares would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders. |
3. | The issue of shares pursuant to a specific transaction will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, depending on the merits of the underlying deal. |
Share Buyback Authorities
Vote FOR a general share buyback authority, unless:
1. | The company wishes to repurchase more than 20 percent of its issued share capital over the year; |
2. | The repurchase can be used for takeover defenses; or |
3. | There is clear evidence of abuse. |
IV. Remuneration
Fees for Non-Executive Directors
Vote FOR the fees payable to non-executive directors unless the proposed fees are excessive, relative to similarly-sized companies in the same sector. Fees should specifically relate to an individual's responsibilities as a non-executive director on the board; open-ended authorities covering ad hoc or consultancy work are generally not supported due to the potential impact on director independence.
Approval of Remuneration Policy
When assessing a company's remuneration policy, Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST if the level of disclosure around the policy is below what is required for shareholders to make an informed judgment. In the event of satisfactory disclosure, Boston Partners will vote FOR the approval of the executive remuneration policy on a CASE-BY-CASE approach, paying particular attention as to whether:
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1. | The company operates long-term incentive schemes (including matching shares) which do not have performance conditions attached for all or a substantial proportion of awards; |
2. | The vesting period for long-term incentive schemes is set at less than three years; |
3. | Long-term schemes include an element of retesting; |
4. | The policy provides for grants of share options at a discount to market value; |
5. | The potential maximum dilution under all share incentive schemes exceeds 5 percent of the issued share capital of a large, widely held company, or 10 percent in the case of an emerging high-growth company, and there are no mitigating circumstances (e.g. stringent performance measures); |
6. | The quality of disclosure around the severance provisions of the executive directors' service contracts, including any potential termination payments, is considered inadequate; |
7. | The policy is in any way not considered aligned with shareholder interests. |
In circumstances where a company has demonstrated a significant shift towards good practice, it may be appropriate for Boston Partners to support remuneration policy resolution, notwithstanding the presence of some historical issues of concern.
Approval of Implementation Report
When assessing the implementation report, Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST if the level of disclosure regarding the application of the policy is below what is required for shareholders to make an informed judgment. In the event of satisfactory disclosure, Boston Partners will vote FOR the approval of the implementation report on a CASE-BY-CASE approach, paying particular attention as to whether:
1. | Large increases in fixed remuneration have been implemented which have not been adequately explained; |
2. | The company has made bonus payments, but these have not been clearly linked to performance (including guaranteed bonuses or transaction bonuses); |
3. | The company has made ex-gratia payments or one-off special awards to executives during the year which have not been adequately explained; |
4. | The performance conditions for long-term incentive schemes, where applicable, are not disclosed, or are not considered sufficiently challenging or relevant; |
5. | Significant termination-related or restraint of trade payments have been made to executive directors, and the reasons for these are not disclosed or, where they are disclosed, do not adequately justify the size of the payment; |
6. | Discretion has been used during the year in a manner not considered consistent with shareholder interests, or the application of the policy is in any way not considered aligned with shareholder interests, with particular attention given to any payments or decisions which have been made outside of the policy framework previously communicated to shareholders. |
In circumstances where a company has demonstrated a significant shift towards good practice, it may be appropriate for Boston Partners to support for the implementation report resolution, notwithstanding the presence of some historical issues of concern.
In cases where a serious breach of good practice is identified, and typically where issues have been raised over a number of years, the chair of the remuneration committee (or, where relevant, other members of the remuneration committee) may receive a negative vote.
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New Equity Incentive Scheme or Amendment to Existing Scheme
Boston Partners evaluates management proposals seeking approval for a share incentive scheme on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. When judging such items, Boston Partners will generally vote AGAINST if the level of disclosure on the proposal is below what is required for shareholders to make an informed judgment on the scheme. In the event of satisfactory disclosure, Boston Partners will vote FOR the proposal unless one or more of the following apply:
1. | Performance conditions do not apply, have not been disclosed or are not considered sufficiently challenging or relevant. |
2. | Performance conditions can be retested. |
3. | Performance is measured over a period shorter than three years. |
4. | The plan allows for option repricing or issue of options at a discount or backdating of options. |
5. | The potential maximum dilution under all share incentive schemes exceeds 5 percent of the issued share capital of a large, widely held company, or 10 percent in the case of an emerging high-growth company, and there are no mitigating circumstances (e.g. stringent performance measures). |
6. | The scheme provides for potentially excessive individual reward or has no caps on individual participation. |
7. | The scheme rules allow for accelerated vesting upon termination (including change of control) without reference to relevant performance criteria. In addition, best practice suggests that "good leaver" treatment should include appropriate pro-rating to outstanding long-term incentive awards to reflect any reduced time in service. |
8. | NEDs can participate in the scheme. |
9. | The scheme is in any way not considered aligned with shareholder interests. |
Proposals to amend a scheme will involve an assessment of the nature of the amendment.
Financial Assistance
Vote FOR a general authority to provide financial assistance, unless:
1. | As part of the authority, the company requests a general authority to provide financial assistance to directors, and this is not limited to participation in incentive schemes; |
2. | The authority would facilitate the operation of an incentive scheme(s) which raises governance concerns, with particular attention given to any schemes which authorize the provision of preferential loans to directors; or |
3. | As part of the authority, the company seeks approval to provide financial assistance "to any person". |
Evidence that the company has used a previous authority in a manner deemed not to be in shareholders' interests would warrant further review and analysis.
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V. Other Items
New Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI)/ Amendments to the MOI
Vote on a new MOI or on amendments to the MOI on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, depending on the impact on shareholder rights.
Boston Partners will normally vote AGAINST a MOI which limits retirement by rotation to non-executive directors only.
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Transactions
Vote on BEE transactions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Factors considered include the overall dilutive impact, the structure of the transaction and the identity of the company's chosen BEE partners. Proposals which are genuinely broad-based are more appealing than those which stand to benefit a narrow group of investors, as are those which have a long-term timeframe.
Social and Ethics Committee Report
Vote FOR the report of the social and ethics committee, unless:
1. | The report does not include details of how the committee has undertaken the functions prescribed to it by South African company law; or |
2. | Serious concerns have been raised with the work of the committee during the year. |
TAIWAN
I. Allocation of Income and Dividends
Allocation of Income and Dividends
Generally, vote FOR approval of the allocation of income and dividends.
When distributing earnings and dividends, companies usually provide shareholders one or a combination of the following:
1. | Cash dividends from earnings; |
2. | Cash dividends from capital reserves; |
3. | New shares from capital reserves; |
4. | Stock dividends. |
When losses are posted for the year, companies are required to submit the loss offsetting proposals, usually included in the statement of profit and loss appropriation, for shareholder approval, along with the business operations reports and financial statements.
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Cash Dividends or New Shares from Capital and Legal Reserves
Generally, vote FOR proposals to distribute dividends or new shares from capital and legal reserves.
Stock Dividends
Resolution Type: Special
Generally, vote FOR proposals to distribute stock dividends.
II. Capital Reduction
Generally, vote FOR the capital reduction to offset losses or to distribute cash to shareholders unless:
1. | The proposed capital reduction is not conducted on a proportionate basis according to the shareholding structure of the company but instead favors certain shareholders; or |
2. | The proposed cash distribution is expected to negatively affect the company's day-to-day operations. |
III. Amendments to Company Articles/By-laws
Cash Dividend Distribution Plans
Generally, vote AGAINST proposals for article amendments to grant the board full discretion to decide on the company's cash dividend distribution plan without shareholder approval.
IV. Capital Raising
Generally, vote FOR general authority to issue shares if:
1. | A general share issuance mandate that includes a private placement as one of the financing channels if the resulting dilution is limited to no more than 10 percent. |
2. | A general mandate for public share issuance if the issue size is limited to no more than 20 percent of the existing issued share capital. |
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on requests to issue shares for a specific purpose such as the financing of a particular project, an acquisition, or a merger.
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V. Compensation
Equity Based Compensation
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on employee restricted stocks and/or employee stock warrant plans. Vote AGAINST the employee restricted stocks plan and/or employee stock warrants plan if any of the following features is not met:
1. | Existing substantial shareholders are restricted in participation; |
2. | Presence of challenging performance hurdles if awards are issued or exercised for free or at a deep discount; or |
3. | Reasonable vesting period (at least two years) is set. |
VI. Release of Restrictions on Directors Competitive Activities
Vote AGAINST release of restrictions on competitive activities of directors if:
1. | There is lack of disclosure on the key information including identities of the directors in question, current positions in the company, and outside boards they are serving on; or |
2. | The non-nomination system is employed by the company for the director election. |
UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND
I. Operational Items
Accept Financial Statements and Statutory Reports
The overall quality of disclosure will be considered, and the weakest examples, such as where the meeting documents are not released in time for investors to review these ahead of the meeting, are likely to attract a negative vote. For smaller companies, other minimum disclosure requirements include:
The identity of all the directors, their board roles, committee memberships and independence classification;
1. | List of major shareholders; |
2. | Attendance at board and committee meetings; and |
3. | Details of compliance against a "recognized corporate governance code" (as required by the AIM Rules). |
In addition, where no appropriate resolution to target an investor's specific concern is on the ballot, Boston Partners may vote AGAINST this resolution. Specific concerns include:
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1. | Absence of sufficient independent representation on the board and the key committees (if the relevant director is not standing for election/re-election) |
2. | Absence of regular re-election for all directors (once every three years at a minimum); and |
3. | Remuneration not aligned with expected market practice (if there is no remuneration report or remuneration policy resolution on the agenda). |
Concerns raised in the first year may not lead to a negative vote; this is more likely in the event of repeated concerns identified over a number of years.
II. The Board of Directors
Board Diversity
Gender Diversity
Generally, vote AGAINST the chair of the nomination committee (or other directors on a CASE-BY-CASE basis) in the following cases
1. | The company is a constituent of the FTSE 350 (excluding investment trusts) and the board does not comprise at least 33 percent representation of women. |
2. | The company (excluding investment trusts) is a constituent of any of the following, and there is not at least one woman on the board: |
a. | FTSE Small Cap; |
b. | ISEQ 20; |
c. | Listed on the AIM with a market capitalization of over GBP 500 million. |
Mitigating factors include:
1. | Compliance with the relevant board diversity standard at the preceding annual general meeting and a firm commitment, publicly available, to comply with the relevant standard within a year. |
2. | Other relevant factors as applicable. |
Racial/Ethnic Diversity
Generally, vote AGAINST the chair of the nomination committee and the Board Chair (or other directors on a case-by-case basis) if the company is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index (excluding investment companies) and has not appointed at least one individual from a racial/ethnic minority background to the board.
There is an expectation for constituents of the following indices (excluding investment companies) to appoint at least one individual from an ethnic minority background to the board by 2024:
1. | FTSE 250 index; |
2. | FTSE SmallCap; |
3. | ISEQ 20; |
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4. | Listed on the AIM with a market capitalization of over GBP 500 million. |
The abovementioned companies are expected to publicly disclose a roadmap to compliance with best market practice standards of having at least one director from an ethnic minority background by 2024.
Board Independence and Tenure
Directors are assessed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, although a non-executive director is likely to be considered as non-independent if one (or more) of the issues listed below apply, in accordance with the U.K. Governance Code. The director nominee:
1. | Has been an employee of the company or group during the last five (5) years; |
2. | Has, or a connected person has had, within the last three (3) years, a material business relationship with the company either directly, or as a partner, shareholder, director or senior employee of a body that has such a relationship with the company; |
3. | Has received or receives additional remuneration from the company apart from a director's fee, participates in the company's share option or performance-related pay schemes, or is a member of the company's pension scheme; |
4. | Has close family ties with any of the company's advisers, directors or senior employees; |
5. | Holds cross-directorships or has significant links with other directors through involvement in other companies or bodies; |
6. | Represents a significant shareholder; |
7. | Is attested by the board to be a non-independent non-executive director; |
8. | Is a former board chair; or |
9. | Has a substantial personal shareholding of greater than 1 percent (greater than three percent for small companies; greater than 1 percent for investment companies provided the investment trust is listed in the FTSE All-Share index); or |
10. | Tenure. |
Also, the non-executive director of either a venture capital trust or an investment trust is likely to be considered as non-independent if he or she holds a directorship in one or more investment companies or venture capital trusts managed by the same manager, or they have a relationship with the investment manager.
At investment trusts, tenure is not taken into account when assessing independence. However, classified boards are an issue of concern. As a result, if more than half the board has served in excess of nine years, a negative vote would over time be applied to the chairman's re-election.
Non-executive directors that have served concurrently with an executive director for over nine (9) years, are deemed non-independent.
If a non-executive director has served for fifteen (15) years on the board, Boston Partners deems such individuals as non-independent.
The board chair should not remain in post for more than nine (9) years from the date of their first appointment to the board. However, their appointment can be extended for a limited time particularly in those cases where the chair was an existing non-executive director on appointment, to facilitate effective succession planning and the development of a diverse board. Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the re-election of a tenured chair taking into account:
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1. | Succession planning; |
2. | Diversity; and |
3. | Board independence. |
Board and Committee Composition
Generally, vote AGAINST any non-independent, non-executive director whose presence on the board, audit, or remuneration committee renders the board or committee insufficiently independent, unless the company discloses details of how the issue of concern will be resolved by the next annual general meeting.
Non-independent non-executive directors serving on the nomination committee are assessed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
For all companies with a premium listing, at least half the board should comprise non-executive directors determined by the board to be independent.
For companies in the FTSE 350, the audit committee should comprise at least three non-executive directors, and all members should be independent. The board chair should not be a member of the audit committee. The remuneration committee should also comprise at least three non-executive directors and again, all members should be independent. In addition, the board chair may also be a member of, but not chair the remuneration committee if he or she was considered independent on appointment as chair. A majority of the nomination committee should be independent non-executive directors.
For companies in the FTSE All Share below the FTSE 350, the board should establish audit and remuneration committees with at least two members on each committee, all of whom should be independent non-executive directors. The board chair may be a member of, but not chair, of the remuneration committee in addition to the independent non-executive directors, provided he or she was considered independent on appointment as chair. A majority of the nomination committee should be independent non-executive directors.
For FTSE Fledgling companies, the audit and remuneration committees should be fully independent and should include a minimum of two independent non-executives. The majority of the members of the nomination committee should be independent. The chair may sit on the remuneration committee (but not the audit committee) provided that he/she continues to be considered independent.
III. Compensation
Remuneration Policy
Vote the resolution to approve the remuneration policy on a CASE-BY-CASE approach, paying particular attention as to whether:
1. | The overall remuneration policy or specific scheme structures are not over-complex, have an appropriate long-term focus and have been sufficiently justified in light of the company's specific circumstances and strategic objectives; |
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2. | The company's approach to fixed remuneration is appropriate, with a particular focus on the extent to which pension contributions are aligned with those available to the wider workforce, as recommended by the UK Code; |
3. | The award levels for the different components of variable pay are capped, and the quantum is reasonable when compared to peers, and any increase in the level of certainty of reward is accompanied by a material reduction in the size of awards; |
4. | Increases to the maximum award levels for the LTIP and bonus have been adequately explained; |
5. | Performance conditions for all elements of variable pay are clearly aligned with the company's strategic objectives, with vesting levels and holding periods that are in line with UK good practice; |
6. | Change of control, good leaver and malus/clawback provisions are in line with standard practice in the UK market; |
7. | The shareholding requirement for executive directors is a minimum of 200 percent of base salary, with an appropriate post-employment shareholding requirement in place; |
8. | Service contracts contain notice periods of no more than twelve months' duration and potential termination payments are linked to fixed pay with no contractual entitlements to unearned bonus on termination; |
9. | Non-executive directors do not receive any performance-related remuneration beyond their standard fees; |
10. | The treatment of new joiners is appropriate, with particular attention paid to the use of buy-out awards, and that the potential for any additional awards is capped; |
11. | The remuneration committee seeks to reserve a degree of discretion in line with standard UK practice; and |
12. | There are no issues in the policy which would be of concern to shareholders. |
Where a policy contains multiple areas of non-compliance with good practice, the vote will reflect the severity of the issues identified. A small number of minor breaches may still result in an overall FOR vote, whereas a single, serious deviation may be sufficient to justify an AGAINST vote.
The binding vote on the remuneration policy is forward-looking and in most cases will apply for three years. Therefore, many shareholders will want to ensure that the policy takes into account good market practice in a number of key areas including:
1. | The start and end date of the policy; |
2. | Base salaries; |
3. | Benefits and pensions; |
4. | Annual bonus; |
5. | Long-term incentive plans (LTIP); |
6. | Claw back provisions; |
7. | Good leavers; |
8. | Change in control; |
9. | Shareholding requirement; |
10. | Executive directors’ service contracts, including exit payments; |
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11. | Arrangements for new joiners; |
12. | Discretion; |
13. | Non-executive director pay; and |
14. | All-employee schemes. |
For smaller companies, a negative vote would be considered if any of the following applied:
1. | Executive directors are not employed under formal service contracts, or their service contracts, in the event of termination, provide for more than 12 months' notice; |
2. | Vesting of incentive awards is not conditional on the achievement of performance hurdles; |
3. | Re-testing is allowed throughout the performance period; or |
4. | There are any other serious issues with the policy when measured against good market practice. |
Remuneration Report
Vote the resolution to approve the remuneration report on a CASE-BY-CASE approach, paying particular attention as to whether:
1. | Any increases, either to fixed or variable remuneration, for the year under review or the upcoming year were well-explained and not excessive; |
2. | The bonus received and/or the proportion of the LTIP which vested was a fair reflection of the performance achieved; |
3. | Performance targets are measured over an appropriate period and are sufficiently stretching; |
4. | Targets for the bonus or the LTIP are disclosed in an appropriate level of detail; |
5. | Any exit payments to good leavers were reasonable, with appropriate pro-rating (if any) applied to outstanding long-term share awards; |
6. | Any special arrangements for new joiners were in line with good market practice; |
7. | The remuneration committee exercised discretion appropriately; and |
8. | There are no issues in the report which would be of concern to shareholders. |
Where the report contains multiple areas of non-compliance with good practice, the vote will reflect the severity of the issues identified. A small number of minor breaches may still result in an overall FOR vote, whereas a single, serious deviation may be sufficient to justify an AGAINST vote.
For small companies, when assessing remuneration report resolutions, a negative vote would be considered if any of the following applied:
1. | Disclosure of pay practices is poor. This would include if the individual emoluments paid to each director are not disclosed, or if the performance metrics which applied to LTIP awards made during the year under review are not disclosed; |
2. | NEDs have received performance-related pay during the year under review; |
3. | Options have been re-priced during the period under review; |
4. | Re-testing is allowed throughout the performance period; |
164
5. | Share awards granted to executive directors during the year under review feature a performance period of less than three years; or |
6. | There are any other serious issues with the report when measured against good market practice. |
The award of options to NEDs is not in line with best practice as it can cause a potential conflict of interest that may affect an NED's independent judgment. Therefore, NEDs should be remunerated with basic fees only, in the form of cash and/or shares.
Approval of a New or Amended LTIP
Vote the resolution to approve a new or amended LTIP on a CASE-BY-CASE approach, paying particular attention as to whether:
1. | The LTIP is aligned with the company's strategy, is not over-complex and fosters an appropriately long-term mindset; |
2. | The proposed award levels are appropriate, and, in the case of an amended plan, any increases to the previous award levels are well-explained; |
3. | Any increase in the level of certainty of reward is matched by a material reduction in the size of awards; |
4. | The maximum payout is capped; |
5. | The vesting levels for threshold and on target performance are in line with market norms, with threshold vesting generally no higher than 25 percent. However, as much as 25 percent may be considered inappropriate if LTIP grants represent large multiples of salary. |
6. | The LTIP is in line with the current remuneration policy; |
7. | Change of control, good leaver, and malus/clawback provisions are present and the terms are in line with standard practice in the UK market; |
8. | The remuneration committee seeks to reserve a degree of discretion in line with standard UK practice; |
9. | The scheme is operating within dilution limits that are aligned to the relevant UK market standards. Namely, no more than 10 percent of the issued share capital should be issued under all incentive schemes in any rolling 10-year period, and no more than 5 percent of the issued share capital should be issued under executive (discretionary) schemes in any rolling 10-year period, in line with the guidelines established by the Investment Association; and |
10. | There are no issues with the plan which would be of concern to shareholders. |
Where the plan contains multiple areas of non-compliance with good practice, the vote will reflect the severity of the issues identified. A small number of minor breaches may still result in an overall FOR vote, whereas a single, serious deviation may be sufficient to justify an AGAINST vote.
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IV. Capital Structure
Authorize Issue of Equity with and without Pre-emptive Rights
Generally, vote FOR a resolution to authorize the issuance of equity, unless:
1. | The general issuance authority exceeds one-third (33 percent) of the issued share capital. Assuming it is no more than one-third, a further one-third of the issued share capital may also be applied to a fully pre-emptive rights issue taking the acceptable aggregate authority to two-thirds (66 percent); or |
2. | For small companies, the routine authority to disapply preemption rights exceeds 10 percent of the issued share capital in any one year. For larger companies, the routine authority to disapply preemption rights exceeds 10 percent of the issued share capital, provided that any amount above 5 percent is to be used for the purposes of an acquisition or a specified capital investment. |
For investment companies, generally, vote FOR a resolution to authorize the issuance of equity if there is a firm commitment from the board that shares would only be issues at the price at or above net asset value. Otherwise, generally vote FOR a resolution to authorize the issuance of equity, unless:
1. | The general issuance authority exceeds one-third (33 percent) of the issued share capital. Assuming it is no more than one-third, a further one-third of the issued share capital may also be applied to a fully pre-emptive rights issue taking the acceptable aggregate authority to two-thirds (66 percent); or |
2. | The routine authority to disapply preemption rights exceeds 5 percent of the issued share capital in any one year. |
Authorize Market Purchase of Ordinary Shares
Generally, vote FOR the resolution to authorize the market purchase of ordinary shares, unless:
1. | The authority requested exceeds the levels permitted under the Listing Rules; or |
2. | The company seeks an authority covering a period longer than 18 months. |
Boston Partners will generally support this resolution if it is in line with the Listing Rules LR 12.4.1 which allows companies to buy back up to 15 percent of their shares in any given year, provided that the maximum price paid is not more than 5 percent above the average trading price.
Under the Companies Act 2006, the share buyback authority cannot be for a period longer than five years. Boston Partners recommends that the renewal of such authorities be requested annually, and that the duration be no longer than 18 months or until the next annual general meeting, if sooner. However, Boston Partners will support a five-year authority if, in practice, the company has a history of reverting to shareholders annually.
V. Other Items
Authorize EU Political Donations and Expenditure
Generally, vote FOR the resolution to authorize EU political donations and expenditure, unless:
1. | The company made explicit donations to political parties or election candidates during the year under review; |
166
2. | The duration of the authority sought exceeds one year and the company has not clarified that separate authorization will be sought at the following annual general meeting should the authority be used; or |
3. | No cap is set on the level of donations. |
Continuation of Investment Trust
For investment companies, Boston partners will vote FOR when the board has tabled the resolution to comply with the requirement in the trust's articles of association that this vote be put to shareholders at regular intervals, and there are no issues of concern.
If the board has called a special meeting, due to the shares trading at a discount to net asset value over a prolonged period, Boston Partners will consider the issues on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
END
167
THE RBB FUND, INC.
PEA 323/328
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. | EXHIBITS |
(a) | Articles of Incorporation. |
(15) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 31, 1995. |
(16) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. |
(17) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 11, 1996. |
(18) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997. |
(21) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. |
(22) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. |
(23) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. |
(24) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. |
(26) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 29, 1999. |
(28) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000. |
(29) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000. |
(31) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001. |
(38) | Certificate of Correction of Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2005. |
(b) | By-Laws. |
(1) | By-Laws, as amended, are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021. |
(c) | Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders. |
(d) | Investment Advisory Contracts. |
(1) | Reserved. |
(2) | Reserved. |
(5) | Reserved. |
(15) | Reserved. |
(16) | Reserved. |
(a) | Amendment to Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Graham Capital Management, LP is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021. | ||
(b) | Amendment to Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Graham Capital Management, LP will be filed by amendment. |
(21) | Reserved. |
(24) | Reserved. | |
(25) | Reserved. |
(26) | Reserved. |
(27) | Sub-Advisory Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Aperio Group, LLC will be filed by amendment. |
(29) | Reserved. |
(34) | Reserved. |
(35) | Reserved. |
(36) | Reserved. |
(37) | Reserved. |
(38) | Reserved. |
(45) | Reserved. |
(50) | Reserved. |
(51) | Reserved. |
(52) | Reserved. |
(56) | Sub-Advisory Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers, LLC and Aperio Group, LLC will be filed by amendment. | |
(57) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Driehaus Capital Management LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021. |
(66) | Reserved. |
(75) | Reserved. |
(76) | Reserved. |
(77) | Reserved. |
(78) | Reserved. |
(85) | Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Boston Partners Funds) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is filed herewith. |
(90) | Reserved. | |
(91) | Reserved. |
(92) | Reserved. |
(95) | Reserved. | |
(96) | Reserved. |
(97) | Reserved. |
(98) | Reserved. |
(99) | Reserved. |
(100) | Reserved. | |
(101) | Reserved. | |
(101) | Reserved. |
(123) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF and SGI Enhanced Core ETF) between Summit Global Investments, LLC and SG Trading Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 321 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2024. | |
(124) | Addendum No. 9 to Investment Advisory Agreement (WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is filed herewith. | |
(125) | Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced 100 ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC will be filed by amendment. | |
(126) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced 100 ETF) between Summit Global Investments, LLC and SG Trading Solutions, LLC will be filed by amendment. |
(e) | Underwriting Contracts. |
(3) | Reserved. |
(b) | Reserved. |
(d) | Fourth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF and SGI Enhanced Core ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 321 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2024. | ||
(e) | Fifth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (SGI Enhanced 100 ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC will be filed by amendment. |
(b) | Second Amendment to the Distribution Agreement (WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund) will be filed by amendment. |
(10) | Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on March 24, 2023. |
(f) | Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts. |
(1) | Form of Deferred Compensation Plan is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2013. |
(g) | Custodian Agreement. |
(13) | Twelfth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is filed herewith. | |
(14) | Thirteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association will be filed by amendment. |
(h) | Other Material Contracts. |
(47) | Fifteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will be filed by amendment. | |
(48) | Fifteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will be filed by amendment. | |
(49) | Thirteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will be filed by amendment. |
(i) | (1) | Consent of Counsel is filed herewith. |
(2) | Opinion of Counsel is filed herewith. | |
(j) | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP is filed herewith. | |
(k) | None. | |
(l) | Initial Capital Agreements. |
(2) | Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Classes O and P is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990. (P) |
(3) | Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Class Q is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990. (P) |
(26) | Reserved. |
(27) | Reserved. |
(35) | Reserved. |
(36) | Reserved. |
(54) | Purchase Agreement (WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is filed herewith. | |
(55) | Purchase Agreement (SGI Enhanced 100 ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC will be filed by amendment. |
(m) | Rule 12b-1 Plan. |
(16) | Reserved |
(19) | Reserved. |
(20) | Reserved. |
(29) | Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund, Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund and Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund – Retail Shares) will be filed by amendment. | |
(30) | Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund – Investor Class) will be filed by amendment. | |
(n) | Rule 18f-3 Plan. |
(1) | Amended Rule 18f-3 Plan will be filed by amendment. | |
(o) | Reserved. |
(p) | Code of Ethics. |
(3) | Code of Ethics of Matson Money, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 263 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 25, 2020. |
(6) | Code of Ethics of Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 305 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on April 27, 2023. |
(7) | Code of Ethics of Altair Advisers LLC is filed herewith. |
(8) | Code of Ethics of Aperio Group, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 313 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 22, 2023. |
(10) | Code of Ethics of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC is filed herewith. |
(11) | Code of Ethics of Pier Capital LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 263 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 25, 2020. |
(16) | Reserved. |
(17) | Reserved. |
(18) | Reserved. |
(19) | Reserved. |
(21) | Reserved. |
Item 29. | PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT |
None.
Item 30. | INDEMNIFICATION |
Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Article VIII of Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, incorporated herein by reference as Exhibits (a)(1) and (a)(3), provide as follows:
Section 1. To the fullest extent that limitations on the liability of directors and officers are permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, no director or officer of the Corporation shall have any liability to the Corporation or its shareholders for damages. This limitation on liability applies to events occurring at the time a person serves as a director or officer of the Corporation whether or not such person is a director or officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability is asserted.
Section 2. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its currently acting and its former directors to the fullest extent that indemnification of directors is permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its officers to the same extent as its directors and to such further extent as is consistent with law. The Board of Directors may by law, resolution or agreement make further provision for indemnification of directors, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation law.
Section 3. No provision of this Article shall be effective to protect or purport to protect any director or officer of the Corporation against any liability to the Corporation or its security holders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
Section 4. References to the Maryland General Corporation Law in this Article are to the law as from time to time amended. No further amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall decrease, but may expand, any right of any person under this Article based on any event, omission or proceeding prior to such amendment. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, 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 Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, 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.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”) (f/k/a Robeco Investment Management, Inc.), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(9), provides for the indemnification of Boston Partners against certain losses.
Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. (f/k/a Abundance Technologies, Inc.), (“Matson Money”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(3) and (d)(39) provides for the indemnification of Matson Money against certain losses.
Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC (“SGI”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(7), (d)(11), (d)(81), (d)(86), (d)(102), (d)(111), and (d)(122) provides for the indemnification of SGI against certain losses.
Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements with Abbey Capital Limited (“Abbey Capital”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(13), (d)(60) and (d)(61) provides for the indemnification of Abbey Capital against certain losses.
Section 13 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements with Abbey Capital incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(14) and (d)(71) provides for the indemnification of Abbey Capital against certain losses.
Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Altair Advisers LLC (“Altair”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(23) and (d)(55) provide for indemnification of Altair against certain losses.
Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC (“CCIA”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(46) and (d)(47) provide for indemnification of CCIA against certain losses.
Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC (“Motley Fool”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(54), (d)(73), (d)(104), and (d)(109) provides for indemnification of Motley Fool against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Optima Asset Management LLC (“Optima”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(105) provides for indemnification of Optima against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and F/m Investments LLC (“F/m”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(113), (d)(115), (d)(118), (d)(120) and (d)(121) provide for the indemnification of F/m against certain losses.
Section 8 of each of the Distribution Agreements between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (e)(1) – (e)(5), and (e)(7) provide for the indemnification of Quasar Distributors, LLC against certain losses.
Section 8 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Vigilant Distributors, LLC incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(6) provides for the indemnification of Vigilant Distributors, LLC against certain losses.
Section 6 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(8) provides for the indemnification of Quasar Distributors, LLC against certain losses.
Section 9 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(9) provides for the indemnification of Quasar Distributors, LLC against certain losses.
Item 31. | BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISERS. |
1. Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
The sole business activity of Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”), One Beacon Street, 30th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, is to serve as an investment adviser. Boston Partners provides investment advisory services to the Boston Partners Funds and the WPG Partners Funds.
Boston Partners is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as an investment adviser to domestic and foreign institutional investors, investment companies, commingled trust funds, private investment partnerships and collective investment vehicles. Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Boston Partners indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.
Name and Position with Boston Partners |
Other Companies |
Position With Other Companies |
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. Director, Chief Executive Officer & |
Boston Partners Trust Company | Chief Investment Officer |
Mark E. Donovan Director, Senior Portfolio Manager |
||
William G. Butterly, III General Counsel, Director of Sustainability & |
Boston Partners Securities, L.L.C. | Chief Legal Officer |
Boston Partners Trust Company | General Counsel, Secretary & Director | |
Boston Partners (UK) Limited | Director & Secretary |
Mark S. Kuzminskas Chief Operating Officer |
Boston Partners Trust Company | Director & Chief Operating Officer |
Boston Partners (UK) Limited | Director & Chief Operating Officer | |
Kenneth Lengieza Chief Compliance Officer |
||
Greg A. Varner Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
Boston Partners Trust Company | Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
Boston Partners (UK) Limited | Director & Chief Financial Officer | |
Stan H. Koyanagi Director, Chairperson of the Board of Directors |
ORIX Corporation | Director, Managing Executive Officer and Global General Counsel |
ORIX Corporation Europe N.V. | Director | |
Ormat Technologies, Inc. | Director | |
Jeffrey A. Finley Director |
ORIX Corporation USA | Head of Corporate Development and Strategic Opportunities; Chief Operating Officer of ORIX Capital Partners, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation USA |
Gilbert O. J. Van Hassel Director |
Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. | Director |
David G. Van Hooser Director |
Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. | Chairman of the Board & Director |
2. Matson Money, Inc.:
The sole business activity of Matson Money, Inc. (“Matson Money”), 5955 Deerfield Blvd., Mason, Ohio 45040, is to serve as an investment adviser. Matson Money is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Matson Money indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.
Name and Position with Matson Money, Inc. | Name of Other Company | Position With Other Company |
Mark E. Matson CEO |
Keep It Tight Fitness, LLC | 50% owner |
Mark E. Matson CEO |
The Matson Family Foundation | 100% owner |
Michelle Matson Vice President/ Secretary |
None | None |
Daniel J. List Chief Compliance Officer |
None | None |
3. Summit Global Investments, LLC:
The sole business activity of Summit Global Investments, LLC (“SGI”), 620 South Main Street, Bountiful, Utah 84010, is to serve as an investment adviser. SGI is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of SGI’s directors and officers is with SGI.
4. Abbey Capital Limited:
Abbey Capital Limited (“Abbey Capital”), 8 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland, is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Abbey Capital’s directors and officers is with Abbey Capital.
5. Altair Advisers LLC:
Altair Advisers LLC (“Altair”), 303 West Madison, Suite 600, Chicago, Illinois 60606, is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Altair’s directors and officers is with Altair.
6. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC:
The principal business activity of Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC (“CCIA”), 2850 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21209, is to serve as an investment adviser. CCIA is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Below is a list of each executive officer and director of CCIA indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.
Name and Position with CCIA |
Name of Other Company | Position With Other Company |
Dr. Kevin Cole Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer |
Campbell & Company, LP | Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer |
Campbell & Company, LLC | Director and Chief Executive Officer | |
Campbell Absolute Return F1 (Cayman) | Director | |
Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited | Director | |
Thomas P. Lloyd General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer & Secretary |
Campbell & Company, LP | General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Secretary |
Campbell & Company, LLC | Director, General Counsel and Secretary | |
Campbell Financial Services, LLC | Director, President, Chief Compliance Officer, and Secretary | |
Campbell Absolute Return F1 (Cayman) | Director | |
Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited | Director | |
Campbell Offshore Fund Limited SPC | Director | |
John R. Radle Chief Operating Officer |
Campbell & Company, LP | Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer |
Campbell & Company, LLC | Director and Chief Operating Officer | |
Campbell Financial Services, LLC | Director and Chief Operating Officer | |
Campbell Absolute Return F1 (Cayman) | Director | |
Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited | Director |
7. Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC:
A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC and each director, officer, or partner of Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in the Form ADV of Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC, as filed with the SEC on December 21, 2023, and is incorporated herein by this reference.
8. Optima Asset Management LLC:
A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which Optima Asset Management LLC and each director, officer, or partner of Optima Asset Management LLC is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in the Form ADV of Optima Asset Management LLC, as filed with the SEC on April 4, 2024, and is incorporated herein by this reference.
9. F/m Investments, LLC:
A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which F/m Investments, LLC and each director, officer, or partner of F/m Investments LLC is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in the Form ADV of F/m Investments LLC, as filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024, and is incorporated herein by this reference.
Item 32. | PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER |
(a)(1) Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1. | Capital Advisors Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
2. | Chase Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
3. | Davidson Multi Cap Equity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
4. | Edgar Lomax Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
5. | First Sentier American Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
6. | First Sentier Global Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
7. | Fort Pitt Capital Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
8. | Huber Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
9. | Huber Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
10. | Huber Select Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
11. | Huber Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
12. | Logan Capital Broad Innovative Growth ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
13. | Medalist Partners MBS Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
14. | Medalist Partners Short Duration Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
15. | O’Shaughnessy Market Leaders Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
16. | PIA BBB Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
17. | PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
18. | PIA High Yield Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
19. | PIA MBS Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
20. | PIA Short-Term Securities Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
21. | Poplar Forest Cornerstone Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
22. | Poplar Forest Partners Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
23. | Pzena Emerging Markets Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
24. | Pzena International Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
25. | Pzena International Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
26. | Pzena Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
27. | Pzena Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
28. | Reverb ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
29. | Scharf Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
30. | Scharf Global Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
31. | Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
32. | Shenkman Capital Floating Rate High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
33. | Shenkman Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
34. | VegTech Plant-based Innovation & Climate ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust |
35. | The Aegis Funds |
36. | Allied Asset Advisors Funds |
37. | Angel Oak Funds Trust |
38. | Angel Oak Strategic Credit Fund |
39. | Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc. |
40. | Brookfield Investment Funds |
41. | Buffalo Funds |
42. | Cushing® Mutual Funds Trust |
43. | DoubleLine Funds Trust |
44. | EA Series Trust (f/k/a Alpha Architect ETF Trust) |
45. | Ecofin Tax-Advantaged Social Impact Fund, Inc. |
46. | AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
47. | AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
48. | AAM S&P 500 Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
49. | AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
50. | AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
51. | AAM Transformers ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
52. | AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
53. | Aptus Collared Income Opportunity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
54. | Aptus Defined Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
55. | Aptus Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
56. | Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
57. | Aptus Large Cap Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
58. | Bahl & Gaynor Income Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
59. | Blue Horizon BNE ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
60. | BTD Capital Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
61. | Carbon Strategy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
62. | Cboe Vest 10 Year Interest Rate Hedge ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
63. | ClearShares OCIO ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
64. | ClearShares Piton Intermediate Fixed Income Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
65. | ClearShares Ultra-Short Maturity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
66. | Distillate International Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
67. | Distillate Small/Mid Cash Flow ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
68. | Distillate U.S. Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
69. | ETFB Green SRI REITs ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
70. | Hoya Capital High Dividend Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
71. | Hoya Capital Housing ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
72. | iBET Sports Betting & Gaming ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
73. | International Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
74. | LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
75. | LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
76. | LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
77. | LHA Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
78. | Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
79. | Loncar China BioPharma ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
80. | McElhenny Sheffield Managed Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
81. | Nationwide Dow Jones® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
82. | Nationwide Nasdaq-100 Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
83. | Nationwide Russell 2000® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
84. | Nationwide S&P 500® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
85. | NETLease Corporate Real Estate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
86. | Opus Small Cap Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
87. | Roundhill Acquirers Deep Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
88. | The Acquirers Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
89. | U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
90. | U.S. Global JETS ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
91. | U.S. Global Sea to Sky Cargo ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
92. | US Vegan Climate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
93. | First American Funds, Inc. |
94. | FundX Investment Trust |
95. | The Glenmede Fund, Inc. |
96. | The Glenmede Portfolios |
97. | The GoodHaven Funds Trust |
98. | Harding, Loevner Funds, Inc. |
99. | Hennessy Funds Trust |
100. | Horizon Funds |
101. | Hotchkis & Wiley Funds |
102. | Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust |
103. | Jacob Funds Inc. |
104. | The Jensen Quality Growth Fund Inc. |
105. | Kirr, Marbach Partners Funds, Inc. |
106. | Leuthold Funds, Inc. |
107. | Core Alternative ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
108. | Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
109. | Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
110. | LKCM Funds |
111. | LoCorr Investment Trust |
112. | MainGate Trust |
113. | ATAC Rotation Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
114. | Coho Relative Value Equity Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
115. | Coho Relative Value ESG Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
116. | Cove Street Capital Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
117. | Ecofin Global Energy Transition Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
118. | Ecofin Global Renewables Infrastructure Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
119. | Ecofin Global Water ESG Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
120. | Ecofin Sustainable Water Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
121. | Jackson Square Large-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
122. | Jackson Square SMID-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
123. | Kensington Active Advantage Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
124. | Kensington Defender Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
125. | Kensington Dynamic Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
126. | Kensington Managed Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
127. | LK Balanced Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
128. | Muhlenkamp Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
129. | Nuance Concentrated Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
130. | Nuance Concentrated Value Long Short Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
131. | Nuance Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
132. | Olstein All Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
133. | Olstein Strategic Opportunities Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
134. | Port Street Quality Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
135. | Principal Street High Income Municipal Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
136. | Principal Street Short Term Municipal Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
137. | Reinhart Genesis PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
138. | Reinhart International PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
139. | Reinhart Mid Cap PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
140. | Tortoise Energy Infrastructure and Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
141. | Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Total Return Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
142. | Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
143. | V-Shares MSCI World ESG Materiality and Carbon Transition ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
144. | V-Shares US Leadership Diversity ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
145. | Greenspring Income Opportunities Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
146. | Hood River International Opportunity Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
147. | Hood River Small-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
148. | Mar Vista Strategic Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
149. | Vert Global Sustainable Real Estate Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
150. | Matrix Advisors Funds Trust |
151. | Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc. |
152. | Monetta Trust |
153. | Nicholas Equity Income Fund, Inc. |
154. | Nicholas Fund, Inc. |
155. | Nicholas II, Inc. |
156. | Nicholas Limited Edition, Inc. |
157. | Oaktree Diversified Income Fund Inc. |
158. | Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds |
159. | Perritt Funds, Inc. |
160. | Procure ETF Trust II |
161. | Professionally Managed Portfolios |
162. | Prospector Funds, Inc. |
163. | Provident Mutual Funds, Inc. |
164. | Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
165. | Abbey Capital Multi-Asset Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
166. | Adara Smaller Companies Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
167. | Aquarius International Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
168. | Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
169. | Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
170. | Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
171. | Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
172. | Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
173. | Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
174. | Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
175. | Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
176. | Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
177. | Campbell Systematic Macro Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
178. | F/m Opportunistic Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
179. | F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
180. | F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
181. | F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
182. | F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
183. | F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
184. | F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
185. | F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
186. | F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
187. | F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
188. | F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
189. | Motley Fool 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
190. | Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
191. | Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
192. | Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
193. | Motley Fool Next Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
194. | Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
195. | Optima Strategic Credit Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
196. | SGI Enhanced Core ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
197. | SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
198. | SGI Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
199. | SGI Peak Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
200. | SGI Prudent Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
201. | SGI Small Cap Core Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
202. | SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
203. | SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
204. | SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
205. | US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
206. | US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
207. | US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
208. | US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
209. | US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
210. | US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
211. | US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
212. | US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
213. | US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
214. | US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
215. | WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
216. | WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
217. | WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
218. | Evermore Global Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund Trust |
219. | P/E Global Enhanced International Fund, Series of The RBB Fund Trust |
220. | Torray Fund, Series of The RBB Fund Trust |
221. | RBC Funds Trust |
222. | Series Portfolios Trust |
223. | Thompson IM Funds, Inc. |
224. | TrimTabs ETF Trust |
225. | Trust for Advised Portfolios |
226. | Barrett Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
227. | Bright Rock Mid Cap Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
228. | Bright Rock Quality Large Cap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
229. | CrossingBridge Low Duration High Yield Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
230. | CrossingBridge Responsible Credit Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
231. | CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
232. | RiverPark Strategic Income Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
233. | Dearborn Partners Rising Dividend Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
234. | Jensen Global Quality Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
235. | Jensen Quality Value Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
236. | Rockefeller Climate Solutions Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
237. | Rockefeller US Small Cap Core Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
238. | Terra Firma US Concentrated Realty Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
239. | USQ Core Real Estate Fund |
240. | Wall Street EWM Funds Trust |
241. | Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc. |
(a)(2) Vigilant Distributors, LLC serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1. | Free Market Fixed Income Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
2. | Free Market International Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
3. | Free Market US Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
4. | Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
5. | Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
6. | Matson Money US Equity VI Portfolio, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc. |
7. | YCG Funds |
8. | Pemberwick Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
9. | Sphere 500 Climate Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
10. | ERShares Entrepreneurs ETF, series of EntrepreneuerShares Series Trust |
11. | ERShares NextGen Entrepreneurs ETF, series of EntrepreneuerShares Series Trust |
12. | ERShares US Large Cap Fund, series of EntrepreneuerShares Series Trust |
13. | ERShares Global Fund, series of EntrepreneuerShares Series Trust |
14. | ERShares US Small Cap Fund, series of EntrepreneuerShares Series Trust |
15. | Hardman Johnston International Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios |
16. | Modern Capital Tactical Opportunities Fund, of Modern Capital Funds Trust |
(b)(1) | The following are the Officers and Manager of Quasar, one of the Registrant’s underwriters. Quasar’s main business address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. |
Name | Address |
Position with Underwriter |
Position with Registrant |
Teresa Cowan | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | President/Manager | None |
Chris Lanza | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President | None |
Kate Macchia | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President | None |
Susan L. LaFond | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer and Treasurer | None |
Weston Sommers | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Financial and Operations Principal and Chief Financial Officer | None |
Kelly B. Whetstone | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Secretary | None |
(b)(2) | The following are the Officers of Vigilant Distributors, LLC, one of the Registrant’s underwriters. Vigilant Distributors, LLC’s main business address is Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216, 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania 19317. |
Name | Address | Position with Underwriter |
Position with Registrant |
Patrick Chism | Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216, 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 | Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer | None |
Gerald Scarpati | Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216, 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 | Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer | None |
(c) | Not Applicable |
Item 33. | LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS |
(1) | Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc., One Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(2) | Matson Money, Inc. (formerly Abundance Technologies, Inc.), 5955 Deerfield Blvd., Mason, Ohio 45040 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(3) | Summit Global Investments, LLC, 620 South Main Street, Bountiful, Utah 84010 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(4) | Abbey Capital Limited, 8 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland, (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(5) | Altair Advisers LLC, 303 West Madison, Suite 600, Chicago, Illinois 60606 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(6) | Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC, 2850 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21209 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(7) | Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC, 2000 Duke Street, Suite 275, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(8) | Optima Asset Management LLC, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, New York 10022 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(9) | F/m Investments, LLC, 3050 K Street NW, Suite W-201, Washington, DC 20007 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(10) | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (records relating to its function as administrator, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent). |
(11) | U.S. Bank, N.A., 1555 North RiverCenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53212 (records relating to its function as custodian). |
(12) | Quasar Distributors, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101 (records relating to its function as underwriter). |
(13) | Vigilant Distributors, LLC, Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216, 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania 19317 (records relating to its function as underwriter). |
Item 34. | MANAGEMENT SERVICES |
None.
Item 35. | UNDERTAKINGS |
Not applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under the 1933 Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Short Hills and State of New Jersey on May 2, 2024.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | |||
By: | /s/ Steven Plump | ||
Steven Plump | |||
President |
Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Amendment to Registrant’s Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE | TITLE | DATE | ||
/s/ Steven Plump | President (Principal Executive | May 2, 2024 | ||
Steven Plump | Officer) | |||
/s/ James G. Shaw | Chief Financial Officer (Principal | May 2, 2024 | ||
James G. Shaw | Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
*Gregory P. Chandler | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Gregory P. Chandler | ||||
*Lisa A. Dolly | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Lisa A. Dolly | ||||
*Nicholas A. Giordano | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Nicholas A. Giordano | ||||
*Arnold M. Reichman | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Arnold M. Reichman | ||||
*Robert Sablowsky | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Robert Sablowsky | ||||
*Brian T. Shea | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Brian T. Shea | ||||
*Robert Straniere | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Robert Straniere | ||||
*Martha A. Tirinnanzi | Director | May 2, 2024 | ||
Martha A. Tirinnanzi |
*By: | /s/ James G. Shaw | |
James G. Shaw | ||
Attorney-in-Fact |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Gregory P. Chandler, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Gregory P. Chandler | |
Gregory P. Chandler |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Lisa A. Dolly, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw her true and lawful attorneys, to execute in her name, place, and stead, in her capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in her name and on her behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as she might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Lisa A. Dolly | |
Lisa A. Dolly |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Nicholas A. Giordano, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Nicholas A. Giordano | |
Nicholas A. Giordano |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Arnold M. Reichman, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Arnold M. Reichman | |
Arnold M. Reichman |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Robert Sablowsky, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Robert Sablowsky | |
Robert Sablowsky |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Brian T. Shea, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Brian T. Shea | |
Brian T. Shea |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Robert A. Straniere, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Robert A. Straniere | |
Robert A. Straniere |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the “Company”)
THE RBB FUND TRUST
(the “Trust”)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Martha A. Tirinnanzi, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Michael P. Malloy, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw her true and lawful attorneys, to execute in her name, place, and stead, in her capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in her name and on her behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as she might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: February 13, 2024 | |
/s/ Martha A. Tirinnanzi | |
Martha A. Tirinnanzi |
Exhibit | Description |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY
THE RBB FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:
FIRST: In accordance with the requirements of Section 2-208 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, and under a power contained in the charter of the Corporation (the “Charter”), the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) has adopted resolutions classifying an aggregate of 100,000,000 authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation as follows:
1. | Class ZZZZZZZZ. 100,000,000 shares of authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock (the “Undesignated Common Stock”) are hereby classified and designated as Class ZZZZZZZZ shares of Common Stock representing interests in the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund. |
SECOND: A description of the shares so classified with the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption as set or changed by the Board of Directors is as set forth in Article VI, Section (6) of the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation and as set forth elsewhere in the Charter with respect to stock of the Corporation generally, and as follows:
1. To the full extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation may, without the vote of the shares of any class of capital stock of the Corporation then outstanding and if so determined by the Board of Directors:
(A)(1) sell and convey the assets belonging to Class ZZZZZZZZ Common Stock (the “Class”) to another trust or corporation that is a management investment company (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) and is organized under the laws of any state of the United States for consideration, which may include the assumption of all outstanding obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent, belonging to the Class and which may include securities issued by such trust or corporation. Following such sale and conveyance, and after making provision for the payment of any liabilities belonging to the Class that are not assumed by the purchaser of the assets belonging to the Class, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all outstanding shares of the Class at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter to the contrary, the redemption price may be paid in any combination of cash or other assets belonging to the Class, including but not limited to the distribution of the securities or other consideration received by the Corporation for the assets belonging to the Class upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter;
(2) sell and convert the assets belonging to the Class into money and, after making provision for the payment of all obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent, belonging to the Class, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all outstanding shares of the Class at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolutions of the Board of Directors upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter; or
(3) combine the assets belonging to the Class with the assets belonging to any one or more other classes of capital stock of the Corporation if the Board of Directors reasonably determines that such combination will not have a material adverse effect on the stockholders of any class of capital stock of the Corporation participating in such combination. In connection with any such combination of assets, the shares of the Class then outstanding may, if so determined by the Board of Directors, be converted into shares of any other class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation with respect to which conversion is permitted by applicable law, or may be redeemed, at the option of the Corporation, at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, or conversion cost, if any, as may be fixed by resolutions of the Board of Directors upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles Supplementary or the Charter to the contrary, any redemption price, or part thereof, paid pursuant to this section may be paid in shares of any other existing or future class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation;
(B) provide that all shares of the Class now or hereafter authorized shall be subject to redemption and redeemable at the option of the holder thereof in accordance with and pursuant to procedures or methods prescribed or approved by the Board of Directors and, if so determined by the Board of Directors, shall be redeemable only in aggregations of such number of shares and on such days as may be determined by, or determined pursuant to procedures or methods prescribed by or approved by, the Board of Directors from time to time; and
(C) without limiting the foregoing, at its option, redeem shares of the Class for any other reason if the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interest of the Corporation to do so. Any such redemption shall be at the net asset value of such shares of the Class being redeemed less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolutions of the Board of Directors and shall be made and effective upon such terms and in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Directors at such time.
-2-
2. The shares of Class ZZZZZZZZ Common Stock will be issued without stock certificates.
THIRD: The shares aforesaid have been duly classified by the Board of Directors under the authority contained in the Charter. The aggregate number of authorized shares of stock of the Corporation is not changed by these Articles Supplementary.
FOURTH: Immediately after the classification of shares of Undesignated Common Stock as shares of Class ZZZZZZZZ Common Stock:
(a) the Corporation has the authority to issue 100,000,000,000 shares of its Common Stock, par value $.001 per share, and the aggregate par value of all the shares of all classes is $100,000,000; and
(b) the number of authorized shares of each class of Common Stock is as follows, and the Corporation hereby confirms the classification and designation of the shares in the following classes and numbers:
Class A | - | 100,000,000 |
Class B | - | 100,000,000 |
Class C | - | 100,000,000 |
Class D | - | 100,000,000 |
Class E | - | 500,000,000 |
Class F | - | 500,000,000 |
Class G | - | 500,000,000 |
Class H | - | 500,000,000 |
Class I | - | 1,500,000,000 |
Class J | - | 500,000,000 |
Class K | - | 500,000,000 |
Class L | - | 1,500,000,000 |
Class M | - | 500,000,000 |
Class N | - | 500,000,000 |
Class O | - | 500,000,000 |
Class P | - | 100,000,000 |
Class Q | - | 100,000,000 |
Class R | - | 500,000,000 |
Class S | - | 500,000,000 |
Class T | - | 500,000,000 |
Class U | - | 500,000,000 |
Class V | - | 500,000,000 |
Class W | - | 100,000,000 |
Class X | - | 50,000,000 |
Class Y | - | 50,000,000 |
Class Z | - | 50,000,000 |
-3-
Class AA | - | 50,000,000 |
Class BB | - | 50,000,000 |
Class CC | - | 50,000,000 |
Class DD | - | 100,000,000 |
Class EE | - | 100,000,000 |
Class FF | - | 50,000,000 |
Class GG | - | 50,000,000 |
Class HH | - | 50,000,000 |
Class II | - | 100,000,000 |
Class JJ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class KK | - | 100,000,000 |
Class LL | - | 100,000,000 |
Class MM | - | 100,000,000 |
Class NN | - | 100,000,000 |
Class OO | - | 100,000,000 |
Class PP | - | 100,000,000 |
Class QQ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class RR | - | 100,000,000 |
Class SS | - | 100,000,000 |
Class TT | - | 100,000,000 |
Class UU | - | 100,000,000 |
Class VV | - | 100,000,000 |
Class WW | - | 100,000,000 |
Class YY | - | 100,000,000 |
Class ZZ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class AAA | - | 100,000,000 |
Class BBB | - | 100,000,000 |
Class CCC | - | 100,000,000 |
Class DDD | - | 100,000,000 |
Class EEE | - | 100,000,000 |
Class FFF | - | 100,000,000 |
Class GGG | - | 100,000,000 |
Class HHH | - | 100,000,000 |
Class III | - | 100,000,000 |
Class JJJ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class KKK | - | 100,000,000 |
Class LLL | - | 100,000,000 |
Class MMM | - | 100,000,000 |
Class NNN | - | 100,000,000 |
Class OOO | - | 100,000,000 |
Class PPP | - | 100,000,000 |
Class QQQ | - | 2,500,000,000 |
Class RRR | - | 2,500,000,000 |
Class SSS | - | 100,000,000 |
Class TTT | - | 50,000,000 |
Class UUU | - | 50,000,000 |
Class VVV | - | 50,000,000 |
-4-
Class WWW | - | 50,000,000 |
Class XXX | - | 100,000,000 |
Class YYY | - | 100,000,000 |
Class ZZZ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class AAAA | - | 50,000,000,000 |
Class BBBB | - | 700,000,000 |
Class CCCC | - | 700,000,000 |
Class DDDD | - | 700,000,000 |
Class EEEE | - | 100,000,000 |
Class FFFF | - | 100,000,000 |
Class GGGG | - | 100,000,000 |
Class HHHH | - | 100,000,000 |
Class IIII | - | 100,000,000 |
Class JJJJ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class KKKK | - | 100,000,000 |
Class LLLL | - | 100,000,000 |
Class MMMM | - | 100,000,000 |
Class NNNN | - | 100,000,000 |
Class OOOO | - | 100,000,000 |
Class PPPP | - | 100,000,000 |
Class QQQQ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class RRRR | - | 100,000,000 |
Class SSSS | - | 100,000,000 |
Class TTTT | - | 100,000,000 |
Class UUUU | - | 100,000,000 |
Class VVVV | - | 100,000,000 |
Class WWWW | - | 100,000,000 |
Class XXXX | - | 100,000,000 |
Class YYYY | - | 100,000,000 |
Class ZZZZ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class AAAAA | - | 100,000,000 |
Class BBBBB | - | 750,000,000 |
Class CCCCC | - | 100,000,000 |
Class DDDDD | - | 100,000,000 |
Class EEEEE | - | 100,000,000 |
Class FFFFF | - | 100,000,000 |
Class GGGGG | - | 100,000,000 |
Class HHHHH | - | 100,000,000 |
Class IIIII | - | 100,000,000 |
Class JJJJJ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class KKKKK | - | 300,000,000 |
Class LLLLL | - | 100,000,000 |
Class MMMMM | - | 100,000,000 |
Class NNNNN | - | 100,000,000 |
Class OOOOO | - | 100,000,000 |
Class PPPPP | - | 100,000,000 |
-5-
Class QQQQQ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class RRRRR | - | 100,000,000 |
Class SSSSS | - | 100,000,000 |
Class TTTTT | - | 500,000,000 |
Class UUUUU | - | 100,000,000 |
Class VVVVV | - | 100,000,000 |
Class WWWWW | - | 100,000,000 |
Class XXXXX | - | 100,000,000 |
Class YYYYY | - | 100,000,000 |
Class ZZZZZ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class AAAAAA | - | 100,000,000 |
Class BBBBBB | - | 100,000,000 |
Class CCCCCC | - | 100,000,000 |
Class DDDDDD | - | 100,000,000 |
Class EEEEEE | - | 100,000,000 |
Class FFFFFF | - | 100,000,000 |
Class GGGGGG | - | 100,000,000 |
Class HHHHHH | - | 100,000,000 |
Class IIIIII | - | 100,000,000 |
Class JJJJJJ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class KKKKKK | - | 100,000,000 |
Class LLLLLL | - | 100,000,000 |
Class MMMMMM | - | 100,000,000 |
Class NNNNNN | - | 100,000,000 |
Class OOOOOO | - | 100,000,000 |
Class PPPPPP | - | 300,000,000 |
Class QQQQQQ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class RRRRRR | - | 100,000,000 |
Class SSSSSS | - | 100,000,000 |
Class TTTTTT | - | 100,000,000 |
Class UUUUUU | - | 100,000,000 |
Class VVVVVV | - | 100,000,000 |
Class WWWWWW | - | 100,000,000 |
Class XXXXXX | - | 100,000,000 |
Class YYYYYY | - | 100,000,000 |
Class ZZZZZZ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class AAAAAAA | - | 100,000,000 |
Class BBBBBBB | - | 100,000,000 |
Class CCCCCCC | - | 100,000,000 |
Class DDDDDDD | - | 100,000,000 |
Class EEEEEEE | - | 100,000,000 |
Class FFFFFFF | - | 100,000,000 |
Class GGGGGGG | - | 100,000,000 |
Class HHHHHHH | - | 100,000,000 |
Class IIIIIII | - | 100,000,000 |
Class JJJJJJJ | - | 100,000,000 |
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Class KKKKKKK | - | 100,000,000 |
Class LLLLLLL | - | 100,000,000 |
Class MMMMMMM | - | 100,000,000 |
Class NNNNNNN | - | 100,000,000 |
Class OOOOOOO | - | 100,000,000 |
Class PPPPPPP | - | 100,000,000 |
Class QQQQQQQ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class RRRRRRR | - | 100,000,000 |
Class SSSSSSS | - | 100,000,000 |
Class TTTTTTT | - | 100,000,000 |
Class UUUUUUU | - | 100,000,000 |
Class VVVVVVV | - | 100,000,000 |
Class WWWWWWW | - | 100,000,000 |
Class XXXXXXX | - | 100,000,000 |
Class YYYYYYY | - | 100,000,000 |
Class ZZZZZZZ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class AAAAAAAA | - | 100,000,000 |
Class BBBBBBBB | - | 100,000,000 |
Class CCCCCCCC | - | 100,000,000 |
Class DDDDDDDD | - | 100,000,000 |
Class EEEEEEEE | - | 100,000,000 |
Class FFFFFFFF | - | 100,000,000 |
Class GGGGGGGG | - | 100,000,000 |
Class HHHHHHHH | - | 100,000,000 |
Class IIIIIIII | - | 100,000,000 |
Class JJJJJJJJ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class KKKKKKKK | - | 100,000,000 |
Class LLLLLLLL | - | 100,000,000 |
Class MMMMMMMM | - | 100,000,000 |
Class NNNNNNNN | - | 100,000,000 |
Class OOOOOOOO | - | 100,000,000 |
Class PPPPPPPP | - | 100,000,000 |
Class QQQQQQQQ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class RRRRRRRR | - | 100,000,000 |
Class SSSSSSSS | - | 100,000,000 |
Class TTTTTTTT | - | 100,000,000 |
Class UUUUUUUU | - | 100,000,000 |
Class VVVVVVVV | - | 100,000,000 |
Class WWWWWWWW | - | 100,000,000 |
Class XXXXXXXX | - | 100,000,000 |
Class YYYYYYYY | - | 100,000,000 |
Class ZZZZZZZZ | - | 100,000,000 |
Class Select | - | 700,000,000 |
Class Beta 2 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Beta 3 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Beta 4 | - | 1,000,000 |
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Class Principal Money | - | 700,000,000 |
Class Gamma 2 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Gamma 3 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Gamma 4 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Bear Stearns Money | - | 2,500,000,000 |
Class Bear Stearns Municipal Money | - | 1,500,000,000 |
Class Bear Stearns Government Money | - | 1,000,000,000 |
Class Delta 4 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Epsilon 1 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Epsilon 2 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Epsilon 3 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Epsilon 4 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Zeta 1 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Zeta 2 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Zeta 3 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Zeta 4 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Eta 1 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Eta 2 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Eta 3 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Eta 4 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Theta 1 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Theta 2 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Theta 3 | - | 1,000,000 |
Class Theta 4 | - | 1,000,000 |
for a total of 92,823,000,000 shares classified into separate classes of Common Stock.
FIFTH: The undersigned President of the Corporation acknowledges these Articles Supplementary to be the corporate act of the Corporation and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President acknowledges that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The RBB Fund, Inc. has caused these presents to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President and attested by its Chief Financial Officer and Secretary on the 17th day of April 2024.
ATTEST: | THE RBB FUND, INC. | |||
/s/ James G. Shaw | By: | /s/ Steven Plump | ||
James G. Shaw | Steven Plump | |||
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary | President |
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AMENDED APPENDIX A
(effective May 3, 2024)
Portfolio | Expense Limitation |
Initial Term End Date |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II – Institutional Class | 0.99% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II – Investor Class | 1.24% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund – Institutional Class | 1.96% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund – Investor Class | 2.21% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – Institutional Class | 1.50% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – Investor Class | 1.75% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund – Institutional Class | 0.80% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund – Investor Class | 1.05% | December 31, 2025 |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund – Institutional Class | 1.10% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund – Institutional Class | 0.95% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund – Investor Class | 1.20% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund – Institutional Class | 2.00% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund – Investor Class | 2.25% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund – Institutional Class | 1.40% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund – Institutional Class | 1.00% | December 31, 2025 |
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund – Institutional Class | 0.90% | December 31, 2025 |
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund – Institutional Class | 1.10% | December 31, 2025 |
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund – Institutional Class | 1.50% | December 31, 2025 |
TRADING ADVISORY AGREEMENT
Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund
Trading Advisory Agreement (this “Agreement”), as supplemented by the Supplemental Trading Agreement, as defined below is entered into as of the 19 day of April, 2024, by and among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC (the “Onshore LLC”) a Delaware series limited liability company acting for and on behalf of the series designated as Series 16 ( “Series 16”), ABBEY CAPITAL LIMITED, an Irish private company limited by shares (the “Adviser”), Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC, a Segregated Portfolio Company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) acting for and on behalf of the segregated portfolio designated as Segregated Portfolio 16 (“SP16”) and QMS Capital Management LP, whose principal office is at 240 Leigh Farm Rd., Suite 450 Durham, NC 27707, USA (the “Trader”) (the Onshore LLC, the Adviser, the Company and the Trader, together the “Parties”).
WHEREAS, the Adviser has entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement dated 25th day of June 2014, as amended, (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) with The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”), relating to the provision of investment advisory services to the Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund (the “Portfolio”).
WHEREAS, the Onshore LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Portfolio.
WHEREAS, the Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited, an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Portfolio.
WHEREAS, the Adviser has also entered into an investment advisory agreement dated the 2nd day of October, 2018 (the “Delaware IMA”) with the Onshore LLC relating to the provision of investment advisory services to the Onshore LLC and each of its segregated series including the series designated as Series 16.
WHEREAS, the Adviser has entered into an Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement dated the 9th day of October 2018 (the “Company IMA”) (the Investment Advisory Agreement, Delaware IMA and Company IMA, together the “Advisory Agreements”) with the Company, relating to the provision of investment advisory services to the Company and each of its segregated portfolios including SP16.
WHEREAS, the Adviser, on behalf of the Portfolio, may allocate a portion of the Portfolio’s assets not to exceed in the aggregate 25% of its assets to the Company and a portion of the Portfolio’s assets to the Onshore LLC.
WHEREAS, each Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser may delegate any or all of its investment advisory responsibilities under the Advisory Agreement to one or more sub-advisers.
WHEREAS, this Agreement shall take effect on the date that Series 16 or SP16 initially deposits cash or securities in the Managed Account (as defined in the Supplemental Trading Agreement dated 19 April 2024 between the Adviser and the Trader (the “Supplemental Trading Agreement”)) (the “Effective Date”).
WHEREAS, the Adviser and the Board of Directors of the Fund desire to retain the Trader to render portfolio management services to Series 16 and SP16 in the manner and on the terms set forth in this Agreement, and the Trader is willing to provide such services.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants hereinafter set forth, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
1. | The Company |
Segregated Portfolio Company
(a) | Under the Companies Act (as Revised) of the Cayman Islands, the Company is permitted to create segregated portfolios in order to segregate the assets and liabilities attributable to a particular segregated portfolio of the Company from the assets and liabilities attributable to each other segregated portfolio of the Company, and from the Company’s general assets and liabilities. The Company has established and maintains separate and distinct segregated portfolios and has established and maintains the segregated portfolio referred to herein as “SP16”. Assets attributable to each segregated portfolio of the Company shall only be available to meet liabilities to creditors in respect of that segregated portfolio and the assets of that segregated portfolio shall not be available to satisfy the claims of creditors of the Company who are not creditors in respect of that segregated portfolio. |
Assets and Liabilities of Each Segregated Portfolio are Separate.
(b) | In accordance with the foregoing, the Parties agree that the right to claim or proceed against SP16 in terms of this Agreement is limited to the assets of SP16, and no such claim, liability or obligation may be levied or set-off against any other assets of the Company or any other segregated portfolio. In the event that the assets of SP16 are insufficient to meet the obligations of SP16 under this Agreement, SP16’s obligations shall be limited to such assets and the Trader agrees that it shall not seek, whether in any proceedings or other means whatsoever or wheresoever, to establish any claim or interest in or recourse against any asset of the Company (other than assets of SP 16) or any segregated portfolio of the Company other than SP16. |
2. | The Onshore LLC |
(a) | The Onshore LLC is a series limited liability company incorporated under the Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Delaware, 2 Del. Code Title s. 18-215 (the “Law”). Under the Law the Onshore LLC can create segregated series in order to segregate the assets and liabilities attributable to a particular series from the assets and liabilities attributable to each other series and from the Onshore LLC general assets and liabilities. The Onshore LLC has established and maintains separate and distinct segregated series and has established and maintains the series referred to herein as “Series 16”. Assets attributable to each series of the Onshore LLC shall only be available to meet liabilities to creditors in respect of that series and the assets of that series shall not be available to satisfy the claims of creditors of the Onshore LLC who are not creditors in respect of that series. |
(b) | Assets and Liabilities of Each Series are Separate. In accordance with the foregoing, the Parties hereto agree that the right to claim or proceed against Series 16 in terms of this Agreement is limited to the assets of Series 16, and no such claim liability or obligation may be levied or set-off against any other assets of the Onshore LLC or any other series. In the event that the assets of Series 16 are insufficient to meet the obligations of Series 16 under this Agreement, Series 16’s obligations shall be limited to such assets and the Trader agrees that it shall not seek, whether in any proceedings or other means whatsoever or wheresoever to establish any claim or interest in or recourse against any asset of the Onshore LLC (other than assets of Series 16) or any other series of the Onshore LLC other than Series 16. |
3. | Trading Services. |
(a) | The Adviser hereby appoints the Trader to act as a commodity trading advisor (“CTA”) to Series 16 and SP16 with respect to assets allocated to Series 16 and SP16 from time to time by the Adviser for the periods and on the terms herein set forth (the “Allocated Assets”). The Trader accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided. To the extent the Allocated Assets are traded under SP16, the Trader acknowledges and agrees that SP16 is subject to the limitations set forth in paragraphs 1 (a) and (b) above. To the extent the Allocated Assets are traded under Series 16, the Trader acknowledges and agrees that Series 16 is subject to the limitations set forth in paragraphs 2 (a) and (b) above. |
The Trader shall, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Adviser, trade the Allocated Assets on behalf of Series 16 and SP16 in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Supplemental Trading Agreement entered into by the Adviser and the Trader in relation to the Allocated Assets and in accordance with (i) the investment objective, policies and restrictions of the Company, the Onshore LLC and the Portfolio in relation to Series 16 and SP16 set forth in the Portfolio’s prospectus and statement of additional information, as they may be amended from time to time, any additional policies or guidelines, including without limitation compliance policies and procedures, established by the Adviser, the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or by the Fund’s Board of Directors (“Board”) that have been furnished in writing to the Trader, provided that the Trader receives reasonable notice prior to the effective date of such policies or guidelines so that the Trader may comply with them, (ii) the written instructions and directions received from the Adviser and the Fund as delivered; and (iii) all laws applicable to the Trader’s duties under this Agreement, all as may be in effect from time to time. The foregoing are referred to below together as the “Policies”.
For purposes of compliance with the Policies, the Trader shall be entitled to treat the Allocated Assets as though the Allocated Assets constituted the entire Onshore LLC or Company, as applicable, and the Trader shall not be responsible in any way for the compliance of any assets of the Onshore LLC or Company, other than the Allocated Assets, with the Policies. Subject to the foregoing, and provided that the Trader shall only trade financial instruments that are approved by the Adviser, and set out in Schedule B of the Supplemental Trading Agreement, in accordance with the Investment Program set out in Schedule A of the Supplemental Trading Agreement, the Trader is authorized, in its discretion and without prior consultation with the Adviser, to buy, sell, lend and otherwise trade in any commodity interests, including futures contracts, options on futures contracts (selling uncovered options is not permitted), spot or forward contracts or commodities and swaps (the “Commodity Interests”) on behalf of Series 16 and/or SP16, without regard to the length of time the Commodity Interests have been held and the resulting rate of portfolio turnover or any tax considerations; and the majority or the whole of the Allocated Assets may be invested in such proportions of Commodity Interests as the Trader shall determine. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 3(a), however, (i) the Trader shall, upon and in accordance with written instructions from the Adviser effect such portfolio transactions for the Allocated Assets as the Adviser shall determine are necessary in order for Series 16 and/or SP16 to comply with the Policies, and (ii) upon reasonable prior notice to the Trader, the Adviser may effect in-kind redemptions with shareholders of the Portfolio with securities included within the Allocated Assets. For the avoidance of doubt and except as required by applicable law, the Trader shall treat Series 16 and SP16 as separate entities for purpose of compliance with the Policies.
(b) | Absent instructions from the Adviser or the officers of the Fund to the contrary, the Trader shall place orders pursuant to its determinations with any executing broker counterparty or futures commission merchant the Trader so chooses, provided, however, the orders are settled with a futures commission merchant or Foreign Exchange clearing broker with which Series 16 and/or SP16 as applicable, has an account. |
(c) | The Trader hereby agrees that it shall not consult with any other investment adviser or CTA to the Fund with respect to transactions in Commodity Interests for the Allocated Assets or any other transactions in the Fund’s assets, other than for the purposes of complying with the conditions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of Rule 12d3-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) pertaining to certain exemptions on prohibitions relating to the acquisition of securities of issuers engaged in securities related activities. |
(d) | The Trader has provided the Adviser with a true and complete copy and/or accurate summary of its compliance policies and procedures as required for CTAs registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) or, if the Trader is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), Rule 206(4)-7 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”) (the “Trader Compliance Policies”). The Trader’s chief compliance officer (“Trader CCO”) shall provide to the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (“Fund CCO”) or his or her delegate promptly (and in no event in more than 10 business days from the date of request) the following reports and certifications to the extent that they relate to the services provided by the Trader to the Onshore LLC or Company, as applicable, with respect to the Allocated Assets: |
(i) | a report of any material changes to the Trader Compliance Policies; |
(ii) | a report of any “material compliance matters”, as defined by Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, that have occurred in connection with the Trader Compliance Policies; |
(iii) | if the Trader is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, an executive summary of the Trader CCO report with respect to the annual review of the Trader Compliance Policies (the “Trader CCO’s Report”) pursuant to Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act. The Trader agrees that the executive summary shall be a fair representation of the Trader’s CCO Report and that if the Fund CCO has follow up questions on the executive summary, the Trader CCO will cooperate with providing whatever additional information is requested; and |
(iv) | an annual (or more frequently as the Fund CCO may reasonably request) certification regarding the Trader’s compliance with Section 38a-1 of the 1940 Act as well as the foregoing sub-paragraphs (i) – (iii) and, if the Trader is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, an annual (or more frequently as the Fund CCO may reasonably request) certification regarding the Trader’s compliance with Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act. |
(e) | The Trader may, on occasions when it deems the purchase or sale of a Commodity Interest to be in the best interests of Series 16 or SP16 as well as other fiduciary or agency accounts managed by the Trader, aggregate, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, the Commodity Interests to be sold or purchased in order to obtain the best overall terms available. When executing orders for Series 16 and/or SP16 pursuant to this Agreement, the Trader will at all times comply with the Trader’s order execution and allocation policies, an extract of which is attached at Schedule C of the Supplemental Trading Agreement and comply with all applicable obligations regarding suitability and best execution. The Trader agrees that it will not deliberately use any trading strategies for Series 16 and/or SP16 which it or its principals know are inferior to those employed by other accounts using the same investment programme as the Allocated Assets. The Trader further agrees to be aware of the position limits imposed on it, on certain Commodity Interest contracts by the CFTC or applicable contract market. If, at any time during the term of this Agreement, the Trader is required to aggregate Series 16 or SP16’s Commodity Interest positions with the positions of any other person for purposes of applying the CFTC or exchange imposed speculative position limits, the Trader will promptly notify the Adviser if Series 16 or SP16’s positions are included in an aggregate amount which exceeds the applicable speculative position limit. If the speculative positions limits are reached in any Commodity Interest contract, the Trader will modify the trading of Series 16 and/or SP16 as applicable and its other accounts in a reasonable and good faith effort to achieve a fair treatment of all accounts. The Trader currently believes and represents that such speculative limits will not materially affect its trading recommendations or strategy for Series 16 or SP16 given the Trader's current accounts and all proposed accounts for which the Trader has a contract to act as a CTA. |
(f) | The Trader, in connection with its rights and duties with respect to Series 16, SP16 and the Fund shall use the care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. |
(g) | The services of the Trader hereunder are not deemed exclusive and the Trader shall be free to render similar services to others (including other investment companies) so long as its services under this Agreement are not impaired thereby. |
(h) | The Trader shall furnish the Adviser and the administrator of the Fund (the “Administrator”) daily (on each business day), weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports concerning portfolio transactions and performance of the Allocated Assets as the Adviser may reasonably determine in such form as may be mutually agreed upon and agrees to review the Allocated Assets with the Adviser and discuss the management of the Allocated Assets. The Trader shall promptly respond in a timely manner to reasonable requests by the Adviser, the Administrator, and the Fund CCO or their delegates, provided they are subject to applicable confidentiality obligations, for copies of the pertinent books and records maintained by the Trader relating directly to Series 16 and/or SP16. The Trader shall also provide the Adviser with such other information and reports relating to Series 16 and/or SP16, including information and reports related to compliance matters, as may reasonably be requested by it from time to time, including without limitation all material requested by or required to be delivered to the Board relating to Series 16 and/or SP16. |
(i) | The Trader shall not have the power, discretion or responsibility to vote any proxies in connection with Commodity Interests in which the Allocated Assets may be invested, and the Adviser shall retain such responsibility. |
(j) | The Trader shall cooperate promptly and fully with the Adviser, the Company, the Onshore LLC and/or the Fund in responding to any regulatory or compliance examinations or inspections (including any information requests) relating to the Fund, the Portfolio, the Company, the Onshore LLC, Series 16, SP16 or the Adviser brought by any governmental or regulatory authorities. The Trader shall provide to the Fund CCO or his or her delegate notice of any deficiencies that are identified by the CFTC or the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in written correspondence to the Trader and that relate to the services provided by the Trader to Series 16 or SP16 pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent permitted by applicable law, regulation and court order, the Trader shall provide (i) such notification within a reasonable period after receiving the correspondence; and (ii) provide additional information with respect to such deficiencies as is reasonably requested by the Fund CCO or his or her delegate. |
(k) | The Trader shall maintain separate detailed records of matters pertaining to the Allocated Assets, including, without limitation, brokerage and other records of all securities transactions. Any records required to be maintained and preserved, pursuant to the provisions of Rule 31a-1 and Rule 31a-2 promulgated under the 1940 Act and/or by the CFTC, that are prepared or maintained by the Trader in respect of the Portfolio, Series 16 and /or SP16 are the property of the Fund and will be surrendered promptly to the Fund upon request and subject to the confidentiality obligations set out in paragraph 17 hereof. The Trader further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed in Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records required to be maintained under Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and/or by the CFTC. |
(l) | The Trader shall promptly notify the Adviser of any financial condition that could materially impair the Trader’s ability to fulfill its commitments under this Agreement. |
4. | Representations and Warranties of the Parties |
(a) | The Trader represents and warrants to the Adviser as follows: |
(i) | the Trader is a registered CTA with the CFTC; |
(ii) | the Trader has in place a programme of insurance, including, without limitation professional indemnity insurance, covering the Trader in an amount that is commercially reasonable in light of the services provided hereunder by the Trader; and this Agreement has been duly authorized and executed by the Trader. |
(b) | The Adviser represents and warrants to the Trader as follows: |
(i) | the Adviser is registered under the Advisers Act; |
(ii) | the Adviser is appropriately authorized to enter into this Agreement and appoint the Trader; |
(iii) | the Portfolio is registered with the CFTC as a 4.12 (c)(3) exempted commodity pool; |
(iv) | the Company is registered with the CFTC as a 4.7 exempted commodity pool and consents to the Trader’s treating the Company as an “exempt account” for purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; |
(v) | the Onshore LLC is registered with the CFTC as a 4.7 exempted commodity pool and consents to the Trader’s treating the Onshore LLC as an “exempt account” for purposes of the CEA and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; |
(vi) | the Allocated Assets are not assets of (1) an “employee benefit plan” as defined in and subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), (2) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or (3) an entity that holds “plan assets” as defined in Section 3(42) of ERISA; and |
(vii) | each of the Adviser and the Fund has duly authorized the execution of this Agreement by the Adviser. |
(c) | Each party agrees to notify the other as soon as reasonably practicable in writing in the event that any of the representations above cease to be true. |
(d) | The Adviser, the Fund, the Portfolio, and the Company each acknowledge that (i) the Investment Program (as such term is defined in the Supplemental Trading Agreement) is speculative and involves a high degree of risk, and (ii) there is no assurance that profits will be realized, or losses avoided or limited, as a result of the trading activities conducted by the Trader hereunder. |
5. | Obligations of the Adviser. |
(a) | The Adviser shall provide (or cause Series 16 and/or SP16’s Custodian (as defined in paragraph 6 hereof) to provide) timely information to the Trader regarding such matters as the composition of the Allocated Assets, cash requirements and cash available for investment in the Allocated Assets, and all other information as may be reasonably necessary for the Trader to perform its responsibilities hereunder. |
(b) | The Adviser has furnished the Trader with a copy of the prospectus and statement of additional information of the Portfolio and the Adviser agrees during the continuance of this Agreement to furnish the Trader copies of any revisions or supplements thereto at, or, if practicable, before the time the revisions or supplements become effective. The Adviser agrees to furnish the Trader with copies of any financial statements or reports made by the Portfolio to its shareholders, and any further materials or information that the Trader may reasonably request to enable it to perform its functions under this Agreement. |
6. Custodian. The Adviser shall provide the Trader with a copy of Series 16 and SP16’s agreement with any custodian designated to hold the assets of Series 16 or SP16, respectively (the “Custodian”), and any material modifications thereto (the “Custody Agreement”) that may affect the Trader’s duties, copies of such modifications to be provided to the Trader reasonably in advance of the effectiveness of such modifications. The Allocated Assets shall be maintained in the custody of the Custodian identified in, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of, the Custody Agreement (or any sub-custodian properly appointed as provided in the Custody Agreement). The Trader shall have no responsibility to oversee the Custodian and shall have no liability for the acts or omissions of the Custodian, unless such act or omission is taken solely in reliance upon instruction given to the Custodian by a representative of the Trader properly authorized to give such instruction under the Custody Agreement. Any assets added to Series 16 and/or SP16 shall be delivered directly to the Custodian; the Trader shall not have custody of any Allocated Assets.
7. Use of Name. During the term of this Agreement, the Adviser shall have permission to use the Trader’s name in the marketing of the Portfolio and agrees to furnish the Trader, for its prior approval (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) all prospectuses, proxy statements and reports to shareholders prepared for distribution to shareholders of the Portfolio or the public that refer to the Trader in any way. If the Adviser does not receive a response from the Trader with respect to such materials within five business days of its submission for approval, such materials shall be deemed accepted by the Trader. The Trader agrees that the Adviser may request that the Trader approve use of a certain type, and that the Adviser need not provide for approval each additional piece of marketing material that is of substantially the same type.
During the term of this Agreement, the Trader shall not use the Adviser’s name or the Fund’s name without the prior consent of the Adviser and the Fund.
8. Expenses. During the Term of this Agreement, the Trader will pay all expenses incurred by it in connection with the performance of its duties under paragraph 3 hereof other than the cost (including taxes, brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, if any) of the Commodity Interests or other investment instruments purchased or sold for Series 16 or SP16.
9. Compensation of the Trader. As full compensation for all services rendered, facilities furnished and expenses borne by the Trader hereunder, the Trader shall be paid the fees in the amounts and in the manner set forth in Appendix A hereto.
10. Independent Contractor Status. The Trader shall for all purposes hereof be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise provided or authorized hereunder, have no authority to act for or represent Series 16, SP16, the Portfolio, the Fund or the Adviser in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of Series 16, SP16, the Portfolio, the Fund or the Adviser.
11. Liability and Indemnification.
(a) | Liability. The duties of the Trader shall be confined to those expressly set forth herein with respect to the Allocated Assets. The Trader shall not be liable for any loss arising out of any services carried out under or in connection with this Agreement or the Supplemental Trading Agreement, except a loss resulting from the Trader’s breach of this Agreement or its representations or warranties herein or resulting from the Trader’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder. Under no circumstances shall the Trader be liable for any loss arising out of any act or omission taken by another CTA, or any other third party, in respect of any portion of the Fund’s assets not managed by the Trader pursuant to this Agreement. |
(i) | The Trader hereby acknowledges, understands and agrees that (i) the Company is registered as a Segregated Portfolio Company, (ii) the Company is entering into this Agreement on behalf of SP16 in respect of the Allocated Assets, (iii) all of the liabilities and obligations of SP16 to the Trader under this Agreement are expressly limited to the assets of SP16 comprising the Allocated Assets. Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing the Trader hereby waives any right to seek redress against any person, entity or property (including the Fund, the Portfolio, the Company (save in relation to SP16), Onshore LLC, Adviser and any of their respective shareholder, members, partners, directors, officers, principals and affiliates) for amounts or damages due or alleged to be due to the Trader from SP16 arising out of or relating to this Agreement. |
(ii) | The Trader hereby acknowledges, understands and agrees that (i) the Onshore LLC is a Delaware series limited liability company (ii) the Onshore LLC is entering into this Agreement on behalf of Series 16 in respect of the Allocated Assets, (iii) all of the liabilities and obligations of Series 16 to the Trader under this Agreement are expressly limited to the assets of Series 16 comprising the Allocated Assets. Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trader hereby waives any right to seek redress against any person entity or property (including the Onshore LLC (save in relation to Series 16), the Fund, the Portfolio, the Company, the Adviser and any of their respective shareholder, members, partners, directors, officers, principals and affiliates) for amounts or damages due or alleged to be due to the Trader from Series 16 arising out of or relating to this Agreement. |
(b) | Indemnification. |
(i) | The Trader shall indemnify the Adviser, the Fund, the Portfolio and Series 16 and SP16, and their respective affiliates and controlling persons (collectively, the “Adviser Indemnified Persons”) for any liability and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, which the Adviser, the Fund, the Portfolio and/or the Series 16 and SP16 and their respective affiliates and controlling persons may sustain as a result of the Trader’s breach of this Agreement or its representations and warranties herein or as a result of the Trader’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law; provided, however, that the Adviser Indemnified Persons shall not be indemnified for any liability or expenses that may be sustained as a result of the Adviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder. |
(ii) | The Adviser shall indemnify the Trader, its affiliates and their respective controlling persons (collectively, the “Trader Indemnified Persons”) for any liability and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising from, or in connection with, the Adviser’s breach of this Agreement or its representations and warranties herein or as a result of the Adviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law; provided, however, that the Trader Indemnified Persons shall not be indemnified for any liability or expenses that may be sustained as a result of the Trader’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder. |
12. Effective Date and Termination. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Effective Date, and:
(a) | unless otherwise terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect until August 16, 2025 and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund, the Adviser or the Trader, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval; |
(b) | this Agreement may at any time be terminated on 60 days’ written notice to the Trader either by vote of the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio; |
(c) | this Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment or upon the termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement or the Supplemental Trading Agreement; and |
(d) | this Agreement may be terminated by the Trader on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser and the Fund, or by the Adviser immediately upon notice to the Trader. |
Upon notification of termination of this Agreement, the Trader shall continue to provide the services under this Agreement during any notice period and, to the extent the Trader has not already done so, on termination of this Agreement the Trader shall close out and shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, realize all investments having consideration for prevailing market conditions. Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph 12 shall be without the payment of any penalty and shall not affect the status, obligations or liabilities or any party hereto to the others including, without limitation, the Adviser’s obligation to pay fees in respect of the period prior to termination in accordance with this Agreement.
13.Amendment. This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual consent of the Adviser and the Trader, provided that, if required by law, such amendment shall also have been approved by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio and by vote of a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Trader, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
14. Assignment. The Trader may not assign this Agreement and this Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of an “assignment,” as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act. The Trader shall notify the Adviser in writing sufficiently in advance of any proposed change of “control,” as defined in Section 2(a)(9) of the 1940 Act, so as to enable the Fund and/or the Adviser to: (a) consider whether an assignment will occur, (b) consider whether to enter into a new Trading Agreement with the Trader, and (c) prepare, file, and deliver any disclosure document to the Portfolio’s shareholders as may be required by applicable law.
15. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. Save for paragraphs 1 (a) and (b) and paragraph 11 (a)(i) of this Agreement which is subject to and governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands , this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with applicable federal law and the laws of the State of Delaware and shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto and their respective successors (subject to paragraph 12 (c) hereof) and, to the extent provided in paragraph 11 hereof, each Trader Indemnified Person and Adviser Indemnified Person. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement shall not be construed to require, or to impose any duty upon, either of the Parties to do anything in violation of any applicable laws or regulations. Any provision in this Agreement requiring compliance with any statute or regulation shall mean such statute or regulation as amended and in effect from time to time.
16. Regulation S-P. In accordance with Regulation S-P, if non-public personal information regarding any party’s customers or consumers is disclosed to the other party in connection with this Agreement, the other party receiving such information will not disclose or use that information other than as necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement.
17. Confidentiality. Each of the Parties agrees that any information or recommendation supplied by or concerning either the Fund, Portfolio, Adviser, Series 16, SP16, or the Trader, that are not otherwise in the public domain or previously known to the other party in connection with the performance of its obligations and duties hereunder or under the Supplemental Trading Agreement, including without limitation portfolio holdings of Series 16 and SP16, financial information or other information relating to a party to this Agreement, is to be regarded as confidential (“Confidential Information”) and held in the strictest confidence. Each of the Parties may disclose Confidential Information to the extent required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any exchange to which that party might be subject, as requested by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over a party to this Agreement, to those of its employees who need to know such information to perform their duties, to professional advisers or designates (such as Series 16’s and/or SP16’s Custodian) who are bound by a duty of confidentiality substantially the same as that of the disclosing party, with prior written consent of the other party(ies) or where the Confidential Information has come into the public domain other than via a breach of an obligation of confidentiality. Such disclosure may only be made after prior written notice has been provided to the other party(ies), unless it is not possible to do so in the circumstances. The Trader may retain NAV Consulting, Inc. or another third-party administrator (“Trader Admin”) to perform daily reconciliations of the Allocated Asset’s trading activity, cash and positions and to calculate performance of the Allocated Assets. The Trader will provide the Trader Admin with daily trade and position information for the Allocated Assets and the Trader Admin will receive access to daily broker statements regarding the Allocated Assets. The Trader shall require the Trader Admin to keep this information confidential and abide by terms conferring equal or greater protection to the Confidential Information as those contained in this Agreement. Each party acknowledges that because of the proprietary nature of the Confidential Information described above, damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the obligations under this paragraph 17 and therefore agrees that the wronged party(ies) will be entitled to seek specific performance and any other form of equitable or interim remedies. The obligations in this paragraph 17 to keep any Confidential Information secret and strictly confidential shall continue to apply after the expiration or termination of this Agreement, howsoever terminated.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION IN CONNECTION WITH ACCOUNTS OF QUALIFIED ELIGIBLE PERSONS, THIS AGREEMENT IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE, AND HAS NOT BEEN, FILED WITH THE COMMISSION. THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION DOES NOT PASS UPON THE MERITS OF PARTICIPATING IN ANY TRADING PROGRAM OR UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF COMMODITY TRADING ADVISOR DISCLOSURE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION HAS NOT REVIEWED OR APPROVED ANY TRADING PROGRAM OF THE ADVISOR OR THIS AGREEMENT.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank – signature page to follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have entered into this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
QMS Capital Management LP
By: QMS Capital Advisors LLC, its general partner
By: | /s/ William Schwartz |
Name: William Schwartz
Title: General Counsel
Abbey Capital Limited
By: | /s/ Mick Swift |
Name: Mick Swift
Title: CEO
Abbey Capital Limited
By: | /s/ Tony Gannon |
Name: Tony Gannon
Title: CIO
Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC acting for and on behalf of the segregated portfolio designated as Segregated Portfolio 16
By: | /s/ Peter Carney |
Name: Peter Carney
Title: Authorised Signatory
Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC acting for and on behalf of the series designated as Series 16
By: | /s/ James G. Shaw |
Name: James G. Shaw
Title: CFO / COO & Secretary
Appendix A
ADDENDUM NO. 9 TO INVESTMENT
ADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS ADDENDUM (the “Addendum”) made as of May 3, 2024 is an addendum to the Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated July 1, 2013, by and between The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (the “Investment Adviser”).
WHEREAS, the Fund has appointed the Investment Adviser to act as investment adviser for each series of the Fund set forth on Schedule A to the Agreement for the compensation set forth on Schedule B to the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Fund has notified the Investment Adviser that it has established a new series, namely the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund (the “Portfolio”), and that it desires to retain the Investment Adviser to act as investment adviser for the Portfolio, and the Investment Adviser has notified the Fund that it is willing to serve as investment adviser to the Portfolio as of the date of the effectiveness of the Post-Effective Amendment to the Fund’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A related to the Portfolio (the “Effective Date”).
NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
1. | Schedule A to the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety, as provided on Appendix 1 attached hereto, as of the Effective Date. |
2. | Schedule B to the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety, as provided on Appendix 2 attached hereto, as of the Effective Date. |
3. | The Agreement shall become effective with respect to the Portfolio as of the Effective Date and, unless sooner terminated as provided in the Agreement, shall continue with respect to the Portfolio until August 16, 2025. Thereafter, if not terminated, the Agreement shall continue with respect to the Portfolio for successive annual periods ending on August 16, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the vote of a majority of those members of the Board of Directors of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by the Board of Directors of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio; provided, however, that this Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Portfolio by the Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Directors of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio, on 60 days’ prior written notice to the Investment Adviser, or by the Investment Adviser at any time, without payment of any penalty, on 60 days’ prior written notice to the Fund. The Agreement will immediately terminate in the event of its assignment. |
4. | From and after the Effective Date, the term “Portfolios” as used in the Agreement shall be deemed to include the Portfolio. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement. |
5. | Except to the extent supplemented hereby, the Agreement shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Addendum as of the date and year first above written.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Steven Plump | |
Name: | Steven Plump | |
Title: | President | |
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL INVESTORS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ William G. Butterly, III | |
Name: | William G. Butterly, III | |
Title: | General Counsel 4/5/2024 | |
By: | /s/ Greg Varner | |
Name: | Greg Varner | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer 4/5/2024 |
APPENDIX 1
SCHEDULE A
TO THE
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
LISTING OF PORTFOLIOS
Name of Portfolio
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund
Dated: May 3, 2024
APPENDIX 2
SCHEDULE B
TO THE
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
COMPENSATION PAYABLE TO INVESTMENT ADVISER
Name of Portfolio | Annual Management Fee |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund | 0.70% |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund | 0.90% |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund | 2.25% |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund | 1.25% |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II | 0.85% |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | 0.80% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets up to $500 million and 0.75% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $500 million |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund | 1.50% |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | 1.25% |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund | 0.75% |
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund | 0.80% |
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund | 0.90% |
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund | 1.25% |
TWELFTH AMENDMENT TO THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED CUSTODY AGREEMENT
THIS TWELFTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement dated as of June 30, 2019, as amended (the “Agreement”), is entered into by and between THE RBB FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America with its principal place of business at Minneapolis, Minnesota (the “Custodian”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to amend Exhibit A of the Agreement, the funds list of the Company, to add the following funds:
- | WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund |
WHEREAS, Section 15.02 of the Agreement provides that the Agreement may be amended by written agreement executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. | Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto. |
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Twelfth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | |||
By: | /s/ James G. Shaw | By: | /s/ Gregory Farley | |
Name: | James G. Shaw | Name: | Gregory Farley | |
Title: | CFO/COO & Secretary | Title: | Sr. Vice President | |
Date: | 4/5/2024 | Date: | April 5, 2024 |
Exhibit A
The Separate Mutual Fund Series and ETF Series of
The RBB Fund, Inc. and Certain Related Entities
Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund
Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited
Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund
Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC
Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC
ACMAF Master Offshore Limited
ACMAF Offshore SPC
ACMAF Onshore Series LLC
Adara Smaller Companies Fund
Aquarius International Fund
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Offshore Fund Ltd.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund
Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited
F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m Opportunistic Income ETF
F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund
Free Market Fixed Income Fund
Free Market International Equity Fund
Free Market US Equity Fund
Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio
Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio
Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio
Motley Fool 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF
Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF
Motley Fool Next Index ETF
Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF
Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund
Optima Strategic Credit Fund
SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF
SGI Global Equity Fund
SGI Peak Growth Fund
SGI Prudent Growth Fund
SGI Small Cap Core Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio
SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF
SGI Enhanced Core ETF
US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement dated as of June 30, 2019, as amended (the “Agreement”), is entered into by and between THE RBB FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC d/b/a U.S. BANK GLOBAL FUND SERVICES, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“USBFS”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to amend Exhibit A of the Agreement, the funds list of the Company, to add the following funds:
- | WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund |
WHEREAS, Section 13 of the Agreement provides that the Agreement may be amended by written agreement executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. | Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto. |
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Fourteenth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC | |||
By: | /s/ James G. Shaw | By: | /s/ Jason Hadler | |
Name: | James G. Shaw | Name: | Jason Hadler | |
Title: | CFO/COO & Secretary | Title: | Sr. Vice President | |
Date: | 4/5/2024 | Date: | April 5, 2024 |
Exhibit A
The Separate Mutual Fund Series and ETF Series of
The RBB Fund, Inc. and Certain Related Entities
Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund
Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited
Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund
Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC
Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC
ACMAF Master Offshore Limited
ACMAF Offshore SPC
ACMAF Onshore Series LLC
Adara Smaller Companies Fund
Aquarius International Fund
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Offshore Fund Ltd.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund
Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited
F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m Opportunistic Income ETF
F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund
Free Market Fixed Income Fund
Free Market International Equity Fund
Free Market US Equity Fund
Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio
Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio
Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio
Motley Fool 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF
Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF
Motley Fool Next Index ETF
Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF
Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund
Optima Strategic Credit Fund
SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF
SGI Global Equity Fund
SGI Peak Growth Fund
SGI Prudent Growth Fund
SGI Small Cap Core Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio
SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF
SGI Enhanced Core ETF
US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement dated as of June 30, 2019, as amended (the “Agreement”), is entered into by and between THE RBB FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC d/b/a U.S. BANK GLOBAL FUND SERVICES, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“USBFS”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to amend Exhibit A of the Agreement, the funds list of the Company, to add the following funds:
- | WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund |
WHEREAS, Section 11 of the Agreement provides that the Agreement may be amended by agreement executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. | Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto. |
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Fourteenth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC | |||
By: | /s/ James G. Shaw | By: | /s/ Jason Hadler | |
Name: | James G. Shaw | Name: | Jason Hadler | |
Title: | CFO/COO & Secretary | Title: | Sr. Vice President | |
Date: | 4/5/2024 | Date: | April 5, 2024 |
Exhibit A
The Separate Mutual Fund Series and ETF Series of
The RBB Fund, Inc. and Certain Related Entities
Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund
Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited
Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund
Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC
Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC
ACMAF Master Offshore Limited
ACMAF Offshore SPC
ACMAF Onshore Series LLC
Adara Smaller Companies Fund
Aquarius International Fund
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Offshore Fund Ltd.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund
Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited
F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m Opportunistic Income ETF
F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund
Free Market Fixed Income Fund
Free Market International Equity Fund
Free Market US Equity Fund
Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio
Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio
Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio
Motley Fool 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF
Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF
Motley Fool Next Index ETF
Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF
Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund
Optima Strategic Credit Fund
SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF
SGI Global Equity Fund
SGI Peak Growth Fund
SGI Prudent Growth Fund
SGI Small Cap Core Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio
SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF
SGI Enhanced Core ETF
US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
TWELFT AMENDMENT TO THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED TRANSFER AGENT SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS TWELFTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement dated as of June 30, 2019, as amended (the “Agreement”), is entered into by and between THE RBB FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC d/b/a U.S. BANK GLOBAL FUND SERVICES, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“USBFS”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to amend Exhibit A of the Agreement, the funds list of the Company, to add the following funds:
- | WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund |
WHEREAS, Section 13 of the Agreement provides that the Agreement may be amended by written agreement executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. | Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto. |
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Twelfth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC | |||
By: | /s/ James G. Shaw | By: | /s/ Gregory Farley | |
Name: | James G. Shaw | Name: | Gregory Farley | |
Title: | CFO/COO & Secretary | Title: | Sr. Vice President | |
Date: | 4/5/2024 | Date: | April 5, 2024 |
Exhibit A
The Separate Mutual Fund Series and ETF Series of
The RBB Fund, Inc. and Certain Related Entities
Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund
Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited
Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund
Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC
Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC
ACMAF Master Offshore Limited
ACMAF Offshore SPC
ACMAF Onshore Series LLC
Adara Smaller Companies Fund
Aquarius International Fund
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Offshore Fund Ltd.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund
Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited
F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
F/m Opportunistic Income ETF
F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund
Free Market Fixed Income Fund
Free Market International Equity Fund
Free Market US Equity Fund
Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio
Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio
Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio
Motley Fool 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF
Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF
Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF
Motley Fool Next Index ETF
Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF
Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund
Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund
Optima Strategic Credit Fund
SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF
SGI Global Equity Fund
SGI Peak Growth Fund
SGI Prudent Growth Fund
SGI Small Cap Core Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio
SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF
SGI Enhanced Core ETF
US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF
US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF
US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF
US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund
CONSENT OF COUNSEL
We hereby consent to the use of our name and to the references to our Firm under the caption “Counsel” in the Statement of Additional Information included in Post-Effective Amendment Nos. 323/328 to the Registration Statement (File Nos. 033-20827 and 811-05518) on Form N-1A of The RBB Fund, Inc. under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, respectively. In giving such consent, however, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
/s/ Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP | |
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 2, 2024
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square
Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996
Telephone: (215) 988-2700
May 2, 2024
The RBB Fund, Inc.
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Re: | Shares Registered by Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to |
Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 033-20827)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 (the “Amendment”) to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized the issuance and sale by the Company of the following classes and numbers of shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (collectively, the “Shares”), with respect to the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, each an existing series of the Company, and the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund, a new series of the Company:
PORTFOLIO | CLASS | AUTHORIZED SHARES |
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund |
VV WW |
100 million 100 million |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund | WWWWW | 100 million |
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund | SSSSSS | 100 million |
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund |
CCCCC DDDDD |
100 million 100 million |
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund |
JJJJJ KKKKK |
100 million 300 million |
Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund | PPPPPPP | 100 million |
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund |
III JJJ |
100 million 100 million |
PORTFOLIO | CLASS | AUTHORIZED SHARES |
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund |
AAAAA BBBBB |
100 million 750 million |
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II |
DDD EEE |
100 million 100 million |
WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund | OOOOOOO | 100 million |
WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund | UUU | 50 million |
WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund | ZZZZZZZZ | 100 million |
The Amendment seeks to register an indefinite number of the Shares.
We have reviewed the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, resolutions of its Board of Directors, and such other legal and factual matters as we have deemed appropriate. This opinion is based exclusively on the Maryland General Corporation Law and the federal law of the United States of America.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Shares, when issued for payment as described in the Company’s prospectuses offering the respective Shares and in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and supplemented, for not less than $0.001 per share, will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Company.
We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Amendment to the Company’s Registration Statement.
Very truly yours, | |
/s/ Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP | |
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP |
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the references to our firm under the captions “Financial Highlights” in the Prospectuses, and “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” and “Financial Statements” in the Statement of Additional Information, each dated May 3, 2024, and each included in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registration Statement (Form N-1A, File No. 033-20827) of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Registration Statement”).
We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our reports dated October 30, 2023, with respect to the financial statements and financial highlights of Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund and Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund (eleven of the funds constituting The RBB Fund, Inc.) included in the Annual Report to Shareholders (Form N-CSR) for the year ended August 31, 2023, into this Registration Statement, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 2, 2024
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), a Maryland corporation, and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”), intending to be legally bound, hereby agree with each other as follows:
1. The Company hereby offers Boston Partners and Boston Partners hereby purchases one (1) share (the “Share”) of the WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund (par value $0.001 per Share) (the “Fund”) at price per Share equivalent to the net asset value per Share of the Fund as determined on May 1, 2024.
2. The Company hereby acknowledges receipt from Boston Partners of funds in the amount of $10 in full payment for the Share.
3. Boston Partners represents and warrants to the Company that the Share is being acquired for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof.
4. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and all such counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of May 1, 2024.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | |||
By: | /s/ Steven Plump | ||
Name: | Steven Plump | ||
Title: | President | ||
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL INVESTORS, INC. | |||
By: | /s/ William G. Butterly, III | ||
Name: | William G. Butterly, III | ||
Title: | General Counsel | ||
By: | /s/ Greg Varner | ||
Name: | Greg Varner | ||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
BOSTON PARTNERS
CODE OF ETHICS
As of May 2023
COMPLIANCE POLICIES
A. Code of Ethics
Boston Partners has built a reputation for integrity and professionalism among its clients. We value the confidence and trust those clients have placed in us and strive to protect that trust. This Code of Ethics (the “Code”) is our commitment to protecting our clients’ trust by establishing formal standards for general personal and professional conduct. Furthermore, this Code does not attempt to identify all potential conflicts of interest or conduct abuses, and violations regarding the spirit of the Code may be subject to disciplinary action. Questions regarding the interpretation of the Code or its application to particular conduct should be addressed with Legal or the CD.
A. | APPLICABILITY AND DEFINITIONS |
This Code and all sections, unless specifically noted otherwise, apply to all Supervised Persons.
“Supervised Persons” for purposes of this Code means:
1. | Directors, and officers of Boston Partners (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions); |
2. | Employees of Boston Partners and registered representatives of Boston Partners Securities LLC (collectively “Employees”); |
3. | Any other person who provides investment advisory advice on behalf of Boston Partners and is subject to Boston Partners’ supervision and control; and |
4. | Certain other persons designated by the CD, such as temporary/contract workers who support our businesses. |
“Access Person” for purposes of this Code means any Supervised Person:
1. | Who has access to non-public information regarding any client’s purchases or sales of securities, or |
2. | Who has non-public information regarding the portfolio holdings of any mutual fund, managed account, or private investment fund managed by Boston Partners (“client accounts”); or |
3. | Who is involved in making securities recommendations to clients or who has access to such recommendations that are nonpublic; or |
4. | Who is a director or officer of Boston Partners. Excepted from this requirement are Directors of Boston Partners who are not involved in the day-to-day business activities of the firm or do not have access to confidential information regarding client securities holdings, transactions, or recommendations. Also exempted from this requirement are Boston Partners Funds’ directors who are not employees of Boston Partners nor have access to confidential information regarding client securities holdings, transactions or recommendations; or |
5. | Certain other persons designated by the CD, such as temporary/contract workers who support our businesses. |
The CD will notify all individuals of their status as either a Supervised Person or an Access Person.
2
B. | STANDARDS OF BUSINESS CONDUCT |
The following principles are intended to guide in the applicability of this Code of Ethics:
1. | Boston Partners is a fiduciary and its Supervised Persons have a duty to act for the benefit of Boston Partners’ clients and shall at all times place the financial interests of the client ahead of Boston Partners; |
2. | Boston Partners holds all Supervised Persons responsible to high standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct; and |
3. | Boston Partners fosters a spirit of cohesiveness and teamwork while ensuring the fair treatment of all Supervised Persons. |
C. | COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL SECURITIES LAWS |
All Supervised Persons must comply with applicable federal securities laws. Federal securities laws means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”), the Advisers Act, Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, any rules adopted by the Commission under any of these statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act as it applies to funds and investment advisers, and any rules adopted thereunder by the Commission or the Department of the Treasury. The applicable laws are designed to prevent the following practices, which should not be viewed as all-encompassing and are not intended to be exclusive of others.
Supervised Persons must never:
• | Defraud any client in any manner; |
• | Mislead any client, including by making a statement that omits material facts; |
• | Engage in any act, practice or course of conduct which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any client, including misappropriation of an investment opportunity; |
• | Engage in any manipulative practice with respect to any client or security, including price manipulation. |
D. | CONFLICTS OF INTEREST |
As a fiduciary, Boston Partners has an affirmative duty of care, loyalty, honesty to its clients and a duty of utmost good faith to act in the best interests of Boston Partners’ clients. Compliance with this fiduciary responsibility can be accomplished by avoiding conflicts of interest and by fully, adequately, and fairly disclosing all material facts concerning any conflict which arises with respect to any client.
The following specific guidelines should not be viewed as all-encompassing and are not intended to be exclusive of others:
• | No Supervised Person shall take inappropriate advantage of their position with respect to a client, advancing their position for self-gain. |
• | No Supervised Person shall use knowledge about pending or currently considered client securities transactions to profit personally as a result of such transactions. |
• | All securities transactions affected for the benefit of a client account shall avoid inappropriate favoritism of one client over another client. |
• | All securities transactions affected for the benefit of a Supervised Person shall be conducted in such a manner as to avoid abuse of that individual’s position of trust and responsibility. |
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E. | CONFIDENTIALITY |
Boston Partners generates, maintains, and possesses information that it views as proprietary, and it must be held strictly confidential by all Supervised Persons. This information includes, but is not limited to:
• | the financial condition and business activity of Boston Partners or any enterprise with which Boston Partners is conducting business. |
• | investment management agreements and partnership agreements; |
• | client specific information; |
• | holdings in client accounts; |
• | research analyses and trading strategies; |
• | internal communications; |
• | legal advice; and |
• | computer access codes. |
Supervised Persons may not use proprietary information for their own benefit or for the benefit of any party other than the client. Failure to maintain the confidentiality of this information may have serious detrimental consequences for Boston Partners, its clients, and the Supervised Person who breached the confidence.
In order to safeguard Boston Partners’ proprietary information, Supervised Persons are expected to abide by the following:
• | Never share proprietary information with anyone at Boston Partners except on a needs-to-know basis. |
• | Never disclose proprietary information to anyone outside of Boston Partners, except in connection with Boston Partners’ business and in a manner consistent with the client’s interests, or unless required in order to make a statement not misleading, or to otherwise comply with the law. |
• | Disclosing proprietary information in connection with Boston Partners’ business is permissible in accordance with Boston Partners’ Selective Disclosure and Disclosing Portfolio Holdings Policy, Boston Partners’ Privacy and Disposal Policy, and Boston Partners’ Media Policy. |
• | Never remove any proprietary information from Boston Partners’ premises, unless absolutely necessary for business purposes (and, if so, the information must be kept in the possession of the Supervised Person or in a secure place at all times and returned promptly to Boston Partners’ premises); |
• | Exercise caution in displaying documents or discussing information in public places such as in elevators, restaurants, or airplanes, or in the presence of outside vendors or others not employed by Boston Partners; |
• | Exercise caution when using e-mail, cellular telephones, facsimile machines or messenger services; |
• | Never leave documents containing proprietary information in conference rooms, wastebaskets, or desks, or anywhere else where the information could be seen or retrieved; |
Boston Partners’ restrictions on the use of proprietary information continue in effect after termination of employment with Boston Partners, unless specific written permission is obtained from the General Counsel. For purposes of clarification, the terms of any separate confidentiality agreement between an Employee and Boston Partners or any of its affiliates shall supersede this general restriction, to the extent applicable.
Federal law protects the ability of “whistleblowers” to report violations of applicable law. Nothing in any agreement between yourself and Boston Partners shall be interpreted or deemed to limit you in any way from communicating with the Securities and Exchange Commission about any actions that you reasonably believe to be a violation of applicable securities laws or with any other regulatory or enforcement agency about any actions that you reasonably believe to be a violation of any other applicable law.
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Any questions regarding policies and procedures on the use of proprietary information should be brought to the attention of the CCO.
F. | EMPLOYEE PERSONAL SECURITIES MONITORING |
DEFINITIONS
“Covered Security” shall include any type of equity or debt instrument, including any rights, warrants, derivatives, convertibles, options, puts, calls, straddles, exchange traded funds, shares of closed-end mutual funds, shares of open end mutual funds that are advised or sub advised by Boston Partners, its affiliates or, in general, any interest or investment commonly known as a security.
“Non-Covered Security” shall include shares of open-ended mutual funds that are not advised or sub- advised by Boston Partners or its affiliates, direct obligations of the US government, bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements, which have a maturity at issuance of less than 366 days and that are rated in one of the two highest rating categories by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”).
“Investment Personnel” shall include portfolio managers, research analysts, traders and any other person who provides information or advice to portfolio managers, or who helps execute or implement the portfolio manager’s decisions as designated by the CD.
“Beneficial Interest” shall include any Covered Security in which a Supervised Person has an opportunity directly or indirectly to provide or share in any profit derived from a transaction in a Covered Security, including:
• | accounts personally held by the Supervised Person; |
• | accounts held by the Supervised Person’s immediate family members related by blood or marriage sharing the same household; |
• | any person or organization (such as an investment club) with whom a Supervised Person has an opportunity to directly or indirectly share in any profit from a transaction in a Covered Security; or |
• | any trusts of which a Supervised Person is trustee. |
“Designated Broker/Dealer” is one who has contracted with Boston Partners to make available Supervised Persons’ investment accounts, statements and confirmations via electronic download. A list of designated broker/dealers is available upon request from the CD.
“Outside Account” shall include any Supervised Person’s Covered Securities account not held at a Designated Broker/Dealer.
1. | ACCESS TO SUPERVISED PERSONS’ ACCOUNTS, CONFIRMATIONS AND STATEMENTS |
Supervised Persons are required to maintain all discretionary or non-discretionary securities or commodities accounts with a Designated Broker/Dealer, unless prior written permission to maintain an Outside Account has been granted by the CD. This includes any account over which the Supervised Person has the power to exercise investment control, including but not limited to accounts in which the Supervised Person has a direct or indirect Beneficial Interest. If an Outside Account is approved, the Supervised Person must instruct their broker to send duplicate statements and confirmations to the CD.
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All Supervised Persons whose accounts are custodied outside of Boston Partners’ Designated Broker/Dealer(s) must instruct their broker to submit copies of confirmations and/or account statements to:
ComplySci – Data Entry
Re: Boston Partners
PO Box 1786
New York, NY 10156
The CD will supervise the review of all confirmations and/or account statements to ensure the required pre-approvals were obtained and to verify the accuracy of the information submitted in the quarterly reports.
2. | INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES |
· | Supervised Persons may not offer investment advice or manage any person’s portfolio in which he/she does not have a beneficial interest without prior written approval. |
· | Supervised Persons may not participate in an investment club without prior written approval. |
3. | PRE-CLEARANCE |
Unless otherwise noted, the following provisions apply to all Covered Securities beneficially owned by Supervised Persons:
A. | Covered Securities Transactions |
Mandatory written/electronic pre-clearance prior to the execution of any transaction involving a Covered Security. The CD may approve transactions. See Section 6 for exemptions.
B. | Approvals |
Pre-clearance is valid only for the day of approval. If the trade is not executed on the approved date, the pre-clearance process must be repeated prior to execution on the day the transaction is to be effected.
C. | Initial Public Offering (IPO) Transactions |
Mandatory written/electronic pre-clearance prior to participation in an IPO, except for Government Bonds and Municipal Securities. Approval is determined on a case-by-case basis; documentation supporting the decision rationale will be maintained on all requests.
D. | Private Limited Opportunity Investments |
Mandatory written/electronic pre-clearance prior to the execution of any private limited opportunity investment in a security. Private limited opportunity investments include, but are not limited to, private investments in hedge funds and Delaware Statutory Trusts, as well as any private business investment in a security, including a family business. Any questions regarding whether or not a particular investment requires written/electronic consent should be addressed with the CD prior to investment. Approval is determined on a case-by-case basis; documentation supporting the decision rationale will be maintained on all requests.
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E. | Short Sales/Cover Shorts/Options |
Mandatory written/electronic pre-clearance prior to execution of any personal transaction involving a short position or option position except for ETFs. Supervised Persons may not sell a security short if it is currently held long in a client account. This prohibition includes writing naked call options or buying naked put options. Approval is determined based on the underlying security and transactions are subject to all blackout policies including the short- term profit prohibition. Short positions on ETFs do not require pre-clearance and are not subject to the blackout periods or a 30 day holding period.
F. | Gifts of Securities |
Gifts of securities do not need pre-clearance but must be reported on quarterly transaction and annual holdings statements.
4. | HOLDING PERIODS |
Unless otherwise noted, the following provisions apply to all Covered Securities beneficially owned by Supervised Persons:
A. | Supervised Persons may not profit from the purchase and sale, or sale and purchase, of the same (or equivalent) securities within 30 calendar days. “Equivalent” security means any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege at a price related to the subject security or similar securities with a value derived from the value of the subject security. |
B. | Multiple purchases/sales of the same or equivalent security will be considered on a First-In- First-Out (“FIFO”) basis. |
C. | Closing transactions resulting in a loss may be made after a holding period of one day. |
D. | Trading of a security in both directions (buy/sell or sell/buy), (“Day Trading”) is prohibited. |
5. | BLACK OUT PERIODS |
A. | No purchase or sale of any Covered Security for which an open order currently exists. |
B. | Investment Personnel are prohibited from purchasing or selling any Covered Security for which they have responsibility for a Client Transaction or should have knowledge that the security may be under active consideration 3 days before a “Client Transaction.” Transactions are allowed on the third day. |
C. | Supervised Persons are prohibited from purchasing or selling any Covered Security that is also held in client accounts 3 calendar days after a “Client Transaction.” Employee trades are allowed on the third day. |
“Client Transaction” is generally defined as any trade across all or a significant number of portfolios in one strategy whereby the Covered Security: 1) has been newly established, or 2) the percent holding has been increased or decreased, 3) or a new account is being funded and a significant position, as determined by Boston Partners, is being established.
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6. | EXEMPT TRANSACTIONS |
Outlined below are certain exemptions to the Code; however, such exemptions may be withheld by Boston Partners in its sole discretion. Additional exemptions may be permitted on a case-by- case basis to any provision in this Code when the circumstances of the situation strongly support an exemption.
A. | Black Out Period Exemptions |
Covered Security transactions for which a Supervised Person has requested and received preclearance from the CD will not be deemed to have violated any blackout period in Section 5 based upon subsequent information or events unless the Supervised Person is the Portfolio Manager or other Investment Person directly responsible for recommending, approving/initiating, or executing the client transaction.
B. | Pre-Clearance and Black Out Period Exemptions |
The following transactions are exempt from the Pre-Clearance provisions as defined in Section 3 and from the Black Out Period provisions as defined in Section 5.
These transactions are NOT exempt from Holding Period provisions as defined in Section 4 or from the Reporting provisions as defined in Section 7.
1. Purchases and Sales of shares of mutual funds advised or sub-advised by Boston Partners or its affiliates.
2. Purchases and sales involving a long* position in a common stock, exchange-traded fund, or a closed end fund when:
i) | the market cap is in excess of $3 billion; AND |
ii) | the aggregate share amount executed across all accounts in which the Employee has a Beneficial Interest is 1,000 shares or fewer over a 30-day period. |
*Note, this exemption does not apply to short positions or options.
C. | Pre-Clearance, Holding, and Black Out Period, Period Exemptions |
The following transactions are exempt from all Pre-Clearance provisions defined in Section 3, Holding Period provisions as defined in Section 4, and Black Out Period provisions as defined in Section 5.
These transactions are NOT exempt from the Reporting provisions as defined in Section 7.
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1. | Covered Security transactions executed on a fully discretionary basis by a Registered Investment Adviser (other than Boston Partners) on behalf of a Supervised Person and a letter stating such is maintained in the file; |
2. | Purchases and sales of Exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) or options on ETFs. (*Exemption applies to 30 days hold for profit, does not apply to prohibition of Day Trading. Day Trading of ETFs or options on ETFs is prohibited); |
3. | Purchases or sales effected in any account over which there is no direct or indirect influence or control; |
4. | Purchases or sales that are non-volitional such as margin calls, stock splits, stock dividends, bond maturities, automatic dividend reinvestment plans, mergers, consolidations, spin-offs, or other similar corporate reorganizations or distributions generally applicable to all holders of the same class of securities; |
5. | Systematic investment plans provided the CCO, or designee, has been previously notified of the participation in the plan; |
6. | Any acquisition of a Covered Security through the exercise of rights issued pro rata to all holders of the class, to the extent such rights were acquired in the issue (and not through the acquisition of transferable rights); |
7. | Transactions by an Investment Person acting as a portfolio manager for an investment limited partnership or investment company where Boston Partners is the contractual investment adviser and in which the Investment Person has a Beneficial Interest or for or any account in which Boston Partners has a proprietary interest. |
7. | REPORTING REQUIREMENTS |
A. | Quarterly Transaction Reports |
All Supervised Persons must submit to the CD a report of every Covered Security transaction, IPO, private limited opportunity investment, and gift of covered securities in which they received/participated or in which they beneficially owned/participated during the calendar quarter no later than 30 days after the end of that quarter.
The report shall include the following:
1. | The name of the security, the date of the transaction, the interest rate and maturity (if applicable), the number of shares, and the principal amount of each Covered Security involved; |
2. | The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other type of acquisition or disposition); |
3. | The price at which the transaction was effected; |
4. | The name of the broker, dealer, or bank through which the transaction was effected; |
5. | Factors relevant to a potential conflict of interest, including the existence of any substantial economic relationship between the transaction and securities held or to be acquired by an account managed by Boston Partners; |
6. | With respect to any account established by an Access Person during the quarter, the name of the broker, dealer, or bank with whom the account was established; |
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7. | The date the account was established; and |
8. | The date the report was submitted. |
ACCOUNTS HELD AT DESIGNATED BROKER/DEALERS EXCEPTION
For securities transactions for which the CD has direct access through a Designated Broker/Dealer electronic confirmation, such electronic access is deemed to be sufficient reporting to comply with the above requirement although a quarterly certification of completeness is still required. Each Supervised Person must verify that the CD has this required access prior to taking advantage of this exception.
B. | Initial Holdings Report |
All Access Persons shall disclose to the CD, no later than 10 days after becoming an Access Person, a listing of Covered Securities in which the Access Person has a Beneficial Interest as of a date no more than 45 days before the report is submitted.
The report shall include the following:
1. | The name of the security, the number of shares, and the principal amount of each Covered Security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect Beneficial Interest when the person became an Access Person; |
2. | The name of any broker, dealer, or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities are held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person as of the date the person became an Access Person; and |
3. | The date the report is submitted. |
The CD will review all Initial Holdings Reports in an effort to monitor potential conflicts of interest and to understand the full nature of the Access Person’s current holdings.
C. | Annual Holdings Reports |
Annually, on a date determined by the CD, Access Persons shall deliver to the CD, a listing of Covered Securities in which the Access Person has a Beneficial Interest that must be current as of a date no more than 45 days before the report is submitted.
The report shall include the following:
1. | The name of the security, the number of shares, and the principal amount of each Covered Security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect Beneficial Interest; |
2. | The name of any broker, dealer, or bank with whom the Access Person maintains an account in which any securities are held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person; and |
3. | The date the report is submitted. |
The CD will review all Annual Holdings Reports in an effort to monitor potential conflicts of interest and to understand the full nature of the Access Person’s current holdings.
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8. | RESTRICTED SECURITIES LIST |
The CD maintains a Restricted Security List (the “Restricted List”) which includes all securities where a Supervised Person has, or is in a position to receive, material non-public information about a company, such as information about a company’s earnings or dividends, as a result of a special relationship between Boston Partners or a Supervised Person and the company.
If a Supervised Person knows or believes they have material, non-public information, they must immediately notify Legal or the CD. The decision whether to place a security on the Restricted List and the amount of time a security will remain on the Restricted List is made by Legal.
If it is determined that the Supervised Person is in possession of material, non-public information, the CD will establish a “Protective Wall” around the Supervised Person, to the extent reasonably possible. In order to avoid inadvertently imposing greater restrictions on trading than are necessary, a Supervised Person may not discuss this information with anyone without the approval of Legal. In addition, Supervised Persons having access to the Restricted List are to be reminded that the securities on the list are confidential and proprietary and should not be disclosed to anyone without the prior approval of Legal.
When an order is received from a Supervised Persons in a security on the Restricted List, the Preclearance System will automatically flag the transaction. The CD maintains procedures for adding securities to the Restricted List as well as monitoring and removal of those securities from the list.
9. | ACTIVITY REVIEW |
Supervised Persons are expected to devote their full time and attention to their work responsibilities. Boston Partners may take steps to curtail an individual’s trading activity if, in the judgment of the appropriate department manager or the CD, the Supervised Person’s trading activity is having or may have an adverse impact on their job performance.
G. | INSIDER TRADING AND MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION |
Boston Partners has developed the following policies to monitor, restrict if necessary, and educate Supervised Persons with respect to acquiring and investing when in possession of material, non- public information.
Insider trading is generally defined as purchasing or selling securities while in the possession of material, non-public information in violation of a duty not to trade. However, if no duty exists, it is permissible to trade when in possession of this information. The question of duty is complex and depends on facts and circumstances. Situations which could require a fiduciary duty not to act include but are not limited to: information gained directly from corporate insiders or temporary insiders (i.e. officers, directors and employees of a company), information gained from participation on formal or informal creditors’ committees, and information prohibited from disclosure by confidentiality agreements. Additionally, a misappropriation theory exists whereby an individual who possesses inside information would be prohibited from trading on such information if they are found to owe a duty to a third party and not the corporation whose securities are being traded. You must refer any questions to Legal for a correct interpretation if you believe you may be in possession of material non-public information.
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1. | What is Material Information? |
There is no statutory definition of material information. Information an investor would find useful in deciding whether or when to buy or sell a security is generally material. In most instances, any non-public information that, if announced, could affect the price of the security should be considered to be material information. If you are not sure whether non-public information is material, you must consult Legal.
2. | What is Non-public Information? |
Non-public information is information that is not generally available to the investing public. Information is public if it is generally available through the media or disclosed in public documents such as corporate filings with the SEC. If it is disclosed in a national business or financial wire service (such as Dow Jones or Bloomberg), in a national news service (such as AP or Reuters), in a newspaper, magazine, on the television, on the radio or in a publicly disseminated disclosure document (such as a proxy statement, quarterly or annual report, or prospectus), consider the information to be public. If the information is not available in the general media or in a public filing, consider the information to be non-public. If you are uncertain as to whether material information is non-public, you must consult Legal.
While Supervised Persons must be especially alert to sensitive information, you may consider information directly from a company representative to be public information unless you know or have reason to believe that such information is not generally available to the investing public. In addition, information you receive from company representatives during a conference call that is open to the investment community is public. The disclosure of this type of information is covered by SEC Regulation FD. Please contact Legal if you have any questions with regard to this Regulation.
Supervised Persons working on a private securities transaction who receive information from a company representative regarding the transaction or who have knowledge of an affiliate’s private equity transactions should treat the information as non-public. The termination or conclusion of the negotiations in many instances will not change the status of that information.
3. | Examples of Material, Non-Public Information |
A. | Material information may be about the issuer itself such as: |
· | Information about a company's earnings or dividends, (such as whether they will be increasing or decreasing); |
· | any merger, acquisition, tender offer, joint venture or similar transaction involving the company; |
· | information about a company's physical assets (e.g., an oil discovery, or an environmental problem); |
· | information about a company's personnel (such as a valuable employee leaving or becoming seriously ill); or |
· | information about a company's financial status (e.g., any plans or other developments concerning financial restructuring or the issuance or redemption of, or any payments on, any securities). |
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B. | Information may be material that is not directly about a company, if the information is relevant to that company or its products, business, or assets such as: |
· | Information that a company's primary supplier is going to increase dramatically the prices it charges; or |
· | information that a competitor has just developed a product that may cause sales of a company's products to decrease. |
C. | Material information may include information about Boston Partners’ portfolio management activities such as: |
· | any information that Boston Partners is considering when assessing whether to purchase or sell a security; |
· | any actual purchase or sale decisions; or |
· | all client holdings. |
4. | Boston Partners’ Use of Material, Non-Public Information |
Supervised Persons may receive or have access to material, non-public information in the course of their work at Boston Partners. Company policy, industry practice and federal and state law establish strict guidelines for the use of material, non-public information. To ensure that Supervised Persons adhere to the applicable laws, Boston Partners has adopted the following policies:
Supervised Persons:
· | may not use material, non-public information about an issuer for investment purposes to benefit client or proprietary accounts, for personal gain, or share such information with others for their personal benefit; |
· | may not pass material, non-public information about an issuer on to others or recommend that others trade the issuer's securities; |
· | must treat as confidential all information defined in Section E, Confidentiality, of this Code and preserve the confidentiality of such information and disclose it only as defined in that section; |
· | must consider all client holdings as material, nonpublic information. In addition, if a Supervised Person is aware that Boston Partners is considering or actually trading any security for any account it manages, the Supervised Person must regard that as material, nonpublic information. While deemed material, nonpublic information, securities which Boston Partners is considering or actually trading for client accounts may be traded by Boston Partners and are exempt from reporting to Legal, but remain subject to all other confidentiality provisions discussed above in Section E as well as Boston Partners’ Privacy Policy, Selective Disclosure and Disclosing Portfolio Holdings Policy, and Investment Recommendations Policy; |
· | are prohibited from discussing the following when sourcing or analyzing investment ideas with buy-side investment professionals: |
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· | disclosing whether or not a particular security is held in client accounts; |
· | disclosing Boston Partners’ immediate buy/sell intent with respect to a specific security, or |
· | making consensus buy/sell decisions; and |
· | for material nonpublic information other than Boston Partners client holdings or transactions must contact Legal immediately and disclose that they are in possession of material nonpublic information and may not communicate such information to anyone without the advance approval of Legal. |
5. | Penalties for Insider Trading |
Trading securities while in possession of material, nonpublic information or improperly communicating that information to others may expose you to stringent penalties. Criminal sanctions may include a fine of up to $5,000,000 and/or twenty years imprisonment. The SEC can recover the profits gained or losses avoided through the volatile trading, a penalty of up to three times the illicit windfall and an order permanently barring you from the securities industry. Finally, investors seeking to recover damages for insider trading violations may sue you.
Regardless of whether a government inquiry occurs, Boston Partners views seriously any violation of this Policy Statement. Disciplinary sanctions may be imposed on any person committing a violation, including, but not necessarily limited to, censure, suspension, or termination of employment.
6. | Monitoring |
In addition to maintaining a Restricted List, Boston Partners maintains Value Added Investor Procedures to monitor potential conflicts of interest and potential insider trading due to the nature of these relationships. Furthermore, the CD monitors for instances of insider trading which include, but are not limited to, reviews of personal trading activity and email surveillance.
7. | Engagement of Research Consultants |
No research consultant may be engaged by Boston Partners without the prior approval of the Head of Research and the CCO or his delegate in the CD. An engagement of a research consultant must be undertaken with appropriate safeguards to prevent the transmission of inside information from the consultant to Boston Partners. Any engagement of a research consultant shall be pursuant to a written agreement that shall, at a minimum, (i) impose confidentiality obligations on the consultant, (ii) contain an acknowledgement by the Consultant that Boston Partners is not requesting and does not want to be provided with material non-public information regarding any issuer of securities or information the provision of which would breach any duty, and (iii) contain a covenant by the consultant not to provide any material non-public information to Boston Partners. Prior to approval, the CD shall undertake sufficient due diligence to ensure that the consultant is suitable for retention by Boston Partners, including, in particular, that the consultant has in place reasonable procedures to prevent the transmission to Boston Partners of material nonpublic information. Boston Partners personnel should notify any prospective consultant as soon as reasonably possible at the inception of any discussions about the engagement or services that the consultant may perform for Boston Partners that Boston Partners does not wish to receive any material nonpublic information and requests that the consultant not provide any such information.
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H. | GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT POLICY |
Supervised Persons or their family members should not offer or accept gifts, favors, entertainment or other things of value that could be viewed as overly generous or aimed at influencing decision-making or making a client feel beholden to the firm or the Supervised Person. The following guidelines will further clarify this general principal. Please refer to Boston Partners’ Gift & Entertainment Policy Supplement for specific examples and additional guidance.
DEFINITIONS:
“Gift” – anything of value, including, but not limited to gratuities, tokens, objects, clothing, or certificates for anything of value. The definition also includes any meal, tickets or admission to events where the person supplying the meal or event is not present.
“Entertainment” – business meals and events such as sporting events, shows, concerts where the person supplying the meal or event is present.
1. | GIFTS POLICY |
A. | In a given calendar year, no Supervised Person shall accept any Gift(s), in the aggregate, of more than $100 value from the same person or entity that does business with or on behalf of a client (or any of its portfolios), or any entity that provides a service to Adviser. Gifts of greater than $100 value are to be declined or returned in order not to compromise the reputation of Adviser or the individual. Gifts valued at less than $100 and that are considered customary in the industry, are considered appropriate. Further, small, inconsequential gifts, such as gifts received at a conference that were provided to all attendees, inexpensive promotional items from vendors, and other mementos of the like can be accepted without consequence, as long as they meet the conditions listed above. |
B. | No Supervised Person shall provide Gifts of more than $100 value, per person, per year, to existing clients, prospective clients, or any entity that does business with or on behalf of a client (or any of its portfolios), or any entity that provides a service to Adviser. Gifts valued at less than $100 and considered customary in the industry, are considered appropriate. |
C. | Generally, a Supervised Person may not accept or provide a Gift of cash or cash equivalent, (such as a gift card, gift certificate or gift check). Exceptions may be permissible with the approval of a member of Boston Partners’ Management Committee. |
D. | Supervised Persons are expressly prohibited from soliciting anything of value from a client, or other entity with which the firm does business. |
E. | Similarly, Supervised Persons should not agree to provide a Gift that is requested by a client, or other entity with which the firm does business, (such as concert, sporting event or theater tickets,), except if (1) providing the Gift is permissible under this Policy or (2) if not permissible under this Policy, we are assisting a client or other entity in acquiring tickets for which they intend to pay full value. |
2. | ENTERTAINMENT POLICY |
A. | Supervised Persons may engage in normal and customary business entertainment. Entertainment that is extraordinary or extravagant, or that does not pertain to business, is not permitted. |
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Importantly, please note, certain rules and regulations enacted by the client or a regulator of the client may exist which prevent any form of Gift or Entertainment. You must be cognizant of what each client allows, especially pertaining to public funds, where rules may be very stringent. Prior to providing Entertainment or a Gift to a representative of a public entity, contact the CD in order to verify interpretation of state or municipal regulations.
3. | STANDARD OF REASONABLENESS |
The terms “extraordinary” or “extravagant,” “customary in the industry,” and “normal and customary” may be subjective. Reasonableness is a standard that may vary depending on the facts and circumstances. If you have questions regarding a gift or entertainment, contact your Supervisor, or Legal or the CD.
4. | RECORDS AND REPORTING |
Boston Partners must retain records of all Gifts and Entertainment given or received for a period of three years. Records of all received Gifts and Entertainment must be logged in ComplySci. Outgoing Gifts and Entertainment are not reported through ComplySci. Records of outgoing Gifts and Entertainment are retained by administration responsible for purchasing and disseminating the Gifts and Entertainment, which are recorded using travel and expense reimbursement forms/systems retained by Boston Partners Finance Department.
I. | FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT POLICY |
In addition to Boston Partners internal Code of Ethics, Salespersons soliciting in foreign jurisdictions must be aware of compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Anti-bribery Provisions
The FCPA makes it unlawful to bribe foreign government officials to obtain or retain business.
5 Elements:
1. | Who: The law applies to any individual, firm, officer, director, employee or agent of a firm and any stockholder acting on behalf of a firm. |
2. | Corrupt intent: The person making the payment must have a corrupt intent and the payment must be intended to induce the recipient to misuse his official position to direct business wrongfully to the payer (or firm.) |
3. | Payment: Money or anything of value. |
4. | Recipient: Corrupt payments to a foreign official, a foreign political party or party official, or any candidate for foreign political office. “Foreign official” means any officer or employee of a foreign government, a public international organization, or any department or agency thereof or any person acting in an official capacity. |
5. | Business Purpose Test – Payments made in order to assist the firm in obtaining or retaining business. Interpreted broadly. |
Exception:
Payments to facilitate or expedite performance of a “routine governmental action.” Such as: obtaining permits; licenses; or other official documents; processing governmental papers such as visas; providing police protection; mail pick-up and delivery; providing phone service; power and water supply; loading and unloading cargo; protecting perishable products; scheduling inspections.
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Procedures:
Gift giving, entertainment and political contribution policies are incorporated in this policy. Employees may not make payments on behalf of Boston Partners.
In the case of a request for facilitation or other payment by any foreign official, candidate, organization, agency or government or any person acting on their behalf, payment on behalf of Boston Partners requires the review and authorization by both the CFO and CLO.
Violations:
Criminal:
Firms may be fined up to $2,000,000.
Individuals may be fined up to $100,000 and imprisonment up to 5 years.
SEC Enforcement:
Fines up to $500,000.
Subject to civil action.
J. | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS POLICY |
From time to time, Boston Partners or its Supervised Persons may be asked by a client to make a charitable contribution. To avoid any real or perceived conflict of interests, Boston Partners has adopted the following procedures.
If a contribution is requested by a client, Boston Partners may agree to charitable contributions subject to the following terms.
a. | The check must be made in Boston Partners’ name (not the client or the supervised person) |
b. | Any tax benefit is taken by Boston Partners |
c. | The contribution does not directly benefit the client |
d. | The contribution is not made to satisfy a pledge made by the client |
e. | The contribution must be made payable to the 501c3 Charitable organization (otherwise, the contribution may be subject to LM-10 filing with the DOL). Upon receiving a charitable contribution request from a labor organization or employee, please contact the CD. |
Charitable contributions must be pre-approved by your Supervisor. Check request records and corresponding payments will be maintained by Boston Partners Finance Department.
K. | POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS POLICY |
From time to time, Boston Partners or its employees may be asked by a client to make political contributions. In addition, Supervised Persons and members of their household, by their own volition, may seek to make individual political contributions. As an investment manager, Boston Partners is often eligible to manage money on behalf of a state or municipality. To avoid any real or perceived conflict of interests, Boston Partners requires that all personal political contributions, including members of their household, be subject to a preclearance policy.
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For the purposes of this policy, political contribution includes a direct payment of money or contribution of goods or services to, purchase of a ticket to and costs of hosting a fundraising event for, a campaign organization, volunteer work, or fund raising work done on behalf of, or to benefit, a political campaign organization or candidate.
Certain contributions, even within your voting jurisdiction, may restrict or prohibit Boston Partners from transacting business with a related public entity. If a Supervised Person or a member of their household exceeds the stated contribution guidelines, Boston Partners is prohibited from providing advisory services for compensation to the effected government entity for two years after the contribution.
1. | FIRM CONTRIBUTIONS |
Boston Partners does not make political contributions.
2. | INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS |
For all Supervised Persons (including members of the household)
a. | Boston Partners will not reimburse any employee for individual political contributions. In addition, the Boston Partners’ corporate credit card cannot be used to make contributions. |
b. | Preclearance is required for all individual contributions to state, municipal and local candidates and campaigns, whether inside or outside your voting jurisdiction. |
c. | Preapproval is required prior to becoming a member of or contributor to any Political Action Committee (“PAC”). |
d. | Preclearance is not required prior to individual personal contributions to national election campaigns, national political parties, or candidates for national office such as President of the U.S. or members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives unless the candidate is a current state or municipal office holder. |
e. | Under federal laws personal contributions for which preclearance is required will be limited to: |
· | $350 per household per election per year for candidates for whom a supervised person is eligible to vote. |
· | $150 per household per election per year for candidate for whom a supervised person is not eligible to vote. |
Limitations under state or municipals laws may differ.
f. | Coordinating or soliciting contributions or payments to elected officials or any state or local political party is prohibited. |
g. | If a Supervised Person becomes aware that he or she has exceeded the limitations above, he or she shall contact the CD immediately and the contribution may be required to be returned. |
h. | If there is a chance that an individual contribution may cause a conflict of interest with Boston Partners’ business, please consult with the CD. |
Political contribution preclearance is effectuated through ComplySci’s system. All political contributions, whether subject to pre-clearance or not, must be logged in ComplySci.
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L. | OUTSIDE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES |
A potential conflict of interest exists between a Supervised Person’s duties to Boston Partners and its clients when individuals are permitted to engage in outside business activities.
Written requests must be submitted to the Supervised Person’s supervisor with a copy to the CD prior to a Supervised Person seeking to:
· | engage in any outside business activity, or |
· | accept any position as an officer or director of any corporation, organization, association, or mutual fund. |
The written request must contain all of the information necessary to review the activity. The request should contain the name of the organization, whether the organization is public or private, profit or non-profit or charitable, the nature of the business, the capacity in which the employee will serve, an identification of any possible conflicts, the term of the contemplated relationships and any compensation to be received. Investment personnel are prohibited from serving on the boards of directors of publicly traded companies.
The CD, in conjunction with the Supervised Person’s supervisor and the Director of Human Resources, will review and/or identify any potential conflicts.
If approved, the CD will provide the Supervised Person with written approval. In addition, if applicable, the CD will ensure that a registered representative’s Form U4 is updated with the FINRA. If a resolution to the conflict cannot be reached, the Supervised Person may be asked to terminate either his/her outside employment or his/her position with Boston Partners.
Finally, upon employment and annually thereafter, Supervised Persons are required to fill out the New Employee/Annual Compliance Acknowledgement Form and accompanying Conflicts Questionnaire (“Questionnaire”). The Questionnaire requests information regarding a Supervised Person’s outside business activities. The CD will verify items reported on the Questionnaire against written requests received throughout the year.
M. | REPORTING VIOLATIONS |
All Supervised Persons must report violations of this Code promptly to the CD and the General Counsel. Boston Partners is committed to treating all Supervised Persons in a fair and equitable manner.
Individuals are encouraged to voice concerns regarding any personal or professional issue that may impact their ability or the Boston Partners’ ability to provide a quality product to its clients while operating under the highest standards of integrity. Retaliation against any individual making such a report is prohibited and constitutes a violation of the Code. Any such reports will be treated confidentially to the extent permitted by law and investigated promptly and appropriately. Based on facts and circumstances, the CD may escalate the matter to Boston Partners’ Management Committee for resolution. Supervised Persons may make use of Boston Partners’ Global Whistle Blowing Policy as summarized in the Employee Handbook.
N. | ANNUAL REVIEWS AND CERTIFICATIONS |
The CD will review the Code annually and update any provisions and/or attachments which Boston Partners deems require revision.
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Upon employment, all Supervised Persons are required to certify that they have:
1. | Received a copy of the Code; |
2. | Read and understand all provisions of the Code; and |
3. | Agreed to comply with all provisions of the Code. |
At the time of any material amendments to this Code, all Supervised Persons are required to:
1. | Certify they have read and understood the amendments to the Code; and |
2. | Agree to comply with the amendment and all other provisions of the Code. |
Annually, all Supervised Persons are required to:
1. | Certify they have read and understand all provisions of the Code; and |
2. | Agree to comply with all provisions of the Code. |
O. | SANCTIONS |
Regardless of whether a government inquiry occurs, Boston Partners views seriously any violation of its Code of Ethics. Disciplinary sanctions may be imposed on any Supervised Persons committing a violation, including, but not necessarily limited to, censure, suspension, monetary penalties, or termination of employment.
P. | FURTHER INFORMATION |
Any Supervised Person that has any questions with regard to the applicability of the provisions of this Code, generally or with regard to any attachment referenced herein, should consult Legal or the CD.
Q. | RECORDKEEPING |
Boston Partners shall maintain the following records at its principal offices as follows:
A. | This Code and any related procedures, and any code of ethics of Boston Partners that has been in effect during the past five years, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place; |
B. | A record of any violation of this Code and of any action taken as a result of the violation, to be maintained in an easily accessible place for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurs; |
C. | A copy of each report under this Code made by (or duplicate brokerage statements and/or confirmations for the account of) an Access Person, to be maintained for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the report is made or the information is provided, the first two years in an easily accessible place; |
D. | A copy of each report by the CCO to the Board, to be maintained for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which it is made, the first two years in an easily accessible place; and |
E. | A record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision, to approve an acquisition by an Investment Person of securities offered in an Initial Public Offering or in a Limited Offering, to be maintained for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval is granted. |
END
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Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Rule/Requirement Reference: | Section 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended |
Owner Responsibility: | All departments |
Oversight Responsibility: | Board of Managers |
A. | Introduction |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
10.01 Overview | |
This code of ethics (“Code”) is based on the principle that Access Persons: 1. Have a duty to place the interests of Clients ahead of their own interests; and 2. Must always act with integrity and good faith, but particularly when their personal interests may conflict with the interests of Clients.
Further, Access Persons must: · Not take inappropriate advantage of their position with Altair; and · Conduct all personal securities transactions in full compliance with this Code. |
See section 10.19 for definitions of select capitalized terms used throughout this Code.
Please see Compliance if you are unsure of how to apply a term defined within this Code, or if you have general questions regarding this Code.
Receipt of this Code represents notification of your reporting obligations under the Advisers Act and Investment Company Act of 1940. |
B. | Professional Conduct |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
10.02 Standards of Conduct | |
When engaging Clients, prospective Clients or their representatives, Access Persons must not knowingly: 1. Make any inaccurate or misleading oral or written statements; 2. Falsify a material fact to any Client; 3. Omit a material fact necessary for the communication to not be misleading in light of the circumstances; 4. Engage in any manipulative practice; or 5. Engage in any act, practice or course of conduct which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit. |
To comply with these important requirements, you should adhere to: · Altair’s Compliance Policy Manual; and · Communications provided by Management and the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”).
Following the standards of conduct in this Code is a critical expectation and is consistent with Altair’s culture that we always deal with Clients honestly, openly and in good faith. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
Further, Access Persons must always comply with applicable laws, including relevant federal and state securities laws and regulations and stock exchange rules. | |
10.03 Personal Gain | |
An Access Person must disqualify himself or herself from exerting influence in any business transaction where the Access Person’s personal interests may compete with the best interests of any Client or Altair (or any of their affiliates) or where the Access Person may gain any benefit at any Clients’ or Altair’s (or their affiliates) injury or expense. | In connection with your role with Altair, you must always place the interests of Clients above your own interests. Again, this is consistent with Altair’s culture and core expectations when working with clients. |
10.04 Outside Employment, Business Activities and Directorships | |
As described in the Employee Handbook, Access Persons are prohibited from undertaking additional or outside employment, including self- employment, business ventures and employment with other companies. Any exceptions to this prohibition must be pre-approved in writing by Compliance.
Any service as a director or trustee of governmental, commercial or not-for- profit organizations must also be pre- approved in writing by Compliance. |
Engaging in outside for-profit work is generally prohibited, as described in the Employee Handbook.
Err on the side of caution, and request approval from Compliance for any outside activity, including any board activity. It is important for Altair to ascertain whether any outside business activities present a conflict with Altair’s business. As an extreme example, an employee selling insurance products on the side would be viewed as a conflict to Altair’s core business and therefore would not be permitted. |
C. | Personal Trading Requirements |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
10.05 Personal Securities Transactions | |
Access Persons and their Immediate Family must conduct Reportable Securities transactions in a manner so as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of their position of trust. | For ease of reference, refer to the Personal Securities Transactions Chart included as Appendix A. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
This Code is designed to reduce the possibility of conflicts or an appearance of impropriety. | |
10.06 Restrictions | |
The following restrictions apply to all Access Person and his or her Immediate Family: 1. Any transaction in a Reportable Security in anticipation or with knowledge of an order from or on behalf of a Client (i.e., front running). 2. Any transaction of a Reportable Security included on the Restricted List, maintained within the Schwab Compliance Technologies (“SCT”). 3. Any transaction in an Initial Public Offering (“IPO”). 4. Any Short Sale transaction. 5. Trading in a manner which mimics or closely adheres to the trading activity of any third-party money manager used by Altair. |
Follow these restrictions carefully and consult them before placing any trade. As Altair does not require preclearance for most trades, it is your responsibility to understand whether you are able to execute a trade. Of course, you may confer with Compliance before placing a trade.
Altair’s inherent business model may result in Access Persons receiving material nonpublic information. It is critical that you consult the Restricted List before placing a trade in any Reportable Security and avoid trading in Reportable Securities included on the Restricted List. Contact Compliance if you need to sell a holding of a Reportable Security included on the Restricted List.
You are expected to not use information provided by third-party money managers used by Altair in connection with your personal trading activities.
Please see Compliance with questions related to this general expectation.
Third-party money managers used by Altair are required to adopt and implement a Code of Ethics and Personal Trading Policy and should not share anticipated trading information with Altair personnel. Contact Compliance if any third-party money manager shares trading information with you ahead of the third-party money manager’s trades. |
10.07 Preclearance | |
Access Persons are not required to preclear trades in Reportable Securities, with the exception transactions within Limited Offerings as described below.
Access Persons or their Immediate Family that desire to purchase or sell Limited Offerings, including private funds or investments in private companies, must receive written preclearance from Compliance via SCT. |
Altair has determined its business model presents a sufficiently low risk to not require preclearance of most Reportable Security trades within Personal Accounts. However, Compliance retains the right to require preclearance of trades as it deems appropriate.
Preclearance of a trade is valid and in effect only for the time period allotted by Compliance (generally 30 days for Limited Offerings). If, after receiving preclearance for a trade, you become aware of facts or circumstances that would prevent the proposed transaction from being precleared by Compliance, you must advise Compliance and seek their direction prior to taking any action with respect to the proposed transaction. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
No Access Person may approve his or her own preclearance requests.
A request for preclearance may be declined at Compliance’s discretion, including if Compliance determines that the:
· Access Person may potentially benefit from the transaction; or · The transaction is in conflict with or appears to be in conflict with, a position of a Client. |
The CCO or his/her designee will approve preclearance requests, and a member of Altair’s Compliance Committee will approve a preclearance request of the CCO.
After an Access Person has formally requested preclearance, the Access Person will receive notification through SCT whether the requested transaction has been cleared. |
10.08 Automatic Investment Plans | |
Purchasing Reportable Securities under an “Automatic Investment Plan” does not require preclearance or reporting of these transactions on a quarterly basis. However: 1. All holdings are required to be included within the Access Persons’ annual holdings reports; and 2. The initial transaction(s) following changes to an Automatic Investment Plan must be reported through SCT. |
The policy is intended to make it easier for employees to engage in Automatic Investment Plan activity, including automatic purchases of securities within Altair’s 401k plan.
Do not forget to report the following through SCT: · Holdings annually of all Reportable Securities purchased within an Automatic Investment Plan. · Initial transaction(s) quarterly following changes to an Automatic Investment Plan. |
D. | Reporting Requirements |
Reports are required to be submitted via the SCT. See Compliance if you are not able to manually input your holdings, Personal Accounts or Reportable Securities transactions directly into SCT.
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
10.09 Limited Personal Brokerages | |
Unless approved by Compliance, employees are required to transfer their Personal Accounts to Charles Schwab (“Schwab”) in an effort to improve Altair’s compliance monitoring processes.
Access Persons maintaining their Personal Accounts at Schwab must authorize Schwab to electronically download their Reportable Securities holdings, Reportable Securities transactions and Personal Accounts (including accounts over which they have Beneficial Interest and accounts of their Immediate Family) periodically to Compliance via SCT. |
You are required to hold your Personal Accounts at Schwab unless otherwise approved by Compliance.
As an additional option, you may elect to convert such non-Schwab accounts to a Managed Account (a discretionary account managed by a third-party adviser), thereby eliminating potential reporting and monitoring issues. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
As described throughout this policy, any Personal Account which is not retained at Schwab will require the Access Person to manually input relevant holdings and account activity and attach a copy of relevant statements directly into SCT. |
Reporting requirements under this Code are intended to identify conflicts of interest that could arise and to promote compliance with this Code.
The reporting requirements of this Code apply to you and to members of your Immediate Family. |
10.10 Personal Accounts | |
The Policy covers Personal Accounts in which the Access Person has a Beneficial Interest, which includes: 1. Personal Accounts of Access Persons; 2. Personal Accounts of Immediate Family members; and 3. All other accounts for which the Access Person has Investment Authority. |
You are required to report via Schwab all Personal Accounts which are eligible to invest in Reportable Securities, whether or not you choose to invest in Reportable Securities. For example, you are required to report a Personal Account which only holds open-end mutual funds, as that Personal Account may invest in other Reportable Securities.
See the definition of “Investment Authority” at section 10.19 for further clarification. |
10.11 Holdings and Accounts Report - Initial and Annual | |
Access Persons are required to submit reports listing all Reportable Securities in which the Access Person or their Immediate Family has a Beneficial Interest, including securities held in all Personal Accounts: 1. The Initial Holdings Report must be submitted via SCT within 10 calendar days upon becoming an Access Person. 2. The Annual Holdings Report must be submitted via SCT by February 14 following year-end.
Alternatively, Access Persons may manually input the necessary information along with a scanned copy of the relevant statements directly into SCT. |
Refer to the Personal Securities Transactions Chart included as Appendix A to identify which instruments require reporting.
Practically speaking, if you do not have an existing Schwab account, you will likely not be able to open a Schwab account before your start of employment. Therefore, you will need to manually input the required information for your initial holdings and accounts report (as well as attach a scanned copy of your statements) directly into SCT. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
Both the Initial and Annual Holdings Report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days before the report is submitted. |
Do not forget to report: · Shares of ETFs you hold; · Investments held outside of Personal Accounts, such as physical stock certificates; · Shares of a company’s stock held within your spouse’s retirement plan; and · Holdings of the Altair Funds. |
10.12 Quarterly Transaction Reporting Requirements | |
Access Persons must report all transactions in Reportable Securities executed during the prior quarter in which the Access Person or their Immediate Family has a Beneficial Interest, including Reportable Securities held in all Personal Accounts.
The Quarterly Transaction Reports must be: 1. Submitted (via direct feed or manual input) via SCT no later than 30 days after quarter-end; and 2. Current as of a date no more than 45 days before the report is submitted.
Access Persons must also indicate on the Quarterly Transaction Report whether they are aware of Personal Accounts opened or closed during the previous quarter. |
Refer to the Personal Securities Transactions Chart included as Appendix A to identify which transactions in Reportable Securities require reporting.
Don’t forget to report: · Shares of ETFs you hold; · Investments held outside of Personal Accounts, such as physical stock certificates; · Shares of a company’s stock held within your spouse’s retirement plan; and · Transactions in the Altair Funds. |
10.13 Review of Reports | |
Compliance will review personal Reportable Securities holdings and transaction reports submitted by Access Persons. Access Persons shall not review his/her own report. | A member of the Compliance Committee will review the CCO’s reports. |
E. | Administration |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
10.14 Investigating Violations of the Code | |
Compliance is responsible to investigate any suspected violation of the Code and shall report the results of any investigation to Altair’s Compliance Committee and, as appropriate, Board of Managers. | You must cooperate with any review or investigation by Compliance into actual or potential violations of this Code. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
10.15 Remedies | |
A. Sanctions
If the Board of Managers determines that an Access Person has committed a violation of the Code following a report of Compliance, the Board of Managers may impose sanctions and take other actions as deemed necessary and/or appropriate.
Any Access Person to which a violation of the Code relates may not be involved in the handling and/or imposition of sanctions regarding such violation.
B. Sole Authority
The Board of Managers has sole authority to determine the remedy for any violation of the Code, including appropriate disposition of any monies forfeited pursuant to the Code.
Failure to promptly abide by a directive to reverse a trade or forfeit profits may result in further sanctions. |
You should take your responsibilities outlined within this Code seriously, as Altair takes violations of the Code seriously.
Sanctions or actions the Board of Managers may impose include: · Issuing a letter of caution or warning, suspending personal trading rights, suspending employment (with or without compensation); · Civil referral to the Securities and Exchange Commission, · Criminal referral; · Terminating (for cause) employment; and · Reversing any trade(s) made in violation of the Code and forfeiting any profit or absorbing any loss derived therefrom, with the amount of any profit forwarded to Altair who will in turn forward the funds to a charitable organization from Altair’s list of approved, non-political charities. |
10.16 Exceptions to the Code | |
The CCO may grant exceptions to the requirements of the Code on a case-by-case basis if granting an exception is consistent with applicable law and the CCO finds that the proposed conduct presents negligible opportunity for abuse. All such exceptions must be in writing and will be subsequently reported to the Compliance Committee. | See Compliance if you need to request an exception to the Code’s requirements. Compliance will consider such requests on a case-by- case basis; such exemptions are expected to be rarely granted. |
10.17 Compliance Certification | |
All Access Persons upon hire and annually thereafter must certify that they have received, read and understood the Code. | All certifications are managed through SCT. |
10.18 Duty to Report Violations | |
A. Reporting Violations All Access Persons are required to promptly report to Compliance real or suspected violations of the Code. |
You are encouraged to seek advice from Compliance with respect to any action or transaction which may violate this Code. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
B. Confidentiality and Non-Retaliation Any such reports will be treated confidentially (to the extent permitted by applicable law) and investigated promptly and appropriately. Further, retaliation in any form by an Access Person against another Access Person for reporting a potential violation in good faith is strictly prohibited and will, at a minimum, be deemed a violation of this Code. |
You should refrain from any action or transaction which might lead to the appearance of impropriety or a violation of this Code.
Please also refer to the Employee Handbook for additional information regarding Altair’s approach to protecting employees who, in good faith, report violations or suspected violations. |
10.19 Definitions | |
A. Access Person Any Employee (including a temporary Employee), officer, partner, or consultant of Altair who, in conjunction with his/her regular functions or duties, obtains nonpublic information regarding Client holdings, or the purchase or sale of a Reportable Security for a Client. |
Given the size and culture of the firm, Altair has determined all employees (including interns) are considered Access Persons for purposes of this Code. |
B. Automatic Investment Plan A program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) Personal Accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. |
Automatic Investment Plans typically include: · Dividend reinvestment plans; and · 401k/other company-sponsored retirement plans with an automatic investment option. |
C. Beneficial Interest The opportunity through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, to directly or indirectly profit or share in any profit derived from a Reportable Security. An Access Person is deemed to have a Beneficial Interest in Reportable Securities owned by members of his or her Immediate Family.
Questions of whether an Access Person has a Beneficial Interest in a Reportable Security will be resolved in accordance with the definition of “beneficial owner” found in Rules 16a-1(a)(2) and (5) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
The extent of control factors into determining whether you have a Beneficial Interest in the Reportable Security. For example, you should consider yourself to have a Beneficial Interest in Reportable Securities held by: · You, your spouse, minor children and relatives who share your home; · Anyone if you have Investment Authority in the Reportable Security; and · Anyone where the circumstances suggest a shared financial interest (such as sharing in the profits of financial transactions or providing substantial financial support to the person). |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
Therefore, you should not limit your view of Beneficial Interest to you and your Immediate Family Members’ Personal Accounts. You may have a Beneficial Interest in Reportable Securities held by anyone. | |
D. Client Any person or entity for which Altair serves as an investment adviser pursuant to a written Investment Management Agreement. |
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E. Employee Any officer, director, partner, or employee of Altair, or any other person who provides advice on behalf of Altair and is subject to Altair’s supervision and control. |
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F. Immediate Family Any of the following persons of an Access Person who reside in the same household as the Access Person: child, stepchild, grandchild, spouse, sibling, parent, stepparent, grandparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, sister-in- law, and brother-in-law. Immediate Family includes adoptive relationships, and any other relationship (whether or not recognized by law) which Compliance determines could lead to the possible conflicts of interest, diversions of corporate opportunity, or appearances of impropriety which this Code is intended to prevent. |
As a general rule, any family member living within your household is subject to the Code’s personal trading restrictions and reporting. Please see Compliance if you are unsure whether another family member should be subject to the Code. |
G. Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) An offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended by an issuer who immediately before the registration of such securities was not subject to the reporting requirements of sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
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H. Investment Authority An explicit authorization or mandate for an Access Person to make investment decisions or affect trades within an investment account on a discretionary basis. |
Investment Authority does not include, for example, situations where you provide general advice to a family member or friend. It does however include situations where you are authorized to make investment decisions and/or trade in an account for anybody or any entity. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
I. Limited Offering Equity positions within non-public companies and are exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(2) or Section 4(6) under the 1933 Act, and includes private funds managed by Altair. |
Limited Offerings include investments made by you or your Immediate Family in: · Private funds (such as hedge funds), including those advised by Altair’s sub-advisers; and · Private companies of any sort, such as an interest in Altair or an LLC. |
J. Managed Account An investment account managed by an external entity in which the Access Person has no discretion over the specific securities purchased or sold within the investment account. |
These accounts are typically managed by a third-party manager who maintains full investment discretion over the account. Compliance may require a copy of the agreement between the third-party manager and you. |
K. Personal Account An account of Access Persons or Immediate Family members which holds Reportable Securities or in which transactions in Reportable Securities may be placed. Personal Accounts include: · Accounts of Access Persons; · Accounts of Immediate Family members; and · All other accounts for which the Access Person has Investment Authority.
The following are not considered Personal Accounts unless they hold Reportable Securities: · 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plan accounts that only holds open-end mutual funds (but not ETFs or individual securities); · Accounts held directly with mutual fund companies; · Accounts held directly with 529 college savings plans; and · Variable annuity contracts. |
The key determination of whether an account falls under the definition of a Personal Account is whether the account is eligible to hold or be used to transact in Reportable Securities, regardless of whether you choose to invest in Reportable Securities. For example, you are required to report a Personal Account held at a brokerage firm which only holds open-end mutual funds, as that Personal Account is eligible to be used to invest in other Reportable Securities. |
L. Reportable Security All financial instruments which are covered under this Code, whether or not they are considered a “security” under applicable law. Reportable Securities include: |
As noted throughout, only Reportable Securities are covered by the reporting and personal trading requirements of the Code. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Revised: March 2021 |
Policy/Practices | Employee Implementation Commentary |
· Stocks, notes, bonds, debentures, and other evidence of indebtedness (including loan participations and assignments), limited partnership interests, investment contracts, and all derivative instruments of the foregoing, such as options and warrants; · Exchange Traded Funds; and · Altair Funds.
Acquisitions, corporate reorganizations or distributions applicable to all holders of the same class of any of the above instruments, including stock dividends, dividend reinvestments, stock splits, reverse stock splits, mergers, consolidations and spin-offs are considered to be Reportable Securities.
For purposes of this Code, Reportable Securities do not include: · Direct obligations of the United States Government; · Bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other high-quality short-term debt instruments; · Shares issued by any money market fund; · Shares of registered open-end investment companies; · Shares issued by unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more non-Altair open-ended investment companies; · Securities maintained within a Managed Account; · Other securities as from time to time may be designated in writing by the CCO on the grounds that the risk of abuse is minimal or nonexistent; and · Transactions in currencies. |
If you are interested in maintaining an investment portfolio without the need to report your activity to Compliance, you should consider investing in instruments specifically excluded from the definition of Reportable Security within Personal Accounts which are not eligible to hold Reportable Securities. An open-end mutual fund account opened directly with the mutual fund family may serve this purpose.
Don’t forget the following easily overlooked Reportable Securities are fully subject to this Code: · ETFs; · Shares of Altair Funds; · Investments held outside of Personal Accounts, such as physical stock certificates; · Shares held in a Dividend Reinvestment Plan; and · Shares of a company’s stock held within your spouse’s retirement plan, often received via a match made by the retirement plan’s sponsor.
“Cryptocurrency” and similar instruments are not currently considered Reportable Securities as Altair does not presently trade in such securities on behalf of clients and considers these instruments to be similar to currency arrangements. |
M. Short Sale Any transaction where the Access Person or his or her Immediate Family is selling or promising to deliver Reportable Securities for which he, she or they do not have present Beneficial Interest. |
Essentially, any arrangement whereby you are obligated to deliver shares of a Reportable Security you don’t currently own. |
N. SCT An online compliance platform (Schwab Compliance Technologies) used by Compliance to facilitate monitoring of Altair’s compliance program, including reporting required under this Code. |
Altair may change platforms used to monitor personal trading activity in the future. |
Altair Advisers LLC | Policy Number: 10 |
Code of Ethics | Appendix A - Trading Guidelines |
Instrument (Type of Security) or Type of Transaction |
Code References | Eligibility Are you able to trade? |
Preclearance trade? |
Reporting Requirements Report transactions and holdings? |
Funds | ||||
Open-end mutual funds that are not Altair Funds | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | No |
Altair Funds (including Adara Smaller Companies Fund and Aquarius International Fund) | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | Yes |
Exchange-traded funds | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | Yes |
Closed-end funds | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | Yes |
Private funds (including hedge funds) | 10.05, 10.11, 10.07, 10.12 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Individual Investment Instruments | ||||
Stocks - Long | 10.05, 10.06, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes* | No | Yes |
Short Sales (of any investment instrument) | 10.06 | No | n/a | n/a |
Bonds | 10.05, 10.06, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes* | No | Yes |
Futures | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | Yes |
Options | 10.05, 10.06, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes* | No | Yes |
Commodities | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | Yes |
Currencies/Cryptocurrencies | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | No |
Initial Public Offerings (IPO) | 10.06 | No | n/a | n/a |
Limited offerings (including investments in private companies) | 10.05, 10.11, 10.07, 10.12 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Money market instruments and bank certificates of deposit | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | No |
Securities directly issued by the U.S. government | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | No |
Bankers’ acceptances | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | No |
High quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | No |
Commercial paper | 10.05, 10.11, 10.12 | Yes | No | No |
Other | ||||
Securities held in an account with no direct or indirect influence or control |
10.05, 10.11, 10.12, 10.19.I |
Yes | No | No |
Instrument (Type of Security) or Type of Transaction |
Code References | Eligibility
|
Preclearance trade? |
Reporting
Requirements |
Securities included on the Restricted List included on SCT | 10.06 | No | n/a | n/a |
Acquisitions, corporate reorganizations or distributions applicable to all holders of the same class of Securities, including stock dividends, dividend reinvestments, stock splits, reverse stock splits, mergers, consolidations and spin-offs |
10.05, 10.11, 10.12, 10.19.K |
Yes | No | Yes, if the type of instrument is required to be reported under the Code |
Automatic Investment Plans | 10.08 | Yes | No | No |
Changes to Automatic Investment Plans | 10.08 | Yes | No | Yes - only initial transactions following change |
* | Confirm the issuing company is not included on the Restricted List maintained within SCT. All securities included on the Restricted List are not eligible to be traded. Please see Compliance with questions. |
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC
Code of Ethics
May 5, 2022
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC
Code of Ethics
Table of Contents
1 - Statement of General Policy | 3 |
2 - Definitions | 5 |
3 - Standards of Business Conduct | 7 |
4 - Prohibition against Insider Trading | 8 |
5 - Personal Securities Transactions | 11 |
6 – Social Media | 13 |
7 - Gifts and Entertainment | 17 |
8 – Political Contributions | 19 |
9 - Protecting the Confidentiality of Client Information | 22 |
10 - Service as an Officer or Director | 25 |
12 - Compliance Procedures | 26 |
12 - Certification | 29 |
13 - Records | 30 |
14 - Reporting Violations and Sanctions | 31 |
15 – Amendments | 32 |
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1- Statement of General Policy
This Code of Ethics (“Code”) has been adopted by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and is designed to comply with Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”).
This Code establishes rules of conduct for all employees of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and is designed to, among other things, govern personal securities trading activities in the accounts of employees, immediate family/household accounts and accounts in which an employee has a beneficial interest. The Code is based upon the principle that Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and its employees owe a fiduciary duty to Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's clients to conduct their affairs, including their personal securities transactions, in such a manner as to avoid (i) serving their own personal interests ahead of clients, (ii) taking inappropriate advantage of their position with the firm and (iii) any actual or potential conflicts of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility.
The Code is designed to ensure that the high ethical standards long maintained by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC continue to be applied. The purpose of the Code is to preclude activities which may lead to or give the appearance of conflicts of interest, insider trading and other forms of prohibited or unethical business conduct. The excellent name and reputation of our firm continues to be a direct reflection of the conduct of each employee.
Pursuant to Section 206 of the Advisers Act, both Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and its employees are prohibited from engaging in fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative conduct. Compliance with this section involves more than acting with honesty and good faith alone. It means that Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC has an affirmative duty of utmost good faith to act solely in the best interest of its clients.
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and its employees are subject to the following specific fiduciary obligations when dealing with clients:
· | The duty to have a reasonable, independent basis for the investment advice provided; |
· | The duty to obtain best execution for a client’s transactions where the Firm is in a position to direct brokerage transactions for the client; |
· | The duty to ensure that investment advice is suitable to meeting the client’s individual objectives, needs and circumstances; and |
· | A duty to be loyal to clients. |
In meeting its fiduciary responsibilities to its clients, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC expects every employee to demonstrate the highest standards of ethical conduct for continued employment with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC. Strict compliance with the provisions of the Code shall be considered a basic condition of employment with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's reputation for fair and honest dealing with its clients has taken considerable time to build. This standing could be seriously damaged as the result of even a single securities transaction being considered questionable in light of the fiduciary duty owed to our clients. Employees are urged to seek the advice of the Chief Compliance Officer, for any questions about the Code or the application of the Code to their individual circumstances. Employees should also understand that a material breach of the provisions of the Code may constitute grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC.
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The provisions of the Code are not all-inclusive. Rather, they are intended as a guide for employees of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC in their conduct. In those situations where an employee may be uncertain as to the intent or purpose of the Code, he/she is advised to consult with the Chief Compliance Officer. The Chief Compliance Officer may grant exceptions to certain provisions contained in the Code only in those situations when it is clear beyond dispute that the interests of our clients will not be adversely affected or compromised. All questions arising in connection with personal securities trading should be resolved in favor of the client even at the expense of the interests of employees.
The Chief Compliance Officer will periodically report to senior management/board of directors of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC to document compliance with this Code.
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2 - Definitions
For the purposes of this Code, the following definitions shall apply:
· | “Access person” means any supervised person who: has access to nonpublic information regarding any clients’ purchase or sale of securities, or nonpublic information regarding the portfolio holdings of any Reportable fund our firm or, if applicable (both in this reference and throughout this document), its control affiliates manage or has access to such recommendations; or is involved in making securities recommendations to clients that are nonpublic. |
· | “Account” means accounts of any employee and includes accounts of the employee’s immediate family members (any relative by blood or marriage living in the employee’s household), and any account in which he or she has a direct or indirect beneficial interest, such as trusts and custodial accounts or other accounts in which the employee has a beneficial interest, controls or exercises investment discretion. |
· | “Beneficial ownership” shall be interpreted in the same manner as it would be under Rule 16a- 1(a) (2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in determining whether a person is the beneficial owner of a security for purposes of Section 16 of such Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. |
· | “Fund” means an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act. |
· | “Reportable fund” means any registered investment company, i.e., mutual fund, for which our Firm, or a control affiliate, acts as investment adviser, as defined in section 2(a) (20) of the Investment Company Act, or principal underwriter. |
· | “Reportable Security” means any IPOs (as defined herein), Reportable Private Placements (as defined herein), Publicly Traded Equity Securities (as defined herein), and any security as defined in Section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act including, without limitation, any equity securities, corporate bonds, agency bonds, exchange-traded funds, investments in hedge funds or real estate partnerships, and any securities in which a supervised person has an direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except that it does not include: (i) Transactions and holdings in direct obligations of the Government of the United States; (ii) Bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; (iii) Shares issued by money market Funds; (iv) Transactions and holdings in shares of any open-end Fund, unless Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC or a control affiliate acts as the investment adviser or principal underwriter for the Fund; and (v) Transactions in units of a unit investment trust if the unit investment trust is invested exclusively in Funds, unless Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC or a control affiliate acts as the investment adviser or principal underwriter for the Fund. Solely for purposes of quarterly and annual reporting required by Section 11, a “Reportable Security” does not include a Private Placement unless such Private Placement is also a Reportable Private Placement. |
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· | “Supervised person” means directors, officers and partners of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions); employees of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC; and any other person who provides advice on behalf of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and is subject to Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's supervision and control. |
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3 - Standards of Business Conduct
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC places the highest priority on maintaining its reputation for integrity and professionalism. That reputation is a vital business asset. The confidence and trust placed in our firm and its employees by our clients is something we value and endeavor to protect. The following Standards of Business Conduct set forth policies and procedures to achieve these goals. This Code is intended to comply with the various provisions of the Advisers Act and also requires that all supervised persons comply with the various applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Section 204A of the Advisers Act requires the establishment and enforcement of policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material, nonpublic information by investment advisers. Such policies and procedures are contained in this Code. The Code also contains policies and procedures with respect to personal securities transactions of all Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's supervised persons as defined herein. These procedures cover transactions in a Reportable Security in which a supervised person has a beneficial interest in or accounts over which the supervised person exercises control as well as transactions by members of the supervised person’s immediate family.
Section 206 of the Advisers Act makes it unlawful for Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC or its agents or employees to employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud any client or prospective client, or to engage in fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative practices. This Code contains provisions that prohibit these and other enumerated activities and that are reasonably designed to detect and prevent violations of the Code, the Advisers Act and rules thereunder.
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4 - Prohibition Against Insider Trading
Introduction
Trading securities while in possession of material, nonpublic information, or improperly communicating that information to others may expose supervised persons and Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC to stringent penalties. Criminal sanctions may include a fine of up to $1,000,000 and/or ten years imprisonment. The SEC can recover the profits gained or losses avoided through the illegal trading, impose a penalty of up to three times the illicit windfall, and/or issue an order permanently barring you from the securities industry. Finally, supervised persons and Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC may be sued by investors seeking to recover damages for insider trading violations.
The rules contained in this Code apply to securities trading and information handling by supervised persons of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and their immediate family members.
The law of insider trading is unsettled and continuously developing. An individual legitimately may be uncertain about the application of the rules contained in this Code in a particular circumstance. Often, a single question can avoid disciplinary action or complex legal problems. You must notify the Chief Compliance Officer immediately if you have any reason to believe that a violation of this Code has occurred or is about to occur.
General Policy
No supervised person may trade, either personally or on behalf of others (such as investment funds and private accounts managed by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC), while in the possession of material, nonpublic information, nor may any personnel of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC communicate material, nonpublic information to others in violation of the law.
1. What is Material Information?
Information is material where there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making his or her investment decisions. Generally, this includes any information the disclosure of which will have a substantial effect on the price of a company’s securities. No simple test exists to determine when information is material; assessments of materiality involve a highly fact-specific inquiry. For this reason, you should direct any questions about whether information is material to the Chief Compliance Officer.
Material information often relates to a company’s results and operations, including, for example, dividend changes, earnings results, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreements, major litigation, liquidation problems, and extraordinary management developments.
Material information also may relate to the market for a company’s securities. Information about a significant order to purchase or sell securities may, in some contexts, be material. Prepublication information regarding reports in the financial press also may be material. For example, the United States Supreme Court upheld the criminal convictions of insider trading defendants who capitalized on prepublication information about The Wall Street Journal’s “Heard on the Street” column.
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You should also be aware of the SEC’s position that the term “material nonpublic information” relates not only to issuers but also to Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's securities recommendations and client securities holdings and transactions.
2. What is Nonpublic Information?
Information is “public” when it has been disseminated broadly to investors in the marketplace. For example, information is public after it has become available to the general public through the Internet, a public filing with the SEC or some other government agency, the Dow Jones “tape” or The Wall Street Journal or some other publication of general circulation, and after sufficient time has passed so that the information has been disseminated widely.
3. Identifying Inside Information
Before executing any trade for yourself or others, including investment funds or private accounts managed by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC (“Client Accounts”), you must determine whether you have access to material, nonpublic information. If you think that you might have access to material, nonpublic information, you should take the following steps:
· | Report the information and proposed trade immediately to the Chief Compliance Officer. |
· | Do not purchase or sell the securities on behalf of yourself or others, including investment funds or private accounts managed by the firm. |
· | Do not communicate the information inside or outside the firm, other than to the Chief Compliance Officer. |
· | After the Chief Compliance Officer has reviewed the issue, the firm will determine whether the information is material and nonpublic and, if so, what action the firm will take. |
You should consult with the Chief Compliance Officer before taking any action. This high degree of caution will protect you, our clients, and the firm.
4. Contacts with Public Companies
Contacts with public companies may represent an important part of our research efforts. The firm may make investment decisions on the basis of conclusions formed through such contacts and analysis of publicly available information. Difficult legal issues arise, however, when, in the course of these contacts, a supervised person of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC or other person subject to this Code becomes aware of material, nonpublic information. This could happen, for example, if a company’s Chief Financial Officer prematurely discloses quarterly results to an analyst, or an investor relations representative makes selective disclosure of adverse news to a handful of investors. In such situations, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC must make a judgment as to its further conduct. To protect yourself, your clients and the firm, you should contact the Chief Compliance Officer immediately if you believe that you may have received material, nonpublic information.
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5. Tender Offers
Tender offers represent a particular concern in the law of insider trading for two reasons: First, tender offer activity often produces extraordinary gyrations in the price of the target company’s securities. Trading during this time period is more likely to attract regulatory attention (and produces a disproportionate percentage of insider trading cases). Second, the SEC has adopted a rule which expressly forbids trading and “tipping” while in the possession of material, nonpublic information regarding a tender offer received from the tender offeror, the target company or anyone acting on behalf of either. Supervised persons of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and others subject to this Code should exercise extreme caution any time they become aware of nonpublic information relating to a tender offer.
6. Restricted/Watch Lists
Although Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC does not typically receive confidential information from portfolio companies, it may, if it receives such information take appropriate procedures to establish restricted or watch lists in certain securities.
The Chief Compliance Officer may place certain securities on a “restricted list.” Supervised persons are prohibited from personally, or on behalf of an advisory account, purchasing or selling securities during any period they are listed. Securities issued by companies about which a number of supervised persons are expected to regularly have material, nonpublic information should generally be placed on the restricted list. The Chief Compliance Officer shall take steps to immediately inform all supervised persons of the securities listed on the restricted list.
The Chief Compliance Officer may place certain securities on a “watch list.” Securities issued by companies about which a limited number of supervised persons possess material, nonpublic information should generally be placed on the watch list. The list will be disclosed only to the Chief Compliance Officer and a limited number of other persons who are deemed necessary recipients of the list because of their roles in compliance.
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5 - Personal Securities Transactions
General Policy
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC has adopted the following principles governing personal investment activities by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's supervised persons:
· | The interests of client accounts will at all times be placed first; |
· | All personal securities transactions will be conducted in such manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of an individual’s position of trust and responsibility; and |
· | Supervised persons must not take inappropriate advantage of their positions. |
Pre-Clearance Required for Participation in IPOs
No supervised person shall acquire any beneficial ownership in any securities in an Initial Public Offering (“IPOs”) for his or her account, as defined herein without the prior written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction (including written certification that the investment opportunity did not arise by virtue of the supervised person’s activities on behalf of a client) and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts.
Pre-Clearance Required for Private or Limited Offerings
No supervised person shall acquire beneficial ownership of any securities in any limited or private offering exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 including, without limitation, any interests in any private investment fund regardless whether other not such investment fund is advised by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC (“Private Placements”) without the prior written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction (including written certification that the investment opportunity did not arise by virtue of the supervised person’s activities on behalf of a client) and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts if the Private Placement involves or will involve investments directly or indirectly in publicly traded companies (such investment, a “Reportable Private Placement”).
Pre-Clearance Required for Trading in Securities owned in a Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC client account
No supervised person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly for their own account, any security which is also held in a Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC client account without the prior written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or the President who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction, including whether the supervised person is considering the purchase or sale of such security in a client account and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts.
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Pre-Clearance Required for Trading in US Exchanged Traded Securities with a Market Capitalization between $25 million and $4 billion
No supervised person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security traded on a US Exchange with a market capitalization between $25 million and $4 billion (“Publicly Traded Equity Securities”) without the prior written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or the President, who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction (including written certification that the investment opportunity did not arise by virtue of the supervised person’s activities on behalf of a client) and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts.
Blackout Periods
No supervised person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security in which Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC has a pending buy or sell order for a client’s account until that order is executed or withdrawn. Additionally, without the prior written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or the President who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction, no supervised person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security in which he or she has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial interest within seven (7) calendar days before any client trades in that security. In addition, no supervised person shall execute a security in an account in which he or she has a beneficial interest within seven (7) calendar days after any client trades in that security if such purchase or sale is on the opposite side of the market of that client. Any personal trades made by a supervised person in breach of the proscribed periods or pre-approval requirement shall be reviewed by the Chief Compliance Officer, who will determine whether the supervised person did not meet his or her fiduciary duties to the client in violation of this Code. If the Chief Compliance Officer determines that there is a breach of fiduciary duty, the supervised person may be asked to disgorge any profits on trades in violation of the blackout periods above to a charity selected by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC.
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6 - Social Media
General Policy
It is Pacific Ridge Capital Partners’ policy to monitor employee use of social media, networking and similar communications. There should be no expectation of privacy in the use of the Firm's Internet, emails, any use of blogs, instant messages, company- owned cellular phones and text messages on company-owned equipment under this policy. Every message leaves an electronic trail that's both traceable to a specific individual and accessible by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners even if it is deleted. Blogging or other forms of social media or technology include but are not limited to: video or wiki postings, sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, chat rooms, podcasts, virtual worlds, personal blogs, microblogs or other similar forms of online journals, diaries or personal newsletters.
General Provisions
Unless specific to job scope requirements, employees are not authorized to and therefore may not speak on behalf of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners through social media or otherwise. Employees may not publicly discuss clients, investment strategies or recommendations, investment performance, other products or services offered by our Firm, employees or any work-related matters, whether confidential or not, outside company-authorized communications. Employees are required to protect the privacy of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, its clients and employees, and are prohibited from disclosing personal employee and non-employee information and any other proprietary and nonpublic information to which employees have access. Such information includes but is not limited to customer information, trade secrets, financial information and strategic business plans.
Personal Blogs and Social Networking Sites. Bloggers and commenters are personally responsible for their commentary on blogs and social media sites. Bloggers and commenters can be held personally liable for commentary that is considered defamatory, obscene, proprietary or libelous by any offended party, not just Pacific Ridge Capital Partners.
It is Pacific Ridge Capital Partners’ policy that no employee may use employer-owned equipment, including computers, company-licensed software or other electronic equipment, nor facilities or company time, to conduct unauthorized personal blogging or social networking activities. Employees cannot use blogs or social media sites to harass, threaten, discriminate or disparage against employees or anyone associated with or doing business with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners.
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Employees cannot post on personal blogs or other sites the name, trademark or logo of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners or any business with a connection to Pacific Ridge Capital Partners. Employees cannot post company-privileged information, including copyrighted or trademarked information or company-issued documents.
Text Messaging Policy. As Pacific Ridge Capital Partners is unable to capture text communications, no Pacific Ridge Capital Partners business communications may be conducted via text messaging.
Internet Monitoring. Employees are cautioned that they should have no expectation of privacy while using company equipment or facilities for any purpose, including authorized blogging. Employees are cautioned that they should have no expectation of privacy while using the Internet. Your postings can be reviewed by anyone, including Pacific Ridge Capital Partners. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners reserves the right to monitor comments or discussions about the company, its employees, clients and the industry, including products and competitors, posted on the Internet by anyone, including employees and non-employees. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners may use blog- search tools and software, and/or may engage outside service providers to periodically monitor forums such as blogs and other types of personal journals, diaries, personal and business discussion forums, and social networking sites.
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners’ Social Media policy, however, will not be construed or applied to limit employees' rights under the under the National Labor Relations Act ("NLRA") or applicable law.
Background
Social media and/or methods of publishing opinions or commentary electronically is a fast growing phenomenon which takes many forms, including internet forums, blogs and microblogs, online profiles, wikis, podcasts, picture and video posts, going “live” on any social media platform, virtual worlds, email, instant messaging, text messaging, music and other file-sharing, to name just a few. Examples of social media applications include, among others, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Yelp, WhatsApp, WeChat, Messenger, Tumblr, Reddit, Yammer, Snapchat, Yahoo groups, and ZoomInfo. The proliferation of such electronic communications presents new and ever changing regulatory risks for our firm.
As a registered investment adviser, use of social media by our Firm and/or related persons of the Firm must comply with applicable provisions of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to the following laws and regulations under the Advisers Act, as well as additional rules and regulations identified below:
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Anti-Fraud Provisions: Sections 206(1), 206(2), and 206(4), and Rule 206(4)-1 thereunder;
Advertising: Rule 206(4)-1
Compliance/Supervision: Rule 206(4)-7
Privacy: Regulation S-P
Recordkeeping: Rule 204(2)
For example, business or client related comments or posts made through social media may breach applicable privacy laws or be considered "Advertising" under applicable regulations triggering content restrictions and special disclosure and recordkeeping requirements. Employees should be aware that the use of social media for personal purposes may also have implications for our Firm, particularly where the employee is identified as an officer, employee or representative of the firm. Accordingly, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners seeks to adopt reasonable policies and procedures to safeguard the Firm and our clients.
Responsibility
The Chief Compliance Officer has the responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of our firm's Social Media policy, practices, and recordkeeping.
Procedure
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners has adopted procedures to implement Pacific Ridge Capital Partners’ policy, and conducts internal reviews to monitor and ensure that the policy is observed, implemented properly, and amended or updated, as appropriate. These include the following:
1. | Pacific Ridge Capital Partners’ email policy has been communicated to all persons within the Firm and any changes in our policy will be promptly communicated. |
2. | All employees are required to sign a written acknowledgement of our Social Media policy. |
3. | All employees will be required to provide annual certification that they understand and are complying with our Social Media policy. |
4. | Emails and any other electronic communications relating to Pacific Ridge Capital Partners advisory services and client relationships will be maintained on an on-going basis. |
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5. | Electronic communications records will be maintained and arranged for easy access and retrieval so as to provide true and complete copies with appropriate backup and separate storage for the required periods. |
6. | The Chief Compliance Officer will periodically monitor a random sampling of employee electronic communications and maintain documentary evidence of such surveillance in an applicable location. |
7. | Pacific Ridge Capital Partners reserves the right to use content management tools to monitor, review or block content on company blogs that violate company blogging rules and guidelines. |
8. | Pacific Ridge Capital Partners requires employees to report any violation, or possible or perceived violation, to the Chief Compliance Officer. Violations include discussions of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, its clients and/or employees, any discussion of proprietary information (including trade secrets, or copyrighted or trademarked material) and any unlawful activity related to blogging or social networking. |
9. | Pacific Ridge Capital Partners investigates and responds to all reports of violations of the social media policy and other related policies. Violation of the company’s social media policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination. Any disciplinary action or termination will be determined based on the nature and factors of any blog or social networking post, or any unauthorized communication. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners reserves the right to take legal action where necessary against employees who engage in prohibited or unlawful conduct. If you have any questions about this policy or a specific posting on the web, please contact the Chief Compliance Officer. |
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7 - Gifts and Entertainment
Giving, receiving or soliciting gifts in a business setting may create an appearance of impropriety or may raise a potential conflict of interest. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC has adopted the policies set forth below to guide supervised persons in this area.
General Policy
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's policy with respect to gifts and entertainment is as follows:
· | Giving, receiving or soliciting gifts in a business may give rise to an appearance of impropriety or may raise a potential conflict of interest; |
· | Supervised persons should not accept or provide any gifts or favors that might influence the decisions you or the recipient must make in business transactions involving Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, or that others might reasonably believe would influence those decisions; |
· | Modest gifts and favors, which would not be regarded by others as improper, may be accepted or given on an occasional basis. Entertainment that satisfies these requirements and conforms to generally accepted business practices also is permissible; |
· | Where there is a law or rule that applies to the conduct of a particular business or the acceptance of gifts of even nominal value, the law or rule must be followed. |
Reporting Requirements
· | Any supervised person who accepts, directly or indirectly, anything of value from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, including gifts and gratuities with value in excess of $300 per year, must obtain consent from the Chief Compliance Officer before accepting such gift. |
· | Pacific Ridge Capital Partners does not allow employees to either give or receive cash or cash equivalents related to Pacific Ridge. Receiving cash or a cash equivalent from a third party related to Pacific Ridge is acceptable if it is to reimburse a normal and ordinary business expense which the employee advanced for a non-employee and that expense is reported to the company on an expense report. Likewise giving money to a non-employee related to Pacific Ridge is acceptable if it is to pay for an ordinary and normal business expense which is in turn reported to the company on an expense report. |
· | Pacific Ridge employees are expected to evaluate and recognize the appearance of excess when making the decision to provide or to receive entertainment gifts Pacific Ridge Capital Partners recognizes that entertainment varies widely based upon the situation, whether traveling or not, and if traveling the region visiting, the people in attendance, etc., and as such, does not place a specific dollar amount or value on entertainment deemed excessive. That said, the receipt of entertainment by a PRCP employee in excess of $300, excluding meals, must be reported to the CCO either beforehand or as soon as possible afterwards. As for paying for entertainment, employees are allowed to determine when to pay for entertainment and what is appropriate based on the circumstances of each specific situation. That said, Pacific Ridge reserves the right to refuse reimbursement for any gifts or entertainment the company deems excessive. |
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· | This reporting requirement does not apply to bona fide dining or bona fide entertainment if, during such dining or entertainment, you are accompanied by the person or representative of the entity that does business with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC. |
· | This gift reporting requirement is for the purpose of helping Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC monitor the activities of its employees. However, the reporting of a gift does not relieve any supervised person from the obligations and policies set forth in this Section or anywhere else in this Code. If you have any questions or concerns about the appropriateness of any gift, please consult the Chief Compliance Officer. |
18 | May 5, 2022 |
8 - Political Contributions / Pay-to-Play
Policy
It is Pacific Ridge Capital Partners’ policy to permit the firm, and its covered associates, to make political contributions to elected officials, candidates and others, consistent with this policy and regulatory requirements.
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners recognizes that it is never appropriate to make or solicit political contributions, or provide gifts or entertainment for the purpose of improperly influencing the actions of public officials. Accordingly, our firm's policy is to restrict certain political contributions made to government officials and candidates of state and state political subdivisions who can influence or have the authority for hiring an investment adviser.
SEC regulations limit political contributions to Covered Government Officials by employees of investment advisory firms and certain affiliated companies. The SEC’s “Pay-to-Play” Rule 206(4)-5 (the “Rule”) prohibits advisers from receiving any compensation for providing investment advice to a government entity within two years after a contribution has been made by the adviser or one of its covered associates. The two-year time out is triggered by a political contribution to an official of a government entity. The date of the contribution starts the time out.
The Rule permits contributions of up to $350 per person for any election to an elected official or candidate for whom the individual is entitled to vote, and up to $150 per person for any election to an elected official or candidate for whom the individual is not entitled to vote. Many U.S. cities, states and other government entities have also adopted regulations restricting political contributions by associates of investment management firms seeking to provide services to a governmental entity. While contributions to candidates in federal elections would generally not raise any issues under state or local laws, contributions to state and local officials may not be approved depending on the circumstances.
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners’ employees must receive approval from the LCR Department through MCO before making personal political contributions at all levels. Political contributions which require pre- approval include, but are not limited to, the following:
· | Covered Government Officials; |
· | Federal candidate campaigns and affiliated committees; |
· | Political Action Committees (PACs) and Super PACs; and |
· | Non-profit organizations that may engage in political activities, such as 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations. |
Note: U.S. national political party donations (e.g. Democratic or Republican) do not require pre- clearance.
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Contributions include:
· | Monetary contributions, gifts or loans; |
· | “In kind” contributions (e.g. donations of goods or services or underwriting or hosting fundraisers); |
· | Contributions to help pay a debt incurred in connection with an election (including transition or inaugural expenses, purchasing tickets to inaugural events); |
· | Contributions to joint fund-raising committees; or |
· | Contributions made by a PAC that is controlled by an Access Person. |
Responsibility
Our firm's Chief Compliance Officer has the responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of our firm's political contribution policy, practices, disclosures and recordkeeping.
Procedure
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners has adopted various procedures to implement the firm's policy, conducts reviews to monitor and ensure the firm's policy is observed, implemented properly and amended or updated, as appropriate, which include the following:
· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, determines who is deemed to be a "Covered Associate" of the firm and promptly advises those individuals of their status as such; maintains records including the names, titles, and business and residence addresses of all covered associates; |
· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, obtains appropriate information from new employees (or employees promoted or otherwise transferred into positions) deemed to be covered associates, regarding any political contributions made within the preceding two years (from the date she/he becomes a covered associate) if such person will be soliciting municipal business; such review may include an online search of the individual's contribution history as part of the firm's general background check; |
· | political contributions made by covered associates must not exceed the rule's de minimis amount (currently $350, if an election that the person can vote in, or $150, if an election the person cannot vote in); |
· | prior to accepting a new advisory client that is a government entity, the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer will conduct a review of political contributions made by covered associates to ensure that any such contribution(s) did not exceed the rule's permissible de minimis amount (currently $350, if an election that the person can vote in, or $150, if an election the person cannot vote in); |
· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, annually monitors and maintains records identifying all government entities to which Pacific Ridge Capital Partners provides advisory services, if any; |
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· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, monitors and maintains records detailing political contributions made by the firm and/or its covered associates; |
· | such records will be maintained in chronological order and will detail: |
i. | the name and title of the contributor; |
ii. | the name and title (including any city/county/state or other political subdivision) of each recipient of a contribution or payment; |
iii. | the amount and date of each contribution or payment; and |
iv. | whether any such contribution was the subject of the exception for certain returned contributions. |
· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, will maintain appropriate records following the departure of a covered associate who made a political contribution triggering the two-year 'time out' period; |
· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, maintains records reflecting approval of political contributions made by the firm and/or its covered associates; |
· | prior to engaging a third party solicitor to solicit advisory business from a government entity, the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, will determine that such solicitor is (1) a "regulated person" as defined under this Rule and (2) determined that such individual has not made certain political contributions or otherwise engaged in conduct that would disqualify the solicitor from meeting the definition of "regulated person"; |
· | at least annually, the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, will require covered associates and any third party solicitors to confirm that such person(s) have reported any and all political contributions, and continue to meet the definition of "regulated person"; |
· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, maintains records of each regulated person to whom the firm provides or agrees to provide (either directly or indirectly) payment to solicit a government entity for advisory services on its behalf; and |
· | the Compliance Officer, or other designated officer, will monitor states' registration and/or reporting requirements pursuant to the firm's use of any 'placement agents' (including employees of the firm and/or its affiliates) for the solicitation of or arrangements for providing advisory services to any government entity or public pension plan. |
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9 - Protecting the Confidentiality of Client Information
Confidential Client Information
In the course of investment advisory activities of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, the firm gains access to non-public information about its clients. Such information may include a person's status as a client, personal financial and account information, the allocation of assets in a client portfolio, the composition of investments in any client portfolio, information relating to services performed for or transactions entered into on behalf of clients, advice provided by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC to clients, and data or analyses derived from such non-public personal information (collectively referred to as 'Confidential Client Information'). All Confidential Client Information, whether relating to Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's current or former clients, is subject to the Code's policies and procedures. Any doubts about the confidentiality of information must be resolved in favor of confidentiality.
Non-Disclosure of Confidential Client Information
All information regarding Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's clients is confidential. Information may only be disclosed when the disclosure is consistent with the firm's policy and the client's direction. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC does not share Confidential Client Information with any third parties, except in the following circumstances:
· | As necessary to provide service that the client requested or authorized, or to maintain and service the client's account. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC will require that any financial intermediary, agent or other service provider utilized by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC (such as broker-dealers or sub-advisers) comply with substantially similar standards for non-disclosure and protection of Confidential Client Information and use the information provided by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC only for the performance of the specific service requested by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC; |
· | As required by regulatory authorities or law enforcement officials who have jurisdiction over Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, or as otherwise required by any applicable law. In the event Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC is compelled to disclose Confidential Client Information, the firm shall provide prompt notice to the clients affected, so that the clients may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy. If no protective order or other appropriate remedy is obtained, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC shall disclose only such information, and only in such detail, as is legally required; |
· | To the extent reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, unauthorized transactions or liability. |
Employee Responsibilities
All supervised persons are prohibited, either during or after the termination of their employment with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, from disclosing Confidential Client Information to any person or entity outside the firm, including family members, except under the circumstances described above. A supervised person is permitted to disclose Confidential Client Information only to such other supervised persons who need to have access to such information to deliver the Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's services to the client.
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Supervised persons are also prohibited from making unauthorized copies of any documents or files containing Confidential Client Information and, upon termination of their employment with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, must return all such documents to Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC.
Any supervised person who violates the non-disclosure policy described above will be subject to disciplinary action, including possible termination, whether or not he or she benefited from the disclosed information.
Security of Confidential Personal Information
Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC enforces the following policies and procedures to protect the security of Confidential Client Information:
· | The Firm restricts access to Confidential Client Information to those supervised persons who need to know such information to provide Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's services to clients; |
· | Any supervised person who is authorized to have access to Confidential Client Information in connection with the performance of such person's duties and responsibilities is required to keep such information in a secure compartment, file or receptacle on a daily basis as of the close of each business day; |
· | All electronic or computer files containing any Confidential Client Information shall be password secured and firewall protected from access by unauthorized persons; |
· | Any conversations involving Confidential Client Information, if appropriate at all, must be conducted by supervised persons in private, and care must be taken to avoid any unauthorized persons overhearing or intercepting such conversations. |
Privacy Policy
As a registered investment adviser, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC and all supervised persons, must comply with SEC Regulation S-P, which requires investment advisers to adopt policies and procedures to protect the 'nonpublic personal information' of natural person clients. 'Nonpublic information,' under Regulation S-P, includes personally identifiable financial information and any list, description, or grouping that is derived from personally identifiable financial information. Personally identifiable financial information is defined to include information supplied by individual clients, information resulting from transactions, any information obtained in providing products or services. Pursuant to Regulation S-P Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC has adopted policies and procedures to safeguard the information of natural person clients.
Enforcement and Review of Confidentiality and Privacy Policies
The Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for reviewing, maintaining and enforcing Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's confidentiality and privacy policies and is also responsible for conducting appropriate employee training to ensure adherence to these policies. Any exceptions to this policy requires the written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer.
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Whistleblower Rule
Under Rule 21F-17 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, also known as the whistleblower rule, “no person may take any action to impede an individual from communicating directly with the Commission staff about a possible securities law violation, including enforcing, or threatening to enforce, a confidentiality agreement . . . with respect to such communications.” Based on the adopting release for the Rule, an investment advisor’s employment agreement with a confidentiality provision could potentially be deemed to impede employees from communicating potential securities violations to the SEC. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners encourages all employees to immediately report potential violations to the Chief Operating Officer. Such reports need not be in person, but may be reported anonymously. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners values the open communication necessary to handle possible violations and encourages employees to immediately report any possible violations preventing Pacific Ridge Capital Partners from maintaining compliance with securities laws.
As such, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners recognizes that a confidentiality provision in an employment agreement in no way prevents current or former employees from voluntarily discussing potential securities violations with the SEC of from receiving a Whistleblower reward. In the event that a possible violation is reported to the CCO, employees still have a 120 day during which they can report to the SEC and remain eligible to receive a whistleblower reward.
24 | May 5, 2022 |
10 - Service as an Officer or Director
No supervised person shall serve as an officer or on the board of directors of any publicly or privately traded company without prior authorization by the Chief Compliance Officer or a designated supervisory person based upon a determination that any such board service or officer position would be consistent with the interest of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's clients. Where board service or an officer position is approved, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC shall implement a “Chinese Wall” or other appropriate procedure, to isolate such person from making decisions relating to the company’s securities.
25 | May 5, 2022 |
11 - Compliance Procedures
Pre-clearance
A supervised person may, directly or indirectly, acquire or dispose of beneficial ownership of any Reportable Security only if: (i) such purchase or sale has been approved by a supervisory person designated by Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC firm; (ii) the approved transaction is completed by the close of business on the second trading day after approval is received; and (iii) the designated supervisory person has not rescinded such approval prior to execution of the transaction. Post-approval is not permitted.
Clearance must be obtained by completing and submitting the electronic Pre-clearance Form provided for that purpose by the Chief Compliance Officer. The Chief Compliance Officer monitors all transactions by all access persons in order to ascertain any pattern of conduct which may evidence conflicts or potential conflicts with the principles and objectives of this Code, including a pattern of front running.
Advance trade clearance in no way waives or absolves any supervised person of the obligation to abide by the provisions, principles and objectives of this Code.
Reporting Requirements
Every supervised person shall provide initial and annual holdings reports and quarterly transaction reports to the Chief Compliance Officer which must contain the information described below. It is the policy of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC that each supervised person must arrange for their brokerage firm(s) to send automatic duplicate brokerage account statements to the Chief Compliance Officer.
1. Initial Holdings Report
Every supervised person shall, no later than ten (10) days after the person becomes a supervised person, file an initial holdings report containing the following information:
· | The title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, type of security, number of shares and principal amount (if applicable) of each Reportable Security in which the supervised person had any direct or indirect beneficial interest ownership when the person becomes a supervised person; |
· | The name of any broker, dealer or bank, account name, number and location with whom the supervised person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the supervised person; and |
· | The date that the report is submitted by the supervised person. |
The information submitted must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before the person became a supervised person.
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2. Annual Holdings Report
Every supervised person shall, no later than January 30 each year, file an annual holdings report containing the same information required in the initial holdings report as described above. The information submitted must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before the annual report is submitted.
3. Quarterly Transaction Reports
Every supervised person must, no later than thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter, file a quarterly transaction report containing the following information:
With respect to any transaction during the quarter in a Reportable Security in which the supervised persons had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership:
· | The date of the transaction, the title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable), the number of shares and the principal amount (if applicable) of each covered security; |
· | The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition); |
· | The price of the Reportable Security at which the transaction was effected; |
· | The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and |
· | The date the report is submitted by the supervised person. |
4. Exempt Transactions
A supervised person need not submit a report with respect to:
· | Transactions effected for, securities held in, any account over which the person has no direct or indirect influence or control; |
· | Transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan, e.g. a dividend retirement plan; |
· | A quarterly transaction report if the report would duplicate information contained in securities transaction confirmations or brokerage account statements that Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC holds in its records so long as the firm receives the confirmations or statements no later than 30 days after the end of the applicable calendar quarter; |
· | Any transaction or holding report if Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC has only one supervised person, so long as the firm maintains records of the information otherwise required to be reported. |
5. Monitoring and Review of Personal Securities Transactions
The Chief Compliance Officer, or a designee, will monitor and review all reports required under the Code for compliance with Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's policies regarding personal securities transactions and applicable SEC rules and regulations. The Chief Compliance Officer may also initiate inquiries of supervised persons regarding personal securities trading. Supervised persons are required to cooperate with such inquiries and any monitoring or review procedures employed Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC. Any transactions for any accounts of the Chief Compliance Officer will be reviewed and approved by the President, or other designated supervisory person. The Chief Compliance Officer shall at least annually identify all supervised persons who are required to file reports pursuant to the Code and will inform such supervised persons of their reporting obligations.
27 | May 5, 2022 |
12 - Certification
Initial Certification
All supervised persons will be provided with a copy of the Code and must initially certify in writing to the Chief Compliance Officer that they have: (i) received a copy of the Code; (ii) read and understand all provisions of the Code; (iii) agreed to abide by the Code; and (iv) reported all account holdings as required by the Code.
Acknowledgement of Amendments
All supervised persons shall receive any amendments to the Code and must certify to the Chief Compliance Officer in writing that they have: (i) received a copy of the amendment; (ii) read and understood the amendment; (iii) and agreed to abide by the Code as amended.
Annual Certification
All supervised persons must annually certify in writing to the Chief Compliance Officer that they have: (i) read and understood all provisions of the Code; (ii) complied with all requirements of the Code; and (iii) submitted all holdings and transaction reports as required by the Code.
Further Information
Supervised persons should contact the Chief Compliance Officer regarding any inquiries pertaining to the Code or the policies established herein.
28 | May 5, 2022 |
13 - Records
The Chief Compliance Officer shall maintain and cause to be maintained in a readily accessible place the following records:
· | A copy of any Code of Ethics adopted by the Firm pursuant to Advisers Act Rule 204A-1 which is or has been in effect during the past five years; |
· | A record of any violation of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC's Code and any action that was taken as a result of such violation for a period of five years from the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurred; |
· | A record of all written acknowledgements of receipt of the Code and amendments thereto for each person who is currently, or within the past five years was, a supervised person which shall be retained for five years after the individual ceases to be a supervised person of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC; |
· | A copy of each report made pursuant to Advisers Act Rule 204A-1, including any brokerage confirmations and account statements made in lieu of these reports; |
· | A list of all persons who are, or within the preceding five years have been, access persons; |
· | A record of any decision and reasons supporting such decision to approve a supervised persons' acquisition of securities in IPOs and limited offerings within the past five years after the end of the fiscal year in which such approval is granted. |
29 | May 5, 2022 |
14 - Reporting Violations and Sanctions
All supervised persons shall promptly report to the Chief Compliance Officer or an alternate designee all apparent violations of the Code. Any retaliation for the reporting of a violation under this Code will constitute a violation of the Code.
The Chief Compliance Officer shall promptly report to senior management all apparent material violations of the Code. When the Chief Compliance Officer finds that a violation otherwise reportable to senior management could not be reasonably found to have resulted in a fraud, deceit, or a manipulative practice in violation of Section 206 of the Advisers Act, he or she may, in his or her discretion, submit a written memorandum of such finding and the reasons therefore to a reporting file created for this purpose in lieu of reporting the matter to senior management.
Senior management shall consider reports made to it hereunder and shall determine whether or not the Code has been violated and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. Possible sanctions may include reprimands, monetary fine or assessment, or suspension or termination of the employee’s employment with the firm.
30 | May 5, 2022 |
15 - Amendments
Date of Amendment: September 18, 2021
Updates related to Reportable Securities and receipt of entertainment per Counsel and Mock Audit
Date of Amendment: April 23, 2021
Changed Pre-Clearance Required for Trading in US Exchanged Traded Securities to Market Capitalizations between $25 million and $4 billion up from $2 billion
Date of Amendment: April 30, 2019
Updated Social Media Policy
Date of Amendment: December 19, 2017
Updated Gifts & Entertainment/Pay-to-Play Policy
Date of Amendment: December 15, 2016
Updated Gift & Entertainment policy and added new Whistleblower Policy
Date of Amendment: December 17, 2015
Updated text messaging guidelines and replaced Political Contributions section with updated version
Date of Amendment: February 2, 2015
Add additional Blackout language re pending firm orders as recommended by the ICI, add definition of Covered Associate and other minor edits.
Date of Amendment: April 29, 2014
Fine-tuned which securities transactions need pre-clearance
Date of Amendment: June 29, 2012
Added selections on Political Contributions and Social Media. Substantially revised section on Personal Trading.
31 | May 5, 2022 |
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