The Fund generally invests in companies based outside the US and within the same market capitalization range at the time of investment as those included in the MSCI World Ex USA Growth Index.
All investments, including those in mutual funds, have risks. No investment is suitable for all investors. The Fund is intended for long-term investors who can accept the risks involved in investing in foreign securities. Of course, there can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its objective. You may lose money by investing in the Fund. Below are the main risks of investing in the Fund:
The Fund is subject to market risk, which is the possibility that stock prices overall will decline over short or long periods. Stock markets tend to move in cycles,with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. These fluctuations are expected to have a substantial influence on the value of the Fund’s shares. Due to the uncertainty caused by war, acts of terrorism, geopolitical conflict, public health issues, recessions, economic cycles, monetary and fiscal policy, company earnings, global pandemics and other risks, global markets may experience increased volatility which could adversely affect the performance of the Fund’s investments.
The following risks may be associated with investments in foreign securities: less liquidity; greater volatility; political instability; restrictions on foreign investment and repatriation of capital; less complete and reliable information about foreign companies; reduced government supervision of some foreign securities markets, U.S. and foreign government actions, such as the imposition of tariffs, economic and trade sanctions or embargoes; lower responsiveness of foreign management to shareholder concerns; economic issues or developments in foreign countries; fluctuation in exchange rates of foreign currencies and risks of devaluation; and imposition of foreign withholding and other taxes.
To the extent portfolio securities are issued by foreign issuers or denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s investment performance is affected by the strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar against these currencies. Generally, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar against a foreign currency will reduce the value of a security denominated in that foreign currency, thereby decreasing the Fund’s overall net asset value. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short or long periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates, imposition of currency controls and economic or political developments in the U.S. or abroad.
The Fund’s overall risk level will depend on the companies, countries, regions, markets, market sectors, industries and asset classes in which the Fund is invested. Because the Fund may have significant weightings in a particular company, country, region, asset class, industry, market or market sector, the value of the Fund’s shares may be affected by events that adversely affect that company, country, region, market, industry, asset class, or market sector and may fluctuate more than that of a less focused fund.
The Fund is expected to have significant exposure to the far east region as well as to Europe and may be vulnerable to risks specific to those regions. Many countries in the far east region are subject to political risk, including corruption and regional conflict with neighboring countries. In addition, many far east countries are subject to social and labor risks associated with demands for improved political, economic, and social conditions. The far east region may be adversely affected by political, military, economic and other factors related to North Korea. Adverse economic, political or social developments in Europe, or in a particular European country, could have a negative effect on the value of the Fund’s portfolio. Many
European countries are members of the European Union and, as members, such countries share a common currency and certain fiscal policies.
In a company liquidation, the claims of secured and unsecured creditors and owners of bonds and preferred stocks take precedence over the claims of common stock shareholders.
How the Fund’s investment adviser manages the Fund will impact the Fund’s performance. The Fund may lose money if the investment adviser’s investment strategy does not achieve the Fund’s objective or the investment adviser does not implement the strategy successfully.
Growth stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks, in relation to earnings and other measures, because investors believe they have more growth potential. This potential may or may not be realized and, if it is not realized, may result in a loss to the Fund. Growth stock prices also tend to be more volatile than the overall market.
The Fund may invest in foreign securities in the form of depositary receipts which include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) (collectively “Depositary Receipts”). Investment in Depositary Receipts does not eliminate the risks inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers, which include market, political, tax, currency and regulatory risk. To the extent a Fund acquires Depositary Receipts through banks which do not have a contractual relationship with the foreign issuer of the security underlying the Depositary Receipts to issue and service such unsponsored Depositary Receipts, there may be an increased possibility that the Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to corporate actions such as stock splits or rights offerings involving the foreign issuer in a timely manner. In addition, the lack of information may result in inefficiencies in the valuation of such instruments. In the case of an unsponsored Depositary Receipt, the Fund may bear higher expenses and encounter greater difficulty in receiving shareholder communications than it would have with a sponsored Depositary Receipt. The market value of Depositary Receipts is dependent upon the market value of the underlying securities and fluctuations in the relative value of the currencies in which the Depositary Receipts and the underlying securities are quoted.
Large capitalization companies may fall out of favor with investors based on market and economic conditions. In addition, larger companies may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies and may be less capable of responding quickly to competitive challenges and industry changes. As a result, the Fund’s value may not rise as much as, or may fall more than, the value of funds that focus on companies with smaller market capitalizations.
The Fund may invest in companies that are smaller, less established, with limited operating histories and less liquid markets for their stock, and therefore may be riskier investments. While small- and medium-sized companies generally have the potential for rapid growth, the securities of these companies often involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies because small- and medium-sized companies may lack the management experience, financial resources, product diversification and competitive strengths of larger companies. In addition, in many instances the securities of small- and medium-sized companies are traded only over-the-counter or on a regional securities exchange, and the frequency and volume of their trading is substantially less than is typical of larger companies. The value of securities of smaller, less well-known issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers.
The performance data shown represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Principal value and investment returns will fluctuate so that investors' shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance data represents the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). Average annual total return reflects annualized change. Since Fund performance is subject to change after the month-end, please call (800) 560-6111 or view our daily NAVs for more current performance information.
Please consider the investment objectives, risks, fees and expenses of the Fund carefully prior to investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contain this and other important information about the Fund. To obtain a copy of the prospectus/summary prospectus, please call (800) 560-6111. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.
Foreside Financial Services, LLC, Distributor
† Represents the Annual Fund Operating Expenses as disclosed in the current prospectus dated April 30, 2024. It is important to understand that a decline in the Fund’s average net assets due to unprecedented market volatility or other factors could cause the Fund’s expense ratio for the current fiscal year to be higher than the expense information presented. A shareholder may be required to pay a commission to their financial intermediary. Driehaus Capital Management LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), has entered into a contractual agreement to cap the Fund’s current ordinary annual operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, other investment-related expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses,and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business), resulting in the current net expense ratio of 0.80% until the earlier of the termination of the investment advisory agreement, by the Board of Trustees or the Fund’s shareholders, or April 30, 2027. Pursuant to the agreement, and so long as the investment advisory agreement is in place, for a period not to exceed three years from the date on which the waiver or reimbursement is made, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement for previously waived fees and reimbursed expenses to the extent that the Fund’s expense ratio remains below the operating expense cap that was in place at the time of the waiver / expense reimbursement as well as the current operating expense cap. Because of this agreement, the Fund may pay the investment adviser less than the contractual management fee.
* To view the Index definitions, see the Index Definitions.