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ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN GLOBAL THEMATIC GROWTH FUND, INC.
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2013-10-30
2013-11-01
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
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0
0
0
0
0.0074
0.0074
0.0074
0.0074
0.0074
0.0074
0.0074
0.003
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0.005
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0
0.001
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0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.0009
0.0046
0.0056
0.0049
0.0047
0.0036
0.0029
0.0012
EXAMPLES
571
633
326
123
163
130
88
879
918
697
384
505
406
274
1209
1230
1195
665
871
702
477
2139
2435
2565
1466
1900
1545
1061
233
226
718
697
1230
1195
2435
2565
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
The Fund pursues opportunistic growth by investing in a global universe of companies in multiple industries that may benefit from innovation.<br /><br />The Adviser employs a combination of "top-down" and "bottom-up" investment processes with the goal of identifying the most attractive securities worldwide, fitting into broader themes, which are developments that have broad effects across industries and companies. Drawing on its global fundamental and quantitative research capabilities, the Adviser seeks to identify long-term secular growth trends that will affect multiple industries. The Adviser will assess the effects of these trends, in the context of the business cycle, on entire industries and on individual companies. Through this process, the Adviser intends to identify key investment themes, which will be the focus of the Fund's investments and which are expected to change over time based on the Adviser's research.<br /><br />In addition to this "top-down" thematic approach, the Adviser will also use a "bottom-up" analysis of individual companies that focuses on prospective earnings growth, valuation and quality of company management. The Adviser normally considers a large universe of mid- to large-capitalization companies worldwide for investment.<br /><br />The Fund invests in securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies from multiple industry sectors in an attempt to maximize opportunity, which should also tend to reduce risk. The Fund invests in both developed and emerging market countries. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (at least 40%--unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Adviser) in securities of non-U.S. companies. In addition, the Fund invests, under normal circumstances, in the equity securities of companies located in at least three countries. The percentage of the Fund's assets invested in securities of companies in a particular country or denominated in a particular currency varies in accordance with the Adviser's assessment of the appreciation potential of such securities. The Fund may invest in any company and industry and in any type of equity security, listed and unlisted, with potential for capital appreciation. It invests in well-known, established companies as well as new, smaller or less-seasoned companies. Investments in new, smaller or less-seasoned companies may offer more reward but may also entail more risk than is generally true of larger, established companies. The Fund may also invest in synthetic foreign equity securities, which are various types of warrants used internationally that entitle a holder to buy or sell underlying securities, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and zero-coupon bonds.<br /><br />The Fund may, at times, invest in shares of ETFs in lieu of making direct investments in securities. ETFs may provide more efficient and economical exposure to the types of companies and geographic locations in which the Fund seeks to invest than direct investments.<br /><br />Currencies can have a dramatic impact on equity returns, significantly adding to returns in some years and greatly diminishing them in others. Currency and equity positions are evaluated separately. The Adviser may seek to hedge the currency exposure resulting from securities positions when it finds the currency exposure unattractive. To hedge all or a portion of its currency risk, the Fund may, from time to time, invest in currency-related derivatives, including forward currency exchange contracts, futures, options on futures, swaps and options. The Adviser may also seek investment opportunities by taking long or short positions in currencies through the use of currency-related derivatives.<br /><br />The Fund may enter into other derivatives transactions, such as options, futures contracts, forwards, and swaps. The Fund may use options strategies involving the purchase and/or writing of various combinations of call and/or put options, including on individual securities and stock indices, futures contracts (including futures contracts on individual securities and stock indices) or shares of ETFs. These transactions may be used, for example, in an effort to earn extra income, to adjust exposure to individual securities or markets, or to protect all or a portion of the Fund's portfolio from a decline in value, sometimes within certain ranges.
BAR CHART AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
BAR CHART
GLOBAL GROWTH FUNDS<br></br>ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN GLOBAL THEMATIC GROWTH FUND
The Fund’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge reductions if you and members of your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in Investing in the Funds--Sales Charge Reduction Programs for Class A Shares on page 45 of this Prospectus and in Purchase of Shares--Sales Charge Reduction Programs for Class A Shares on page 108 of the Funds’ SAI.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
0
0.04
0.01
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0036
0.0046
0.0039
0.0037
0.0026
0.0019
0.0003
0.015
0.023
0.0223
0.0121
0.016
0.0128
0.0086
The Examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Examples assume that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses stay the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
For the share classes listed below, you would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares at the end of the period:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys or 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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Examples, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 131% of the average value of its portfolio.
The bar chart and performance information provide an indication of the historical risk of an investment in the Fund by showing:<ul type="square"><li>how the Fund’s performance changed from year to year over ten years; and</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>how the Fund’s average annual returns for one, five and ten years compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.</li></ul>You may obtain updated performance information on the Fund’s website at www.AllianceBernstein.com (click on “Individuals--U.S.” then “Products & Performance”).<br></br>The Fund’s past performance before and after taxes, of course, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.<br></br>IN NOVEMBER 2008, THE FUND IMPLEMENTED ITS CURRENT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES (PREVIOUSLY IT HAD INVESTED PRIMARILY IN TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES) AND ALSO CHANGED ITS NAME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT TEAM. ACCORDINGLY, THE PERFORMANCE SHOWN BELOW FOR PERIODS PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 2008 MAY NOT BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FUND'S PERFORMANCE UNDER ITS CURRENT INVESTMENT POLICIES.
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund’s Class A shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were reflected, returns would be less than those shown. Through September 30, 2013, the year-to-date unannualized return for Class A shares was 14.61%.
During the period shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s:<br></br>BEST QUARTER WAS UP 25.86%, 2ND QUARTER, 2009; AND WORST QUARTER WAS DOWN<br/>-25.03%, 3RD QUARTER, 2011.
PERFORMANCE TABLE<br/>AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS<br/><br/>(For the periods ended December 31, 2012)
0.0816
0.0816
0.053
0.0801
0.1113
0.133
0.1292
0.1324
0.1373
-0.0367
-0.0374
-0.0309
-0.0362
-0.0355
-0.0255
-0.0285
-0.0256
-0.022
0.0535
0.0531
0.0468
0.0514
0.0503
0.0613
0.0574
0.0606
0.0639
0.1613
-0.0116
0.0811
2003-11-03
2005-03-01
2005-03-01
BEST QUARTER
2009-06-30
0.2586
WORST QUARTER
2011-09-30
-0.2503
1.31
You may qualify for sales charge reductions if you and members of your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds.
100000
As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Fund.
<ul type="square"><li>how the Fund’s performance changed from year to year over ten years; and</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>how the Fund’s average annual returns for one, five and ten years compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.</li></ul>
www.AllianceBernstein.com
The Fund’s past performance before and after taxes, of course, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund’s Class A shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
Are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Are shown for Class A shares only and will vary for the other Classes of shares because these Classes have different expense ratios;
Are an estimate, which is based on the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes;
Purchases of Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more, or by certain group retirement plans, may be subject to a 1%, 1-year CDSC, which may be subject to waiver in certain circumstances. Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares after eight years. The CDSC decreases over time. For Class B shares the CDSC decreases 1.00% annually to 0% after the fourth year. For Class C shares, the CDSC is 0% after the first year.
(NOT CURRENTLY OFFERED TO NEW INVESTORS)
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<div style="display:none">~ http://www.AllianceBernstein.com/role/ScheduleAnnualFundOperatingExpensesALLIANCEBERNSTEINGLOBALTHEMATICGROWTHFUNDINC column period compact * ~</div>
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<div style="display:none">~ http://www.AllianceBernstein.com/role/ScheduleAnnualTotalReturnsALLIANCEBERNSTEINGLOBALTHEMATICGROWTHFUNDINCBarChart column period compact * ~</div>
<div style="display:none">~ http://www.AllianceBernstein.com/role/ScheduleAverageAnnualTotalReturnsTransposedALLIANCEBERNSTEINGLOBALTHEMATICGROWTHFUNDINC column period compact * ~</div>
PRINCIPAL RISKS
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage<br/> of the value of your investment)
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
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year-to-date
2013-09-30
0.1461
<ul type="square"><li>MARKET RISK: The value of the Fund's assets will fluctuate as the stock or bond market fluctuates. The value of its investments may decline, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, simply because of economic changes or other events that affect large portions of the market. It includes the risk that a particular style of investing, such as growth, may underperform the market generally.</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>FOREIGN (NON-U.S.) RISK: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers may involve more risk than those of U.S. issuers. These securities may fluctuate more widely in price and may be less liquid due to adverse market, economic, political, regulatory or other factors.</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>EMERGING MARKET RISK: Investments in emerging market countries may have more risk because the markets are less developed and less liquid as well as being subject to increased economic, political, regulatory, or other uncertainties.</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>CURRENCY RISK: Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may negatively affect the value of the Fund's investments or reduce its returns.</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>CAPITALIZATION RISK: Investments in small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile than investments in large-capitalization companies. Investments in small-capitalization companies may have additional risks because these companies have limited product lines, markets or financial resources.</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>DERIVATIVES RISK: Derivatives may be illiquid, difficult to price, and leveraged so that small changes may produce disproportionate losses for the Fund, and may be subject to counterparty risk to a greater degree than more traditional investments.</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>FOCUSED PORTFOLIO RISK: Investments in a limited number of companies may have more risk because changes in the value of a single security may have a more significant effect, either negative or positive, on the Fund's net asset value, or NAV.</li></ul><ul type="square"><li>MANAGEMENT RISK: The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively-managed investment fund. The Adviser will apply its investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there is no guarantee that its techniques will produce the intended results.</li></ul>As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Fund.