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AS
FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER
23, 2020
1933
Act No. 333-74295
1940
Act No. 811-09253
UNITED
STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington
D.C. 20549
FORM
N-1A
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]
Pre-Effective
Amendment No. [ ]
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 716 [X]
and/or
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]
Pre-Effective
Amendment No. [ ]
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 717 [X]
WELLS
FARGO FUNDS TRUST
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
525
Market Street
San Francisco,
California 94105
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
(800)
222-8222
(Registrant’s
Telephone Number)
Catherine
F. Kennedy
Wells Fargo
Funds Management, LLC
525
Market Street, 12th Floor
San
Francisco, CA 94105
(Name
and Address of Agent for Service)
With
a copy to:
Marco
E. Adelfio, Esq.
Goodwin
Procter LLP
1900 N Street,
N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20036
It
is proposed that this filing will become effective: (check appropriate box)
|
|
|
|
immediately
upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) |
|
X
|
on
December 1, 2020
pursuant to paragraph (b) |
|
|
60
days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
|
|
on
[ ] pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
|
|
75
days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) |
|
|
on
[ ] 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 |
Explanatory
Note: This Post-Effective Amendment No. 716 to the Registration Statement of Wells Fargo Funds Trust (the “Trust”)
is being filed primarily to add the audited financial statements and certain related financial information for the fiscal
period ended July 31, 2020, for the Wells Fargo U.S. Equity Funds, and to make certain other non-material changes to
the Registration Statement.
WELLS FARGO FUNDS TRUST
PART
A
WELLS FARGO U.S.
EQUITY FUNDS
PROSPECTUSES
|
|
|
|
Prospectus December
1, 2020 |
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Wells
Fargo Classic Value Fund |
EIVAX
|
EIVCX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Disciplined U.S. Core Fund |
EVSAX
|
EVSTX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Endeavor Select Fund |
STAEX
|
WECCX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Growth Fund |
SGRAX
|
WGFCX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Core Fund |
EGOAX
|
EGOCX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Growth Fund |
STAFX
|
STOFX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Company Value Fund |
WLCAX
|
WFLVX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
WLVLX
|
WLVKX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Omega Growth Fund |
EKOAX
|
EKOCX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Premier Large Company Growth Fund |
EKJAX
|
EKJCX
|
Beginning
on January 1, 2021, as permitted by new regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Wells
Fargo Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports issued after this date will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically
request paper copies of the reports. Instead,
the reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, and you will be notified by mail each time
a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.
If
you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action.
You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically at any time by contacting your
financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-222-8222 or by enrolling at
wellsfargo.com/advantagedelivery.
You
may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your
financial intermediary to request that you continue
to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Fund,
you can call 1-800-222-8222. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Wells Fargo Funds held in your account with your
financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, to all Wells Fargo Funds that you hold.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy
or adequacy of this Prospectus. Anyone who tells you
otherwise is committing a crime.
Fund
shares are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., its affiliates or any other depository institution.
Fund shares are not insured or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency and may lose value.
Classic
Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.50%
|
0.50%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.19%
|
1.94%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.08)%
|
(0.08)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 1.11%
for Class A, and 1.86%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$682
|
$289
|
|
|
|
$189
|
|
3
Years |
$924
|
$601
|
|
|
|
$601
|
|
5
Years |
$1,184
|
$1,040
|
|
|
|
$1,040
|
|
10
Years |
$1,929
|
$2,258
|
|
|
|
$2,258
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause
the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year1 (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+13.30%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.57%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -11.20%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
8/1/2006
|
24.77%
|
7.69%
|
11.03%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
8/1/2006
|
21.87%
|
5.43%
|
9.20%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
8/1/2006
|
16.63%
|
5.66%
|
8.77%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
8/1/2006
|
30.33%
|
8.14%
|
10.84%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Intrinsic Value
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.35%
|
0.35%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.51%
|
0.51%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.86%
|
1.61%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 0.87%
for Class A, and 1.62%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$658
|
$264
|
|
|
|
$164
|
|
3
Years |
$834
|
$508
|
|
|
|
$508
|
|
5
Years |
$1,024
|
$876
|
|
|
|
$876
|
|
10
Years |
$1,575
|
$1,911
|
|
|
|
$1,911
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 50%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A shares as of 12/31 each year1 (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+13.04%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-14.61%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 3.88%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
2/28/1990
|
21.28%
|
8.81%
|
12.06%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
2/28/1990
|
20.06%
|
7.30%
|
10.06%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
2/28/1990
|
13.43%
|
6.62%
|
9.42%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
6/30/1999
|
26.63%
|
9.29%
|
11.89%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Enhanced S&P 500
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Justin
P. Carr, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA, Portfolio Manager
/ 2019 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Endeavor
Select Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.56%
|
0.56%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.26%
|
2.01%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.23)%
|
(0.23)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 1.03%
for Class A, and 1.78%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$674
|
$281
|
|
|
|
$181
|
|
3
Years |
$930
|
$608
|
|
|
|
$608
|
|
5
Years |
$1,206
|
$1,062
|
|
|
|
$1,062
|
|
10
Years |
$1,991
|
$2,319
|
|
|
|
$2,319
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 16%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.59%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.55%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.07%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 (returns
reflect applicable sales charges)
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
12/29/2000
|
30.71%
|
13.39%
|
13.45%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
12/29/2000
|
27.95%
|
7.72%
|
10.01%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
12/29/2000
|
20.00%
|
8.99%
|
10.10%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
12/29/2000
|
36.82%
|
13.89%
|
13.28%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual
Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Growth
Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.47%
|
0.47%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.17%
|
1.92%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.01)%
|
(0.01)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 1.16%
for Class A, and 1.91%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$686
|
$294
|
|
|
|
$194
|
|
3
Years |
$924
|
$602
|
|
|
|
$602
|
|
5
Years |
$1,181
|
$1,036
|
|
|
|
$1,036
|
|
10
Years |
$1,913
|
$2,242
|
|
|
|
$2,242
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 37%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause
the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+19.71%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-17.58%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 26.00%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 (returns
reflect applicable sales charges)
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
2/24/2000
|
29.20%
|
12.08%
|
14.52%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
2/24/2000
|
25.58%
|
7.45%
|
11.64%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
2/24/2000
|
19.75%
|
8.56%
|
11.50%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
12/26/2002
|
35.07%
|
12.55%
|
14.34%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2020 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2002
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.53%
|
0.53%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.22%
|
1.97%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.14)%
|
(0.14)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 1.08%
for Class A, and 1.83%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$679
|
$286
|
|
|
|
$186
|
|
3
Years |
$927
|
$605
|
|
|
|
$605
|
|
5
Years |
$1,194
|
$1,049
|
|
|
|
$1,049
|
|
10
Years |
$1,956
|
$2,285
|
|
|
|
$2,285
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 28%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year1 (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did |
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+15.12%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-17.16%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -5.04%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
12/17/2007
|
20.28%
|
7.99%
|
11.78%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
12/17/2007
|
15.14%
|
6.25%
|
10.81%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
12/17/2007
|
15.52%
|
6.15%
|
9.74%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
12/17/2007
|
25.63%
|
8.45%
|
11.60%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010 is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Golden Large Cap Core
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
John
R. Campbell, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2015 Vince
Fioramonti, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2019
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.49%
|
0.49%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.18%
|
1.93%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.11)%
|
(0.11)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 1.07%
for Class A, and 1.82%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$678
|
$285
|
|
|
|
$185
|
|
3
Years |
$918
|
$595
|
|
|
|
$595
|
|
5
Years |
$1,177
|
$1,032
|
|
|
|
$1,032
|
|
10
Years |
$1,915
|
$2,245
|
|
|
|
$2,245
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year1 (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+17.94%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.41%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 21.32%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
7/30/2010
|
25.07%
|
11.23%
|
12.99%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
7/30/2010
|
22.34%
|
7.94%
|
11.10%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
7/30/2010
|
16.68%
|
8.33%
|
10.50%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
7/30/2010
|
30.68%
|
11.71%
|
12.81%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class A shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the former Investor Class shares, and
includes the higher expenses applicable to the former Investor Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for Class
A would be higher. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class C shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the former Investor Class shares,
adjusted to reflect the higher expenses applicable to
the Class C shares. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2005
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Company Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.59%
|
0.59%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.99%
|
1.74%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.16)%
|
(0.16)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 0.83%
for Class A, and 1.58%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$655
|
$261
|
|
|
|
$161
|
|
3
Years |
$857
|
$532
|
|
|
|
$532
|
|
5
Years |
$1,076
|
$929
|
|
|
|
$929
|
|
10
Years |
$1,705
|
$2,038
|
|
|
|
$2,038
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 366%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+11.87%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.57%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -6.37%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 (returns
reflect applicable sales charges)
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
3/31/2008
|
15.51%
|
5.16%
|
8.78%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
3/31/2008
|
14.88%
|
2.71%
|
6.96%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
3/31/2008
|
9.58%
|
3.53%
|
6.80%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
3/31/2008
|
20.66%
|
5.61%
|
8.60%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management,
LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.93%
|
0.93%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.33%
|
2.08%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.60)%
|
(0.60)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 0.73%
for Class A, and 1.48%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$645
|
$251
|
|
|
|
$151
|
|
3
Years |
$916
|
$594
|
|
|
|
$594
|
|
5
Years |
$1,208
|
$1,063
|
|
|
|
$1,063
|
|
10
Years |
$2,035
|
$2,363
|
|
|
|
$2,363
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 165%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences. As of November
2, 2020, the Manager and/or its affiliates held
approximately 81.06% of the Fund’s shares
in the form of a seed capital investment intended to
enable
the Fund to commence investment operations and/or achieve sufficient scale. This percentage may change over
time.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+12.10%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-8.15%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -0.58%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 (returns
reflect applicable sales charges)
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
Since
inception |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
10/31/2016
|
19.61%
|
--
|
9.58%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
10/31/2016
|
18.27%
|
--
|
8.14%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
10/31/2016
|
12.38%
|
--
|
7.15%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
10/31/2016
|
24.90%
|
--
|
10.82%
|
|
Russell
1000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.43%
|
--
|
16.28%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA,
Portfolio Manager / 2016 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Omega
Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
|
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.78%
|
0.78%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.50%
|
0.50%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.28%
|
2.03%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 1.30%
for Class A, and 2.05%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$698
|
$306
|
|
|
|
$206
|
|
3
Years |
$958
|
$637
|
|
|
|
$637
|
|
5
Years |
$1,237
|
$1,093
|
|
|
|
$1,093
|
|
10
Years |
$2,031
|
$2,358
|
|
|
|
$2,358
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 23%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year1 (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+19.27%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-19.41%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 23.36%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
4/29/1968
|
28.86%
|
11.85%
|
12.99%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
4/29/1968
|
27.17%
|
9.62%
|
11.11%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
4/29/1968
|
18.22%
|
8.92%
|
10.29%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
8/2/1993
|
34.68%
|
12.33%
|
12.82%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Omega Fund.
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual
Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund. You
may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the
future, at least $10,000
in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Wells Fargo Funds.
More information about these and other discounts is
available from your financial professional and in “Share Class Features” and “Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges” on pages 59
and 60 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information” on page 86 of the Statement
of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through
certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these
sections. Please see Appendix A on page 82 for
further information.
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Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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|
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|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
1
|
1.00%
|
| 1. |
Investments
of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00%
if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Management
Fees |
0.66%
|
0.66%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
0.75%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.48%
|
0.48%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.14%
|
1.89%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.03)%
|
(0.03)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers at 1.11%
for Class A, and 1.86%
for Class C. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty
fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to
or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may
be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the
approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
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|
Assuming
Redemption at End of Period
|
|
|
|
Assuming
No Redemption
|
|
After:
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
|
|
Class
C |
|
1
Year |
$682
|
$289
|
|
|
|
$189
|
|
3
Years |
$914
|
$591
|
|
|
|
$591
|
|
5
Years |
$1,164
|
$1,019
|
|
|
|
$1,019
|
|
10
Years |
$1,879
|
$2,209
|
|
|
|
$2,209
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 45%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year1 (Returns
do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did)
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.49%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-17.04%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.38%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
A (before taxes) |
1/20/1998
|
25.47%
|
10.82%
|
12.73%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions) |
1/20/1998
|
23.17%
|
7.46%
|
10.93%
|
|
Class
A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund
Shares) |
1/20/1998
|
16.64%
|
7.90%
|
10.27%
|
|
Class
C (before taxes) |
1/22/1998
|
31.15%
|
11.29%
|
12.55%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Large Company Growth
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts. After-tax
returns are shown for only one class of shares.
After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
In
general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange
is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Regular Accounts: $1,000 IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $250 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
Minimum
Additional Investment Regular Accounts, IRAs,
IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 UGMA/UTMA Accounts:
$50 Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans: No Minimum
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Details
About the Funds
Classic
Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments |
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Endeavor
Select Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Company Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk |
■
Management
Risk
■
Regulatory
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Omega
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Risk Securities
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Description
of Principal Investment Risks
Understanding
the risks involved in fund investing will help you make an informed decision that takes into account your
risk tolerance and preferences. The risks that are most likely to have a material effect on a particular Fund as
a whole are called “principal risks.”
The principal risks for each Fund
have been previously identified and are described below
(in alphabetical order). Additional information about the principal risks is included in the Statement
of Additional Information.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, presents risks different from,
and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives
can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the derivatives’ underlying assets,
indexes or rates and the derivatives themselves, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivatives.
These risks are heightened when derivatives are used to enhance a Fund’s return or as a substitute for a
position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or mitigate) the risk of a position or security held by the Fund. The
success of a derivative strategy will be affected by the portfolio manager’s ability to assess and predict market or
economic developments and their impact on the derivatives’ underlying assets, indexes or reference rates, as well
as the derivatives themselves. Certain derivative instruments may become illiquid and, as a result, may be difficult
to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be appropriate to do so. Certain derivatives create leverage,
which can magnify the impact of a decline in the value of their underlying assets, indexes or reference rates,
and increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value. Certain derivatives (e.g., over-the-counter swaps) are also
subject to the risk that the counterparty to the derivative contract will be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations, which may cause a Fund to lose money, suffer delays or incur costs arising from holding or selling
an underlying asset. Changes in laws or regulations may make the use of derivatives more costly, may limit the
availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the use, value or performance of derivatives.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Investing in equity securities poses risks specific to an issuer, as well as to the particular
type of company issuing the equity securities. For example, investing in the equity securities of small- or mid-capitalization
companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in stocks of larger,
more-established companies. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse
issuer, market, regulatory, political, and economic developments. Negative news or a poor outlook for a particular
industry can cause the share prices of securities of companies in that industry to decline.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign companies may be subject to significantly
higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby
reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies. Foreign investments may involve exposure to changes
in foreign currency exchange rates. Such changes may reduce the U.S. dollar value of the investments. Foreign
investments may be subject to additional risks, such as potentially higher withholding and other taxes, and may
also be subject to greater trade settlement, custodial, and other operational risks than domestic investments. Certain
foreign markets may also be characterized by less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards.
Futures Contracts
Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts, which
are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit certain
characteristics, such as growth characteristics or value
characteristics, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes
in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, a Fund’s performance may at times be worse
than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or in securities that exhibit different characteristics.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected, may cause
the Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by a Fund may decline due to general market
conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities markets
are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments.
Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.
Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, government
shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public
health crises and related events have led, and in the future may lead, to economic uncertainty, decreased economic
activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets.
Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on a Fund and its investments. In addition,
economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases
the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in
other countries or regions.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies. Smaller companies may have no or relatively short operating
histories, limited financial resources or may have recently become public companies. Some of these companies
have aggressive capital structures, including high debt levels, or are involved in rapidly growing or changing
industries and/or new technologies.
Portfolio
Holdings Information
A
description of the Wells Fargo Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Wells Fargo Funds’
portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement
of Additional Information.
Pricing Fund
Shares
A Fund’s NAV
is the value of a single share. The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, although a Fund
may deviate from this calculation time under unusual or unexpected circumstances.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares
of a multiple-class Fund. The most recent NAV for each class of a Fund
is available at wfam.com. To calculate the NAV of a Fund’s
shares, the Fund’s assets are valued and
totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and the balance,
called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The price
at which a purchase or redemption request is processed is based on the next NAV calculated after the request
is received in good order. Generally, NAV is not calculated, and purchase and redemption requests are not processed,
on days that the NYSE is closed for trading; however, under unusual or unexpected circumstances, a Fund
may elect to remain open even on days that the NYSE is closed or closes early. To the extent that a Fund’s
assets are traded in various markets on days when the Fund
is closed, the value of the Fund’s assets
may be affected on days when you are unable to buy or
sell Fund shares. Conversely, trading in some of a Fund’s
assets may not occur on days when the Fund
is open.
With
respect to any portion of a Fund’s
assets that may be invested in other mutual funds, the value of the Fund’s
shares is based on the NAV of the shares of the other
mutual funds in which the Fund invests. The valuation
methods used by mutual funds in pricing their shares,
including the circumstances under which they will use fair value
pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing, are included in the prospectuses of such funds. To the extent a Fund
invests a portion of its assets in non-registered investment vehicles, the Fund’s
interests in the non-registered vehicles are fair valued
at NAV.
With
respect to a Fund’s
assets invested directly in securities, the Fund’s
investments are generally valued at current market prices.
Equity securities, options and futures are generally valued at the official closing price or, if none,
the last reported sales price on the primary exchange or market on which they are listed (closing price). Equity
securities that are not traded primarily on an exchange are generally valued at the quoted bid price obtained
from a broker-dealer.
Debt
securities are valued at the evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing service or, if a reliable price
is not available, the quoted bid price from an independent broker-dealer.
We
are required to depart from these general valuation methods and use fair value pricing methods to determine the
values of certain investments if we believe that the closing price or the quoted bid price of a security, including a
security that trades primarily on a foreign exchange, does not accurately reflect its current market value as of the time
a Fund
calculates its NAV. The closing price or the quoted bid price of a security may not reflect its current market
value if, among other things, a significant event occurs after the closing price or quoted bid price are made available,
but before the time as of which a Fund
calculates its NAV, that materially affects the value of the security.
We use various criteria, including a systemic evaluation of U.S. market moves after the close of foreign markets,
in deciding whether a foreign security’s market price is still reliable and, if not, what fair market value to assign
to the security. In addition, we use fair value pricing to determine the value of investments in securities and other
assets, including illiquid securities, for which current market quotations or evaluated prices from a pricing service
or broker-dealer are not readily available.
The
fair value of a Fund’s
securities and other assets is determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures
adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
In light of the judgment involved in making fair value decisions,
there can be no assurance that a fair value assigned to a particular security is accurate or that it reflects the
price that the Fund could obtain for such security
if it were to sell the security at the time as of which fair value pricing
is determined. Such fair value pricing may result in NAVs that are higher or lower than NAVs based on the closing
price or quoted bid price. See the Statement of Additional Information for additional details regarding the determination
of NAVs.
Management
of the Funds
The
Manager
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”), headquartered at 525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
94105, provides advisory and Fund level administrative
services to the Funds pursuant to an investment
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”).
Funds Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells
Fargo & Company, a publicly traded diversified financial services company that provides banking, insurance, investment,
mortgage and consumer financial services. Funds Management is a registered investment adviser that
provides advisory services for registered mutual funds, closed-end funds and other funds and accounts. Funds
Management is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
Funds
Management is responsible for implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds.
Funds Management’s investment professionals review
and analyze the Funds’ performance, including
relative to peer funds, and monitor the Funds’
compliance with their investment objectives and
strategies. Funds Management is responsible for reporting
to the Board on investment performance and other matters affecting the Funds.
When appropriate, Funds Management recommends to the
Board enhancements to Fund features, including changes to Fund
investment objectives, strategies and policies. Funds Management also communicates with shareholders
and intermediaries about Fund performance and features.
Funds
Management is also responsible for providing Fund-level
administrative services to the Funds, which include,
among others, providing such services in connection with the Funds’
operations; developing and implementing procedures for
monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements and compliance with the Funds’
investment objectives, policies and restrictions; and providing any other Fund-level
administrative services reasonably necessary for the
operation of the Funds, other than those services
that are provided by the Funds’ transfer
and dividend disbursing agent, custodian and fund accountant.
To
assist Funds Management in implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds,
Funds Management may contract with one or more sub-advisers
to provide day-to-day portfolio management services to
the Funds. Funds Management employs a team of investment
professionals who identify and recommend the initial
hiring of any sub-adviser and oversee and monitor the activities of any sub-adviser on an ongoing basis. Funds
Management retains overall responsibility for the investment activities of the Funds.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Management
Agreement and any applicable sub-advisory agreements
for each Fund is
available in the Fund’s Annual
report for the period ended July 31st.
For each Fund’s
most recent fiscal year end, the Management Fee
paid to Funds Management pursuant to the Management
Agreement, net of any applicable waivers and reimbursements, was as follows:
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
|
As
a % of average daily net assets |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.64%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.35%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
0.48%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
0.69%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.55%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.60%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
0.24%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
0.00%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.78%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.62%
|
The
Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
The
following Sub-adviser and Portfolio
Managers provide day-to-day portfolio management services to the Funds.
These services include making purchases and sales of securities and other investment assets for the Funds,
selecting broker-dealers, negotiating brokerage commission rates and maintaining portfolio transaction
records. The Sub-adviser is
compensated for its services by Funds Management
from the fees Funds Management receives for its services
as investment Manager to the Funds.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional
information about the Portfolio Managers’
compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio
Managers and the Portfolio Managers’
ownership of securities in the Funds.
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital
Management”) is a registered investment adviser located at
525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Wells Capital Management, an affiliate of Funds Management and indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, is a multi-boutique asset management firm committed
to delivering superior investment services to institutional clients, including mutual funds. Wells Capital Management
is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
|
|
|
Dennis
Bein, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Bein joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1995,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors
team. |
|
Ryan
Brown, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Brown joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in
2007, where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors
team. |
|
John
R. Campbell, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Campbell joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in
2006, where he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital
Equity team. |
|
Justin
P. Carr, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Carr joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2001,
where he currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden
Capital Equity team. |
|
Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
de Silva joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in
1995, where he currently serves as President and Portfolio Manager for the Analytic
Investors team. |
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Eberhardy joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in
1994, where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Vince
Fioramonti, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Fioramonti joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms
in 2012, where he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden
Capital Equity team. |
|
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA Classic Value Fund
|
Mr.
Giaconi joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2003,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Director of Research
with the MetWest Capital Equity team. |
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Gruendyke joined Wells Capital Management in 2008, where he currently serves
as a portfolio manager on the Heritage Growth Equity team. |
|
Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA Classic Value Fund |
Mr.
Nadal joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2011,
where he currently serves as Team Leader and Senior Portfolio Manager with
the MetWest Capital Equity team. |
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Ognar joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1998,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Michael
T. Smith, CFA Endeavor Select Fund Omega
Growth Fund |
Mr.
Smith joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2000,
where he currently serves as a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager
on the Fundamental Growth Equity team. |
|
Christopher
J. Warner, CFA Endeavor Select Fund Omega
Growth Fund |
Mr.
Warner joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Fundamental Growth
Equity team. |
|
|
|
Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Wicentowski joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms
in 2016, where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Analyst for
the Golden Capital Equity team. Prior to joining Wells Capital Management,
he served as a Manager of Portfolio Research at WBI Investments,
LLC. Prior to WBI Investments, Mr. Wicentowski served as a Senior
Global Strategist for the Options Strategy Group for Wells Fargo Bank,
N.A. |
Multi-Manager
Arrangement
The Funds
and Funds Management have obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits Funds Management,
subject to Board approval, to select certain sub-advisers and enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements
with them, without obtaining shareholder approval. The SEC order extends to sub-advisers that are not
otherwise affiliated with Funds Management or the Funds,
as well as sub-advisers that are wholly-owned subsidiaries
of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns Funds Management. In addition, the SEC staff,
pursuant to no-action relief, has extended multi-manager relief to any affiliated sub-adviser, such as affiliated
sub-advisers that are not wholly-owned subsidiaries of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns
Funds Management, provided certain conditions are satisfied (all such sub-advisers covered by the order or relief,
“Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers”).
As
such, Funds Management, with Board approval, may hire or replace Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers for each Fund that
is eligible to rely on the order or relief. Funds Management, subject to Board oversight, has the responsibility to
oversee Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. If a new sub-adviser
is hired for a Fund pursuant to the order or relief, the Fund is required to notify shareholders within 90 days.
The Funds are
not required to disclose the individual fees that Funds Management pays to a Multi-Manager Sub-Adviser.
Account
Information
Share
Class Eligibility
Please
see the section entitled “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares” in the Fund Summary for a schedule of minimum
investment amounts. Purchases made through a customer account at an intermediary may be subject to
different minimum investment amounts. Please contact your financial professional for additional information.
We
allow reduced minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts if you sign up for an automatic investment
plan. For additional information regarding available automatic plans, please see the section entitled “Account
Policies” below.
Your
Fund may offer other classes of shares in addition to those offered through this Prospectus. You may be eligible
to invest in one or more of these other classes of shares. Each share class bears varying expenses and may differ
in other features. Consult your financial professional for more information regarding a Fund’s available share classes.
The
information in this Prospectus is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any non-U.S.
jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to any law or regulation, or which would
subject Fund shares to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country.
Share
Class Features
The
table below summarizes the key features of the share classes offered through this Prospectus. You should review
the ”Reductions and Waivers of Sales Charges” section of the Prospectus before choosing which share class to
buy. You also should review your Fund’s table of Annual Fund Operating Expenses, as other fees and expenses may
vary by class.
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Front-End
Sales Charge |
5.75%
|
None
|
|
Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) |
None
(except that if you redeem Class A shares purchased at
or above the $1,000,000 breakpoint level within eighteen
months from the date of purchase, you will pay a CDSC
of 1.00%) |
1%
if shares are sold within one year after purchase
|
|
Ongoing
Distribution (12b-1) Fees |
None
|
0.75%
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Fee |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Purchase
Maximum |
None
|
Not
to equal or exceed $1,000,000 |
|
Annual
Expenses |
Lower
ongoing expenses than Class C |
Higher
ongoing expenses than Class A because of 12b-1 fees
|
|
Conversion
Feature |
None
|
Yes.
Converts to Class A shares after 8 years |
Information
regarding sales charges, breakpoint levels, reductions and waivers is also available free of charge on our
website at wfam.com. You may wish to discuss your choice of share class with your financial professional.
Class
A Shares Sales Charges
If
you choose to buy Class A shares, you will pay the public offering price which is the net asset value (NAV) plus the
applicable sales charge. Since sales charges are reduced for Class A share purchases above certain dollar amounts,
known as “breakpoint levels,” the public offering price is lower for these purchases. The dollar amount of the
sales charge is the difference between the public offering price of the shares purchased (based on the applicable
sales charge in the table below) and the NAV of those shares. As described below, existing holdings may count
towards meeting the breakpoint level applicable to an additional purchase. Because of rounding in the calculation
of the public offering price, the actual sales charge you pay may be more or less than that calculated using
the percentages shown below.
|
|
|
|
|
Class
A Shares Sales Charge Schedule |
|
Amount
of Purchase |
Front-end
Sales Charge As % of
Public Offering Price
|
Front-end
Sales Charge As % of
Net Amount Invested
|
Commission
Paid to Intermediary As %
of Public Offering Price |
|
Less
than $50,000 |
5.75%
|
6.10%
|
5.00%
|
|
$50,000
but less than $100,000 |
4.75%
|
4.99%
|
4.00%
|
|
$100,000
but less than $250,000 |
3.75%
|
3.90%
|
3.00%
|
|
$250,000
but less than $500,000 |
2.75%
|
2.83%
|
2.25%
|
|
$500,000
but less than $1,000,000 |
2.00%
|
2.04%
|
1.75%
|
|
$1,000,000
and over |
0.00%1
|
0.00%
|
1.00%2
|
| 1. |
If
you redeem Class A shares purchased at or above the $1,000,000 breakpoint level within eighteen months from the date of purchase, you
will pay a CDSC of 1.00% of the NAV of the shares
on the date of original purchase. Certain exceptions apply (see “CDSC Waivers”). |
| 2. |
The
commission paid to an Intermediary on purchases above the $1,000,000 breakpoint level includes an advance of the first year’s shareholder
servicing fee. |
Class
C Shares Sales Charges
If
you choose Class C shares, you buy them at NAV and the Fund’s distributor pays sales commissions of up to 1.00%
of the purchase price to the intermediary. These commissions include an advance of the first year’s distribution
and shareholder servicing fee. If you redeem your shares within one year from the date of purchase, you
will pay a CDSC of 1.00%. The CDSC percentage you pay is applied to the NAV of the shares on the date of original
purchase. To determine whether the CDSC applies to a redemption, the Fund will first redeem shares acquired
by reinvestment of any distributions and then will redeem shares in the order in which they were purchased
(such that shares held the longest are redeemed first). You will not be assessed a CDSC on Class C shares
you redeem that were purchased with reinvested distributions. Class C share exchanges will not trigger a CDSC
and the new shares received in the exchange will continue to age according to the original shares’ CDSC schedule
and will be charged the CDSC applicable to the original shares upon redemption.
Class
C Shares Conversion Feature
Class
C shares will convert automatically into Class A shares eight years after the initial date of purchase or, if you acquired
your Class C shares through an exchange or conversion from another share class, eight years after the date
you acquired your Class C shares. When Class C shares that you acquired through a purchase or exchange convert,
any other Class C shares that you purchased with reinvested distributions also will convert into Class A shares
on a pro rata basis. A shorter holding period may also apply depending on your intermediary - please see Appendix
A—Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Certain Intermediaries for further information.
Reductions
and Waivers of Sales Charges
You
should consider whether you are eligible for any of the reductions or waivers of sales charges discussed below when
you are deciding which share class to buy. The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend
on whether you purchase your shares directly from the Fund or through an intermediary. Intermediaries may
have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred
(back-end) sales load (“CDSC”) waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility
to notify the Fund or the purchaser’s financial professional at the time of purchase of any relationship
or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For
waivers and discounts not available through a
particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly
from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.
Please see Appendix A for information on intermediaries
that currently have different policies and procedures regarding the availability
of sales charge reductions and waivers.
In
addition, consult the section entitled “Additional Purchase and Redemption Information” in the Statement of Additional
Information for further details regarding reductions and waivers of sales charges, which we may change from
time to time.
We
also reserve the right to enter into agreements that reduce or eliminate sales charges for groups or classes of shareholders.
If you own Fund shares as part of another account, such as an IRA or a sweep account, you should
read
the terms and conditions that apply for that account, which may supercede the terms described here. Contact
your financial professional for further information.
Front-End
Sales Charge Reductions
You
may be eligible for a reduction in the front-end sales charge applicable to purchases of Class A shares under the
following circumstances:
| ■ |
You
pay a lower sales charge if you are investing an amount over a breakpoint level. See “Class A Shares Sales Charges”
above. |
| ■ |
By
signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) prior to purchase, you pay a lower sales charge now in exchange for promising to
invest an amount over a specified breakpoint level within the next 13 months in one or more Wells Fargo Funds.
Purchases made prior to signing the LOI as well as reinvested dividends and capital gains do not count as purchases
made during this period. We will hold in escrow shares equal to approximately 5% of the amount you say
you intend to buy. If you do not invest the amount specified in the LOI before the expiration date, we will redeem
enough escrowed shares to pay the difference between the reduced sales charge you paid and the sales charge
you should have paid. Otherwise, we will release the escrowed shares to you when you have invested the agreed
upon amount. |
| ■ |
Rights
of Accumulation (ROA) allow you to aggregate Class A, Class A2, and Class C shares of any Wells Fargo Fund
already owned (excluding Wells Fargo money market fund shares, unless you notify us that you previously
paid a sales charge on those assets) in order to reach breakpoint levels and to qualify for sales charge reductions on
subsequent purchases of Class A shares. The purchase amount used in determining the sales charge on your
purchase will be calculated by multiplying the maximum public offering price by the number of Class A, Class
A2 and Class C shares of any Wells Fargo Fund already owned and adding the dollar amount of your current purchase.
The following table provides information about the types of accounts that can and cannot be aggregated
to qualify for sales charge reductions: |
|
|
|
|
Can
this type of account be aggregated? |
Yes
|
No
|
|
Individual
accounts |
✔
|
|
|
Joint
accounts |
✔
|
|
|
UGMA/UTMA
accounts |
✔
|
|
|
Trust
accounts over which the shareholder has individual or shared authority |
✔
|
|
|
Solely
owned business accounts |
✔
|
|
|
Traditional
and Roth IRAs |
✔
|
|
|
SEP
IRAs |
✔
|
|
|
SIMPLE
IRAs1 |
✔
|
|
|
Group
Retirement Plans |
|
✔
|
| 1. |
SIMPLE
IRAs established using Wells Fargo Funds plan agreements may aggregate at the plan level for purposes of establishing eligibility for
sales charge reductions. When plan assets in a Fund’s Class A and Class C shares (excluding Wells Fargo money market fund shares)
reach a breakpoint level, all plan participants benefit
from the reduced sales charge on subsequent purchases in the plan. However, participant accounts
in these plans cannot be aggregated with personal accounts to further reduce sales charges. Other types of SIMPLE IRAs may not aggregate
at the plan level for purposes of establishing eligibility for sales charge reductions on subsequent purchases in the plan but plan participants
may aggregate their SIMPLE IRA accounts with other personal accounts in order to benefit from sales charge reductions. |
Based
on the above chart, if you believe that you own shares in one or more accounts that can be aggregated with your
current purchase to reach a sales charge breakpoint level, you must, at the time of your purchase specifically identify
those shares to your financial professional or the Fund’s transfer agent. Only balances currently held entirely
either in accounts with the Funds or, if held in an account through an intermediary, at the same firm through
which you are making your current purchase, will be eligible to be aggregated with your current purchase for
determining your Class A sales charge. For an account to qualify for a sales charge reduction, it must be registered
in the name of, or held for, the shareholder, his or her spouse or domestic partner, as recognized by applicable
state law, or his or her children under the age of 21. Class A shares purchased at NAV will not be aggregated
with other shares for purposes of receiving a sales charge reduction.
Front-End
Sales Charge Waivers
If
you fall into any of the following categories, you can buy Class A shares without a front-end sales charge:
| ■ |
You
pay no sales charges on Fund shares you buy with reinvested distributions. |
| ■ |
You
pay no sales charges on Fund shares you purchase with the proceeds of a redemption of Class A shares of the
same Fund within 90 days of the date of redemption. The purchase must be made back into the same account.
Subject to the Fund’s policy regarding frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares, you may not |
|
be
able to exercise this provision for the first 30 days after your redemption. Systematic transactions through the
automatic investment plan, the automatic exchange plan and the systematic withdrawal plan are excluded from
these provisions. |
| ■ |
Current
and retired employees, directors/trustees and officers of: |
| • |
Wells
Fargo Funds (including any predecessor funds); |
| • |
Wells
Fargo & Company and its affiliates; and |
| • |
family
members (spouse, domestic partner, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings (including
step and in-law)) of any of the foregoing. |
| • |
the
Fund’s transfer agent; |
| • |
broker-dealers
who act as selling agents; |
| • |
family
members (spouse, domestic partner, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings (including
step and in-law)) of any of the foregoing; and |
| • |
a
Fund’s sub-adviser(s), but only for the Fund(s) for which such sub-adviser provides investment advisory services. |
| ■ |
Qualified
registered investment advisers who buy through an intermediary who has entered into an agreement with
the Fund’s distributor that allows for load-waived Class A purchases. |
| ■ |
Insurance
company separate accounts. |
| ■ |
Funds
of Funds, subject to review and approval by Funds Management. |
| ■ |
Group
employer-sponsored retirement and deferred compensation plans and group employer-sponsored employee
benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans. Traditional IRAs, Roth
IRAs, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, Keogh plans, individual 401(k) plans, individual 403(b) plans as well as shares
held in commission-based broker-dealer accounts do not qualify under this waiver. |
| ■ |
Investors
who purchase shares that are to be included in certain “wrap accounts,” including such specified investors
who trade through an omnibus account maintained with a Fund by an intermediary. |
| ■ |
Investors
who purchase shares through a self-directed brokerage account program offered by an intermediary that
has entered into an agreement with the Fund’s distributor. Intermediaries offering such programs may or may
not charge transaction fees. |
| ■ |
Investors
opening IRA accounts with assets directly transferred from a qualified retirement plan using Wells Fargo
Institutional Retirement Trust or another Wells Fargo affiliate for recordkeeping services. For such IRAs to qualify,
a Wells Fargo-affiliated entity must hold the account directly on the books of the Fund’s transfer agent, and
the services of another intermediary may not be utilized with respect to the IRA. |
CDSC
Waivers
| ■ |
You
will not be assessed a CDSC on Fund shares you redeem that were purchased with reinvested distributions. |
| ■ |
We
waive the CDSC for all redemptions made because of scheduled (Internal Revenue Code Section 72(t)(2) withdrawal
schedule) or required minimum distributions (withdrawals generally made after age 70½ for shareholders
that reached age 70½ on or before December 31, 2019 and withdrawals generally made after age 72 for shareholders
that reach age 70½ after December 31, 2019 according to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines)
from traditional IRAs and certain other retirement plans. (See your retirement plan information for details or
contact your retirement plan administrator.) |
| ■ |
We
waive the CDSC for redemptions made in the event of the last surviving shareholder’s death or for a disability
suffered after purchasing shares. (“Disabled” is defined in Internal Revenue Code Section 72(m)(7).) |
| ■ |
We
waive the CDSC for redemptions made at the direction of Funds Management in order to, for example, complete
a merger or effect a Fund liquidation. |
| ■ |
We
waive the CDSC for Class C shares redeemed by employer-sponsored retirement plans where the dealer of record
waived its commission at the time of purchase. |
Compensation
to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
Distribution
Plan
Each Fund
has adopted a distribution plan (12b-1 Plan) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), for the classes indicated below. The 12b-1 Plan authorizes the Fund to make payments
for services and activities that are primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares and to reimburse
expenses incurred in connection with such services and activities. The 12b-1 Plan provides that, to the extent
any shareholder servicing payments are deemed to be payments for the financing of any activity primarily
intended
to result in the sale of Fund shares, such payments are deemed to have been approved under the 12b-1 Plan.
Under the 12b-1 Plan, fees are paid up to the following amounts:
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
C |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.75%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.75%
|
These
fees are paid out of the relevant Class’s assets on an ongoing basis. Over time, these fees will increase the cost
of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.
Shareholder
Servicing Plan
Each Fund
has adopted a shareholder servicing plan (“Servicing Plan”). The Servicing Plan authorizes the Fund to enter
into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, manager, or any of their affiliates to provide or engage other entities
to provide certain shareholder services, including establishing and maintaining shareholder accounts, processing
and verifying purchase, redemption and exchange transactions,
and providing such other shareholder liaison or related
services as may reasonably be requested. Under the Servicing Plan, fees are paid up to the following
amounts:
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
A |
Class
C |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.25%
|
0.25%
|
Additional
Payments to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
In
addition to dealer reallowances and payments made by certain classes of each
Fund for distribution and shareholder servicing, the
Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates make additional payments (“Additional
Payments”) to certain financial professionals and intermediaries for selling shares and providing shareholder
services, which include broker-dealers and 401(k) service providers and record keepers. These Additional
Payments, which may be significant, are paid by the Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates, out
of their revenues, which generally come directly or indirectly from Fund fees.
In
return for these Additional Payments, each Fund’s
manager and distributor expect the Fund to receive certain marketing
or servicing considerations that are not generally available to mutual funds whose sponsors do not make
such payments. Such considerations are expected to include, without limitation, placement of the Fund on a list
of mutual funds offered as investment options to the intermediary’s clients (sometimes referred to as “Shelf Space”);
access to the intermediary’s financial professionals; and/or the ability to assist in training and educating the
intermediary’s financial professionals.
The
Additional Payments may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and a financial professional
or intermediary who is recommending or making available a particular mutual fund over other mutual funds.
Before investing, you should consult with your financial professional and review carefully any disclosure by the
intermediary as to what compensation the intermediary receives from mutual fund sponsors, as well as how your
financial professional is compensated.
The
Additional Payments are typically paid in fixed dollar amounts, based on the number of customer accounts maintained
by an intermediary, or based on a percentage of sales and/or assets under management, or a combination
of the above. The Additional Payments are either up-front or ongoing or both and differ among intermediaries.
In a given year, Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on its customers’
assets typically range between 0.02% and 0.25% of assets invested in a Fund by the intermediary’s customers.
Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on a percentage of sales typically range
between 0.10% and 0.25% of the gross sales of a Fund attributable to the financial intermediary.
More
information on the FINRA member firms that have received the Additional Payments described in this section
is available in the Statement of Additional Information, which is on file with the SEC and is also available on the
Wells Fargo Funds website at wfam.com.
Buying
and Selling Fund Shares
For
more information regarding buying and selling Fund shares, please visit wfam.com. You may buy (purchase) and
sell (redeem) Fund shares as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Opening
an Account |
Adding
to an Account or Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Through
Your Financial Professional |
Contact
your financial professional.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your account with your
intermediary. |
Contact
your financial professional.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your account with your
intermediary. |
|
Through
Your Retirement Plan |
Contact
your retirement plan administrator.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your retirement plan
account. |
Contact
your retirement plan administrator.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your retirement plan
account. |
|
Online
|
New
accounts cannot be opened online. Contact your financial
professional or retirement plan administrator, or refer
to the section on opening an account by mail.
|
Visit
wfam.com.
Online transactions are limited
to a maximum of $100,000. You may be eligible for
an exception to this maximum. Please call Investor Services
at 1-800-222-8222 for more information. |
|
By
Telephone |
Call
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222.
Available
only if you have another Wells Fargo Fund account with
your bank information on file. |
Call
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222.
Redemption
requests may not be made by phone if the address on your
account was changed in the last 15 days. In this event,
you must request your redemption by mail. For
joint accounts, telephone requests generally require
only one of the account owners to call unless you have
instructed us otherwise. |
|
By
Mail |
Complete
an account application and submit it according
to the instructions on the application.
Account
applications are available online at wfam.com or by calling
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222. |
Send
the items required under “Requests in Good
Order” below to:
Regular
Mail Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Overnight
Only Wells Fargo Funds 430
W 7th Street STE 219967 Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
|
Requests
in “Good Order”. All purchase and
redemption requests must be received in “good order.” This means that
a request generally must include:
| ■ |
The
Fund name(s), share class(es) and account number(s); |
| ■ |
The
amount (in dollars or shares) and type (purchase or redemption) of the request; |
| ■ |
If
by mail, the signature of each registered owner as it appears in the account application; |
| ■ |
For
purchase requests, payment of the full amount of the purchase request (see “Payment” below); |
| ■ |
For
redemption requests, a Medallion Guarantee if required (see “Medallion Guarantee” below); and |
| ■ |
Any
supporting legal documentation that may be required. |
Purchase
and redemption requests in good order will be processed at the next NAV calculated after the Fund’s transfer
agent or an authorized intermediary1
receives your request. If your request is not received in good order, additional
documentation may be required to process your transaction. We reserve the right to waive any of the above
requirements.
| 1. |
The
Fund’s shares may be purchased through an intermediary that has entered into a dealer agreement with the Fund’s distributor.
The Fund has approved the acceptance of a purchase or
redemption request effective as of the time of its receipt by such an authorized intermediary
or its designee, as long as the request is received by one of those entities prior to the Fund’s closing time. These intermediaries
may charge transaction fees. We reserve the right to
adjust the closing time in certain circumstances. |
Medallion
Guarantee. A Medallion Guarantee is only required
for a mailed redemption request under the following circumstances:
(1) if the address on your account was changed within the last 15 days; (2) if the amount of the redemption
request exceeds $100,000 and is to be paid to a bank account that is not currently on file with Wells Fargo
Funds or if all of the owners of your Wells Fargo Fund account are not included in the registration of the bank
account provided; or (3) if the redemption request proceeds are to be paid to a third party. You can get a Medallion
Guarantee at a financial institution such as a bank or brokerage house. We do not accept notarized signatures.
Payment.
Payment for Fund shares may be made as follows:
|
|
|
By
Wire |
Purchases
into a new or existing account may be funded by using the following wire instructions:
State
Street Bank & Trust Boston, MA Bank
Routing Number: ABA 011000028 Wire Purchase Account:
9905-437-1 Attention: Wells Fargo Funds (Name
of Fund, Account Number and any applicable share class) Account
Name: Provide your name as registered on the Fund account or as included in your
account application. |
|
By
Check |
Make
checks payable to Wells Fargo Funds. |
|
By
Exchange |
Identify
an identically registered Wells Fargo Fund account from which you wish to exchange
(see “Exchanging Fund Shares” below for restrictions on exchanges). |
|
By
Electronic Funds Transfer (“EFT”)
|
Additional
purchases for existing accounts may be funded by EFT using your linked bank
account. |
All
payments must be in U.S. dollars, and all checks and EFTs must be drawn on U.S. banks. You will be charged a $25.00
fee for every check or EFT that is returned to us as unpaid.
Form
of Redemption Proceeds. You may request that your
redemption proceeds be sent to you by check, by EFT into
a linked bank account, or by wire to a linked bank account. Please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 regarding
the requirements for linking bank accounts or for wiring funds. Under normal circumstances, we expect to
meet redemption requests either by using uninvested cash or cash equivalents or by using the proceeds from the
sale of portfolio securities, at the discretion of the portfolio manager(s). The Wells Fargo Funds may also borrow
through a bank line of credit for the purpose of meeting redemption requests, although we do not expect to
draw funds from this source on a regular basis. In lieu of making cash payments, we reserve the right to determine
in our sole discretion, including under stressed market conditions, whether to satisfy one or more redemption
requests by making payments in securities. In such cases, we may meet all or part of a redemption request
by making payment in securities equal in value to the amount of the redemption payable to you as permitted
under the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder, in which case the redeeming shareholder should expect to
incur transaction costs upon the disposition of any securities received.
Timing
of Redemption Proceeds. We normally will send out
redemption proceeds within one business day after we
accept your request to redeem. We reserve the right to delay payment for up to seven days. If you wish to redeem
shares purchased by check, by EFT or through the Automatic Investment Plan within seven days of purchase,
you may be asked to resubmit your redemption request if your payment has not yet cleared. Payment of redemption
proceeds may be delayed for longer than seven days under extraordinary circumstances or as permitted
by the SEC in order to protect remaining shareholders. Such extraordinary circumstances are discussed further
in the Statement of Additional Information.
Retirement
Plans and Other Products. If you purchased shares
through a packaged investment product or retirement
plan, read the directions for redeeming shares provided by the product or plan. There may be special requirements
that supersede or are in addition to the requirements in this Prospectus.
Exchanging
Fund Shares
Exchanges
between two funds involve two transactions: (1) the redemption of shares of one fund; and (2) the purchase
of shares of another. In general, the same rules and procedures described under “Buying and Selling Fund Shares”
apply to exchanges. There are, however, additional policies and considerations you should keep in mind while
making or considering an exchange:
| ■ |
In
general, exchanges may be made between like share classes of any fund in the Wells Fargo Funds complex offered
to the general public for investment (i.e., a fund not closed to new accounts), with the following exceptions:
(1) Class A shares of non-money market funds may also be exchanged for Service Class shares of any retail or
government money market fund; (2) Service Class shares may be exchanged for Class A shares of any non-money
market fund; and (3) no exchanges are allowed into institutional money market funds. |
| ■ |
If
you make an exchange between Class A shares of a money market fund or Class A2 or Class A shares of a non-money
market fund, you will buy the shares at the public offering price of the new fund, unless you are otherwise eligible
to buy shares at NAV. |
| ■ |
Same-fund
exchanges between share classes are permitted subject to the following conditions: (1) the shareholder
must meet the eligibility guidelines of the class being purchased in the exchange; (2) exchanges out of Class
A and Class C shares would not be allowed if shares are subject to a CDSC; and (3) for non-money market funds,
in order to exchange into Class A shares, the shareholder must be able to qualify to purchase Class A shares
at NAV based on current Prospectus guidelines. |
| ■ |
An
exchange request will be processed on the same business day, provided that both funds are open at the time the
request is received. If one or both funds are closed, the exchange will be processed on the following business day. |
| ■ |
You
should carefully read the Prospectus for the Fund into which you wish to exchange. |
| ■ |
Every
exchange involves redeeming fund shares, which may produce a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an initial investment into a fund through an exchange, you must exchange at least the minimum
initial investment amount for the new fund, unless your balance has fallen below that amount due to investment
performance. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an additional investment into a fund that you already own through an exchange, you must exchange
at least the minimum subsequent investment amount for the fund you are exchanging into. |
| ■ |
Class
C share exchanges will not trigger a CDSC. The new shares received in the exchange will continue to age according
to the original shares’ CDSC schedule and will be charged the CDSC applicable to the original shares upon
redemption. |
Generally,
we will notify you at least 60 days in advance of any changes in the above exchange policies.
Frequent
Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Wells
Fargo Funds reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange order for any reason. If a shareholder redeems
$20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction) from a Covered Fund, that
shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including purchases that are part of an exchange
transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption.
Excessive
trading by Fund shareholders can negatively impact a Fund and its long-term shareholders in several ways,
including disrupting Fund investment strategies, increasing transaction costs, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting
the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Excessive trading in Fund shares can negatively impact
a Fund’s long-term performance by requiring it to maintain more assets in cash or to liquidate portfolio holdings
at a disadvantageous time. Certain Funds may be more susceptible than others to these negative effects. For
example, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments in non-U.S. securities may be more susceptible
than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities resulting from pricing variations due to time zone differences
across international financial markets. Similarly, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments
in small company securities may be more susceptible than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities due
to the less liquid nature of small company securities. Both types of Funds also may incur higher transaction
costs
in liquidating portfolio holdings to meet excessive redemption levels. Fair value pricing may reduce these arbitrage
opportunities, thereby reducing some of the negative effects of excessive trading.
Wells
Fargo Funds, other than the Adjustable Rate Government Fund, Conservative Income Fund, Ultra Short-Term
Income Fund and Ultra Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (“Ultra-Short Funds”) and the money market
funds, (the “Covered Funds”). The
Covered Funds are not designed to serve as vehicles for frequent trading.
The Covered Funds actively discourage and take steps to prevent the portfolio disruption and negative effects
on long-term shareholders that can result from excessive trading activity by Covered Fund shareholders. The
Board has approved the Covered Funds’ policies and procedures, which provide, among other things, that Funds
Management may deem trading activity to be excessive if it determines that such trading activity would likely
be disruptive to a Covered Fund by increasing expenses or lowering returns. In this regard, the Covered Funds
take steps to avoid accommodating frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by Covered Fund shareholders.
Funds Management monitors available shareholder trading information across all Covered Funds on a
daily basis. If a shareholder redeems $20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction)
from a Covered Fund, that shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including
purchases that are part of an exchange transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption. This policy
does not apply to:
| ■ |
Dividend
reinvestments; |
| ■ |
Systematic
investments or exchanges where the financial intermediary maintaining the shareholder account identifies
the transaction as a systematic redemption or purchase at the time of the transaction; |
| ■ |
Rebalancing
transactions within certain asset allocation or “wrap” programs where the financial intermediary maintaining
a shareholder account is able to identify the transaction as part of an asset allocation program approved
by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Transactions
initiated by a “fund of funds” or Section 529 Plan into an underlying fund investment; |
| ■ |
Permitted
exchanges between share classes of the same Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
transactions involving participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, including: participant withdrawals
due to mandatory distributions, rollovers and hardships, withdrawals of shares acquired by participants through
payroll deductions, and shares acquired or sold by a participant in connection with plan loans; and |
| ■ |
Purchases
below $20,000 (including purchases that are part of an exchange transaction). |
The
money market funds and the Ultra-Short Funds. Because
the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds are often
used for short-term investments, they are designed to accommodate more frequent purchases and redemptions
than the Covered Funds. As a result, the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not anticipate
that frequent purchases and redemptions, under normal circumstances, will have significant adverse consequences
to the money market funds or Ultra-Short Funds or their shareholders. Although the money market
funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not prohibit frequent trading, Funds Management will seek to prevent an investor
from utilizing the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds to facilitate frequent purchases and redemptions
of shares in the Covered Funds in contravention of the policies and procedures adopted by the Covered
Funds.
All
Wells Fargo Funds.
In addition, Funds Management reserves the right to accept purchases, redemptions and exchanges
made in excess of applicable trading restrictions in designated accounts held by Funds Management or its
affiliate that are used at all times exclusively for addressing operational matters related to shareholder accounts,
such as testing of account functions, and are maintained at low balances that do not exceed specified dollar
amount limitations.
In
the event that an asset allocation or “wrap” program is unable to implement the policy outlined above, Funds Management
may grant a program-level exception to this policy. A financial intermediary relying on the exception is
required to provide Funds Management with specific information regarding its program and ongoing information
about its program upon request.
A
financial intermediary through whom you may purchase shares of the Fund may independently attempt to identify
excessive trading and take steps to deter such activity. As a result, a financial intermediary may on its own limit
or permit trading activity of its customers who invest in Fund shares using standards different from the standards
used by Funds Management and discussed in this Prospectus. Funds Management may permit a financial
intermediary to enforce its own internal policies and procedures concerning frequent trading rather than the
policies set forth above in instances where Funds Management reasonably believes that the intermediary’s policies
and procedures effectively discourage disruptive trading activity. If you purchase Fund shares through a
financial
intermediary, you should contact the intermediary for more information about whether and how restrictions
or limitations on trading activity will be applied to your account.
Account
Policies
Automatic
Plans. These plans help you conveniently purchase
and/or redeem shares each month. Once you select a plan,
tell us the day of the month you would like the transaction to occur. If you do not specify a date, we will process
the transaction on or about the 25th day of the month. It generally takes about ten business days to establish
a plan once we have received your instructions and it generally takes about five business days to change or
cancel participation in a plan. We may automatically cancel your plan if the linked bank account you specified is closed,
or for other reasons. Call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 for more information.
| ■ |
Automatic
Investment Plan — With this plan, you can regularly purchase shares of a Wells Fargo Fund with money
automatically transferred from a linked bank account. |
| ■ |
Automatic
Exchange Plan — With this plan, you can regularly exchange shares of a Wells Fargo Fund you own for shares
of another Wells Fargo Fund. See the section ”Exchanging Fund Shares” of this Prospectus for the policies
that apply to exchanges. In addition, each transaction in an Automatic Exchange Plan must be for a minimum
of $100. This feature may not be available for certain types of accounts. |
| ■ |
Systematic
Withdrawal Plan — With this plan, you can regularly redeem shares and receive the proceeds by check
or by transfer to a linked bank account. To participate in this plan, you: |
| • |
must
have a Fund account valued at $10,000 or more; |
| • |
must
request a minimum redemption of $100; |
| • |
must
have your distributions reinvested; and |
| • |
may
not simultaneously participate in the Automatic Investment Plan, except for investments in a Money Market
Fund or an Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund (Ultra Short-Term Income Fund or Ultra Short-Term Municipal
Income Fund). |
| ■ |
Payroll
Direct Deposit Plan — With this plan, you may regularly transfer all or a portion of your paycheck, social security
check, military allotment, or annuity payment for investment into the Fund of your choice. |
Householding.
To help keep Fund expenses low, a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder report may be sent to shareholders
of the same household. If your household currently receives a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder
report and you would prefer to receive multiple copies, please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222
or contact your financial professional.
Retirement
Accounts. We offer a variety of retirement account
types for individuals and small businesses. There may
be special distribution requirements for a retirement account, such as required distributions or mandatory Federal
income tax withholdings. For more information about the retirement accounts listed below, including any distribution
requirements, call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222. For retirement accounts held directly with a Fund,
certain fees may apply, including an annual account maintenance fee.
The
retirement accounts available for individuals and small businesses are:
| ■ |
Individual
Retirement Accounts, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. |
| ■ |
Small
business retirement accounts, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs. |
Small
Account Redemptions. We reserve the right to redeem
accounts that have values that fall below a Fund’s minimum
initial investment amount due to shareholder redemptions (as opposed to market movement). Before doing
so, we will give you approximately 60 days to bring your account value above the Fund’s minimum initial investment
amount. Please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 or contact your financial professional for further
details.
Transaction
Authorizations. We may accept telephone, electronic,
and clearing agency transaction instructions from anyone
who represents that he or she is a shareholder and provides reasonable confirmation of his or her identity.
Neither we nor Wells Fargo Funds will be liable for any losses incurred if we follow such instructions we reasonably
believe to be genuine. For transactions through our website, we may assign personal identification numbers
(PINs) and you will need to create a login ID and password for account access. To safeguard your account, please
keep these credentials confidential. Contact us immediately if you believe there is a discrepancy on your confirmation
statement or if you believe someone has obtained unauthorized access to your online access credentials.
Identity
Verification. We are required by law to obtain from
you certain personal information that will be used to verify
your identity. If you do not provide the information, we will not be able to open your account. In the rare event
that we are unable to verify your identity as required by law, we reserve the right to redeem your account at the
current NAV of the Fund’s shares. You will be responsible for any losses, taxes, expenses, fees, or other results of
such a redemption.
Right
to Freeze Accounts, Suspend Account Services or Reject or Terminate an Investment.
We reserve the right, to the extent permitted by law
and/or regulations, to freeze any account or suspend account services when we
have received reasonable notice (written or otherwise) of a dispute between registered or beneficial account owners
or when we believe a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred. Additionally, we reserve the right to
reject any purchase or exchange request and to terminate a shareholder’s investment, including closing the shareholder’s
account.
Distributions
The
Funds, except the Large Company Value Fund, generally make distributions of any net investment income and any
realized net capital gains at least annually. The Large Company Value Fund generally makes distributions of any
net investment income quarterly and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Please note, distributions have
the effect of reducing the NAV per share by the amount distributed.
We
offer the following distribution options. To change your current option for payment of distributions, please call Investor
Services at 1-800-222-8222.
| ■ |
Automatic
Reinvestment Option—Allows you to use distributions to buy new shares of the same class of the Fund
that generated the distributions. The new shares are purchased at NAV generally on the day the distribution
is paid. This option is automatically assigned to your account unless you specify another option. |
| ■ |
Check
Payment Option—Allows you to receive distributions via checks mailed to your address of record or to another
name and address which you have specified in written instructions. A Medallion Guarantee may also be required.
If checks remain uncashed for six months or are undeliverable by the Post Office, we will reinvest the distributions
at the earliest date possible, and future distributions will be automatically reinvested. |
| ■ |
Bank
Account Payment Option—Allows you to receive distributions directly in a checking or savings account through
EFT. The bank account must be linked to your Wells Fargo Fund account. Any distribution returned to us
due to an invalid banking instruction will be sent to your address of record by check at the earliest date possible,
and future distributions will be automatically reinvested. |
| ■ |
Directed
Distribution Purchase Option—Allows you to buy shares of a different Wells Fargo Fund of the same share
class. The new shares are purchased at NAV generally on the day the distribution is paid. In order to use this
option, you need to identify the Fund and account the distributions are coming from, and the Fund and account
to which the distributions are being directed. You must meet any required minimum investment amounts in
both Funds prior to using this option. |
You
are eligible to earn distributions beginning on the business day after the Fund’s transfer agent or an authorized
intermediary receives your purchase request in good order.
Other
Information
Taxes
The
following discussion regarding federal income taxes is based on laws that were in effect as of the date of this Prospectus
and summarizes only some of the important federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and you
as a shareholder. It does not apply to foreign or tax-exempt shareholders or those holding Fund shares through
a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) Plan or IRA. This discussion is not intended as a substitute for careful
tax planning. You should consult your tax adviser about your specific tax situation. Please see the Statement
of Additional Information for additional federal income tax information.
The
Fund elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. A RIC is not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains
from investments that are distributed in a timely manner to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify
as a RIC would result in corporate level taxation, and consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution
to you as a shareholder.
We
will pass on to a Fund’s shareholders substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income and realized net capital
gains, if any. Distributions from a Fund’s ordinary income and net short-term capital gains, if any, generally will
be taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions from a Fund’s net long-term capital gains, if any, generally will
be taxable to you as long-term capital gains. If you are an individual and meet certain holding period requirements
with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income,
if any, distributed by the Fund.
Corporate
shareholders may be able to deduct a portion of their distributions when determining their taxable income.
Individual
taxpayers are subject to a maximum tax rate of 37% on ordinary income and a maximum tax rate on long-term
capital gains and qualified dividends of 20%. For U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000
if married and filing jointly), a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax will apply on “net investment income,” including
interest, dividends, and capital gains. Corporations are subject to tax on all income and gains at a tax rate of
21%. However, a RIC is not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains from investments that are distributed
in a timely manner to shareholders.
Distributions
from a Fund normally will be taxable to you when paid, whether you take distributions in cash or automatically
reinvest them in additional Fund shares. Following the end of each year, we will notify you of the federal
income tax status of your distributions for the year.
If
you buy shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a taxable distribution, your distribution will, in effect, be a taxable
return of part of your investment. Similarly, if you buy shares of a Fund when it holds appreciated securities,
you will receive a taxable return of part of your investment if and when the Fund sells the appreciated securities
and distributes the gain. The Fund has built up, or has the potential to build up, high levels of unrealized appreciation.
Your
redemptions (including redemptions in-kind) and exchanges of Fund shares ordinarily will result in a taxable capital
gain or loss, depending on the amount you receive for your shares (or are deemed to receive in the case of exchanges)
and the amount you paid (or are deemed to have paid) for them. Such capital gain or loss generally will be
long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your redeemed or exchanged Fund shares for more than one year at
the time of redemption or exchange. In certain circumstances, losses realized on the redemption or exchange of Fund
shares may be disallowed.
When
you receive a distribution from a Fund or redeem shares, you may be subject to backup withholding.
Financial
Highlights
The
following tables are intended
to help you understand a Fund’s financial performance for the past five years (or since
inception, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. Total returns represent
the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each
Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). The
information in the following tables has been
derived from the Funds’ financial statements
which have
been audited by KPMG LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along
with each Fund’s financial statements,
is also included in each Fund’s annual report,
a copy of which is available upon request.
Classic
Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Classic
Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is less than $0.005. |
| 3. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Endeavor
Select Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| |
1.Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| |
2.Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Endeavor
Select Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Large
Cap Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Large
Cap Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Amount
is more than $(0.005). |
| 2. |
Amount
is less than $0.005. |
| 3. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 4. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Large
Cap Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is less than $0.005. |
| 3. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Large
Cap Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Large
Company Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Large
Company Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
20171
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from October 31, 2016 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2017 |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. Returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
20171
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from October 31, 2016 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2017 |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. Returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Omega
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investmentloss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Omega
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment incomeloss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investmentloss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
A |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
C |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Total
return calculations do not include any sales charges. |
Appendix
A - Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Certain
Intermediaries
Merrill
Lynch
Shareholders
purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following
load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and
discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus or the SAI.
|
|
Front-end
Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and
trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares
are held for the benefit of the plan |
|
Shares
purchased by a 529 Plan (does not include 529 Plan units or 529-specific share classes or equivalents) |
|
Shares
purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program |
|
Shares
exchanged due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch
brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers
|
|
Shares
purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch’s platform
|
|
Shares
of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable) |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of
the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
|
Shares
exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales
load discounts and waivers |
|
Employees
and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members, as defined by Merrill Lynch,
which may differ from the definition of family member in the Fund prospectus |
|
Directors
or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this
prospectus |
|
Eligible
shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs
within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed
shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions
(i.e. systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill
Lynch’s account maintenance fees are not eligible for reinstatement |
|
CDSC
Waivers on A, B and C Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
|
Death
or disability of the shareholder |
|
Shares
sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus |
|
Return
of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
|
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code
|
|
Shares
sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch |
|
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement |
|
Shares
held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to certain fee
based accounts or platforms (applicable to A and C shares only) |
|
Shares
received through an exchange due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program
to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts
and waivers |
|
Front-end
load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints,
Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent |
|
Breakpoints
as described in this prospectus. |
|
|
Rights
of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in the Fund’s prospectus will
be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts (including 529 program
holdings, where applicable) within the purchaser’s household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held
at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about
such assets |
|
Letters
of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill
Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable). |
Ameriprise
Financial
Shareholders
holding Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible for the following:
|
|
Automatic
Exchange of Class C Shares Available at Ameriprise Financial |
|
Class
C shares will automatically exchange to Class A shares in the month of the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date. |
Shareholders
purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible only for the following
Class A load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers), which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in
this prospectus or the SAI.
|
|
Front-end
Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Ameriprise Financial |
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money
purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement
plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs. |
|
Shares
purchased through an Ameriprise Financial investment advisory program (if an Advisory or similar share class for such
investment advisory program is not available). |
|
Shares
purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Ameriprise Financial’s platform
(if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available). |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund
(but not any other fund within the same fund family). |
|
Shares
exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase
date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter
holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this prospectus
elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares for load-waived shares, that waiver
will also apply to such exchanges. |
|
Employees
and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members. |
|
Shares
purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b)
TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise
financial advisor and/or the advisor’s spouse, advisor’s lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather,
great grandmother, great grandfather), advisor’s lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson,
granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal
descendant. |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within
90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares
were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement). Subject to the Fund’s policy regarding
frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares, you may not be able to repurchase shares for the first 30 days
after your redemption. |
Morgan
Stanley
Effective
July 1, 2018, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional
brokerage account are eligible only for the following Class A load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers),
which may differ from and be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus or the SAI.
|
|
Front-end
Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management |
|
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money
purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans).For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans
do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans. |
|
Morgan
Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley’s account linking rules. |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund.
|
|
Shares
purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account. |
|
Class
C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are exchanged to Class A
shares or Class A2 shares, as applicable, of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s share class
exchange program. |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within
90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares
were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge. |
|
Morgan
Stanley, on your behalf, can convert Class A shares of the Wells Fargo Ultra Short-Term Income Fund and the Wells
Fargo Ultra Short-Term Municipal Income Fund to Class A2 shares of the same funds, without a sales charge and on a
tax free basis. |
Raymond
James
Effective
on or about March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James & Associates,
Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and each entity’s affiliates (“Raymond James”) platform or account,
or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered adviser for which Raymond James provides
trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end
sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may
differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or SAI.
|
|
Front-end
Sales Load Waivers on Class A shares Available at Raymond James |
|
Shares
purchased in an investment advisory program. |
|
Shares
purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions.
|
|
Employees
and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond
James. |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within
90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares
were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement). |
|
A
shareholder in the fund’s Class C shares will have their shares automatically exchanged at net asset value to Class A shares
(or the appropriate share class) of the fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the exchange is in line with
the policies and procedures of Raymond James. |
|
CDSC
Waivers on Class A and C Shares Available at Raymond James |
|
Death
or disability of the shareholder. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Return
of excess contributions from an IRA Account. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the
qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Shares
sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James. |
|
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
|
Front-end
Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation, and/or Letters of Intent |
|
Breakpoints
as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Rights
of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated
holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Raymond James. Eligible fund
family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder
notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
|
|
Letters
of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month
time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters
of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
Janney
Montgomery Scott, LLC
Effective
on or about May 1, 2020, if you purchase Fund shares through a Janney Montgomery Scott LLC (“Janney”)
brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and
contingent deferred sales charge, or back-end sales charge, waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those
disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or SAI.
|
|
Front-end
sales charge1
waivers on Class A shares available at Janney |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of
the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family). |
|
Shares
purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated
by Janney. |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within
ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed
shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e., right of reinstatement). |
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money
purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposesof this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans
do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans. |
|
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
|
Class
C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same
fund pursuant to Janney’s policies and procedures. |
|
CDSC
waivers on Class A and C shares available at Janney |
|
Shares
sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s Prospectus. |
|
Shares
purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts if the redemption is taken in or after
the year the shareholder reaches qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations. |
|
Shares
sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney. |
|
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
|
Shares
exchanged into the same share class of a different fund. |
|
Front-end
sales charge1
discounts available at Janney; breakpoints, rights of accumulation and/or letters of intent |
|
Breakpoints
as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Rights
of accumulation (“ROA”), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based
on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Janney. Eligible
fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her
financial advisor about such assets. |
|
Letters
of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month
time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney Montgomery Scott may be included in the calculation
of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
| 1. |
Also
referred to as an “initial sales charge.” |
Edward
Jones
Effective
on or after May 1, 2020, clients of Edward Jones (also referred to as “shareholders”) purchasing Fund shares
on the Edward Jones commission and fee-based platforms are eligible only for the following sales charge discounts
(also referred to as “breakpoints”) and waivers, which can differ from breakpoints and waivers described elsewhere
in this Prospectus or SAI or through another broker-dealer. In all instances, it is the shareholder’s responsibility
to inform Edward Jones at the time of purchase of any relationship, holdings of Wells Fargo Funds or
other
facts qualifying the purchaser for breakpoints or waivers. Edward Jones can ask for documentation of such circumstance.
|
|
Breakpoints
available at Edward Jones |
|
Rights
of Accumulation (ROA) The applicable sales charge
on a purchase of Class A shares is determined by taking into account all share classes (except any money
market funds and retirement plan share classes) of Wells Fargo Funds held by the shareholder or in an account grouped
by Edward Jones with other accounts for the purpose of providing certain pricing considerations (“pricing groups”). This
includes all share classes held on the Edward Jones platform and/or held on another platform. The inclusion of eligible fund
family assets in the rights of accumulation calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying his or her financial advisor
of such assets at the time of calculation. ROA is
determined by calculating the higher of cost or market value (current shares x NAV). |
|
Letter
of Intent (LOI) Through a LOI, shareholders
can receive the sales charge and breakpoint discounts for purchases shareholders intend to make
over a 13-month period from the date Edward Jones receives the LOI. The LOI is determined by calculating the higher of
cost or market value of qualifying holdings at LOI initiation in combination with the value that the shareholder intends to buy
over a 13-month period to calculate the front-end sales charge and any breakpoint discounts. Each purchase the shareholder
makes during that 13-month period will receive the sales charge and breakpoint discount that applies to the total
amount. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the LOI calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying his or
her financial advisor of such assets at the time of calculation. Purchases made before the LOI is received by Edward Jones are
not covered under the LOI and will not reduce the sales charge previously paid. Sales charges will be adjusted if LOI is not met.
|
|
Sales
charges are waived for the following shareholders and in the following situations at Edward Jones: |
|
Associates
of Edward Jones and its affiliates and their family members who are in the same pricing group (as determined by
Edward Jones under its policies and procedures) as the associate. This waiver will continue for the remainder of the associate’s
life if the associate retires from Edward Jones in good-standing. |
|
Shares
purchased in an Edward Jones fee-based program. |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment. |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redeemed shares of the same fund family so long as the following conditions are met:
1) the proceeds are from the sale of shares within 60 days of the purchase, and 2) the sale and purchase are made in the
same share class and the same account or the purchase is made in an individual retirement account with proceeds from
liquidations in a non-retirement account. |
|
Shares
exchanged into class A shares from another share class so long as the exchange is into the same fund and was initiated
at the discretion of Edward Jones. Edward Jones is responsible for any remaining CDSC due to the fund company,
if applicable. Any future purchases are subject to the applicable sales charge as disclosed in the prospectus. |
|
Exchanges
from class C shares to class A shares of the same fund, generally, in the 84th month following the anniversary of
the purchase date or earlier at the discretion of Edward Jones. |
|
If
the shareholder purchases shares that are subject to a CDSC and those shares are redeemed before the CDSC is expired, the
shareholder is responsible to pay the CDSC except in the following conditions available at Edward Jones: |
|
The
death or disability of the shareholder. |
|
Systematic
withdrawals with up to 10% per year of the account value. |
|
Return
of excess contributions from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). |
|
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts if the redemption is taken in or after
the year the shareholder reaches qualified age based on applicable IRS regulation. |
|
Shares
sold to pay Edward Jones fees or costs in such cases where the transaction is initiated by Edward Jones. |
|
Shares
exchanged in an Edward Jones fee-based program. |
|
Shares
acquired through NAV reinstatement. |
|
Other
Important Information for accounts at Edward Jones: |
|
Minimum
Purchase Amounts • $250 initial purchase
minimum • $50 subsequent purchase minimum
|
|
|
Minimum
Balances • Edward Jones has the right
to redeem at its discretion fund holdings with a balance of $250 or less. The following are examples
of accounts that are not included in this policy: o
A fee-based account held on an Edward Jones platform o
A 529 account held on an Edward Jones platform o
An account with an active systematic investment plan or letter of intent (LOI) |
|
Changing
Share Classes • At any time it deems
necessary, Edward Jones has the authority to exchange at NAV a shareholder’s holdings in a fund to Class
A shares. |
Oppenheimer
& Co., Inc.
Effective
June 1, 2020, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (“Oppenheimer”) platform
or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred
or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus
or SAI.
|
|
Front-end
Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at Oppenheimer |
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and
trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares
are held for the benefit of the plan. |
|
Shares
purchased by or through a 529 Plan. |
|
Shares
purchased through an Oppenheimer affiliated investment advisory program. |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of
the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family). |
|
Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within
90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares
were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Restatement). |
|
A
shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares exchanged at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate
share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the exchange is in line with the policies
and procedures of Oppenheimer. |
|
Employees
and registered representatives of Oppenheimer or its affiliates and their family members. |
|
Directors
or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this
Prospectus. |
|
CDSC
Waivers on A and C Shares available at Oppenheimer |
|
Death
or disability of the shareholder. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Return
of excess contributions from an IRA Account. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the
qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Shares
sold to pay Oppenheimer fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Oppenheimer. |
|
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
|
Front-end
load Discounts Available at Oppenheimer: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent |
|
Breakpoints
as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Rights
of Accumulation (ROA), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on
the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Oppenheimer. Eligible
fund family assets not held at Oppenheimer may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies
his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
Robert
W. Baird & Co.
Effective
June 15, 2020, shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Robert W. Baird & Co. (“Baird”) platform or
account will only be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC waivers)
and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.
|
|
Front-end
Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at Baird |
|
Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing share of
the same fund. |
|
Share
purchase by employees and registers representatives of Baird or its affiliate and their family members as designated
by Baird. |
|
Shares
purchase from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within
90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same accounts, and (3) redeemed shares
were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as rights of reinstatement). |
|
A
shareholder in the Funds Investor C Shares will have their share exchanged at net asset value to Investor A shares of the fund
if the shares are no longer subject to CDSC and the exchange is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird.
|
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k)
plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit
plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or
SAR-SEPs. |
|
CDSC
Waivers on A and C Shares available at Baird |
|
Shares
sold due to death or disability of the shareholder. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. |
|
Shares
bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA Account. |
|
Shares
sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age
72 as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. |
|
Shares
sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird. |
|
Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
|
Front-end
load Discounts Available at Baird: Breakpoint and/or Rights of Accumulation |
|
Breakpoints
as described in this Prospectus. |
|
Rights
of accumulations which entitles shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the
aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Baird. Eligible fund family
assets not held at Baird may be included in the rights of accumulations calculation only if the shareholder notifies his
or her financial advisor about such assets. |
|
Letters
of Intent (LOI) allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family through Baird, over
a 13-month period of time. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
More
information on a Fund is available free upon request, including
the following documents:
Statement
of Additional Information (“SAI”) Supplements
the disclosures made by this Prospectus. The SAI,
which has been filed with the SEC, is incorporated
by reference into this Prospectus and therefore
is legally part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports Provide financial and other important
information, including a discussion of the market
conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected Fund performance over the reporting period.
To
obtain copies of the above documents or for more information
about Wells Fargo Funds, contact us:
By
telephone: Individual Investors: 1-800-222-8222 Retail
Investment Professionals: 1-888-877-9275 Institutional
Investment Professionals: 1-800-260-5969 |
By
mail: Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Online: wfam.com
From
the SEC: Visit the SEC’s Public Reference
Room in Washington, DC (phone 1-202-551-8090 for
operational information for the SEC’s Public
Reference Room) or the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
To
obtain information for a fee, write or email: SEC’s
Public Reference Section 100 “F” Street,
NE Washington, DC 20549-0102 publicinfo@sec.gov
The
Wells Fargo Funds are distributed by Wells Fargo
Funds Distributor, LLC, a member of FINRA, and an
affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. |
|
|
|
©
2020 Wells Fargo & Company. All rights reserved.
|
120LCR/P101 ICA
Reg. No. 811-09253 |
|
|
|
|
Prospectus December
1, 2020 |
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
R |
|
Wells
Fargo Classic Value Fund |
EIVTX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Disciplined U.S. Core Fund |
EVSHX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Core Fund |
EGOHX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Growth Fund |
STMFX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Omega Growth Fund |
EKORX
|
Beginning
on January 1, 2021, as permitted by new regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Wells
Fargo Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports issued after this date will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically
request paper copies of the reports. Instead,
the reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, and you will be notified by mail each time
a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.
If
you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action.
You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically at any time by contacting your
financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-222-8222 or by enrolling at
wellsfargo.com/advantagedelivery.
You
may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your
financial intermediary to request that you continue
to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Fund,
you can call 1-800-222-8222. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Wells Fargo Funds held in your account with your
financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, to all Wells Fargo Funds that you hold.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy
or adequacy of this Prospectus. Anyone who tells you
otherwise is committing a crime.
Fund
shares are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., its affiliates or any other depository institution.
Fund shares are not insured or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency and may lose value.
Classic
Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.25%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.50%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.44%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.08)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.36%
for Class R. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$138
|
|
3
Years |
$448
|
|
5
Years |
$779
|
|
10
Years |
$1,717
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+13.20%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.61%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -11.18%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R |
3/1/2013
|
32.07%
|
8.70%
|
11.42%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Intrinsic Value Fund.
|
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares,
adjusted to reflect the higher expenses applicable to
Class R shares. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R shares also are generally available
only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class
R shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.35%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.25%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.51%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.11%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
0.00%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.12%
for Class R. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$113
|
|
3
Years |
$353
|
|
5
Years |
$612
|
|
10
Years |
$1,352
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 50%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+13.02%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-14.69%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 3.67%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R |
9/30/2015
|
28.26%
|
9.83%
|
12.43%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Enhanced S&P
500 Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Administrator Class shares, adjusted
to reflect the higher expenses applicable to the Class R shares. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Justin
P. Carr, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA, Portfolio Manager
/ 2019 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R shares also are generally available
only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class
R shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.25%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.53%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.47%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.14)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.33%
for Class R. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$135
|
|
3
Years |
$451
|
|
5
Years |
$789
|
|
10
Years |
$1,745
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 28%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+15.09%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-17.22%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -5.22%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R |
9/30/2015
|
27.34%
|
9.00%
|
12.17%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Golden Large Cap Core
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Administrator Class shares,
adjusted to reflect the higher expenses applicable
to the Class R shares. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
John
R. Campbell, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2015 Vince
Fioramonti, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2019
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R shares also are generally available
only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class
R shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.25%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.49%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.43%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.11)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.32%
for Class R. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$134
|
|
3
Years |
$442
|
|
5
Years |
$771
|
|
10
Years |
$1,704
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+17.86%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.46%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 21.10%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R |
6/15/2012
|
32.35%
|
12.27%
|
13.39%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the former Investor Class shares, adjusted
to reflect the higher expenses applicable to the Class R shares. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2005
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R shares also are generally available
only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class
R shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Omega
Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.78%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.25%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.50%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.53%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
0.00%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.55%
for Class R. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$156
|
|
3
Years |
$483
|
|
5
Years |
$834
|
|
10
Years |
$1,824
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 23%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause
the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+19.21%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-19.47%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 23.16%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R |
10/10/2003
|
36.36%
|
12.90%
|
13.38%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Omega Fund.
|
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R shares also are generally available
only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class
R shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Details
About the Funds
Classic
Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments |
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Omega
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Description
of Principal Investment Risks
Understanding
the risks involved in fund investing will help you make an informed decision that takes into account your
risk tolerance and preferences. The risks that are most likely to have a material effect on a particular Funds as
a whole are called “principal risks.”
The principal risks for each Funds
have been previously identified and are described below
(in alphabetical order). Additional information about the principal risks is included in the Statement
of Additional Information.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, presents risks different from,
and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives
can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the derivatives’ underlying assets,
indexes or rates and the derivatives themselves, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivatives.
These risks are heightened when derivatives are used to enhance a Fund’s return or as a substitute for a
position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or mitigate) the risk of a position or security held by the Fund. The
success of a derivative strategy will be affected by the portfolio manager’s ability to assess and predict market or
economic developments and their impact on the derivatives’ underlying assets, indexes or reference rates, as well
as the derivatives themselves. Certain derivative instruments may become illiquid and, as a result, may be difficult
to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be appropriate to do so. Certain derivatives create leverage,
which can magnify the impact of a decline in the value of their underlying assets, indexes or reference rates,
and increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value. Certain derivatives (e.g., over-the-counter swaps) are also
subject to the risk that the counterparty to the derivative contract will be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations, which may cause a Fund to lose money, suffer delays or incur costs arising from holding or selling
an underlying asset. Changes in laws or regulations may make the use of derivatives more costly, may limit the
availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the use, value or performance of derivatives.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Investing in equity securities poses risks specific to an issuer, as well as to the particular
type of company issuing the equity securities. For example, investing in the equity securities of small- or mid-capitalization
companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in stocks of larger,
more-established companies. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse
issuer, market, regulatory, political, and economic developments. Negative news or a poor outlook for a particular
industry can cause the share prices of securities of companies in that industry to decline.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign companies may be subject to significantly
higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby
reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies. Foreign investments may involve exposure to changes
in foreign currency exchange rates. Such changes may reduce the U.S. dollar value of the investments. Foreign
investments may be subject to additional risks, such as potentially higher withholding and other taxes, and may
also be subject to greater trade settlement, custodial, and other operational risks than domestic investments. Certain
foreign markets may also be characterized by less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards.
Futures Contracts
Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts, which
are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit certain
characteristics, such as growth characteristics or value
characteristics, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes
in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, a Fund’s performance may at times be worse
than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or in securities that exhibit different characteristics.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected, may cause
the Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by a Fund may decline due to general market
conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities markets
are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments.
Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.
Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, government
shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public
health crises and related events have led, and in the future may lead, to economic uncertainty, decreased economic
activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets.
Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on a Fund and its investments. In addition,
economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases
the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in
other countries or regions.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies. Smaller companies may have no or relatively short operating
histories, limited financial resources or may have recently become public companies. Some of these companies
have aggressive capital structures, including high debt levels, or are involved in rapidly growing or changing
industries and/or new technologies.
Portfolio
Holdings Information
A
description of the Wells Fargo Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Wells Fargo Funds’
portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement
of Additional Information.
Pricing Fund
Shares
A Funds’ NAV
is the value of a single share. The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, although a Funds
may deviate from this calculation time under unusual or unexpected circumstances.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares
of a multiple-class Fund. The most recent NAV for each class of a Fund
is available at wfam.com. To calculate the NAV of a Funds’
shares, the Funds’ assets are valued and
totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and the balance,
called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The price
at which a purchase or redemption request is processed is based on the next NAV calculated after the request
is received in good order. Generally, NAV is not calculated, and purchase and redemption requests are not processed,
on days that the NYSE is closed for trading; however, under unusual or unexpected circumstances, a Funds
may elect to remain open even on days that the NYSE is closed or closes early. To the extent that a Funds’
assets are traded in various markets on days when the Funds
is closed, the value of the Funds’ assets
may be affected on days when you are unable to buy or
sell Funds shares. Conversely, trading in some
of a Funds’
assets may not occur on days when the Funds
is open.
With
respect to any portion of a Funds’
assets that may be invested in other mutual funds, the value of the Funds’
shares is based on the NAV of the shares of the other
mutual funds in which the Funds invests. The valuation
methods used by mutual funds in pricing their shares,
including the circumstances under which they will use fair value
pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing, are included in the prospectuses of such funds. To the extent a Funds
invests a portion of its assets in non-registered investment vehicles, the Funds’
interests in the non-registered vehicles are fair valued
at NAV.
With
respect to a Funds’
assets invested directly in securities, the Funds’
investments are generally valued at current market prices.
Equity securities, options and futures are generally valued at the official closing price or, if none,
the last reported sales price on the primary exchange or market on which they are listed (closing price). Equity
securities that are not traded primarily on an exchange are generally valued at the quoted bid price obtained
from a broker-dealer.
Debt
securities are valued at the evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing service or, if a reliable price
is not available, the quoted bid price from an independent broker-dealer.
We
are required to depart from these general valuation methods and use fair value pricing methods to determine the
values of certain investments if we believe that the closing price or the quoted bid price of a security, including a
security that trades primarily on a foreign exchange, does not accurately reflect its current market value as of the time
a Funds
calculates its NAV. The closing price or the quoted bid price of a security may not reflect its current market
value if, among other things, a significant event occurs after the closing price or quoted bid price are made available,
but before the time as of which a Funds
calculates its NAV, that materially affects the value of the security.
We use various criteria, including a systemic evaluation of U.S. market moves after the close of foreign markets,
in deciding whether a foreign security’s market price is still reliable and, if not, what fair market value to assign
to the security. In addition, we use fair value pricing to determine the value of investments in securities and other
assets, including illiquid securities, for which current market quotations or evaluated prices from a pricing service
or broker-dealer are not readily available.
The
fair value of a Funds’
securities and other assets is determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures
adopted by the Funds’ Board of Trustees.
In light of the judgment involved in making fair value decisions,
there can be no assurance that a fair value assigned to a particular security is accurate or that it reflects the
price that the Funds could obtain for such security
if it were to sell the security at the time as of which fair value
pricing is determined. Such fair value pricing may result in NAVs that are higher or lower than NAVs based on the
closing price or quoted bid price. See the Statement of Additional Information for additional details regarding the
determination of NAVs.
Management
of the Funds
The
Manager
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”), headquartered at 525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
94105, provides advisory and Fund level administrative
services to the Funds pursuant to an investment
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”).
Funds Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells
Fargo & Company, a publicly traded diversified financial services company that provides banking, insurance, investment,
mortgage and consumer financial services. Funds Management is a registered investment adviser that
provides advisory services for registered mutual funds, closed-end funds and other funds and accounts. Funds
Management is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
Funds
Management is responsible for implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds.
Funds Management’s investment professionals review
and analyze the Funds’ performance, including
relative to peer funds, and monitor the Funds’
compliance with their investment objectives and
strategies. Funds Management is responsible for reporting
to the Board on investment performance and other matters affecting the Funds.
When appropriate, Funds Management recommends to the
Board enhancements to Fund features, including changes to Fund
investment objectives, strategies and policies. Funds Management also communicates with shareholders
and intermediaries about Fund performance and features.
Funds
Management is also responsible for providing Fund-level
administrative services to the Funds, which include,
among others, providing such services in connection with the Funds’
operations; developing and implementing procedures for
monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements and compliance with the Funds’
investment objectives, policies and restrictions; and providing any other Fund-level
administrative services reasonably necessary for the
operation of the Funds, other than those services
that are provided by the Funds’ transfer
and dividend disbursing agent, custodian and fund accountant.
To
assist Funds Management in implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds,
Funds Management may contract with one or more sub-advisers
to provide day-to-day portfolio management services to
the Funds. Funds Management employs a team of investment
professionals who identify and recommend the initial
hiring of any sub-adviser and oversee and monitor the activities of any sub-adviser on an ongoing basis. Funds
Management retains overall responsibility for the investment activities of the Funds.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Management
Agreement and any applicable sub-advisory agreements
for each Funds is
available in the Funds’ Annual
report for the period ended July 31st.
For each Funds’
most recent fiscal year end, the Management Fee
paid to Funds Management pursuant to the Management
Agreement, net of any applicable waivers and reimbursements, was as follows:
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
|
As
a % of average daily net assets |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.64%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.35%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.55%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.60%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.78%
|
The
Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
The
following Sub-Adviser and Portfolio
Managers provide day-to-day portfolio management services to the Funds.
These services include making purchases and sales of securities and other investment assets for the Funds,
selecting broker-dealers, negotiating brokerage commission rates and maintaining portfolio transaction
records. The Sub-Adviser is
compensated for its services by Funds Management
from the fees Funds Management receives for its services
as investment Manager to the Funds.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional
information about the Portfolio Manager’s
compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio
Managers and the Portfolio Manager’s
ownership of securities in the Funds.
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital
Management”) is a registered investment adviser located at
525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Wells Capital Management, an affiliate of Funds Management and indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, is a multi-boutique asset management firm committed
to delivering superior investment services to institutional clients, including mutual funds. Wells Capital Management
is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
|
|
|
John
R. Campbell, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Campbell joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2006, where
he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity team.
|
|
Justin
P. Carr, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Carr joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2001, where
he currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA Large Cap Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Eberhardy joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1994,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Vince
Fioramonti, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Fioramonti joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2012,
where he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA Classic Value Fund
|
Mr.
Giaconi joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2003, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Director of Research with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA Large Cap Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Gruendyke joined Wells Capital Management in 2008, where he currently serves as
a portfolio manager on the Heritage Growth Equity team. |
|
Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA Classic Value Fund |
Mr.
Nadal joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2011, where
he currently serves as Team Leader and Senior Portfolio Manager with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA Large Cap Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Ognar joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1998, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Michael
T. Smith, CFA Omega Growth Fund |
Mr.
Smith joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2000, where
he currently serves as a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental
Growth Equity team. |
|
Christopher
J. Warner, CFA Omega Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Warner joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Fundamental Growth Equity team.
|
|
Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Wicentowski joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2016,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital
Equity team. Prior to joining Wells Capital Management, he served as a Manager
of Portfolio Research at WBI Investments, LLC. Prior to WBI Investments, Mr.
Wicentowski served as a Senior Global Strategist for the Options Strategy Group for
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. |
Multi-Manager
Arrangement
The Funds
and Funds Management have obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits Funds Management,
subject to Board approval, to select certain sub-advisers and enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements
with them, without obtaining shareholder approval. The SEC order extends to sub-advisers that are not
otherwise affiliated with Funds Management or the Funds,
as well as sub-advisers that are wholly-owned subsidiaries
of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns Funds Management. In addition, the SEC
staff,
pursuant to no-action relief, has extended multi-manager relief to any affiliated sub-adviser, such as affiliated
sub-advisers that are not wholly-owned subsidiaries of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns
Funds Management, provided certain conditions are satisfied (all such sub-advisers covered by the order or relief,
“Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers”).
As
such, Funds Management, with Board approval, may hire or replace Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers for each Fund that
is eligible to rely on the order or relief. Funds Management, subject to Board oversight, has the responsibility to
oversee Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. If a new sub-adviser
is hired for a Fund pursuant to the order or relief, the Fund is required to notify shareholders within 90 days.
The Funds are
not required to disclose the individual fees that Funds Management pays to a Multi-Manager Sub-Adviser.
Account
Information
Share
Class Eligibility
Class
R shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
The
information in this prospectus is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any non-U.S.
jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation, or which would
subject Fund shares to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country.
Share
Class Features
The
table below summarizes the key features of the share class offered through this Prospectus.
|
|
|
|
|
Class
R |
|
Initial
Sales Charge |
|
None
|
|
Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) |
|
None
|
|
Ongoing
Distribution (12b-1) Fees |
|
0.25%
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Fee |
|
0.25%
|
Compensation
to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
Distribution
Plan
Each Fund
has adopted a distribution plan (12b-1 Plan) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), for the classes indicated below. The 12b-1 Plan authorizes the Fund to make payments
for services and activities that are primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares and to reimburse
expenses incurred in connection with such services and activities. The 12b-1 Plan provides that, to the extent
any shareholder servicing payments are deemed to be payments for the financing of any activity primarily intended
to result in the sale of Fund shares, such payments are deemed to have been approved under the 12b-1 Plan.
Under the 12b-1 Plan, fees are paid up to the following amounts:
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
R |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.25%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.25%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.25%
|
These
fees are paid out of the relevant Class’s assets on an ongoing basis. Over time, these fees will increase the cost
of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.
Shareholder
Servicing Plan
Each Fund
has adopted a shareholder servicing plan (“Servicing Plan”). The Servicing Plan authorizes the Fund to enter
into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, manager, or any of their affiliates to provide or engage other entities
to provide certain shareholder services, including establishing and maintaining shareholder accounts, processing
and verifying purchase, redemption and exchange transactions,
and providing such other shareholder liaison or related
services as may reasonably be requested. Under the Servicing Plan, fees are paid up to the following
amounts:
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
R |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.25%
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
R |
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.25%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.25%
|
Additional
Payments to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
In
addition to dealer reallowances and payments made by certain classes of each
Fund for distribution and shareholder servicing, the
Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates make additional payments (“Additional
Payments”) to certain financial professionals and intermediaries for selling shares and providing shareholder
services, which include broker-dealers and 401(k) service providers and record keepers. These Additional
Payments, which may be significant, are paid by the Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates, out
of their revenues, which generally come directly or indirectly from Fund fees.
In
return for these Additional Payments, each Fund’s
manager and distributor expect the Fund to receive certain marketing
or servicing considerations that are not generally available to mutual funds whose sponsors do not make
such payments. Such considerations are expected to include, without limitation, placement of the Fund on a list
of mutual funds offered as investment options to the intermediary’s clients (sometimes referred to as “Shelf Space”);
access to the intermediary’s financial professionals; and/or the ability to assist in training and educating the
intermediary’s financial professionals.
The
Additional Payments may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and a financial professional
or intermediary who is recommending or making available a particular mutual fund over other mutual funds.
Before investing, you should consult with your financial professional and review carefully any disclosure by the
intermediary as to what compensation the intermediary receives from mutual fund sponsors, as well as how your
financial professional is compensated.
The
Additional Payments are typically paid in fixed dollar amounts, based on the number of customer accounts maintained
by an intermediary, or based on a percentage of sales and/or assets under management, or a combination
of the above. The Additional Payments are either up-front or ongoing or both and differ among intermediaries.
In a given year, Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on its customers’
assets typically range between 0.02% and 0.25% of assets invested in a Fund by the intermediary’s customers.
Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on a percentage of sales typically range
between 0.10% and 0.25% of the gross sales of a Fund attributable to the financial intermediary.
More
information on the FINRA member firms that have received the Additional Payments described in this section
is available in the Statement of Additional Information, which is on file with the SEC and is also available on the
Wells Fargo Funds website at wfam.com.
Buying
and Selling Fund Shares
Eligible
retirement plans may make Class R shares available
to plan participants by contacting certain intermediaries
that have dealer agreements with the distributor. These entities may impose transaction charges. Plan
participants may purchase shares through their retirement plan’s administrator or record-keeper by following
the process outlined in the terms of their plan.
Redemption
requests received by a retirement plan’s administrator or record-keeper from the plan’s participants will
be processed according to the terms of the plan’s account with its intermediary. Plan participants should follow
the process for selling fund shares outlined in the terms of their plan.
Requests
in “Good Order”. All purchase and
redemption requests must be received in “good order.” This means that
a request generally must include:
| ■ |
The
Fund name(s), share class(es) and account number(s); |
| ■ |
The
amount (in dollars or shares) and type (purchase or redemption) of the request; |
| ■ |
For
purchase requests, payment of the full amount of the purchase request; and |
| ■ |
Any
supporting legal documentation that may be required. |
Purchase
and redemption requests in good order will be processed at the next NAV calculated after the Fund’s transfer
agent or an authorized intermediary1
receives your request. If your request is not received in good order,
additional
documentation may be required to process your transaction. We reserve the right to waive any of the above
requirements.
| 1. |
The
Fund’s shares may be purchased through an intermediary that has entered into a dealer agreement with the Fund’s distributor.
The Fund has approved the acceptance of a purchase or
redemption request effective as of the time of its receipt by such an authorized intermediary
or its designee, as long as the request is received by one of those entities prior to the Fund’s closing time. These intermediaries
may charge transaction fees. We reserve the right to
adjust the closing time in certain circumstances. |
Timing
of Redemption Proceeds. We normally will send out
redemption proceeds within one business day after we
accept your request to redeem. We reserve the right to delay payment for up to seven days. Payment of redemption
proceeds may be delayed for longer than seven days under extraordinary circumstances or as permitted
by the SEC in order to protect remaining shareholders. Such extraordinary circumstances are discussed further
in the Statement of Additional Information.
Exchanging
Fund Shares
Exchanges
between two funds involve two transactions: (1) the redemption of shares of one fund; and (2) the purchase
of shares of another. In general, the same rules and procedures described under “Buying and Selling Fund Shares”
apply to exchanges. There are, however, additional policies and considerations you should keep in mind while
making or considering an exchange:
| ■ |
In
general, exchanges may be made between like share classes of any fund in the Wells Fargo Funds complex offered
to the general public for investment (i.e., a fund not closed to new accounts), with the following exceptions:
(1) Class A shares of non-money market funds may also be exchanged for Service Class shares of any retail or
government money market fund; (2) Service Class shares may be exchanged for Class A shares of any non-money
market fund; and (3) no exchanges are allowed into institutional money market funds. |
| ■ |
If
you make an exchange between Class A shares of a money market fund or Class A2 or Class A shares of a non-money
market fund, you will buy the shares at the public offering price of the new fund, unless you are otherwise eligible
to buy shares at NAV. |
| ■ |
Same-fund
exchanges between share classes are permitted subject to the following conditions: (1) the shareholder
must meet the eligibility guidelines of the class being purchased in the exchange; (2) exchanges out of Class
A and Class C shares would not be allowed if shares are subject to a CDSC; and (3) for non-money market funds,
in order to exchange into Class A shares, the shareholder must be able to qualify to purchase Class A shares
at NAV based on current Prospectus guidelines. |
| ■ |
An
exchange request will be processed on the same business day, provided that both funds are open at the time the
request is received. If one or both funds are closed, the exchange will be processed on the following business day. |
| ■ |
You
should carefully read the Prospectus for the Fund into which you wish to exchange. |
| ■ |
Every
exchange involves redeeming fund shares, which may produce a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an initial investment into a fund through an exchange, you must exchange at least the minimum
initial investment amount for the new fund, unless your balance has fallen below that amount due to investment
performance. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an additional investment into a fund that you already own through an exchange, you must exchange
at least the minimum subsequent investment amount for the fund you are exchanging into. |
| ■ |
Class
C share exchanges will not trigger a CDSC. The new shares received in the exchange will continue to age according
to the original shares’ CDSC schedule and will be charged the CDSC applicable to the original shares upon
redemption. |
Generally,
we will notify you at least 60 days in advance of any changes in the above exchange policies.
Frequent
Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Wells
Fargo Funds reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange order for any reason. If a shareholder redeems
$20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction) from a Covered Fund, that
shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including purchases that are part of an exchange
transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption.
Excessive
trading by Fund shareholders can negatively impact a Fund and its long-term shareholders in several ways,
including disrupting Fund investment strategies, increasing transaction costs, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting
the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Excessive trading in Fund shares can negatively impact
a Fund’s long-term performance by requiring it to maintain more assets in cash or to liquidate portfolio holdings
at a disadvantageous time. Certain Funds may be more susceptible than others to these negative effects. For
example, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments in non-U.S. securities may be more susceptible
than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities resulting from pricing variations due to time zone differences
across international financial markets. Similarly, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments
in small company securities may be more susceptible than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities due
to the less liquid nature of small company securities. Both types of Funds also may incur higher transaction costs
in liquidating portfolio holdings to meet excessive redemption levels. Fair value pricing may reduce these arbitrage
opportunities, thereby reducing some of the negative effects of excessive trading.
Wells
Fargo Funds, other than the Adjustable Rate Government Fund, Conservative Income Fund, Ultra Short-Term
Income Fund and Ultra Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (“Ultra-Short Funds”) and the money market
funds, (the “Covered Funds”). The
Covered Funds are not designed to serve as vehicles for frequent trading.
The Covered Funds actively discourage and take steps to prevent the portfolio disruption and negative effects
on long-term shareholders that can result from excessive trading activity by Covered Fund shareholders. The
Board has approved the Covered Funds’ policies and procedures, which provide, among other things, that Funds
Management may deem trading activity to be excessive if it determines that such trading activity would likely
be disruptive to a Covered Fund by increasing expenses or lowering returns. In this regard, the Covered Funds
take steps to avoid accommodating frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by Covered Fund shareholders.
Funds Management monitors available shareholder trading information across all Covered Funds on a
daily basis. If a shareholder redeems $20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction)
from a Covered Fund, that shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including
purchases that are part of an exchange transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption. This policy
does not apply to:
| ■ |
Dividend
reinvestments; |
| ■ |
Systematic
investments or exchanges where the financial intermediary maintaining the shareholder account identifies
the transaction as a systematic redemption or purchase at the time of the transaction; |
| ■ |
Rebalancing
transactions within certain asset allocation or “wrap” programs where the financial intermediary maintaining
a shareholder account is able to identify the transaction as part of an asset allocation program approved
by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Transactions
initiated by a “fund of funds” or Section 529 Plan into an underlying fund investment; |
| ■ |
Permitted
exchanges between share classes of the same Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
transactions involving participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, including: participant withdrawals
due to mandatory distributions, rollovers and hardships, withdrawals of shares acquired by participants through
payroll deductions, and shares acquired or sold by a participant in connection with plan loans; and |
| ■ |
Purchases
below $20,000 (including purchases that are part of an exchange transaction). |
The
money market funds and the Ultra-Short Funds. Because
the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds are often
used for short-term investments, they are designed to accommodate more frequent purchases and redemptions
than the Covered Funds. As a result, the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not anticipate
that frequent purchases and redemptions, under normal circumstances, will have significant adverse consequences
to the money market funds or Ultra-Short Funds or their shareholders. Although the money market
funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not prohibit frequent trading, Funds Management will seek to prevent an investor
from utilizing the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds to facilitate frequent purchases and redemptions
of shares in the Covered Funds in contravention of the policies and procedures adopted by the Covered
Funds.
All
Wells Fargo Funds.
In addition, Funds Management reserves the right to accept purchases, redemptions and exchanges
made in excess of applicable trading restrictions in designated accounts held by Funds Management or its
affiliate that are used at all times exclusively for addressing operational matters related to shareholder accounts,
such as testing of account functions, and are maintained at low balances that do not exceed specified dollar
amount limitations.
In
the event that an asset allocation or “wrap” program is unable to implement the policy outlined above, Funds Management
may grant a program-level exception to this policy. A financial intermediary relying on the exception is
required to provide Funds Management with specific information regarding its program and ongoing information
about its program upon request.
A
financial intermediary through whom you may purchase shares of the Fund may independently attempt to identify
excessive trading and take steps to deter such activity. As a result, a financial intermediary may on its own limit
or permit trading activity of its customers who invest in Fund shares using standards different from the standards
used by Funds Management and discussed in this Prospectus. Funds Management may permit a financial
intermediary to enforce its own internal policies and procedures concerning frequent trading rather than the
policies set forth above in instances where Funds Management reasonably believes that the intermediary’s policies
and procedures effectively discourage disruptive trading activity. If you purchase Fund shares through a financial
intermediary, you should contact the intermediary for more information about whether and how restrictions
or limitations on trading activity will be applied to your account.
Account
Policies
Advance
Notice of Large Transactions. We strongly urge you
to make all purchases and redemptions of Fund shares
as early in the day as possible and to notify us or your intermediary at least one day in advance of transactions
in Fund shares in excess of $1 million. This will help us to manage the Funds most effectively. When you
give this advance notice, please provide your name and account number.
Householding.
To help keep Fund expenses low, a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder report may be sent to shareholders
of the same household. If your household currently receives a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder
report and you would prefer to receive multiple copies, please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222
or contact your intermediary.
Transaction
Authorizations. We may accept telephone, electronic,
and clearing agency transaction instructions from anyone
who represents that he or she is a shareholder and provides reasonable confirmation of his or her identity.
Neither we nor Wells Fargo Funds will be liable for any losses incurred if we follow such instructions we reasonably
believe to be genuine. For transactions through our website, we may assign personal identification numbers
(PINs) and you will need to create a login ID and password for account access. To safeguard your account, please
keep these credentials confidential. Contact us immediately if you believe there is a discrepancy on your confirmation
statement or if you believe someone has obtained unauthorized access to your online access credentials.
Identity
Verification. We are required by law to obtain from
you certain personal information that will be used to verify
your identity. If you do not provide the information, we will not be able to open your account. In the rare event
that we are unable to verify your identity as required by law, we reserve the right to redeem your account at the
current NAV of the Fund’s shares. You will be responsible for any losses, taxes, expenses, fees, or other results of
such a redemption.
Right
to Freeze Accounts, Suspend Account Services or Reject or Terminate an Investment.
We reserve the right, to the extent permitted by law
and/or regulations, to freeze any account or suspend account services when we
have received reasonable notice (written or otherwise) of a dispute between registered or beneficial account owners
or when we believe a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred. Additionally, we reserve the right to
reject any purchase or exchange request and to terminate a shareholder’s investment, including closing the shareholder’s
account.
Distributions
The
Funds generally make distributions of any net investment income and any realized net capital gains at least annually.
Please note, distributions have the effect of reducing the NAV per share by the amount distributed.
You
are eligible to earn distributions beginning on the business day after the Fund’s transfer agent or an authorized
intermediary receives your purchase request in good order.
Other
Information
Taxes
By
investing in the Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and
capital gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred
account. Distributions taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For
special rules concerning tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and
potential sales charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be
appropriate for you and to obtain further information, consult your tax advisor. Please see the Statement of Additional
Information for additional federal income tax information.
Financial
Highlights
The
following tables are intended
to help you understand a Fund’s financial performance for the past five years (or since
inception, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. Total returns represent
the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each
Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). The
information in the following tables has been
derived from the Funds’ financial statements
which have
been audited by KPMG LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along
with each Fund’s financial statements,
is also included in each Fund’s annual report,
a copy of which is available upon request.
Classic
Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
20161
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period fromSeptember 30, 2015 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2016. |
| 2. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 3. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Large
Cap Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
20161
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from September 30, 2015 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2016 |
| 2. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 3. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Large
Cap Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Omega
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
More
information on a Fund is available free upon request, including
the following documents:
Statement
of Additional Information (“SAI”) Supplements
the disclosures made by this Prospectus. The SAI,
which has been filed with the SEC, is incorporated
by reference into this Prospectus and therefore
is legally part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports Provide financial and other important
information, including a discussion of the market
conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected Fund performance over the reporting period.
To
obtain copies of the above documents or for more information
about Wells Fargo Funds, contact us:
By
telephone: Individual Investors: 1-800-222-8222 Retail
Investment Professionals: 1-888-877-9275 Institutional
Investment Professionals: 1-800-260-5969 |
By
mail: Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Online: wfam.com
From
the SEC: Visit the SEC’s Public Reference
Room in Washington, DC (phone 1-202-551-8090 for
operational information for the SEC’s Public
Reference Room) or the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
To
obtain information for a fee, write or email: SEC’s
Public Reference Section 100 “F” Street,
NE Washington, DC 20549-0102 publicinfo@sec.gov
The
Wells Fargo Funds are distributed by Wells Fargo
Funds Distributor, LLC, a member of FINRA, and an
affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. |
|
|
|
©
2020 Wells Fargo & Company. All rights reserved.
|
120LCNR/P107 ICA
Reg. No. 811-09253 |
|
|
|
|
Prospectus December
1, 2020 |
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
R4 |
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Growth Fund |
SLGRX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Premier Large Company Growth Fund |
EKJRX
|
Beginning
on January 1, 2021, as permitted by new regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Wells
Fargo Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports issued after this date will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically
request paper copies of the reports. Instead,
the reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, and you will be notified by mail each time
a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.
If
you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action.
You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically at any time by contacting your
financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-222-8222 or by enrolling at
wellsfargo.com/advantagedelivery.
You
may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your
financial intermediary to request that you continue
to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Fund,
you can call 1-800-222-8222. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Wells Fargo Funds held in your account with your
financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, to all Wells Fargo Funds that you hold.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy
or adequacy of this Prospectus. Anyone who tells you
otherwise is committing a crime.
Fund
shares are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., its affiliates or any other depository institution.
Fund shares are not insured or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency and may lose value.
Large
Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.21%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.90%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.10)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.80%
for Class R4. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$82
|
|
3
Years |
$277
|
|
5
Years |
$489
|
|
10
Years |
$1,099
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R4 as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.08%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.34%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 21.32%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R4 |
11/30/2012
|
33.02%
|
12.88%
|
14.00%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R4 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, adjusted
to reflect the higher expenses applicable to the Class R4 shares. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2005
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R4 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R4 shares also are generally
available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class
R4 shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R4: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum
Additional Investment Class R4: None (intermediaries
may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.66%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.20%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.86%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.06)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.80%
for Class R4. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$82
|
|
3
Years |
$268
|
|
5
Years |
$471
|
|
10
Years |
$1,055
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 45%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R4 as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.61%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-17.00%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.67%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R4 |
11/30/2012
|
33.54%
|
12.49%
|
13.76%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Large Company Growth
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R4 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, adjusted
to reflect the higher expenses applicable to the Class R4 shares. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R4 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R4 shares also are generally
available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class
R4 shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R4: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum
Additional Investment Class R4: None (intermediaries
may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Details
About the Funds
Large
Cap Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Risk Securities
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Description
of Principal Investment Risks
Understanding
the risks involved in fund investing will help you make an informed decision that takes into account your
risk tolerance and preferences. The risks that are most likely to have a material effect on a particular Fund as
a whole are called “principal risks.”
The principal risks for each Fund
have been previously identified and are described below
(in alphabetical order). Additional information about the principal risks is included in the Statement
of Additional Information.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Investing in equity securities poses risks specific to an issuer, as well as to the particular
type of company issuing the equity securities. For example, investing in the equity securities of small- or mid-capitalization
companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in stocks of larger,
more-established companies. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse
issuer, market, regulatory, political, and economic developments. Negative news or a poor outlook for a particular
industry can cause the share prices of securities of companies in that industry to decline.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign companies may be subject to significantly
higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby
reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies. Foreign investments may involve exposure to changes
in foreign currency exchange rates. Such changes may reduce the U.S. dollar value of the investments. Foreign
investments may be subject to additional risks, such as potentially higher withholding and other taxes, and may
also be subject to greater trade settlement, custodial, and other operational risks than domestic investments. Certain
foreign markets may also be characterized by less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit certain
characteristics, such as growth characteristics or value
characteristics, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes
in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, a Fund’s performance may at times be worse
than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or in securities that exhibit different characteristics.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected, may cause
the Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by a Fund may decline due to general market
conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities markets
are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments.
Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.
Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, government
shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public
health crises and related events have led, and in the future may lead, to economic uncertainty, decreased economic
activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets.
Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on a Fund and its investments. In addition,
economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases
the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in
other countries or regions.
Portfolio
Holdings Information
A
description of the Wells Fargo Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Wells Fargo Funds’
portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement
of Additional Information.
Pricing Fund
Shares
A Fund’s NAV
is the value of a single share. The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, although a Fund
may deviate from this calculation time under unusual or unexpected circumstances.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares
of a multiple-class Fund. The most recent NAV for each class of a Fund
is available at wfam.com. To calculate the NAV of a Fund’s
shares, the Fund’s assets are valued and
totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and the balance,
called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The price
at which a purchase or redemption request is processed is based on the next NAV calculated after the request
is received in good order. Generally, NAV is not calculated, and purchase and redemption requests are not processed,
on days that the NYSE is closed for trading; however, under unusual or unexpected circumstances, a Fund
may elect to remain open even on days that the NYSE is closed or closes early. To the extent that a Fund’s
assets are traded in various markets on days when the Fund
is closed, the value of the Fund’s assets
may be affected on days when you are unable to buy or
sell Fund shares. Conversely, trading in some of a Fund’s
assets may not occur on days when the Fund
is open.
With
respect to any portion of a Fund’s
assets that may be invested in other mutual funds, the value of the Fund’s
shares is based on the NAV of the shares of the other
mutual funds in which the Fund invests. The valuation
methods used by mutual funds in pricing their shares,
including the circumstances under which they will use fair value
pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing, are included in the prospectuses of such funds. To the extent a Fund
invests a portion of its assets in non-registered investment vehicles, the Fund’s
interests in the non-registered vehicles are fair valued
at NAV.
With
respect to a Fund’s
assets invested directly in securities, the Fund’s
investments are generally valued at current market prices.
Equity securities, options and futures are generally valued at the official closing price or, if none,
the last reported sales price on the primary exchange or market on which they are listed (closing price). Equity
securities that are not traded primarily on an exchange are generally valued at the quoted bid price obtained
from a broker-dealer.
Debt
securities are valued at the evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing service or, if a reliable price
is not available, the quoted bid price from an independent broker-dealer.
We
are required to depart from these general valuation methods and use fair value pricing methods to determine the
values of certain investments if we believe that the closing price or the quoted bid price of a security, including a
security that trades primarily on a foreign exchange, does not accurately reflect its current market value as of the time
a Fund
calculates its NAV. The closing price or the quoted bid price of a security may not reflect its current market
value if, among other things, a significant event occurs after the closing price or quoted bid price are made available,
but before the time as of which a Fund
calculates its NAV, that materially affects the value of the security.
We use various criteria, including a systemic evaluation of U.S. market moves after the close of foreign markets,
in deciding whether a foreign security’s market price is still reliable and, if not, what fair market value to assign
to the security. In addition, we use fair value pricing to determine the value of investments in securities and other
assets, including illiquid securities, for which current market quotations or evaluated prices from a pricing service
or broker-dealer are not readily available.
The
fair value of a Fund’s
securities and other assets is determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures
adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
In light of the judgment involved in making fair value decisions,
there can be no assurance that a fair value assigned to a particular security is accurate or that it reflects the
price that the Fund could obtain for such security
if it were to sell the security at the time as of which fair value pricing
is determined. Such fair value pricing may result in NAVs that are higher or lower than NAVs based on the closing
price or quoted bid price. See the Statement of Additional Information for additional details regarding the determination
of NAVs.
Management
of the Funds
The
Manager
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”), headquartered at 525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
94105, provides advisory and Fund-level administrative
services to the Funds pursuant to an investment
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”).
Funds Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells
Fargo & Company, a publicly traded diversified financial services company that provides banking, insurance, investment,
mortgage and consumer financial services. Funds Management is a registered investment adviser that
provides advisory services for registered mutual funds, closed-end funds and other funds and accounts. Funds
Management is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
Funds
Management is responsible for implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds.
Funds Management’s investment professionals review
and analyze the Funds’ performance, including
relative to peer funds, and monitor the Funds’
compliance with their investment objectives and
strategies. Funds Management is responsible for reporting
to the Board on investment performance and other matters affecting the Funds.
When appropriate, Funds Management recommends to the
Board enhancements to Fund features, including changes to Fund
investment objectives, strategies and policies. Funds Management also communicates with shareholders
and intermediaries about Fund performance and features.
Funds
Management is also responsible for providing Fund-level
administrative services to the Funds, which include,
among others, providing such services in connection with the Funds’
operations; developing and implementing procedures for
monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements and compliance with the Funds’
investment objectives, policies and restrictions; and providing any other Fund-level
administrative services reasonably necessary for the
operation of the Funds, other than those services
that are provided by the Funds’ transfer
and dividend disbursing agent, custodian and fund accountant.
To
assist Funds Management in implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds,
Funds Management may contract with one or more sub-advisers
to provide day-to-day portfolio management services to
the Funds. Funds Management employs a team of investment
professionals who identify and recommend the initial
hiring of any sub-adviser and oversee and monitor the activities of any sub-adviser on an ongoing basis. Funds
Management retains overall responsibility for the investment activities of the Funds.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Management
Agreement and any applicable sub-advisory agreements
for each Fund is
available in the Fund’s Annual
report for the period ended July 31st.
For each Fund’s
most recent fiscal year end, the Management Fee
paid to Funds Management pursuant to the Management
Agreement, net of any applicable waivers and reimbursements, was as follows:
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
|
As
a % of average daily net assets |
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.60%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.62%
|
The
Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
The
following Sub-Adviser and Portfolio
Managers provide day-to-day portfolio management services to the Funds.
These services include making purchases and sales of securities and other investment assets for the Funds,
selecting broker-dealers, negotiating brokerage commission rates and maintaining portfolio transaction
records. The Sub-Adviser is
compensated for its services by Funds Management
from the fees Funds Management receives for its services
as investment Manager to the Funds.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional
information about the Portfolio Managers’
compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio
Managers and the Portfolio Managers’
ownership of securities in the Funds.
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital
Management”) is a registered investment adviser located at
525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Wells Capital Management, an affiliate of Funds Management and indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, is a multi-boutique asset management firm committed
to delivering superior investment services to institutional clients, including mutual funds. Wells Capital Management
is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
|
|
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Mr.
Eberhardy joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in
1994, where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Mr.
Gruendyke joined Wells Capital Management in 2008, where he currently serves
as a portfolio manager on the Heritage Growth Equity team. |
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Mr.
Ognar joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1998,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
Multi-Manager
Arrangement
The Funds
and Funds Management have obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits Funds Management,
subject to Board approval, to select certain sub-advisers and enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements
with them, without obtaining shareholder approval. The SEC order extends to sub-advisers that are not
otherwise affiliated with Funds Management or the Funds,
as well as sub-advisers that are wholly-owned subsidiaries
of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns Funds Management. In addition, the SEC staff,
pursuant to no-action relief, has extended multi-manager relief to any affiliated sub-adviser, such as affiliated
sub-advisers that are not wholly-owned subsidiaries of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns
Funds Management, provided certain conditions are satisfied (all such sub-advisers covered by the order or relief,
“Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers”).
As
such, Funds Management, with Board approval, may hire or replace Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers for each Fund that
is eligible to rely on the order or relief. Funds Management, subject to Board oversight, has the responsibility to
oversee Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. If a new sub-adviser
is hired for a Fund pursuant to the order or relief, the Fund is required to notify shareholders within 90 days.
The Funds are
not required to disclose the individual fees that Funds Management pays to a Multi-Manager Sub-Adviser.
Account
Information
Share
Class Eligibility
Class
R4 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R4 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R4 shares generally are not available to retail accounts.
The
information in this prospectus is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any non-U.S.
jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation, or which would
subject Fund shares to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country.
Share
Class Features
The
table below summarizes the key features of the share class offered through this Prospectus.
|
|
|
|
|
Class
R4 |
|
Initial
Sales Charge |
|
None
|
|
Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) |
|
None
|
|
Ongoing
Distribution (12b-1) Fees |
|
None
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Fee |
|
0.10%
|
Compensation
to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
Shareholder
Servicing Plan
Each Fund
has adopted a shareholder servicing plan (“Servicing Plan”). The Servicing Plan authorizes the Fund to enter
into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, manager, or any of their affiliates to provide or engage other entities
to provide certain shareholder services, including establishing and maintaining shareholder accounts, processing
and verifying purchase, redemption and exchange transactions,
and providing such other shareholder liaison or related
services as may reasonably be requested. Under the Servicing Plan, fees are paid up to the following
amounts:
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
R4 |
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.10%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.10%
|
Additional
Payments to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
In
addition to dealer reallowances and payments made by certain classes of each
Fund for distribution and shareholder servicing, the
Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates make additional payments (“Additional
Payments”) to certain financial professionals and intermediaries for selling shares and providing shareholder
services, which include broker-dealers and 401(k) service providers and record keepers. These Additional
Payments, which may be significant, are paid by the Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates, out
of their revenues, which generally come directly or indirectly from Fund fees.
In
return for these Additional Payments, each Fund’s
manager and distributor expect the Fund to receive certain marketing
or servicing considerations that are not generally available to mutual funds whose sponsors do not make
such payments. Such considerations are expected to include, without limitation, placement of the Fund on a list
of mutual funds offered as investment options to the intermediary’s clients (sometimes referred to as “Shelf Space”);
access to the intermediary’s financial professionals; and/or the ability to assist in training and educating the
intermediary’s financial professionals.
The
Additional Payments may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and a financial professional
or intermediary who is recommending or making available a particular mutual fund over other mutual funds.
Before investing, you should consult with your financial professional and review carefully any disclosure by
the
intermediary as to what compensation the intermediary receives from mutual fund sponsors, as well as how your
financial professional is compensated.
The
Additional Payments are typically paid in fixed dollar amounts, based on the number of customer accounts maintained
by an intermediary, or based on a percentage of sales and/or assets under management, or a combination
of the above. The Additional Payments are either up-front or ongoing or both and differ among intermediaries.
In a given year, Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on its customers’
assets typically range between 0.02% and 0.25% of assets invested in a Fund by the intermediary’s customers.
Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on a percentage of sales typically range
between 0.10% and 0.25% of the gross sales of a Fund attributable to the financial intermediary.
More
information on the FINRA member firms that have received the Additional Payments described in this section
is available in the Statement of Additional Information, which is on file with the SEC and is also available on the
Wells Fargo Funds website at wfam.com.
Buying
and Selling Fund Shares
Eligible
retirement plans may make Class R4 shares
available to plan participants by contacting certain intermediaries
that have dealer agreements with the distributor. These entities may impose transaction charges. Plan
participants may purchase shares through their retirement plan’s administrator or record-keeper by following
the process outlined in the terms of their plan.
Redemption
requests received by a retirement plan’s administrator or record-keeper from the plan’s participants will
be processed according to the terms of the plan’s account with its intermediary. Plan participants should follow
the process for selling fund shares outlined in the terms of their plan.
Requests
in “Good Order”. All purchase and
redemption requests must be received in “good order.” This means that
a request generally must include:
| ■ |
The
Fund name(s), share class(es) and account number(s); |
| ■ |
The
amount (in dollars or shares) and type (purchase or redemption) of the request; |
| ■ |
For
purchase requests, payment of the full amount of the purchase request; and |
| ■ |
Any
supporting legal documentation that may be required. |
Purchase
and redemption requests in good order will be processed at the next NAV calculated after the Fund’s transfer
agent or an authorized intermediary1
receives your request. If your request is not received in good order, additional
documentation may be required to process your transaction. We reserve the right to waive any of the above
requirements.
| 1. |
The
Fund’s shares may be purchased through an intermediary that has entered into a dealer agreement with the Fund’s distributor.
The Fund has approved the acceptance of a purchase or
redemption request effective as of the time of its receipt by such an authorized intermediary
or its designee, as long as the request is received by one of those entities prior to the Fund’s closing time. These intermediaries
may charge transaction fees. We reserve the right to
adjust the closing time in certain circumstances. |
Timing
of Redemption Proceeds. We normally will send out
redemption proceeds within one business day after we
accept your request to redeem. We reserve the right to delay payment for up to seven days. Payment of redemption
proceeds may be delayed for longer than seven days under extraordinary circumstances or as permitted
by the SEC in order to protect remaining shareholders. Such extraordinary circumstances are discussed further
in the Statement of Additional Information.
Exchanging
Fund Shares
Exchanges
between two funds involve two transactions: (1) the redemption of shares of one fund; and (2) the purchase
of shares of another. In general, the same rules and procedures described under “Buying and Selling Fund Shares”
apply to exchanges. There are, however, additional policies and considerations you should keep in mind while
making or considering an exchange:
| ■ |
In
general, exchanges may be made between like share classes of any fund in the Wells Fargo Funds complex offered
to the general public for investment (i.e., a fund not closed to new accounts), with the following exceptions:
(1) Class A shares of non-money market funds may also be exchanged for Service Class shares of any retail or
government money market fund; (2) Service Class shares may be exchanged for Class A shares of any non-money
market fund; and (3) no exchanges are allowed into institutional money market funds. |
| ■ |
If
you make an exchange between Class A shares of a money market fund or Class A2 or Class A shares of a non-money
market fund, you will buy the shares at the public offering price of the new fund, unless you are otherwise eligible
to buy shares at NAV. |
| ■ |
Same-fund
exchanges between share classes are permitted subject to the following conditions: (1) the shareholder
must meet the eligibility guidelines of the class being purchased in the exchange; (2) exchanges out of Class
A and Class C shares would not be allowed if shares are subject to a CDSC; and (3) for non-money market funds,
in order to exchange into Class A shares, the shareholder must be able to qualify to purchase Class A shares
at NAV based on current Prospectus guidelines. |
| ■ |
An
exchange request will be processed on the same business day, provided that both funds are open at the time the
request is received. If one or both funds are closed, the exchange will be processed on the following business day. |
| ■ |
You
should carefully read the Prospectus for the Fund into which you wish to exchange. |
| ■ |
Every
exchange involves redeeming fund shares, which may produce a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an initial investment into a fund through an exchange, you must exchange at least the minimum
initial investment amount for the new fund, unless your balance has fallen below that amount due to investment
performance. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an additional investment into a fund that you already own through an exchange, you must exchange
at least the minimum subsequent investment amount for the fund you are exchanging into. |
| ■ |
Class
C share exchanges will not trigger a CDSC. The new shares received in the exchange will continue to age according
to the original shares’ CDSC schedule and will be charged the CDSC applicable to the original shares upon
redemption. |
Generally,
we will notify you at least 60 days in advance of any changes in the above exchange policies.
Frequent
Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Wells
Fargo Funds reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange order for any reason. If a shareholder redeems
$20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction) from a Covered Fund, that
shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including purchases that are part of an exchange
transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption.
Excessive
trading by Fund shareholders can negatively impact a Fund and its long-term shareholders in several ways,
including disrupting Fund investment strategies, increasing transaction costs, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting
the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Excessive trading in Fund shares can negatively impact
a Fund’s long-term performance by requiring it to maintain more assets in cash or to liquidate portfolio holdings
at a disadvantageous time. Certain Funds may be more susceptible than others to these negative effects. For
example, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments in non-U.S. securities may be more susceptible
than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities resulting from pricing variations due to time zone differences
across international financial markets. Similarly, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments
in small company securities may be more susceptible than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities due
to the less liquid nature of small company securities. Both types of Funds also may incur higher transaction costs
in liquidating portfolio holdings to meet excessive redemption levels. Fair value pricing may reduce these arbitrage
opportunities, thereby reducing some of the negative effects of excessive trading.
Wells
Fargo Funds, other than the Adjustable Rate Government Fund, Conservative Income Fund, Ultra Short-Term
Income Fund and Ultra Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (“Ultra-Short Funds”) and the money market
funds, (the “Covered Funds”). The
Covered Funds are not designed to serve as vehicles for frequent trading.
The Covered Funds actively discourage and take steps to prevent the portfolio disruption and negative effects
on long-term shareholders that can result from excessive trading activity by Covered Fund shareholders. The
Board has approved the Covered Funds’ policies and procedures, which provide, among other things, that Funds
Management may deem trading activity to be excessive if it determines that such trading activity would likely
be disruptive to a Covered Fund by increasing expenses or lowering returns. In this regard, the Covered Funds
take steps to avoid accommodating frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by Covered Fund shareholders.
Funds Management monitors available shareholder trading information across all Covered Funds on a
daily basis. If a shareholder redeems $20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction)
from a Covered Fund, that shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including
purchases that are part of an exchange transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption. This policy
does not apply to:
| ■ |
Dividend
reinvestments; |
| ■ |
Systematic
investments or exchanges where the financial intermediary maintaining the shareholder account identifies
the transaction as a systematic redemption or purchase at the time of the transaction; |
| ■ |
Rebalancing
transactions within certain asset allocation or “wrap” programs where the financial intermediary maintaining
a shareholder account is able to identify the transaction as part of an asset allocation program approved
by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Transactions
initiated by a “fund of funds” or Section 529 Plan into an underlying fund investment; |
| ■ |
Permitted
exchanges between share classes of the same Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
transactions involving participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, including: participant withdrawals
due to mandatory distributions, rollovers and hardships, withdrawals of shares acquired by participants through
payroll deductions, and shares acquired or sold by a participant in connection with plan loans; and |
| ■ |
Purchases
below $20,000 (including purchases that are part of an exchange transaction). |
The
money market funds and the Ultra-Short Funds. Because
the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds are often
used for short-term investments, they are designed to accommodate more frequent purchases and redemptions
than the Covered Funds. As a result, the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not anticipate
that frequent purchases and redemptions, under normal circumstances, will have significant adverse consequences
to the money market funds or Ultra-Short Funds or their shareholders. Although the money market
funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not prohibit frequent trading, Funds Management will seek to prevent an investor
from utilizing the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds to facilitate frequent purchases and redemptions
of shares in the Covered Funds in contravention of the policies and procedures adopted by the Covered
Funds.
All
Wells Fargo Funds.
In addition, Funds Management reserves the right to accept purchases, redemptions and exchanges
made in excess of applicable trading restrictions in designated accounts held by Funds Management or its
affiliate that are used at all times exclusively for addressing operational matters related to shareholder accounts,
such as testing of account functions, and are maintained at low balances that do not exceed specified dollar
amount limitations.
In
the event that an asset allocation or “wrap” program is unable to implement the policy outlined above, Funds Management
may grant a program-level exception to this policy. A financial intermediary relying on the exception is
required to provide Funds Management with specific information regarding its program and ongoing information
about its program upon request.
A
financial intermediary through whom you may purchase shares of the Fund may independently attempt to identify
excessive trading and take steps to deter such activity. As a result, a financial intermediary may on its own limit
or permit trading activity of its customers who invest in Fund shares using standards different from the standards
used by Funds Management and discussed in this Prospectus. Funds Management may permit a financial
intermediary to enforce its own internal policies and procedures concerning frequent trading rather than the
policies set forth above in instances where Funds Management reasonably believes that the intermediary’s policies
and procedures effectively discourage disruptive trading activity. If you purchase Fund shares through a financial
intermediary, you should contact the intermediary for more information about whether and how restrictions
or limitations on trading activity will be applied to your account.
Account
Policies
Advance
Notice of Large Transactions. We strongly urge you
to make all purchases and redemptions of Fund shares
as early in the day as possible and to notify us or your intermediary at least one day in advance of transactions
in Fund shares in excess of $1 million. This will help us to manage the Funds most effectively. When you
give this advance notice, please provide your name and account number.
Householding.
To help keep Fund expenses low, a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder report may be sent to shareholders
of the same household. If your household currently receives a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder
report and you would prefer to receive multiple copies, please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222
or contact your intermediary.
Transaction
Authorizations. We may accept telephone, electronic,
and clearing agency transaction instructions from anyone
who represents that he or she is a shareholder and provides reasonable confirmation of his or her
identity.
Neither we nor Wells Fargo Funds will be liable for any losses incurred if we follow such instructions we reasonably
believe to be genuine. For transactions through our website, we may assign personal identification numbers
(PINs) and you will need to create a login ID and password for account access. To safeguard your account, please
keep these credentials confidential. Contact us immediately if you believe there is a discrepancy on your confirmation
statement or if you believe someone has obtained unauthorized access to your online access credentials.
Identity
Verification. We are required by law to obtain from
you certain personal information that will be used to verify
your identity. If you do not provide the information, we will not be able to open your account. In the rare event
that we are unable to verify your identity as required by law, we reserve the right to redeem your account at the
current NAV of the Fund’s shares. You will be responsible for any losses, taxes, expenses, fees, or other results of
such a redemption.
Right
to Freeze Accounts, Suspend Account Services or Reject or Terminate an Investment.
We reserve the right, to the extent permitted by law
and/or regulations, to freeze any account or suspend account services when we
have received reasonable notice (written or otherwise) of a dispute between registered or beneficial account owners
or when we believe a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred. Additionally, we reserve the right to
reject any purchase or exchange request and to terminate a shareholder’s investment, including closing the shareholder’s
account.
Distributions
The
Funds generally make distributions of any net investment income and any realized net capital gains at least annually.
Please note, distributions have the effect of reducing the NAV per share by the amount distributed.
You
are eligible to earn distributions beginning on the business day after the Fund’s transfer agent or an authorized
intermediary receives your purchase request in good order.
Other
Information
Taxes
By
investing in the Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and
capital gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred
account. Distributions taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For
special rules concerning tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and
potential sales charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be
appropriate for you and to obtain further information, consult your tax advisor. Please see the Statement of Additional
Information for additional federal income tax information.
Financial
Highlights
The
following tables are intended
to help you understand a Fund’s financial performance for the past five years (or since
inception, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. Total returns represent
the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each
Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). The
information in the following tables has been
derived from the Funds’ financial statements
which have
been audited by KPMG LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along
with each Fund’s financial statements,
is also included in each Fund’s annual report,
a copy of which is available upon request.
Large
Cap Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R4 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R4 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is more than $(0.005). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
More
information on a Fund is available free upon request, including
the following documents:
Statement
of Additional Information (“SAI”) Supplements
the disclosures made by this Prospectus. The SAI,
which has been filed with the SEC, is incorporated
by reference into this Prospectus and therefore
is legally part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports Provide financial and other important
information, including a discussion of the market
conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected Fund performance over the reporting period.
To
obtain copies of the above documents or for more information
about Wells Fargo Funds, contact us:
By
telephone: Individual Investors: 1-800-222-8222 Retail
Investment Professionals: 1-888-877-9275 Institutional
Investment Professionals: 1-800-260-5969 |
By
mail: Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Online: wfam.com
From
the SEC: Visit the SEC’s Public Reference
Room in Washington, DC (phone 1-202-551-8090 for
operational information for the SEC’s Public
Reference Room) or the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
To
obtain information for a fee, write or email: SEC’s
Public Reference Section 100 “F” Street,
NE Washington, DC 20549-0102 publicinfo@sec.gov
The
Wells Fargo Funds are distributed by Wells Fargo
Funds Distributor, LLC, a member of FINRA, and an
affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. |
|
|
|
©
2020 Wells Fargo & Company. All rights reserved.
|
120LC4R/P107R4 ICA
Reg. No. 811-09253 |
|
|
|
|
Prospectus December
1, 2020 |
|
|
|
Fund
|
Class
R6 |
|
Wells
Fargo Classic Value Fund |
EIVFX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Disciplined U.S. Core Fund |
EVSRX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Endeavor Select Fund |
WECRX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Growth Fund |
SGRHX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Core Fund |
EGORX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Growth Fund |
STFFX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Company Value Fund |
WTLVX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
WLVJX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Premier Large Company Growth Fund |
EKJFX
|
Beginning
on January 1, 2021, as permitted by new regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Wells
Fargo Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports issued after this date will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically
request paper copies of the reports. Instead,
the reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, and you will be notified by mail each time
a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.
If
you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action.
You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically at any time by contacting your
financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-222-8222 or by enrolling at
wellsfargo.com/advantagedelivery.
You
may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your
financial intermediary to request that you continue
to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Fund,
you can call 1-800-222-8222. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Wells Fargo Funds held in your account with your
financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, to all Wells Fargo Funds that you hold.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy
or adequacy of this Prospectus. Anyone who tells you
otherwise is committing a crime.
Fund
shares are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., its affiliates or any other depository institution.
Fund shares are not insured or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency and may lose value.
Classic
Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.07%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.76%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.11)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.65%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$66
|
|
3
Years |
$232
|
|
5
Years |
$412
|
|
10
Years |
$932
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+13.45%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.48%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -10.94%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
11/30/2012
|
33.10%
|
9.65%
|
12.20%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010 is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Intrinsic Value Fund.
|
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of Institutional Class shares, and includes the
higher expenses applicable to Institutional Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for Class R6 shares would be
higher. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.35%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.08%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.43%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
0.00%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.43%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$44
|
|
3
Years |
$138
|
|
5
Years |
$241
|
|
10
Years |
$542
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 50%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+13.23%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-14.48%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 4.21%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
9/30/2015
|
29.15%
|
10.57%
|
13.21%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Enhanced S&P 500
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of Institutional Class shares, and includes the
higher expenses applicable to Institutional Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for Class R6 shares would be
higher. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Justin
P. Carr, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA, Portfolio Manager
/ 2019 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Endeavor
Select Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.13%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.83%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.23)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.60%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$61
|
|
3
Years |
$242
|
|
5
Years |
$438
|
|
10
Years |
$1,004
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 16%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.76%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.36%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.47%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
9/20/2019
|
39.29%
|
15.21%
|
14.63%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, and is
not adjusted to reflect the Class R6 expenses. If these expenses had been included, returns for Class R6 would be higher.
|
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Growth
Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.04%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.74%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.04)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.70%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$72
|
|
3
Years |
$233
|
|
5
Years |
$408
|
|
10
Years |
$915
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 37%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+19.81%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-17.46%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 26.39%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
9/30/2015
|
37.68%
|
13.93%
|
15.72%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance for the Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, and includes
the higher expenses applicable to the Institutional Class
shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for the Class R6 shares would
be higher. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2020 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2002
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Large
Cap Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.10%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.79%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.14)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.65%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$66
|
|
3
Years |
$238
|
|
5
Years |
$425
|
|
10
Years |
$965
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 28%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+15.25%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-17.11%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -4.67%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
9/30/2015
|
28.10%
|
10.39%
|
13.27%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Golden Large Cap Core
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, and includes
the higher expenses applicable to the Institutional Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns would be higher.
|
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
John
R. Campbell, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2015 Vince
Fioramonti, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2019
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Large
Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.06%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.75%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.10)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.65%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$66
|
|
3
Years |
$230
|
|
5
Years |
$407
|
|
10
Years |
$921
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.08%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.33%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 21.68%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
11/30/2012
|
33.24%
|
13.04%
|
14.11%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, and includes
the higher expenses applicable to the Institutional Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for the Class R6 shares
would be higher. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Funds predecessor, Evergreen Large Company Growth
Fund. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2005
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Company Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.16%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.56%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.16)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.40%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$41
|
|
3
Years |
$163
|
|
5
Years |
$297
|
|
10
Years |
$686
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 366%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+11.98%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.44%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -6.12%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
4/7/2017
|
23.08%
|
6.87%
|
9.92%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, and is
not adjusted to reflect Class R6 expenses. If these expenses had been included, returns for Class R6 shares would be higher.
|
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management,
LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.50%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.90%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.60)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.30%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$31
|
|
3
Years |
$227
|
|
5
Years |
$440
|
|
10
Years |
$1,053
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 165%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences. As of November
22, 2019, the Manager and/or its affiliates held
approximately 81.06% of the Fund’s shares
in the form of a seed capital investment intended to enable
the Fund to commence investment operations and/or achieve sufficient scale. This percentage may change over
time.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+12.21%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-8.05%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -0.25%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
Since
inception |
|
Class
R6 |
10/31/2016
|
27.46%
|
--
|
12.12%
|
|
Russell
1000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.43%
|
--
|
16.28%
|
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA,
Portfolio Manager / 2016 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.66%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.05%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.71%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.06)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.65%
for Class R6. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees,
interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if
any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$66
|
|
3
Years |
$221
|
|
5
Years |
$389
|
|
10
Years |
$877
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 45%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Class R6 as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.62%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.91%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.83%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Class
R6 |
11/30/2012
|
33.74%
|
12.67%
|
13.89%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Large Company Growth
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Class R6 shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares, and includes
the higher expenses applicable to the Institutional Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for the Class R6 shares
would be higher. |
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Class
R6 shares generally are available only to certain retirement plans, including: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, profit sharing
and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation
plans. Class R6 shares also are generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus
accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R6 shares also are available to funds of funds managed by
Funds Management. Class R6 shares generally are not available to retail accounts but may be offered through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares.
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Class R6: Eligible investors
are not subject to a minimum initial investment (intermediaries may require different minimum investment
amounts)
Minimum Additional Investment Class
R6: None (intermediaries may require different minimum additional investment amounts) |
Tax
Information
By
investing in a Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and capital
gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.
Distributions
taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For special rules concerning
tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and potential sales
charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be appropriate for
you and to obtain further information, consult your tax adviser.
Details
About the Funds
Classic
Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments |
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Endeavor
Select Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Company Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk |
■
Management
Risk
■
Regulatory
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Risk Securities
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Description
of Principal Investment Risks
Understanding
the risks involved in fund investing will help you make an informed decision that takes into account your
risk tolerance and preferences. The risks that are most likely to have a material effect on a particular Fund as
a whole are called “principal risks.”
The principal risks for each Fund
have been previously identified and are described below
(in alphabetical order). Additional information about the principal risks is included in the Statement
of Additional Information.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, presents risks different from,
and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives
can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the derivatives’ underlying assets,
indexes or rates and the derivatives themselves, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivatives.
These risks are heightened when derivatives are used to enhance a Fund’s return or as a substitute for a
position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or mitigate) the risk of a position or security held by the Fund. The
success of a derivative strategy will be affected by the portfolio manager’s ability to assess and predict market or
economic developments and their impact on the derivatives’ underlying assets, indexes or reference rates, as well
as the derivatives themselves. Certain derivative instruments may become illiquid and, as a result, may be difficult
to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be appropriate to do so. Certain derivatives create leverage,
which can magnify the impact of a decline in the value of their underlying assets, indexes or reference rates,
and increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value. Certain derivatives (e.g., over-the-counter swaps) are also
subject to the risk that the counterparty to the derivative contract will be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations, which may cause a Fund to lose money, suffer delays or incur costs arising from holding or selling
an underlying asset. Changes in laws or regulations may make the use of derivatives more costly, may limit the
availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the use, value or performance of derivatives.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Investing in equity securities poses risks specific to an issuer, as well as to the particular
type of company issuing the equity securities. For example, investing in the equity securities of small- or mid-capitalization
companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in stocks of larger,
more-established companies. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse
issuer, market, regulatory, political, and economic developments. Negative news or a poor outlook for a particular
industry can cause the share prices of securities of companies in that industry to decline.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign companies may be subject to significantly
higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby
reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies. Foreign investments may involve exposure to changes
in foreign currency exchange rates. Such changes may reduce the U.S. dollar value of the investments. Foreign
investments may be subject to additional risks, such as potentially higher withholding and other taxes, and may
also be subject to greater trade settlement, custodial, and other operational risks than domestic investments. Certain
foreign markets may also be characterized by less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards.
Futures Contracts
Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts, which
are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit certain
characteristics, such as growth characteristics or value
characteristics, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes
in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, a Fund’s performance may at times be worse
than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or in securities that exhibit different characteristics.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected, may cause
the Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by a Fund may decline due to general market
conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities markets
are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments.
Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.
Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, government
shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public
health crises and related events have led, and in the future may lead, to economic uncertainty, decreased economic
activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets.
Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on a Fund and its investments. In addition,
economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases
the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in
other countries or regions.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies. Smaller companies may have no or relatively short operating
histories, limited financial resources or may have recently become public companies. Some of these companies
have aggressive capital structures, including high debt levels, or are involved in rapidly growing or changing
industries and/or new technologies.
Portfolio
Holdings Information
A
description of the Wells Fargo Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Wells Fargo Funds’
portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement
of Additional Information.
Pricing Fund
Shares
A Fund’s NAV
is the value of a single share. The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, although a Fund
may deviate from this calculation time under unusual or unexpected circumstances.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares
of a multiple-class Fund. The most recent NAV for each class of a Fund
is available at wfam.com. To calculate the NAV of a Fund’s
shares, the Fund’s assets are valued and
totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and the balance,
called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The price
at which a purchase or redemption request is processed is based on the next NAV calculated after the request
is received in good order. Generally, NAV is not calculated, and purchase and redemption requests are not processed,
on days that the NYSE is closed for trading; however, under unusual or unexpected circumstances, a Fund
may elect to remain open even on days that the NYSE is closed or closes early. To the extent that a Fund’s
assets are traded in various markets on days when the Fund
is closed, the value of the Fund’s assets
may be affected on days when you are unable to buy or
sell Fund shares. Conversely, trading in some of a Fund’s
assets may not occur on days when the Fund
is open.
With
respect to any portion of a Fund’s
assets that may be invested in other mutual funds, the value of the Fund’s
shares is based on the NAV of the shares of the other
mutual funds in which the Fund invests. The valuation
methods used by mutual funds in pricing their shares,
including the circumstances under which they will use fair value
pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing, are included in the prospectuses of such funds. To the extent a Fund
invests a portion of its assets in non-registered investment vehicles, the Fund’s
interests in the non-registered vehicles are fair valued
at NAV.
With
respect to a Fund’s
assets invested directly in securities, the Fund’s
investments are generally valued at current market prices.
Equity securities, options and futures are generally valued at the official closing price or, if none,
the last reported sales price on the primary exchange or market on which they are listed (closing price). Equity
securities that are not traded primarily on an exchange are generally valued at the quoted bid price obtained
from a broker-dealer.
Debt
securities are valued at the evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing service or, if a reliable price
is not available, the quoted bid price from an independent broker-dealer.
We
are required to depart from these general valuation methods and use fair value pricing methods to determine the
values of certain investments if we believe that the closing price or the quoted bid price of a security, including a
security that trades primarily on a foreign exchange, does not accurately reflect its current market value as of the time
a Fund
calculates its NAV. The closing price or the quoted bid price of a security may not reflect its current market
value if, among other things, a significant event occurs after the closing price or quoted bid price are made available,
but before the time as of which a Fund
calculates its NAV, that materially affects the value of the security.
We use various criteria, including a systemic evaluation of U.S. market moves after the close of foreign markets,
in deciding whether a foreign security’s market price is still reliable and, if not, what fair market value to assign
to the security. In addition, we use fair value pricing to determine the value of investments in securities and other
assets, including illiquid securities, for which current market quotations or evaluated prices from a pricing service
or broker-dealer are not readily available.
The
fair value of a Fund’s
securities and other assets is determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures
adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
In light of the judgment involved in making fair value decisions,
there can be no assurance that a fair value assigned to a particular security is accurate or that it reflects the
price that the Fund could obtain for such security
if it were to sell the security at the time as of which fair value pricing
is determined. Such fair value pricing may result in NAVs that are higher or lower than NAVs based on the closing
price or quoted bid price. See the Statement of Additional Information for additional details regarding the determination
of NAVs.
Management
of the Funds
The
Manager
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”), headquartered at 525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
94105, provides advisory and Fund level administrative
services to the Funds pursuant to an investment
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”).
Funds Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells
Fargo & Company, a publicly traded diversified financial services company that provides banking, insurance, investment,
mortgage and consumer financial services. Funds Management is a registered investment adviser that
provides advisory services for registered mutual funds, closed-end funds and other funds and accounts. Funds
Management is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
Funds
Management is responsible for implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds.
Funds Management’s investment professionals review
and analyze the Funds’ performance, including
relative to peer funds, and monitor the Funds’
compliance with their investment objectives and
strategies. Funds Management is responsible for reporting
to the Board on investment performance and other matters affecting the Funds.
When appropriate, Funds Management recommends to the
Board enhancements to Fund features, including changes to Fund
investment objectives, strategies and policies. Funds Management also communicates with shareholders
and intermediaries about Fund performance and features.
Funds
Management is also responsible for providing Fund-level
administrative services to the Funds, which include,
among others, providing such services in connection with the Funds’
operations; developing and implementing procedures for
monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements and compliance with the Funds’
investment objectives, policies and restrictions; and providing any other Fund-level
administrative services reasonably necessary for the
operation of the Funds, other than those services
that are provided by the Funds’ transfer
and dividend disbursing agent, custodian and fund accountant.
To
assist Funds Management in implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds,
Funds Management may contract with one or more sub-advisers
to provide day-to-day portfolio management services to
the Funds. Funds Management employs a team of investment
professionals who identify and recommend the initial
hiring of any sub-adviser and oversee and monitor the activities of any sub-adviser on an ongoing basis. Funds
Management retains overall responsibility for the investment activities of the Funds.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Management
Agreement and any applicable sub-advisory agreements
for each Fund is
available in the Fund’s Annual
report for the period ended July 31st.
For each Fund’s
most recent fiscal year end, the Management Fee
paid to Funds Management pursuant to the Management
Agreement, net of any applicable waivers and reimbursements, was as follows:
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
|
As
a % of average daily net assets |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.64%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.35%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
0.48%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
0.69%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.55%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.60%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
0.24%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
0.00%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.62%
|
The
Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
The
following Sub-Adviser and Portfolio
Managers provide day-to-day portfolio management services to the Funds.
These services include making purchases and sales of securities and other investment assets for the Funds,
selecting broker-dealers, negotiating brokerage commission rates and maintaining portfolio transaction
records. The Sub-Adviser is
compensated for its services by Funds Management
from the fees Funds Management receives for its services
as investment Manager to the Funds.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional
information about the Portfolio Managers’
compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio
Managers and the Portfolio Managers’
ownership of securities in the Funds.
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital
Management”) is a registered investment adviser located at
525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Wells Capital Management, an affiliate of Funds Management and indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, is a multi-boutique asset management firm committed
to delivering superior investment services to institutional clients, including mutual funds. Wells Capital Management
is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
|
|
|
Dennis
Bein, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Bein joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1995, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors team. |
|
Ryan
Brown, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Brown joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors team. |
|
John
R. Campbell, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Campbell joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2006, where
he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity team.
|
|
Justin
P. Carr, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Carr joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2001, where
he currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
de Silva joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1995, where
he currently serves as President and Portfolio Manger for the Analytic Investors team.
|
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Eberhardy joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1994,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Vince
Fioramonti, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Fioramonti joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2012,
where he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA Classic Value Fund
|
Mr.
Giaconi joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2003, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Director of Research with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Mr.
Gruendyke joined Wells Capital Management in 2008, where he currently serves as
a portfolio manager on the Heritage Growth Equity team. |
|
Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA Classic Value Fund |
Mr.
Nadal joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2011, where
he currently serves as Team Leader and Senior Portfolio Manager with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Ognar joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1998, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Michael
T. Smith, CFA Endeavor Select Fund
|
Mr.
Smith joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2000, where
he currently serves as a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental
Growth Equity team. |
|
|
|
Christopher
J. Warner, CFA Endeavor Select Fund
|
Mr.
Warner joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Fundamental Growth Equity team.
|
|
Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Wicentowski joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2016,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital
Equity team. Prior to joining Wells Capital Management, he served as a Manager
of Portfolio Research at WBI Investments, LLC. Prior to WBI Investments, Mr.
Wicentowski served as a Senior Global Strategist for the Options Strategy Group for
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. |
Multi-Manager
Arrangement
The Funds
and Funds Management have obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits Funds Management,
subject to Board approval, to select certain sub-advisers and enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements
with them, without obtaining shareholder approval. The SEC order extends to sub-advisers that are not
otherwise affiliated with Funds Management or the Funds,
as well as sub-advisers that are wholly-owned subsidiaries
of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns Funds Management. In addition, the SEC staff,
pursuant to no-action relief, has extended multi-manager relief to any affiliated sub-adviser, such as affiliated
sub-advisers that are not wholly-owned subsidiaries of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns
Funds Management, provided certain conditions are satisfied (all such sub-advisers covered by the order or relief,
“Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers”).
As
such, Funds Management, with Board approval, may hire or replace Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers for each Fund that
is eligible to rely on the order or relief. Funds Management, subject to Board oversight, has the responsibility to
oversee Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. If a new sub-adviser
is hired for a Fund pursuant to the order or relief, the Fund is required to notify shareholders within 90 days.
The Funds are
not required to disclose the individual fees that Funds Management pays to a Multi-Manager Sub-Adviser.
Account
Information
Share
Class Eligibility
Class
R6 shares are generally available for employer sponsored retirement and benefit plans and through intermediaries
for the accounts of their customers to certain institutional and fee-based investors, and in each case,
only if a dealer agreement is in place with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC to offer Class R6 shares. The following
investors may purchase Class R6 shares:
| ■ |
Employer
sponsored retirement plans held in plan level or omnibus accounts, including but not limited to: 401(k) plans,
457 plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and
non-qualified deferred compensation plans; |
| ■ |
Employee
benefit plan programs; |
| ■ |
Broker-dealer
managed account or wrap programs that charge an asset-based fee where omnibus accounts are held
on the books of the Fund; |
| ■ |
Registered
investment adviser mutual fund wrap programs or other accounts that charge a fee for advisory, investment,
consulting or similar services where omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Fund; |
| ■ |
Private
bank and trust company managed accounts or wrap programs that charge an asset-based fee; |
| ■ |
Funds
of funds, including those advised by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Institutional
investors purchasing shares through an intermediary where omnibus accounts are held on the books
of the Fund including trust departments, insurance companies, foundations, local, city, and state governmental
institutions, private banks, endowments, non-profits, and charitable organizations; |
| ■ |
Investors
purchasing shares through an intermediary, acting solely as a broker on behalf of its customers, that holds
such shares in an omnibus account and charges investors a transaction based commission outside of the Fund.
In order to offer Fund shares, an intermediary must have an agreement with the Fund’s distributor authorizing
the use of the share class within this type of platform. |
The
information in this Prospectus is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any non-U.S.
jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to any law or regulation, or which would
subject Fund shares to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country.
Share
Class Features
The
table below summarizes the key features of the share class offered through this Prospectus. Please note that if
you purchase shares through an intermediary that acts as a broker on your behalf, you may be required to pay a commission
to your intermediary in an amount determined and separately disclosed to you by the intermediary. Consult
your financial professional for further details.
|
|
|
|
|
Class
R6 |
|
Initial
Sales Charge |
|
None
|
|
Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) |
|
None
|
|
Ongoing
Distribution (12b-1) Fees |
|
None
|
Compensation
to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
No
compensation is paid to intermediaries from Fund assets on sales of Class R6 shares or for related services. Class
R6 shares do not carry sales commissions or pay Rule 12b-1 fees, or make payments to intermediaries to assist
in, or in connection with, the sale of Fund shares. Neither the manager, the distributor nor their affiliates make
any type of administrative or service payments to intermediaries in connection with investments in Class R6 shares.
Buying
and Selling Fund Shares
Eligible
retirement plans may make Class R6 shares
available to plan participants by contacting certain intermediaries
that have dealer agreements with the distributor. These entities may impose transaction charges. Plan
participants may purchase shares through their retirement plan’s administrator or record-keeper by following
the process outlined in the terms of their plan.
Redemption
requests received by a retirement plan’s administrator or record-keeper from the plan’s participants will
be processed according to the terms of the plan’s account with its intermediary. Plan participants should follow
the process for selling fund shares outlined in the terms of their plan.
Requests
in “Good Order”. All purchase and
redemption requests must be received in “good order.” This means that
a request generally must include:
| ■ |
The
Fund name(s), share class(es) and account number(s); |
| ■ |
The
amount (in dollars or shares) and type (purchase or redemption) of the request; |
| ■ |
For
purchase requests, payment of the full amount of the purchase request; and |
| ■ |
Any
supporting legal documentation that may be required. |
Purchase
and redemption requests in good order will be processed at the next NAV calculated after the Fund’s transfer
agent or an authorized intermediary1
receives your request. If your request is not received in good order, additional
documentation may be required to process your transaction. We reserve the right to waive any of the above
requirements.
| 1. |
The
Fund’s shares may be purchased through an intermediary that has entered into a dealer agreement with the Fund’s distributor.
The Fund has approved the acceptance of a purchase or
redemption request effective as of the time of its receipt by such an authorized intermediary
or its designee, as long as the request is received by one of those entities prior to the Fund’s closing time. These intermediaries
may charge transaction fees. We reserve the right to
adjust the closing time in certain circumstances. |
Timing
of Redemption Proceeds. We normally will send out
redemption proceeds within one business day after we
accept your request to redeem. We reserve the right to delay payment for up to seven days. Payment of redemption
proceeds may be delayed for longer than seven days under extraordinary circumstances or as permitted
by the SEC in order to protect remaining shareholders. Such extraordinary circumstances are discussed further
in the Statement of Additional Information.
Exchanging
Fund Shares
Exchanges
between two funds involve two transactions: (1) the redemption of shares of one fund; and (2) the purchase
of shares of another. In general, the same rules and procedures described under “Buying and Selling Fund Shares”
apply to exchanges. There are, however, additional policies and considerations you should keep in mind while
making or considering an exchange:
| ■ |
In
general, exchanges may be made between like share classes of any fund in the Wells Fargo Funds complex offered
to the general public for investment (i.e., a fund not closed to new accounts), with the following exceptions:
(1) Class A shares of non-money market funds may also be exchanged for Service Class shares of any retail or
government money market fund; (2) Service Class shares may be exchanged for Class A shares of any non-money
market fund; and (3) no exchanges are allowed into institutional money market funds. |
| ■ |
If
you make an exchange between Class A shares of a money market fund or Class A2 or Class A shares of a non-money
market fund, you will buy the shares at the public offering price of the new fund, unless you are otherwise eligible
to buy shares at NAV. |
| ■ |
Same-fund
exchanges between share classes are permitted subject to the following conditions: (1) the shareholder
must meet the eligibility guidelines of the class being purchased in the exchange; (2) exchanges out of Class
A and Class C shares would not be allowed if shares are subject to a CDSC; and (3) for non-money market funds,
in order to exchange into Class A shares, the shareholder must be able to qualify to purchase Class A shares
at NAV based on current Prospectus guidelines. |
| ■ |
An
exchange request will be processed on the same business day, provided that both funds are open at the time the
request is received. If one or both funds are closed, the exchange will be processed on the following business day. |
| ■ |
You
should carefully read the Prospectus for the Fund into which you wish to exchange. |
| ■ |
Every
exchange involves redeeming fund shares, which may produce a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an initial investment into a fund through an exchange, you must exchange at least the mini |
|
mum
initial investment amount for the new fund, unless your balance has fallen below that amount due to investment
performance. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an additional investment into a fund that you already own through an exchange, you must exchange
at least the minimum subsequent investment amount for the fund you are exchanging into. |
| ■ |
Class
C share exchanges will not trigger a CDSC. The new shares received in the exchange will continue to age according
to the original shares’ CDSC schedule and will be charged the CDSC applicable to the original shares upon
redemption. |
Generally,
we will notify you at least 60 days in advance of any changes in the above exchange policies.
Frequent
Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Wells
Fargo Funds reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange order for any reason. If a shareholder redeems
$20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction) from a Covered Fund, that
shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including purchases that are part of an exchange
transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption.
Excessive
trading by Fund shareholders can negatively impact a Fund and its long-term shareholders in several ways,
including disrupting Fund investment strategies, increasing transaction costs, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting
the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Excessive trading in Fund shares can negatively impact
a Fund’s long-term performance by requiring it to maintain more assets in cash or to liquidate portfolio holdings
at a disadvantageous time. Certain Funds may be more susceptible than others to these negative effects. For
example, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments in non-U.S. securities may be more susceptible
than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities resulting from pricing variations due to time zone differences
across international financial markets. Similarly, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments
in small company securities may be more susceptible than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities due
to the less liquid nature of small company securities. Both types of Funds also may incur higher transaction costs
in liquidating portfolio holdings to meet excessive redemption levels. Fair value pricing may reduce these arbitrage
opportunities, thereby reducing some of the negative effects of excessive trading.
Wells
Fargo Funds, other than the Adjustable Rate Government Fund, Conservative Income Fund, Ultra Short-Term
Income Fund and Ultra Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (“Ultra-Short Funds”) and the money market
funds, (the “Covered Funds”). The
Covered Funds are not designed to serve as vehicles for frequent trading.
The Covered Funds actively discourage and take steps to prevent the portfolio disruption and negative effects
on long-term shareholders that can result from excessive trading activity by Covered Fund shareholders. The
Board has approved the Covered Funds’ policies and procedures, which provide, among other things, that Funds
Management may deem trading activity to be excessive if it determines that such trading activity would likely
be disruptive to a Covered Fund by increasing expenses or lowering returns. In this regard, the Covered Funds
take steps to avoid accommodating frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by Covered Fund shareholders.
Funds Management monitors available shareholder trading information across all Covered Funds on a
daily basis. If a shareholder redeems $20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction)
from a Covered Fund, that shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including
purchases that are part of an exchange transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption. This policy
does not apply to:
| ■ |
Dividend
reinvestments; |
| ■ |
Systematic
investments or exchanges where the financial intermediary maintaining the shareholder account identifies
the transaction as a systematic redemption or purchase at the time of the transaction; |
| ■ |
Rebalancing
transactions within certain asset allocation or “wrap” programs where the financial intermediary maintaining
a shareholder account is able to identify the transaction as part of an asset allocation program approved
by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Transactions
initiated by a “fund of funds” or Section 529 Plan into an underlying fund investment; |
| ■ |
Permitted
exchanges between share classes of the same Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
transactions involving participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, including: participant withdrawals
due to mandatory distributions, rollovers and hardships, withdrawals of shares acquired by participants through
payroll deductions, and shares acquired or sold by a participant in connection with plan loans; and |
| ■ |
Purchases
below $20,000 (including purchases that are part of an exchange transaction). |
The
money market funds and the Ultra-Short Funds. Because
the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds are often
used for short-term investments, they are designed to accommodate more frequent purchases and redemptions
than the Covered Funds. As a result, the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not anticipate
that frequent purchases and redemptions, under normal circumstances, will have significant adverse consequences
to the money market funds or Ultra-Short Funds or their shareholders. Although the money market
funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not prohibit frequent trading, Funds Management will seek to prevent an investor
from utilizing the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds to facilitate frequent purchases and redemptions
of shares in the Covered Funds in contravention of the policies and procedures adopted by the Covered
Funds.
All
Wells Fargo Funds.
In addition, Funds Management reserves the right to accept purchases, redemptions and exchanges
made in excess of applicable trading restrictions in designated accounts held by Funds Management or its
affiliate that are used at all times exclusively for addressing operational matters related to shareholder accounts,
such as testing of account functions, and are maintained at low balances that do not exceed specified dollar
amount limitations.
In
the event that an asset allocation or “wrap” program is unable to implement the policy outlined above, Funds Management
may grant a program-level exception to this policy. A financial intermediary relying on the exception is
required to provide Funds Management with specific information regarding its program and ongoing information
about its program upon request.
A
financial intermediary through whom you may purchase shares of the Fund may independently attempt to identify
excessive trading and take steps to deter such activity. As a result, a financial intermediary may on its own limit
or permit trading activity of its customers who invest in Fund shares using standards different from the standards
used by Funds Management and discussed in this Prospectus. Funds Management may permit a financial
intermediary to enforce its own internal policies and procedures concerning frequent trading rather than the
policies set forth above in instances where Funds Management reasonably believes that the intermediary’s policies
and procedures effectively discourage disruptive trading activity. If you purchase Fund shares through a financial
intermediary, you should contact the intermediary for more information about whether and how restrictions
or limitations on trading activity will be applied to your account.
Account
Policies
Advance
Notice of Large Transactions. We strongly urge you
to make all purchases and redemptions of Fund shares
as early in the day as possible and to notify us or your intermediary at least one day in advance of transactions
in Fund shares in excess of $1 million. This will help us to manage the Funds most effectively. When you
give this advance notice, please provide your name and account number.
Householding.
To help keep Fund expenses low, a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder report may be sent to shareholders
of the same household. If your household currently receives a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder
report and you would prefer to receive multiple copies, please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222
or contact your intermediary.
Transaction
Authorizations. We may accept telephone, electronic,
and clearing agency transaction instructions from anyone
who represents that he or she is a shareholder and provides reasonable confirmation of his or her identity.
Neither we nor Wells Fargo Funds will be liable for any losses incurred if we follow such instructions we reasonably
believe to be genuine. For transactions through our website, we may assign personal identification numbers
(PINs) and you will need to create a login ID and password for account access. To safeguard your account, please
keep these credentials confidential. Contact us immediately if you believe there is a discrepancy on your confirmation
statement or if you believe someone has obtained unauthorized access to your online access credentials.
Identity
Verification. We are required by law to obtain from
you certain personal information that will be used to verify
your identity. If you do not provide the information, we will not be able to open your account. In the rare event
that we are unable to verify your identity as required by law, we reserve the right to redeem your account at the
current NAV of the Fund’s shares. You will be responsible for any losses, taxes, expenses, fees, or other results of
such a redemption.
Right
to Freeze Accounts, Suspend Account Services or Reject or Terminate an Investment.
We reserve the right, to the extent permitted by law
and/or regulations, to freeze any account or suspend account services when we
have received reasonable notice (written or otherwise) of a dispute between registered or beneficial account
owners
or when we believe a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred. Additionally, we reserve the right to
reject any purchase or exchange request and to terminate a shareholder’s investment, including closing the shareholder’s
account.
Distributions
The
Funds, except the Large Company Value Fund, generally make distributions of any net investment income and any
realized net capital gains at least annually. The Large Company Value Fund generally makes distributions of any
net investment income quarterly and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Please contact your institution
for distribution options. Please note, distributions have the effect of reducing the NAV per share by the amount
distributed.
You
are eligible to earn distributions beginning on the business day after the Fund’s transfer agent or an authorized
intermediary receives your purchase request in good order.
Other
Information
Taxes
By
investing in the Fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and
capital gains distributions from the Fund or the sale of Fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred
account. Distributions taken from retirement plan accounts generally are taxable as ordinary income. For
special rules concerning tax-deferred retirement accounts, including applications, restrictions, tax advantages, and
potential sales charge waivers, contact your investment professional. To determine if a retirement plan may be
appropriate for you and to obtain further information, consult your tax advisor. Please see the Statement of Additional
Information for additional federal income tax information.
Financial
Highlights
The
following tables are intended
to help you understand a Fund’s financial performance for the past five years (or since
inception, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. Total returns represent
the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each
Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). The
information in the following tables has been
derived from the Funds’ financial statements
which have
been audited by KPMG LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along
with each Fund’s financial statements,
is also included in each Fund’s annual report,
a copy of which is available upon request.
Classic
Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
20161
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from September 30, 2015 (commencement of class operations) toJuly 31, 2016. |
| 2. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 3. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Endeavor
Select Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
Class
R6 |
|
Year
ended July 31, 20201
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from September 20, 2019 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2020 |
| 2. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
20161
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period fromSeptember 30, 2015 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2016 |
| 2. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 3. |
Amount
is less than $0.005. |
| 4. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Large
Cap Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
20161
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from September 30, 2015 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2016 |
| 2. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 3. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Large
Cap Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Large
Company Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
20171
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from April 7, 2017 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2017 |
| 2. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 3. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
20171
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from October 31, 2016 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2017 |
| 2. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
R6 |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is more than $(0.005). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
More
information on a Fund is available free upon request, including
the following documents:
Statement
of Additional Information (“SAI”) Supplements
the disclosures made by this Prospectus. The SAI,
which has been filed with the SEC, is incorporated
by reference into this Prospectus and therefore
is legally part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports Provide financial and other important
information, including a discussion of the market
conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected Fund performance over the reporting period.
To
obtain copies of the above documents or for more information
about Wells Fargo Funds, contact us:
By
telephone: Individual Investors: 1-800-222-8222 Retail
Investment Professionals: 1-888-877-9275 Institutional
Investment Professionals: 1-800-260-5969 |
By
mail: Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Online: wfam.com
From
the SEC: Visit the SEC’s Public Reference
Room in Washington, DC (phone 1-202-551-8090 for
operational information for the SEC’s Public
Reference Room) or the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
To
obtain information for a fee, write or email: SEC’s
Public Reference Section 100 “F” Street,
NE Washington, DC 20549-0102 publicinfo@sec.gov
The
Wells Fargo Funds are distributed by Wells Fargo
Funds Distributor, LLC, a member of FINRA, and an
affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. |
|
|
|
©
2020 Wells Fargo & Company. All rights reserved.
|
120LC6R/P107R6 ICA
Reg. No. 811-09253 |
|
|
|
|
Prospectus December
1, 2020 |
|
|
|
Fund
|
Administrator
Class |
|
Wells
Fargo Classic Value Fund |
EIVDX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Disciplined U.S. Core Fund |
EVSYX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Endeavor Select Fund |
WECDX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Growth Fund |
SGRKX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Core Fund |
WFLLX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Growth Fund |
STDFX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Company Value Fund |
WWIDX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
WLVDX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Omega Growth Fund |
EOMYX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Premier Large Company Growth Fund |
WFPDX
|
Beginning
on January 1, 2021, as permitted by new regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Wells
Fargo Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports issued after this date will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically
request paper copies of the reports. Instead,
the reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, and you will be notified by mail each time
a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.
If
you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action.
You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically at any time by contacting your
financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-222-8222 or by enrolling at
wellsfargo.com/advantagedelivery.
You
may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your
financial intermediary to request that you continue
to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Fund,
you can call 1-800-222-8222. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Wells Fargo Funds held in your account with your
financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, to all Wells Fargo Funds that you hold.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy
or adequacy of this Prospectus. Anyone who tells you
otherwise is committing a crime.
Fund
shares are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., its affiliates or any other depository institution.
Fund shares are not insured or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency and may lose value.
Classic
Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.42%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.11%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.16)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.95%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$97
|
|
3
Years |
$337
|
|
5
Years |
$596
|
|
10
Years |
$1,337
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+13.40%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.50%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -11.05%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
7/30/2010
|
32.56%
|
9.15%
|
11.89%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
7/30/2010
|
29.57%
|
6.90%
|
10.12%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
7/30/2010
|
21.30%
|
6.83%
|
9.54%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Intrinsic Value Fund.
|
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for Administrator Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of Institutional Class shares, adjusted
to reflect the higher expenses applicable to Administrator Class shares. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.35%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.43%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.78%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.04)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.74%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$76
|
|
3
Years |
$245
|
|
5
Years |
$429
|
|
10
Years |
$962
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 50%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+13.14%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-14.58%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 3.98%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
2/21/1995
|
28.69%
|
10.23%
|
12.90%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
2/21/1995
|
27.40%
|
8.70%
|
10.90%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
2/21/1995
|
17.86%
|
7.77%
|
10.16%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010 is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Enhanced S&P 500
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Justin
P. Carr, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA, Portfolio Manager
/ 2019 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Endeavor
Select Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.48%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.18%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.24)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.94%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$96
|
|
3
Years |
$351
|
|
5
Years |
$626
|
|
10
Years |
$1,410
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 16%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year |
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.72%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.51%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.36%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
4/8/2005
|
38.96%
|
14.99%
|
14.40%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
4/8/2005
|
36.29%
|
9.53%
|
11.09%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
4/8/2005
|
24.82%
|
10.36%
|
10.98%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Growth
Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.39%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.09%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.13)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.96%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$98
|
|
3
Years |
$334
|
|
5
Years |
$588
|
|
10
Years |
$1,317
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 37%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year |
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+19.74%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-17.54%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 26.18%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
8/30/2002
|
37.33%
|
13.63%
|
15.45%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
8/30/2002
|
34.03%
|
9.40%
|
12.81%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
8/30/2002
|
24.33%
|
9.92%
|
12.39%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2020 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2002
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.45%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.14%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.17)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.97%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$99
|
|
3
Years |
$345
|
|
5
Years |
$611
|
|
10
Years |
$1,371
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 28%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+15.24%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-17.11%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -4.91%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
7/16/2010
|
27.76%
|
9.41%
|
12.65%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
7/16/2010
|
22.35%
|
7.68%
|
11.67%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
7/16/2010
|
20.14%
|
7.31%
|
10.51%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Golden Large Cap Core
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Administrator Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class
shares, adjusted to reflect the higher expenses
applicable to the Administrator Class shares. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
John
R. Campbell, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2015 Vince
Fioramonti, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2019
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.41%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.10%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.15)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.95%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$97
|
|
3
Years |
$335
|
|
5
Years |
$592
|
|
10
Years |
$1,327
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.00%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.38%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 21.42%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
7/30/2010
|
32.84%
|
12.69%
|
13.80%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
7/30/2010
|
29.98%
|
9.38%
|
11.91%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
7/30/2010
|
21.37%
|
9.54%
|
11.22%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Administrator Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the former Investor Class
shares, and includes the higher expenses applicable to the former Investor Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns
for the Administrator Class shares would be higher. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2005
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Company Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.51%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.91%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.16)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.75%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$77
|
|
3
Years |
$274
|
|
5
Years |
$488
|
|
10
Years |
$1,105
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 366%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year |
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+12.00%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.52%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -6.33%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
12/31/2001
|
22.60%
|
6.54%
|
9.63%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
12/31/2001
|
21.90%
|
4.05%
|
7.76%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
12/31/2001
|
13.82%
|
4.61%
|
7.52%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management,
LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.85%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.25%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.60)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.65%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$66
|
|
3
Years |
$337
|
|
5
Years |
$629
|
|
10
Years |
$1,458
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 165%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences. As of November
22, 2019, the Manager and/or its affiliates held
approximately 81.06% of the Fund’s shares
in the form of a seed capital investment intended to enable
the Fund to commence investment operations and/or achieve sufficient scale. This percentage may change over
time.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+12.11%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-8.14%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -0.50%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
Since
inception |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
10/31/2016
|
26.95%
|
--
|
11.72%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
10/31/2016
|
25.49%
|
--
|
10.22%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
10/31/2016
|
16.78%
|
--
|
8.84%
|
|
Russell
1000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.43%
|
--
|
16.28%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA,
Portfolio Manager / 2016 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Omega
Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.78%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.42%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.20%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.10)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.10%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$112
|
|
3
Years |
$371
|
|
5
Years |
$650
|
|
10
Years |
$1,446
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 23%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause
the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+19.35%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-19.35%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 23.53%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
1/13/1997
|
36.97%
|
13.40%
|
13.92%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
1/13/1997
|
35.34%
|
11.30%
|
12.13%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
1/13/1997
|
22.99%
|
10.24%
|
11.15%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Omega Fund.
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.66%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.40%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.06%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.06)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.00%
for Administrator Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$102
|
|
3
Years |
$331
|
|
5
Years |
$579
|
|
10
Years |
$1,289
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 45%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Administrator Class as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+18.48%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-17.07%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.53%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Administrator
Class (before taxes) |
7/16/2010
|
33.30%
|
12.27%
|
13.55%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
7/16/2010
|
30.91%
|
8.92%
|
11.75%
|
|
Administrator
Class (after taxes on distributions and the
sale of Fund Shares) |
7/16/2010
|
21.34%
|
9.10%
|
11.01%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Large Company Growth
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Administrator Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Institutional Class shares,
adjusted to reflect the higher expenses applicable to the Administrator Class shares. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Administrator Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Administrator Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222 Contact your financial professional.
|
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Details
About the Funds
Classic
Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments |
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Endeavor
Select Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Company Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk |
■
Management
Risk
■
Regulatory
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Omega
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Risk Securities
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Description
of Principal Investment Risks
Understanding
the risks involved in fund investing will help you make an informed decision that takes into account your
risk tolerance and preferences. The risks that are most likely to have a material effect on a particular Fund as
a whole are called “principal risks.”
The principal risks for each Fund
have been previously identified and are described below
(in alphabetical order). Additional information about the principal risks is included in the Statement
of Additional Information.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, presents risks different from,
and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives
can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the derivatives’ underlying assets,
indexes or rates and the derivatives themselves, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivatives.
These risks are heightened when derivatives are used to enhance a Fund’s return or as a substitute for a
position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or mitigate) the risk of a position or security held by the Fund. The
success of a derivative strategy will be affected by the portfolio manager’s ability to assess and predict market or
economic developments and their impact on the derivatives’ underlying assets, indexes or reference rates, as well
as the derivatives themselves. Certain derivative instruments may become illiquid and, as a result, may be difficult
to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be appropriate to do so. Certain derivatives create leverage,
which can magnify the impact of a decline in the value of their underlying assets, indexes or reference rates,
and increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value. Certain derivatives (e.g., over-the-counter swaps) are also
subject to the risk that the counterparty to the derivative contract will be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations, which may cause a Fund to lose money, suffer delays or incur costs arising from holding or selling
an underlying asset. Changes in laws or regulations may make the use of derivatives more costly, may limit the
availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the use, value or performance of derivatives.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Investing in equity securities poses risks specific to an issuer, as well as to the particular
type of company issuing the equity securities. For example, investing in the equity securities of small- or mid-capitalization
companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in stocks of larger,
more-established companies. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse
issuer, market, regulatory, political, and economic developments. Negative news or a poor outlook for a particular
industry can cause the share prices of securities of companies in that industry to decline.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign companies may be subject to significantly
higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby
reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies. Foreign investments may involve exposure to changes
in foreign currency exchange rates. Such changes may reduce the U.S. dollar value of the investments. Foreign
investments may be subject to additional risks, such as potentially higher withholding and other taxes, and may
also be subject to greater trade settlement, custodial, and other operational risks than domestic investments. Certain
foreign markets may also be characterized by less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards.
Futures Contracts
Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts, which
are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit certain
characteristics, such as growth characteristics or value
characteristics, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes
in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, a Fund’s performance may at times be worse
than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or in securities that exhibit different characteristics.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected, may cause
the Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by a Fund may decline due to general market
conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities markets
are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments.
Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.
Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, government
shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public
health crises and related events have led, and in the future may lead, to economic uncertainty, decreased economic
activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets.
Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on a Fund and its investments. In addition,
economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases
the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in
other countries or regions.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies. Smaller companies may have no or relatively short operating
histories, limited financial resources or may have recently become public companies. Some of these companies
have aggressive capital structures, including high debt levels, or are involved in rapidly growing or changing
industries and/or new technologies.
Portfolio
Holdings Information
A
description of the Wells Fargo Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Wells Fargo Funds’
portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement
of Additional Information.
Pricing Fund
Shares
A Fund’s NAV
is the value of a single share. The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, although a Fund
may deviate from this calculation time under unusual or unexpected circumstances.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares
of a multiple-class Fund. The most recent NAV for each class of a Fund
is available at wfam.com. To calculate the NAV of a Fund’s
shares, the Fund’s assets are valued and
totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and the balance,
called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The price
at which a purchase or redemption request is processed is based on the next NAV calculated after the request
is received in good order. Generally, NAV is not calculated, and purchase and redemption requests are not processed,
on days that the NYSE is closed for trading; however, under unusual or unexpected circumstances, a Fund
may elect to remain open even on days that the NYSE is closed or closes early. To the extent that a Fund’s
assets are traded in various markets on days when the Fund
is closed, the value of the Fund’s assets
may be affected on days when you are unable to buy or
sell Fund shares. Conversely, trading in some of a Fund’s
assets may not occur on days when the Fund
is open.
With
respect to any portion of a Fund’s
assets that may be invested in other mutual funds, the value of the Fund’s
shares is based on the NAV of the shares of the other
mutual funds in which the Fund invests. The valuation
methods used by mutual funds in pricing their shares,
including the circumstances under which they will use fair value
pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing, are included in the prospectuses of such funds. To the extent a Fund
invests a portion of its assets in non-registered investment vehicles, the Fund’s
interests in the non-registered vehicles are fair valued
at NAV.
With
respect to a Fund’s
assets invested directly in securities, the Fund’s
investments are generally valued at current market prices.
Equity securities, options and futures are generally valued at the official closing price or, if none,
the last reported sales price on the primary exchange or market on which they are listed (closing price). Equity
securities that are not traded primarily on an exchange are generally valued at the quoted bid price obtained
from a broker-dealer.
Debt
securities are valued at the evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing service or, if a reliable price
is not available, the quoted bid price from an independent broker-dealer.
We
are required to depart from these general valuation methods and use fair value pricing methods to determine the
values of certain investments if we believe that the closing price or the quoted bid price of a security, including a
security that trades primarily on a foreign exchange, does not accurately reflect its current market value as of the time
a Fund
calculates its NAV. The closing price or the quoted bid price of a security may not reflect its current market
value if, among other things, a significant event occurs after the closing price or quoted bid price are made available,
but before the time as of which a Fund
calculates its NAV, that materially affects the value of the security.
We use various criteria, including a systemic evaluation of U.S. market moves after the close of foreign markets,
in deciding whether a foreign security’s market price is still reliable and, if not, what fair market value to assign
to the security. In addition, we use fair value pricing to determine the value of investments in securities and other
assets, including illiquid securities, for which current market quotations or evaluated prices from a pricing service
or broker-dealer are not readily available.
The
fair value of a Fund’s
securities and other assets is determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures
adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
In light of the judgment involved in making fair value decisions,
there can be no assurance that a fair value assigned to a particular security is accurate or that it reflects the
price that the Fund could obtain for such security
if it were to sell the security at the time as of which fair value pricing
is determined. Such fair value pricing may result in NAVs that are higher or lower than NAVs based on the closing
price or quoted bid price. See the Statement of Additional Information for additional details regarding the determination
of NAVs.
Management
of the Funds
The
Manager
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”), headquartered at 525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
94105, provides advisory and Fund level administrative
services to the Funds pursuant to an investment
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”).
Funds Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells
Fargo & Company, a publicly traded diversified financial services company that provides banking, insurance, investment,
mortgage and consumer financial services. Funds Management is a registered investment adviser that
provides advisory services for registered mutual funds, closed-end funds and other funds and accounts. Funds
Management is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
Funds
Management is responsible for implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds.
Funds Management’s investment professionals review
and analyze the Funds’ performance, including
relative to peer funds, and monitor the Funds’
compliance with their investment objectives and
strategies. Funds Management is responsible for reporting
to the Board on investment performance and other matters affecting the Funds.
When appropriate, Funds Management recommends to the
Board enhancements to Fund features, including changes to Fund
investment objectives, strategies and policies. Funds Management also communicates with shareholders
and intermediaries about Fund performance and features.
Funds
Management is also responsible for providing Fund-level
administrative services to the Funds, which include,
among others, providing such services in connection with the Funds’
operations; developing and implementing procedures for
monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements and compliance with the Funds’
investment objectives, policies and restrictions; and providing any other Fund-level
administrative services reasonably necessary for the
operation of the Funds, other than those services
that are provided by the Funds’ transfer
and dividend disbursing agent, custodian and fund accountant.
To
assist Funds Management in implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds,
Funds Management may contract with one or more sub-advisers
to provide day-to-day portfolio management services to
the Funds. Funds Management employs a team of investment
professionals who identify and recommend the initial
hiring of any sub-adviser and oversee and monitor the activities of any sub-adviser on an ongoing basis. Funds
Management retains overall responsibility for the investment activities of the Funds.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Management
Agreement and any applicable sub-advisory agreements
for each Fund is
available in the Fund’s Annual
report for the period ended July 31st.
For each Fund’s
most recent fiscal year end, the Management Fee
paid to Funds Management pursuant to the Management
Agreement, net of any applicable waivers and reimbursements, was as follows:
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
|
As
a % of average daily net assets |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.64%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.35%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
0.48%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
0.69%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.55%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.60%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
0.24%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
0.00%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.78%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.62%
|
The
Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
The
following Sub-Adviser and Portfolio
Managers provide day-to-day portfolio management services to the Funds.
These services include making purchases and sales of securities and other investment assets for the Funds,
selecting broker-dealers, negotiating brokerage commission rates and maintaining portfolio transaction
records. The Sub-Adviser is
compensated for its services by Funds Management
from the fees Funds Management receives for its services
as investment Manager to the Funds.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional
information about the Portfolio Managers’
compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio
Managers and the Portfolio Managers’
ownership of securities in the Funds.
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital
Management”) is a registered investment adviser located at
525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Wells Capital Management, an affiliate of Funds Management and indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, is a multi-boutique asset management firm committed
to delivering superior investment services to institutional clients, including mutual funds. Wells Capital Management
is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
|
|
|
Dennis
Bein, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Bein joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1995, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors team. |
|
Ryan
Brown, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Brown joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors team. |
|
John
R. Campbell, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Campbell joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2006, where
he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity team.
|
|
Justin
P. Carr, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Carr joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2001, where
he currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
de Silva joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1995, where
he currently serves as President and Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors
team. |
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Eberhardy joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1994,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Vince
Fioramonti, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Fioramonti joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2012,
where he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA Classic Value Fund
|
Mr.
Giaconi joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2003, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Director of Research with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Gruendyke joined Wells Capital Management in 2008, where he currently serves as
a portfolio manager on the Heritage Growth Equity team. |
|
Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA Classic Value Fund |
Mr.
Nadal joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2011, where
he currently serves as Team Leader and Senior Portfolio Manager with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Ognar joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1998, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Michael
T. Smith, CFA Endeavor Select Fund Omega
Growth Fund |
Mr.
Smith joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2000, where
he currently serves as a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental
Growth Equity team. |
|
|
|
Christopher
J. Warner, CFA Endeavor Select Fund Omega
Growth Fund |
Mr.
Warner joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Fundamental Growth Equity team.
|
|
Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Wicentowski joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2016,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital
Equity team. Prior to joining Wells Capital Management, he served as a Manager
of Portfolio Research at WBI Investments, LLC. Prior to WBI Investments, Mr.
Wicentowski served as a Senior Global Strategist for the Options Strategy Group for
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. |
Multi-Manager
Arrangement
The Funds
and Funds Management have obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits Funds Management,
subject to Board approval, to select certain sub-advisers and enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements
with them, without obtaining shareholder approval. The SEC order extends to sub-advisers that are not
otherwise affiliated with Funds Management or the Funds,
as well as sub-advisers that are wholly-owned subsidiaries
of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns Funds Management. In addition, the SEC staff,
pursuant to no-action relief, has extended multi-manager relief to any affiliated sub-adviser, such as affiliated
sub-advisers that are not wholly-owned subsidiaries of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns
Funds Management, provided certain conditions are satisfied (all such sub-advisers covered by the order or relief,
“Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers”).
As
such, Funds Management, with Board approval, may hire or replace Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers for each Fund that
is eligible to rely on the order or relief. Funds Management, subject to Board oversight, has the responsibility to
oversee Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. If a new sub-adviser
is hired for a Fund pursuant to the order or relief, the Fund is required to notify shareholders within 90 days.
The Funds are
not required to disclose the individual fees that Funds Management pays to a Multi-Manager Sub-Adviser.
Account
Information
Share
Class Eligibility
Administrator
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks; trust
companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. The following investors may purchase Administrator
Class shares and are not subject to a minimum initial
investment amount except, as noted below:
| ■ |
Employee
benefit plan programs; |
| ■ |
Broker-dealer
managed account or wrap programs that charge an asset-based fee; |
| ■ |
Registered
investment adviser mutual fund wrap programs or other accounts that charge a fee for advisory, investment,
consulting or similar services; |
| ■ |
Private
bank and trust company managed accounts or wrap programs that charge an asset-based fee; |
| ■ |
Internal
Revenue Code Section 529 college savings plan accounts; |
| ■ |
Funds
of funds, including those advised by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Private
Bank and Trust Departments of Wells Fargo & Company purchasing shares on behalf of their clients; |
| ■ |
Endowments,
non-profits, and charitable organizations who invest a minimum initial investment amount of $500,000
in a Fund; |
| ■ |
Any
other institutions or customers of intermediaries who invest a minimum initial investment amount of $1 million
in a Fund; |
| ■ |
Individual
investors who invest a minimum initial investment amount of $1 million directly in a Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
investors and related accounts as detailed in the Statement of Additional Information; and |
| ■ |
Individual
investors who purchase through an intermediary-sponsored self-directed brokerage account program that
may or may not charge transaction fees. |
Eligibility
requirements for Administrator Class shares may
be modified or discontinued at any time.
Your
Fund may offer other classes of shares in addition to those offered through this Prospectus. You may be eligible
to invest in one or more of these other classes of shares. Each share class bears varying expenses and may differ
in other features. Consult your financial professional for more information regarding a Fund’s available share classes.
The
information in this Prospectus is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any non-U.S.
jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to any law or regulation, or which would
subject Fund shares to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country.
Share
Class Features
The
table below summarizes the key features of the share class offered through this Prospectus.
|
|
|
|
|
Administrator
Class |
|
Front-End
Sales Charge |
|
None
|
|
Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) |
|
None
|
|
Ongoing
Distribution (12b-1) Fees |
|
None
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Fee |
|
0.25%
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Fee (for all Funds except Index Fund) |
|
0.25%
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Fee (for Index Fund only) |
|
0.10%
|
Information
regarding sales charges, breakpoint levels, reductions and waivers is also available free of charge on our
website at wfam.com. You may wish to discuss your choice of share class with your financial professional.
Compensation
to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
Shareholder
Servicing Plan
Each Fund
has adopted a shareholder servicing plan (“Servicing Plan”). The Servicing Plan authorizes the Fund to enter
into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, manager, or any of their affiliates to provide or engage other entities
to provide certain shareholder services, including establishing and maintaining shareholder accounts, processing
and verifying purchase, redemption and exchange transactions,
and providing such other shareholder liaison or related
services as may reasonably be requested. Under the Servicing Plan, fees are paid up to the following
amounts:
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Administrator
Class |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
|
0.25%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
|
0.25%
|
Additional
Payments to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
In
addition to dealer reallowances and payments made by certain classes of each
Fund for distribution and shareholder servicing, the
Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates make additional payments (“Additional
Payments”) to certain financial professionals and intermediaries for selling shares and providing shareholder
services, which include broker-dealers and 401(k) service providers and record keepers. These Additional
Payments, which may be significant, are paid by the Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates, out
of their revenues, which generally come directly or indirectly from Fund fees.
In
return for these Additional Payments, each Fund’s
manager and distributor expect the Fund to receive certain marketing
or servicing considerations that are not generally available to mutual funds whose sponsors do not make
such payments. Such considerations are expected to include, without limitation, placement of the Fund on a list
of mutual funds offered as investment options to the intermediary’s clients (sometimes referred to as “Shelf Space”);
access to the intermediary’s financial professionals; and/or the ability to assist in training and educating the
intermediary’s financial professionals.
The
Additional Payments may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and a financial professional
or intermediary who is recommending or making available a particular mutual fund over other mutual funds.
Before investing, you should consult with your financial professional and review carefully any disclosure by the
intermediary as to what compensation the intermediary receives from mutual fund sponsors, as well as how your
financial professional is compensated.
The
Additional Payments are typically paid in fixed dollar amounts, based on the number of customer accounts maintained
by an intermediary, or based on a percentage of sales and/or assets under management, or a combination
of the above. The Additional Payments are either up-front or ongoing or both and differ among intermediaries.
In a given year, Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on its customers’
assets typically range between 0.02% and 0.25% of assets invested in a Fund by the intermediary’s customers.
Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on a percentage of sales typically range
between 0.10% and 0.25% of the gross sales of a Fund attributable to the financial intermediary.
More
information on the FINRA member firms that have received the Additional Payments described in this section
is available in the Statement of Additional Information, which is on file with the SEC and is also available on the
Wells Fargo Funds website at wfam.com.
Buying
and Selling Fund Shares
For
more information regarding buying and selling Fund shares, please visit wfam.com. You may buy (purchase) and
sell (redeem) Fund shares as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Opening
an Account |
Adding
to an Account or Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Through
Your Financial Professional |
Contact
your financial professional.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your account with your
intermediary. |
Contact
your financial professional.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your account with your
intermediary. |
|
Through
Your Retirement Plan |
Contact
your retirement plan administrator.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your retirement plan
account. |
Contact
your retirement plan administrator.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your retirement plan
account. |
|
Online
|
New
accounts cannot be opened online. Contact your financial
professional or retirement plan administrator, or refer
to the section on opening an account by mail.
|
Visit
wfam.com.
Online transactions are limited
to a maximum of $100,000. You may be eligible for
an exception to this maximum. Please call Investor Services
at 1-800-222-8222 for more information. |
|
By
Telephone |
Call
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222.
Available
only if you have another Wells Fargo Fund account with
your bank information on file. |
Call
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222.
Redemption
requests may not be made by phone if the address on your
account was changed in the last 15 days. In this event,
you must request your redemption by mail. For
joint accounts, telephone requests generally require
only one of the account owners to call unless you have
instructed us otherwise. |
|
By
Mail |
Complete
an account application and submit it according
to the instructions on the application.
Account
applications are available online at wfam.com or by calling
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222. |
Send
the items required under “Requests in Good
Order” below to:
Regular
Mail Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Overnight
Only Wells Fargo Funds 430
W 7th Street STE 219967 Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
|
Requests
in “Good Order”. All purchase and
redemption requests must be received in “good order.” This means that
a request generally must include:
| ■ |
The
Fund name(s), share class(es) and account number(s); |
| ■ |
The
amount (in dollars or shares) and type (purchase or redemption) of the request; |
| ■ |
If
by mail, the signature of each registered owner as it appears in the account application; |
| ■ |
For
purchase requests, payment of the full amount of the purchase request (see “Payment” below); and |
| ■ |
Any
supporting legal documentation that may be required. |
Purchase
and redemption requests in good order will be processed at the next NAV calculated after the Fund’s transfer
agent or an authorized intermediary1
receives your request. If your request is not received in good order, additional
documentation may be required to process your transaction. We reserve the right to waive any of the above
requirements.
| 1. |
The
Fund’s shares may be purchased through an intermediary that has entered into a dealer agreement with the Fund’s distributor.
The Fund has approved the acceptance of a purchase or
redemption request effective as of the time of its receipt by such an authorized intermediary
or its designee, as long as the request is received by one of those entities prior to the Fund’s closing time. These intermediaries
may charge transaction fees. We reserve the right to
adjust the closing time in certain circumstances. |
Payment.
Payment for Fund shares may be made as follows:
|
|
|
By
Wire |
Purchases
into a new or existing account may be funded by using the following wire instructions:
State
Street Bank & Trust Boston, MA Bank
Routing Number: ABA 011000028 Wire Purchase Account:
9905-437-1 Attention: Wells Fargo Funds (Name
of Fund, Account Number and any applicable share class) Account
Name: Provide your name as registered on the Fund account or as included in your
account application. |
|
By
Check |
Make
checks payable to Wells Fargo Funds. |
|
By
Exchange |
Identify
an identically registered Wells Fargo Fund account from which you wish to exchange
(see “Exchanging Fund Shares” below for restrictions on exchanges). |
|
By
Electronic Funds Transfer (“EFT”)
|
Additional
purchases for existing accounts may be funded by EFT using your linked bank
account. |
All
payments must be in U.S. dollars, and all checks and EFTs must be drawn on U.S. banks. You will be charged a $25.00
fee for every check or EFT that is returned to us as unpaid.
Form
of Redemption Proceeds. You may request that your
redemption proceeds be sent to you by check, by EFT into
a linked bank account, or by wire to a linked bank account. Please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 regarding
the requirements for linking bank accounts or for wiring funds. Under normal circumstances, we expect to
meet redemption requests either by using uninvested cash or cash equivalents or by using the proceeds from the
sale of portfolio securities, at the discretion of the portfolio manager(s). The Wells Fargo Funds may also borrow
through a bank line of credit for the purpose of meeting redemption requests, although we do not expect to
draw funds from this source on a regular basis. In lieu of making cash payments, we reserve the right to determine
in our sole discretion, including under stressed market conditions, whether to satisfy one or more redemption
requests by making payments in securities. In such cases, we may meet all or part of a redemption request
by making payment in securities equal in value to the amount of the redemption payable to you as permitted
under the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder, in which case the redeeming shareholder should expect to
incur transaction costs upon the disposition of any securities received.
Timing
of Redemption Proceeds. We normally will send out
redemption proceeds within one business day after we
accept your request to redeem. We reserve the right to delay payment for up to seven days. If you wish to redeem
shares purchased by check, by EFT or through the Automatic Investment Plan within seven days of purchase,
you may be asked to resubmit your redemption request if your payment has not yet cleared. Payment of redemption
proceeds may be delayed for longer than seven days under extraordinary circumstances or as permitted
by the SEC in order to protect remaining shareholders. Such extraordinary circumstances are discussed further
in the Statement of Additional Information.
Retirement
Plans and Other Products. If you purchased shares
through a packaged investment product or retirement
plan, read the directions for redeeming shares provided by the product or plan. There may be special requirements
that supersede or are in addition to the requirements in this Prospectus.
Exchanging
Fund Shares
Exchanges
between two funds involve two transactions: (1) the redemption of shares of one fund; and (2) the purchase
of shares of another. In general, the same rules and procedures described under “Buying and Selling Fund Shares”
apply to exchanges. There are, however, additional policies and considerations you should keep in mind while
making or considering an exchange:
| ■ |
In
general, exchanges may be made between like share classes of any fund in the Wells Fargo Funds complex offered
to the general public for investment (i.e., a fund not closed to new accounts), with the following exceptions:
(1) Class A shares of non-money market funds may also be exchanged for Service Class shares of any retail or
government money market fund; (2) Service Class shares may be exchanged for Class A shares of any non-money
market fund; and (3) no exchanges are allowed into institutional money market funds. |
| ■ |
If
you make an exchange between Class A shares of a money market fund or Class A2 or Class A shares of a non- |
|
money
market fund, you will buy the shares at the public offering price of the new fund, unless you are otherwise eligible
to buy shares at NAV. |
| ■ |
Same-fund
exchanges between share classes are permitted subject to the following conditions: (1) the shareholder
must meet the eligibility guidelines of the class being purchased in the exchange; (2) exchanges out of Class
A and Class C shares would not be allowed if shares are subject to a CDSC; and (3) for non-money market funds,
in order to exchange into Class A shares, the shareholder must be able to qualify to purchase Class A shares
at NAV based on current Prospectus guidelines. |
| ■ |
An
exchange request will be processed on the same business day, provided that both funds are open at the time the
request is received. If one or both funds are closed, the exchange will be processed on the following business day. |
| ■ |
You
should carefully read the Prospectus for the Fund into which you wish to exchange. |
| ■ |
Every
exchange involves redeeming fund shares, which may produce a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an initial investment into a fund through an exchange, you must exchange at least the minimum
initial investment amount for the new fund, unless your balance has fallen below that amount due to investment
performance. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an additional investment into a fund that you already own through an exchange, you must exchange
at least the minimum subsequent investment amount for the fund you are exchanging into. |
| ■ |
Class
C share exchanges will not trigger a CDSC. The new shares received in the exchange will continue to age according
to the original shares’ CDSC schedule and will be charged the CDSC applicable to the original shares upon
redemption. |
Generally,
we will notify you at least 60 days in advance of any changes in the above exchange policies.
Frequent
Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Wells
Fargo Funds reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange order for any reason. If a shareholder redeems
$20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction) from a Covered Fund, that
shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including purchases that are part of an exchange
transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption.
Excessive
trading by Fund shareholders can negatively impact a Fund and its long-term shareholders in several ways,
including disrupting Fund investment strategies, increasing transaction costs, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting
the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Excessive trading in Fund shares can negatively impact
a Fund’s long-term performance by requiring it to maintain more assets in cash or to liquidate portfolio holdings
at a disadvantageous time. Certain Funds may be more susceptible than others to these negative effects. For
example, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments in non-U.S. securities may be more susceptible
than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities resulting from pricing variations due to time zone differences
across international financial markets. Similarly, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments
in small company securities may be more susceptible than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities due
to the less liquid nature of small company securities. Both types of Funds also may incur higher transaction costs
in liquidating portfolio holdings to meet excessive redemption levels. Fair value pricing may reduce these arbitrage
opportunities, thereby reducing some of the negative effects of excessive trading.
Wells
Fargo Funds, other than the Adjustable Rate Government Fund, Conservative Income Fund, Ultra Short-Term
Income Fund and Ultra Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (“Ultra-Short Funds”) and the money market
funds, (the “Covered Funds”). The
Covered Funds are not designed to serve as vehicles for frequent trading.
The Covered Funds actively discourage and take steps to prevent the portfolio disruption and negative effects
on long-term shareholders that can result from excessive trading activity by Covered Fund shareholders. The
Board has approved the Covered Funds’ policies and procedures, which provide, among other things, that Funds
Management may deem trading activity to be excessive if it determines that such trading activity would likely
be disruptive to a Covered Fund by increasing expenses or lowering returns. In this regard, the Covered Funds
take steps to avoid accommodating frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by Covered Fund shareholders.
Funds Management monitors available shareholder trading information across all Covered Funds on a
daily basis. If a shareholder redeems $20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction)
from a Covered Fund, that shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including
purchases that are part of an exchange transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption. This policy
does not apply to:
| ■ |
Dividend
reinvestments; |
| ■ |
Systematic
investments or exchanges where the financial intermediary maintaining the shareholder account identifies
the transaction as a systematic redemption or purchase at the time of the transaction; |
| ■ |
Rebalancing
transactions within certain asset allocation or “wrap” programs where the financial intermediary maintaining
a shareholder account is able to identify the transaction as part of an asset allocation program approved
by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Transactions
initiated by a “fund of funds” or Section 529 Plan into an underlying fund investment; |
| ■ |
Permitted
exchanges between share classes of the same Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
transactions involving participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, including: participant withdrawals
due to mandatory distributions, rollovers and hardships, withdrawals of shares acquired by participants through
payroll deductions, and shares acquired or sold by a participant in connection with plan loans; and |
| ■ |
Purchases
below $20,000 (including purchases that are part of an exchange transaction). |
The
money market funds and the Ultra-Short Funds. Because
the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds are often
used for short-term investments, they are designed to accommodate more frequent purchases and redemptions
than the Covered Funds. As a result, the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not anticipate
that frequent purchases and redemptions, under normal circumstances, will have significant adverse consequences
to the money market funds or Ultra-Short Funds or their shareholders. Although the money market
funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not prohibit frequent trading, Funds Management will seek to prevent an investor
from utilizing the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds to facilitate frequent purchases and redemptions
of shares in the Covered Funds in contravention of the policies and procedures adopted by the Covered
Funds.
All
Wells Fargo Funds.
In addition, Funds Management reserves the right to accept purchases, redemptions and exchanges
made in excess of applicable trading restrictions in designated accounts held by Funds Management or its
affiliate that are used at all times exclusively for addressing operational matters related to shareholder accounts,
such as testing of account functions, and are maintained at low balances that do not exceed specified dollar
amount limitations.
In
the event that an asset allocation or “wrap” program is unable to implement the policy outlined above, Funds Management
may grant a program-level exception to this policy. A financial intermediary relying on the exception is
required to provide Funds Management with specific information regarding its program and ongoing information
about its program upon request.
A
financial intermediary through whom you may purchase shares of the Fund may independently attempt to identify
excessive trading and take steps to deter such activity. As a result, a financial intermediary may on its own limit
or permit trading activity of its customers who invest in Fund shares using standards different from the standards
used by Funds Management and discussed in this Prospectus. Funds Management may permit a financial
intermediary to enforce its own internal policies and procedures concerning frequent trading rather than the
policies set forth above in instances where Funds Management reasonably believes that the intermediary’s policies
and procedures effectively discourage disruptive trading activity. If you purchase Fund shares through a financial
intermediary, you should contact the intermediary for more information about whether and how restrictions
or limitations on trading activity will be applied to your account.
Account
Policies
Advance
Notice of Large Transactions. We strongly urge you
to make all purchases and redemptions of Fund shares
as early in the day as possible and to notify us or your intermediary at least one day in advance of transactions
in Fund shares in excess of $1 million. This will help us to manage the Funds most effectively. When you
give this advance notice, please provide your name and account number.
Householding.
To help keep Fund expenses low, a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder report may be sent to shareholders
of the same household. If your household currently receives a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder
report and you would prefer to receive multiple copies, please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222
or contact your financial professional.
Retirement
Accounts. We offer a variety of retirement account
types for individuals and small businesses. There may
be special distribution requirements for a retirement account, such as required distributions or mandatory Federal
income tax withholdings. For more information about the retirement accounts listed below, including any
distribution
requirements, call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222. For retirement accounts held directly with a Fund,
certain fees may apply including an annual account maintenance fee.
The
retirement accounts available for individuals and small businesses are:
| ■ |
Individual
Retirement Accounts, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. |
| ■ |
Small
business retirement accounts, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs. |
Small
Account Redemptions. We reserve the right to redeem
accounts that have values that fall below a Fund’s minimum
initial investment amount due to shareholder redemptions (as opposed to market movement). Before doing
so, we will give you approximately 60 days to bring your account value above the Fund’s minimum initial investment
amount. Please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 or contact your financial professional for further
details.
Transaction
Authorizations. We may accept telephone, electronic,
and clearing agency transaction instructions from anyone
who represents that he or she is a shareholder and provides reasonable confirmation of his or her identity.
Neither we nor Wells Fargo Funds will be liable for any losses incurred if we follow such instructions we reasonably
believe to be genuine. For transactions through our website, we may assign personal identification numbers
(PINs) and you will need to create a login ID and password for account access. To safeguard your account, please
keep these credentials confidential. Contact us immediately if you believe there is a discrepancy on your confirmation
statement or if you believe someone has obtained unauthorized access to your online access credentials.
Identity
Verification. We are required by law to obtain from
you certain personal information that will be used to verify
your identity. If you do not provide the information, we will not be able to open your account. In the rare event
that we are unable to verify your identity as required by law, we reserve the right to redeem your account at the
current NAV of the Fund’s shares. You will be responsible for any losses, taxes, expenses, fees, or other results of
such a redemption.
Right
to Freeze Accounts, Suspend Account Services or Reject or Terminate an Investment.
We reserve the right, to the extent permitted by law
and/or regulations, to freeze any account or suspend account services when we
have received reasonable notice (written or otherwise) of a dispute between registered or beneficial account owners
or when we believe a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred. Additionally, we reserve the right to
reject any purchase or exchange request and to terminate a shareholder’s investment, including closing the shareholder’s
account.
Distributions
The
Funds, except the Large Company Value Fund, generally make distributions of any net investment income and any
realized net capital gains at least annually. The Large Company Value Fund generally makes distributions of any
net investment income quarterly and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Please contact your institution
for distribution options. Please note, distributions have the effect of reducing the NAV per share by the amount
distributed.
We
offer the following distribution options. To change your current option for payment of distributions, please call Investor
Services at 1-800-222-8222.
| ■ |
Automatic
Reinvestment Option—Allows you to use distributions to buy new shares of the same class of the Fund
that generated the distributions. The new shares are purchased at NAV generally on the day the distribution
is paid. This option is automatically assigned to your account unless you specify another option. |
| ■ |
Check
Payment Option—Allows you to receive distributions via checks mailed to your address of record or to another
name and address which you have specified in written instructions. A Medallion Guarantee may also be required.
If checks remain uncashed for six months or are undeliverable by the Post Office, we will reinvest the distributions
at the earliest date possible, and future distributions will be automatically reinvested. |
| ■ |
Bank
Account Payment Option—Allows you to receive distributions directly in a checking or savings account through
EFT. The bank account must be linked to your Wells Fargo Fund account. Any distribution returned to us
due to an invalid banking instruction will be sent to your address of record by check at the earliest date possible,
and future distributions will be automatically reinvested. |
| ■ |
Directed
Distribution Purchase Option—Allows you to buy shares of a different Wells Fargo Fund of the same share
class. The new shares are purchased at NAV generally on the day the distribution is paid. In order to use this
option, you need to identify the Fund and account the distributions are coming from, and the Fund and ac |
|
count
to which the distributions are being directed. You must meet any required minimum investment amounts in
both Funds prior to using this option. |
You
are eligible to earn distributions beginning on the business day after the Fund’s transfer agent or an authorized
intermediary receives your purchase request in good order.
Other
Information
Taxes
The
following discussion regarding federal income taxes is based on laws that were in effect as of the date of this Prospectus
and summarizes only some of the important federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and you
as a shareholder. It does not apply to foreign or tax-exempt shareholders or those holding Fund shares through
a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) Plan or IRA. This discussion is not intended as a substitute for careful
tax planning. You should consult your tax adviser about your specific tax situation. Please see the Statement
of Additional Information for additional federal income tax information.
The
Fund elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. A RIC is not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains
from investments that are distributed in a timely manner to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify
as a RIC would result in corporate level taxation, and consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution
to you as a shareholder.
We
will pass on to a Fund’s shareholders substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income and realized net capital
gains, if any. Distributions from a Fund’s ordinary income and net short-term capital gains, if any, generally will
be taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions from a Fund’s net long-term capital gains, if any, generally will
be taxable to you as long-term capital gains. If you are an individual and meet certain holding period requirements
with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income,
if any, distributed by the Fund.
Corporate
shareholders may be able to deduct a portion of their distributions when determining their taxable income.
Individual
taxpayers are subject to a maximum tax rate of 37% on ordinary income and a maximum tax rate on long-term
capital gains and qualified dividends of 20%. For U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000
if married and filing jointly), a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax will apply on “net investment income,” including
interest, dividends, and capital gains. Corporations are subject to tax on all income and gains at a tax rate of
21%. However, a RIC is not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains from investments that are distributed
in a timely manner to shareholders.
Distributions
from a Fund normally will be taxable to you when paid, whether you take distributions in cash or automatically
reinvest them in additional Fund shares. Following the end of each year, we will notify you of the federal
income tax status of your distributions for the year.
If
you buy shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a taxable distribution, your distribution will, in effect, be a taxable
return of part of your investment. Similarly, if you buy shares of a Fund when it holds appreciated securities,
you will receive a taxable return of part of your investment if and when the Fund sells the appreciated securities
and distributes the gain. The Fund has built up, or has the potential to build up, high levels of unrealized appreciation.
Your
redemptions (including redemptions in-kind) and exchanges of Fund shares ordinarily will result in a taxable capital
gain or loss, depending on the amount you receive for your shares (or are deemed to receive in the case of exchanges)
and the amount you paid (or are deemed to have paid) for them. Such capital gain or loss generally will be
long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your redeemed or exchanged Fund shares for more than one year at
the time of redemption or exchange. In certain circumstances, losses realized on the redemption or exchange of Fund
shares may be disallowed.
When
you receive a distribution from a Fund or redeem shares, you may be subject to backup withholding.
Financial
Highlights
The
following tables are intended
to help you understand a Fund’s financial performance for the past five years (or since
inception, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. Total returns represent
the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each
Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). The
information in the following tables has been
derived from the Funds’ financial statements
which have
been audited by KPMG LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along
with each Fund’s financial statements,
is also included in each Fund’s annual report,
a copy of which is available upon request.
Classic
Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Endeavor
Select Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Large
Cap Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
Administrator |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is less than $0.005. |
Large
Cap Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
20171
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from October 31, 2016 (commencement of class operations) to July 31, 2017 |
| 2. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Omega
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investmentloss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Administrator
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is more than $(0.005). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
More
information on a Fund is available free upon request, including
the following documents:
Statement
of Additional Information (“SAI”) Supplements
the disclosures made by this Prospectus. The SAI,
which has been filed with the SEC, is incorporated
by reference into this Prospectus and therefore
is legally part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports Provide financial and other important
information, including a discussion of the market
conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected Fund performance over the reporting period.
To
obtain copies of the above documents or for more information
about Wells Fargo Funds, contact us:
By
telephone: Individual Investors: 1-800-222-8222 Retail
Investment Professionals: 1-888-877-9275 Institutional
Investment Professionals: 1-800-260-5969 |
By
mail: Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Online: wfam.com
From
the SEC: Visit the SEC’s Public Reference
Room in Washington, DC (phone 1-202-551-8090 for
operational information for the SEC’s Public
Reference Room) or the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
To
obtain information for a fee, write or email: SEC’s
Public Reference Section 100 “F” Street,
NE Washington, DC 20549-0102 publicinfo@sec.gov
The
Wells Fargo Funds are distributed by Wells Fargo
Funds Distributor, LLC, a member of FINRA, and an
affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. |
|
|
|
©
2020 Wells Fargo & Company. All rights reserved.
|
120LCAM/P103 ICA
Reg. No. 811-09253 |
|
|
|
|
Prospectus December
1, 2020 |
|
|
|
Fund
|
Institutional
Class |
|
Wells
Fargo Classic Value Fund |
EIVIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Disciplined U.S. Core Fund |
EVSIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Endeavor Select Fund |
WFCIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Growth Fund |
SGRNX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Core Fund |
EGOIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Growth Fund |
STNFX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Company Value Fund |
WLCIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
WLVOX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Omega Growth Fund |
EKONX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Premier Large Company Growth Fund |
EKJYK
|
Beginning
on January 1, 2021, as permitted by new regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Wells
Fargo Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports issued after this date will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically
request paper copies of the reports. Instead,
the reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, and you will be notified by mail each time
a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.
If
you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action.
You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically at any time by contacting your
financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-222-8222 or by enrolling at
wellsfargo.com/advantagedelivery.
You
may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your
financial intermediary to request that you continue
to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Fund,
you can call 1-800-222-8222. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Wells Fargo Funds held in your account with your
financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, to all Wells Fargo Funds that you hold.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy
or adequacy of this Prospectus. Anyone who tells you
otherwise is committing a crime.
Fund
shares are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., its affiliates or any other depository institution.
Fund shares are not insured or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency and may lose value.
Classic
Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.17%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.86%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.16)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.70%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$72
|
|
3
Years |
$258
|
|
5
Years |
$461
|
|
10
Years |
$1,046
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+13.41%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.48%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -10.90%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
8/1/2006
|
32.89%
|
9.42%
|
12.12%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
8/1/2006
|
29.70%
|
7.03%
|
10.20%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
8/1/2006
|
21.63%
|
7.03%
|
9.70%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Intrinsic Value
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2013 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.35%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.18%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.53%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.05)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.48%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$49
|
|
3
Years |
$165
|
|
5
Years |
$291
|
|
10
Years |
$660
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 50%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+13.23%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-14.48%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 4.15%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
7/30/2010
|
29.04%
|
10.50%
|
13.17%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
7/30/2010
|
27.68%
|
8.88%
|
11.06%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
7/30/2010
|
18.13%
|
7.97%
|
10.36%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Enhanced S&P 500
Fund. |
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for Institutional Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of Administrator Class shares, and
includes the higher expenses applicable to Administrator Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for Institutional Class
shares would be higher. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Justin
P. Carr, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA, Portfolio Manager
/ 2019 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Endeavor
Select Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.23%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.93%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.23)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2
|
%
|
| 1. |
Expenses
have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses.
|
| 2. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.70%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$72
|
|
3
Years |
$273
|
|
5
Years |
$492
|
|
10
Years |
$1,122
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 16%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year |
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.76%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.36%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.38%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
4/8/2005
|
39.14%
|
15.18%
|
14.62%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
4/8/2005
|
36.62%
|
9.87%
|
11.38%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
4/8/2005
|
24.83%
|
10.55%
|
11.18%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager/2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Growth
Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.70%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.14%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.84%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.09)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.75%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$77
|
|
3
Years |
$259
|
|
5
Years |
$457
|
|
10
Years |
$1,029
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 37%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year |
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+19.82%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-17.50%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 26.35%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
2/24/2000
|
37.65%
|
13.87%
|
15.69%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
2/24/2000
|
34.65%
|
9.89%
|
13.19%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
2/24/2000
|
24.33%
|
10.16%
|
12.63%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2020 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2002
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Institutions
Purchasing Fund Shares |
To
Place Orders or Redeem Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum Additional
Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 8266 Boston,
MA 02266-8266 Online:
wellsfargofunds.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact your investment
representative. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Core Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.20%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.89%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.22)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.67%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$68
|
|
3
Years |
$262
|
|
5
Years |
$472
|
|
10
Years |
$1,076
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 28%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+15.26%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-17.11%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -4.78%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
12/17/2007
|
28.13%
|
9.75%
|
12.95%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
12/17/2007
|
22.57%
|
7.88%
|
11.88%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
12/17/2007
|
20.46%
|
7.56%
|
10.76%
|
|
S&P
500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.49%
|
11.70%
|
13.56%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Golden Large Cap Core
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
John
R. Campbell, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2015 Vince
Fioramonti, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2019
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.69%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.16%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.85%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.10)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.75%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$77
|
|
3
Years |
$261
|
|
5
Years |
$462
|
|
10
Years |
$1,040
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 34%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.08%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.35%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 21.61%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
7/30/2010
|
33.09%
|
12.93%
|
14.04%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
7/30/2010
|
30.23%
|
9.62%
|
12.15%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
7/30/2010
|
21.52%
|
9.72%
|
11.44%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown for the Institutional Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the former Investor Class
shares, and includes the higher expenses applicable to
the former Investor Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for Institutional
Class shares would be higher. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2008 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2005
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Large
Company Value Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.26%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.66%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.16)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.50%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$51
|
|
3
Years |
$195
|
|
5
Years |
$352
|
|
10
Years |
$807
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 366%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, can lead to losses, including those
magnified by leverage, particularly when derivatives are used to enhance return rather than mitigate
risk. Certain derivative instruments may be difficult to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be
appropriate to do so, or the other party to a derivative contract may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations.
Futures
Contracts Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts,
which are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year |
|
|
Highest
Quarter: December
31, 2011
|
+11.98%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-16.44%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -6.10%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
3/31/2008
|
22.91%
|
6.80%
|
9.88%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
3/31/2008
|
22.07%
|
4.22%
|
7.95%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
3/31/2008
|
14.11%
|
4.80%
|
7.72%
|
|
Russell
1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
26.54%
|
8.29%
|
11.80%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management,
LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.40%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.60%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.00%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.60)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.40%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$41
|
|
3
Years |
$259
|
|
5
Years |
$494
|
|
10
Years |
$1,170
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 165%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences. As of November
22, 2019, the Manager and/or its affiliates held
approximately 81.06% of the Fund’s shares
in the form of a seed capital investment intended to enable
the Fund to commence investment operations and/or achieve sufficient scale. This percentage may change over
time.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance
of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2019 |
+12.10%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-8.04%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is -0.25%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2019 |
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
Since
inception |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
10/31/2016
|
27.21%
|
--
|
12.00%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
10/31/2016
|
25.73%
|
--
|
10.43%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
10/31/2016
|
16.95%
|
--
|
9.04%
|
|
Russell
1000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses,
or taxes) |
|
31.43%
|
--
|
16.28%
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title/Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Dennis
Bein, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Ryan
Brown, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016 Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA,
Portfolio Manager / 2016 |
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Omega
Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.78%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.17%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.95%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.10)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.85%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$87
|
|
3
Years |
$293
|
|
5
Years |
$516
|
|
10
Years |
$1,157
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 23%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause
the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year1,2
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+19.39%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: September
30, 2011
|
-19.30%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 23.76%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
7/30/2010
|
37.30%
|
13.69%
|
14.19%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
7/30/2010
|
35.72%
|
11.63%
|
12.41%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
7/30/2010
|
23.15%
|
10.48%
|
11.37%
|
|
Russell
3000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
35.85%
|
14.23%
|
15.05%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Omega Fund.
|
| 2. |
Historical
performance shown for the Institutional Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the Administrator Class
shares, and includes the higher expenses applicable to
the Administrator Class shares. If these expenses had not been included, returns for the Institutional
Class shares would be higher. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Christopher
J. Warner, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2016
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Summary
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees
and Expenses
These
tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy and hold shares
of the Fund.
|
|
|
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
|
Maximum
sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
Maximum
deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None
|
|
|
|
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management
Fees |
0.66%
|
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
0.00%
|
|
Other
Expenses |
0.15%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.81%
|
|
Fee
Waivers |
(0.11)%
|
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers1
|
%
|
| 1. |
The
Manager has contractually committed through November
30, 2021, to waive fees and/or reimburse
expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 0.70%
for Institutional Class. Brokerage commissions, stamp
duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses
(if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment
expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of
the Board of Trustees. |
Example
of Expenses
The
example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in
other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses
remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses,
the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
|
|
|
After:
|
|
|
1
Year |
$72
|
|
3
Years |
$248
|
|
5
Years |
$439
|
|
10
Years |
$991
|
Portfolio
Turnover
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 annual fund operating expenses
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rate was 45%
of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and
|
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments.
|
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
Principal
Investment Risks
An
investment in the Fund may lose money, is
not a deposit of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates, is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency,
and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized
below.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general
market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities
markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic
developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such
developments.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer,
market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or
value characteristics tend to perform differently and
shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the
Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Performance
The
following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s
performance from year to year. The Fund’s
average annual total returns are compared to the performance of
one or more indices. Past
performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results.
Current month-end performance is available on the Fund’s
website at wfam.com.
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Year Total Returns for Institutional Class as of 12/31 each year1
|
|
|
Highest
Quarter: March
31, 2012 |
+18.62%
|
|
Lowest
Quarter: December
31, 2018
|
-16.97%
|
|
Year-to-date
total return as of 9/30/2020
is 22.80%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
Date of Share
Class |
1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year |
|
Institutional
Class (before taxes) |
6/30/1999
|
33.71%
|
12.60%
|
13.85%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions) |
6/30/1999
|
31.41%
|
9.32%
|
12.09%
|
|
Institutional
Class (after taxes on distributions and the sale
of Fund Shares) |
6/30/1999
|
21.52%
|
9.37%
|
11.28%
|
|
Russell
1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses, or taxes) |
|
36.39%
|
14.63%
|
15.22%
|
| 1. |
Historical
performance shown prior to July 19, 2010, is based on the performance of the Fund’s predecessor, Evergreen Large Company Growth
Fund. |
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect
the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual
after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and
may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors
who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Fund
Management
|
|
|
|
Manager
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Manager, Title / Managed Since |
|
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC |
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA, Portfolio Manager / 2010 Robert
Gruendyke, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2017 Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA, Portfolio Manager / 2010
|
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks and
trust companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire, on any day
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial
professional.
|
|
|
Minimum
Investments |
To
Buy or Sell Shares |
|
Minimum
Initial Investment Institutional Class: $1 million
(this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain
eligible investors)
Minimum
Additional Investment Institutional Class: None
|
Mail:
Wells Fargo Funds P.O. Box 219967 Kansas
City, MO 64121-9967 Online:
wfam.com Phone or Wire:
1-800-222-8222
Contact
your financial professional. |
Tax
Information
Any
distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment
is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such
a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about
your specific tax situation.
Payments
to Intermediaries
If
you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary
and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial
professional or visit your intermediary’s website for more information.
Details
About the Funds
Classic
Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments |
We
invest principally in equity securities of approximately 30 to 50 large-capitalization companies, which we define
as companies with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000®
Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion,
as of October 31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers
through ADRs and similar investments.
We
utilize a long-term focus that is intended to take advantage of investment opportunities presented by what we
believe are short-term price anomalies in high-quality stocks. We seek to identify companies with established operating
histories, financial strength and management expertise, among other factors. We seek stocks that are trading
at a discount to what we believe are their intrinsic values. Fundamental research is performed to identify securities
for the portfolio with one or more catalysts present that we believe will unlock the intrinsic value of the securities.
These catalysts may include productive use of strong free cash flow, productivity gains, positive change in
management or control, innovative or competitively superior products, increasing shareholder focus, or resolution
of ancillary problems or misperceptions. We may sell a holding if the value potential is realized, if warning
signs emerge of beginning fundamental deterioration or if the valuation is no longer compelling relative to
other investment opportunities.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures to manage risk or to enhance return.
We
employ a risk controlled investment approach in seeking to construct a broadly diversified portfolio of companies
with characteristics similar to the S&P 500 Index and a superior valuation and earnings profile. Our research,
which utilizes a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, identifies companies based
on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics that give a comprehensive view of each company’s relative
valuation, operational and financial performance, and stock price behavior. Our approach seeks to achieve positive
excess returns relative to the S&P 500 Index (which may include both value and growth stocks) by using stock
selection to take controlled active risks in a portfolio that is similar to the benchmark. We regularly review the
investments of the portfolio and may sell a portfolio holding when, among other reasons, we believe there is deterioration
in the underlying fundamentals of the business.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Endeavor
Select Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in the equity securities of approximately 30 to 40 companies that we believe offer the potential
for capital growth. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We select equity securities of companies of any size.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of companies that we believe have prospects for robust and sustainable growth
of revenues and earnings. We may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. We
may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers through ADRs and similar investments.
We
focus on companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Core Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 10% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the S&P 500 Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range
of the S&P 500 Index was approximately $2.5 billion
to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including ADRs and similar investments.
Generally, we avoid investments in issuers we deem to have significant alcohol, gaming or tobacco business.
We
utilize a combination of quantitative methods and fundamental analysis to select a core portfolio of large-capitalization
companies that we believe are relatively undervalued and exhibit the likelihood to meet or exceed
future earnings expectations. Our quantitative analysis is based on a proprietary total composite model that
considers valuation, quality, and momentum characteristics to rank securities. Stocks that are attractively ranked
by the total composite model are candidates for purchase. Such candidates undergo further qualitative analysis,
which may include an evaluation of a company’s management strength, products and/or services, competition
and risk profile. This disciplined process leads to a focused, target portfolio of approximately 50 securities
that are diversified among major economic sectors.
In
general, a stock may be sold if it has declining earnings expectations or a significantly overvalued stock price, as indicated
by lower rankings within the total composite model. Upon the sale of any security, we seek to invest the proceeds
in the most attractive security, in light of all relevant considerations, in which the Fund may invest in accordance
with the Fund’s investment restrictions.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Focused
Portfolio Risk |
■
Foreign
Investment Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Cap Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies that we believe have prospects for robust
and sustainable growth of revenues and earnings. We define large-capitalization companies as those with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may
also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, through ADRs
and similar investments.
We focus on companies
that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Large
Company Value Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
• at least
80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies.
We
invest principally in equity securities of U.S. large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market
capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market capitalization
range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. Furthermore,
we may use futures contracts to equitize uninvested cash.
We
construct a diversified portfolio of large capitalization equity securities that we believe, based on the use of a proprietary
quantitative investment process, will outperform the broad market (net of fees) while maintaining a risk
profile similar to the Russell 1000® Value Index. In an attempt to minimize the likelihood and magnitude of underperformance
versus the Russell 1000® Value Index, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to create
a portfolio with sector exposures, as well as value and market capitalization characteristics that are relatively
consistent with that index. We monitor the risk-return tradeoff of the overall portfolio, and will either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when our expected return targets are reached, or when
portfolio risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Derivatives
Risk |
■
Futures
Contracts Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of domestic issuers. |
In
pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, we seek to produce returns that are similar to those of the Russell 1000®
Index, but with lower volatility over a full market cycle. We may invest in equity securities of any market capitalization,
but will primarily invest in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize
one or more particular sectors.
Our
investment process uses multiple risk models to evaluate and forecast the risks for all constituents of the Russell
1000® Index. We then construct a diversified portfolio of stocks with below average forecasted risk characteristics
in an effort to achieve market-like returns with considerably less volatility than the U.S. equity market
as a whole. We monitor the portfolio’s overall risk and the risk of each individual security and either rebalance
the portfolio or sell one or more individual securities when those risks increase beyond acceptable levels.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk |
■
Management
Risk
■
Regulatory
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Omega
Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances,
| ■ |
the
Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities; and |
| ■ |
may
invest up to 25% of the its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
may invest in the equity securities of companies of any market capitalization.
We
seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive
advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with
a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history
of earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). Furthermore, we seek to identify companies
that embrace innovation and foster disruption using technology to maximize efficiencies, gain pricing advantages,
and take market share from competitors. We view innovative companies as those that, among other characteristics,
have the ability to advance new products or services through investment in research and development,
that operate a business model that is displacing legacy industry incumbents, that are pursuing a large
unmet need or total available market, and/or that are benefitting from changes in demographic, lifestyle, or environmental
trends. We believe innovation found in companies on the “right side of change” is often mispriced in
today’s public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment
process. We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future
cash flow. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative
price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. In addition to meeting
with management, we take a surround the company approach by surveying a company’s vendors, distributors,
competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions.
Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward
relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock)
relative to where the stock is currently trading. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize
one or more particular sectors. We may choose to sell a holding when it no longer offers favorable growth
prospects, reaches our target price, or to take advantage of a better investment opportunity.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Securities Risk
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk
■
Smaller
Company Securities Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
Investment
Objective
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees can change this investment objective without a shareholder vote.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Under
normal circumstances, we invest:
| ■ |
at
least 80% of the Fund’s net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies; and |
| ■ |
up
to 20% of the Fund’s total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including ADRs and similar investments. |
We
invest principally in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, which we define as securities of companies
with market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000® Index at the time of purchase. The market
capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $816
million to $1.8 trillion, as of October
31, 2020, and is expected to change frequently. We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers including
ADRs and similar investments.
We focus on
companies that dominate their market, are establishing new markets or are undergoing dynamic change.
We believe earnings and revenue growth relative to expectations are critical factors in determining stock price
movements. Thus, our investment process is centered around finding companies with under-appreciated prospects
for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenue. To find that growth, we use bottom-up research,
emphasizing companies whose management teams have a history of successfully executing their strategy
and whose business models have sufficient profit potential. We forecast revenue and earnings revision opportunities,
along with other key financial metrics to assess investment potential. We then combine that company-specific
analysis with our assessment of secular and timeliness trends to form a buy/sell decision about a particular
stock. We may invest in any sector, and at times we may emphasize one or more particular sectors. We sell
a company’s securities when we see deterioration in fundamentals that leads us to become suspicious of a company’s
prospective growth profile or the profitability potential of its business model, as this often leads to lower
valuation potential. We may also sell or trim a position when we need to raise money to fund the purchase of a
better investment opportunity or when valuation is extended beyond our expectations.
We
may actively trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may affect the Fund’s performance.
In addition, active trading of portfolio securities may lead to higher taxes if your shares are held in a taxable
account.
The
Fund may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments, including U.S. Government obligations,
shares of other funds and repurchase agreements, or make other short-term investments for purposes
of maintaining liquidity or for short-term defensive purposes when we believe it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to do so. During such periods, the Fund may not achieve its objective.
Principal
Investment Risks
The
Fund is primarily subject to the risks mentioned below.
|
|
|
■
Market
Risk
■
Equity
Risk Securities
■
Foreign
Investment Risk |
■
Growth/Value
Investing Risk
■
Management
Risk |
These
and other risks could cause you to lose money in your investment in the Fund and could adversely affect the Fund’s
net asset value and total return. These risks are described in the “Description of Principal Investment Risks” section.
Description
of Principal Investment Risks
Understanding
the risks involved in fund investing will help you make an informed decision that takes into account your
risk tolerance and preferences. The risks that are most likely to have a material effect on a particular Fund as
a whole are called “principal risks.”
The principal risks for each Fund
have been previously identified and are described below
(in alphabetical order). Additional information about the principal risks is included in the Statement
of Additional Information.
Derivatives
Risk. The use of derivatives, such as futures, options
and swap agreements, presents risks different from,
and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives
can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the derivatives’ underlying assets,
indexes or rates and the derivatives themselves, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivatives.
These risks are heightened when derivatives are used to enhance a Fund’s return or as a substitute for a
position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or mitigate) the risk of a position or security held by the Fund. The
success of a derivative strategy will be affected by the portfolio manager’s ability to assess and predict market or
economic developments and their impact on the derivatives’ underlying assets, indexes or reference rates, as well
as the derivatives themselves. Certain derivative instruments may become illiquid and, as a result, may be difficult
to sell when the portfolio manager believes it would be appropriate to do so. Certain derivatives create leverage,
which can magnify the impact of a decline in the value of their underlying assets, indexes or reference rates,
and increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value. Certain derivatives (e.g., over-the-counter swaps) are also
subject to the risk that the counterparty to the derivative contract will be unwilling or unable to fulfill its contractual
obligations, which may cause a Fund to lose money, suffer delays or incur costs arising from holding or selling
an underlying asset. Changes in laws or regulations may make the use of derivatives more costly, may limit the
availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the use, value or performance of derivatives.
Equity
Securities Risk. The values of equity securities
may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may
decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those
of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the
security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer’s products or
services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic
and political conditions. Investing in equity securities poses risks specific to an issuer, as well as to the particular
type of company issuing the equity securities. For example, investing in the equity securities of small- or mid-capitalization
companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in stocks of larger,
more-established companies. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse
issuer, market, regulatory, political, and economic developments. Negative news or a poor outlook for a particular
industry can cause the share prices of securities of companies in that industry to decline.
Focused
Portfolio Risk. Changes in the value of a small
number of issuers are likely to have a larger impact on a Fund’s
net asset value than if the Fund held a greater number of issuers.
Foreign
Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject
to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related
to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign companies may be subject to significantly
higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby
reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies. Foreign investments may involve exposure to changes
in foreign currency exchange rates. Such changes may reduce the U.S. dollar value of the investments. Foreign
investments may be subject to additional risks, such as potentially higher withholding and other taxes, and may
also be subject to greater trade settlement, custodial, and other operational risks than domestic investments. Certain
foreign markets may also be characterized by less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards.
Futures Contracts
Risk. A Fund that uses futures contracts, which
are a type of derivative, is subject to the risk of loss
caused by unanticipated market movements. In addition, there may at times be an imperfect correlation between
the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes, and
there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain futures contracts.
Growth/Value
Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit certain
characteristics, such as growth characteristics or value
characteristics, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes
in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, a Fund’s performance may at times be worse
than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or in securities that exhibit different characteristics.
Management
Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses
or models implemented by a Fund’s manager or sub-adviser
in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected, may cause
the Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market
Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated
by, securities held by a Fund may decline due to general market
conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities markets
are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments.
Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.
Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, government
shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public
health crises and related events have led, and in the future may lead, to economic uncertainty, decreased economic
activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets.
Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on a Fund and its investments. In addition,
economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases
the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in
other countries or regions.
Regulatory
Risk. Pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and certain
rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates
own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund after the permitted seeding period following the Fund’s
inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute
its investment strategy. Should this occur, the Fund may decide to liquidate, or the Manager and/or its affiliates
may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either of which may result in gains or losses,
increased transaction costs and adverse tax consequences.
Smaller
Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies
with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile
and less liquid than those of larger companies. Smaller companies may have no or relatively short operating
histories, limited financial resources or may have recently become public companies. Some of these companies
have aggressive capital structures, including high debt levels, or are involved in rapidly growing or changing
industries and/or new technologies.
Portfolio
Holdings Information
A
description of the Wells Fargo Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Wells Fargo Funds’
portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement
of Additional Information.
Pricing Fund
Shares
A Fund’s NAV
is the value of a single share. The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, although a Fund
may deviate from this calculation time under unusual or unexpected circumstances.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares
of a multiple-class Fund. The most recent NAV for each class of a Fund
is available at wfam.com. To calculate the NAV of a Fund’s
shares, the Fund’s assets are valued and
totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and the balance,
called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The price
at which a purchase or redemption request is processed is based on the next NAV calculated after the request
is received in good order. Generally, NAV is not calculated, and purchase and redemption requests are not processed,
on days that the NYSE is closed for trading; however, under unusual or unexpected circumstances, a Fund
may elect to remain open even on days that the NYSE is closed or closes early. To the extent that a Fund’s
assets are traded in various markets on days when the Fund
is closed, the value of the Fund’s assets
may be affected on days when you are unable to buy or
sell Fund shares. Conversely, trading in some of a Fund’s
assets may not occur on days when the Fund
is open.
With
respect to any portion of a Fund’s
assets that may be invested in other mutual funds, the value of the Fund’s
shares is based on the NAV of the shares of the other
mutual funds in which the Fund invests. The valuation
methods used by mutual funds in pricing their shares,
including the circumstances under which they will use fair value
pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing, are included in the prospectuses of such funds. To the extent a Fund
invests a portion of its assets in non-registered investment vehicles, the Fund’s
interests in the non-registered vehicles are fair valued
at NAV.
With
respect to a Fund’s
assets invested directly in securities, the Fund’s
investments are generally valued at current market prices.
Equity securities, options and futures are generally valued at the official closing price or, if none,
the last reported sales price on the primary exchange or market on which they are listed (closing price). Equity
securities that are not traded primarily on an exchange are generally valued at the quoted bid price obtained
from a broker-dealer.
Debt
securities are valued at the evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing service or, if a reliable price
is not available, the quoted bid price from an independent broker-dealer.
We
are required to depart from these general valuation methods and use fair value pricing methods to determine the
values of certain investments if we believe that the closing price or the quoted bid price of a security, including a
security that trades primarily on a foreign exchange, does not accurately reflect its current market value as of the time
a Fund
calculates its NAV. The closing price or the quoted bid price of a security may not reflect its current market
value if, among other things, a significant event occurs after the closing price or quoted bid price are made available,
but before the time as of which a Fund
calculates its NAV, that materially affects the value of the security.
We use various criteria, including a systemic evaluation of U.S. market moves after the close of foreign markets,
in deciding whether a foreign security’s market price is still reliable and, if not, what fair market value to assign
to the security. In addition, we use fair value pricing to determine the value of investments in securities and other
assets, including illiquid securities, for which current market quotations or evaluated prices from a pricing service
or broker-dealer are not readily available.
The
fair value of a Fund’s
securities and other assets is determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures
adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
In light of the judgment involved in making fair value decisions,
there can be no assurance that a fair value assigned to a particular security is accurate or that it reflects the
price that the Fund could obtain for such security
if it were to sell the security at the time as of which fair value pricing
is determined. Such fair value pricing may result in NAVs that are higher or lower than NAVs based on the closing
price or quoted bid price. See the Statement of Additional Information for additional details regarding the determination
of NAVs.
Management
of the Funds
The
Manager
Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”), headquartered at 525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA
94105, provides advisory and Fund level administrative
services to the Funds pursuant to an investment
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”).
Funds Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells
Fargo & Company, a publicly traded diversified financial services company that provides banking, insurance, investment,
mortgage and consumer financial services. Funds Management is a registered investment adviser that
provides advisory services for registered mutual funds, closed-end funds and other funds and accounts. Funds
Management is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
Funds
Management is responsible for implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds.
Funds Management’s investment professionals review
and analyze the Funds’ performance, including
relative to peer funds, and monitor the Funds’
compliance with their investment objectives and
strategies. Funds Management is responsible for reporting
to the Board on investment performance and other matters affecting the Funds.
When appropriate, Funds Management recommends to the
Board enhancements to Fund features, including changes to Fund
investment objectives, strategies and policies. Funds Management also communicates with shareholders
and intermediaries about Fund performance and features.
Funds
Management is also responsible for providing Fund-level
administrative services to the Funds, which include,
among others, providing such services in connection with the Funds’
operations; developing and implementing procedures for
monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements and compliance with the Funds’
investment objectives, policies and restrictions; and providing any other Fund-level
administrative services reasonably necessary for the
operation of the Funds, other than those services
that are provided by the Funds’ transfer
and dividend disbursing agent, custodian and fund accountant.
To
assist Funds Management in implementing the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds,
Funds Management may contract with one or more sub-advisers
to provide day-to-day portfolio management services to
the Funds. Funds Management employs a team of investment
professionals who identify and recommend the initial
hiring of any sub-adviser and oversee and monitor the activities of any sub-adviser on an ongoing basis. Funds
Management retains overall responsibility for the investment activities of the Funds.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Management
Agreement and any applicable sub-advisory agreements
for each Fund is
available in the Fund’s Annual
report for the period ended July 31st.
For each Fund’s
most recent fiscal year end, the Management Fee
paid to Funds Management pursuant to the Management
Agreement, net of any applicable waivers and reimbursements, was as follows:
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
|
As
a % of average daily net assets |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
0.64%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
0.35%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
0.48%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
0.69%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
0.55%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
0.60%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
0.24%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
0.00%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
0.78%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
0.62%
|
The
Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
The
following Sub-adviser and Portfolio
Managers provide day-to-day portfolio management services to the Funds.
These services include making purchases and sales of securities and other investment assets for the Funds,
selecting broker-dealers, negotiating brokerage commission rates and maintaining portfolio transaction
records. The Sub-adviser is
compensated for its services by Funds Management
from the fees Funds Management receives for its services
as investment Manager to the Funds.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional
information about the Portfolio Managers’
compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio
Managers and the Portfolio Managers’
ownership of securities in the Funds.
Wells
Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital
Management”) is a registered investment adviser located at
525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Wells Capital Management, an affiliate of Funds Management and indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, is a multi-boutique asset management firm committed
to delivering superior investment services to institutional clients, including mutual funds. Wells Capital Management
is a part of Wells Fargo Asset Management, the trade name used by the asset management businesses
of Wells Fargo & Company.
|
|
|
Dennis
Bein, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Bein joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1995, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors team. |
|
Ryan
Brown, CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
Brown joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors team. |
|
John
R. Campbell, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Campbell joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2006, where
he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity team.
|
|
Justin
P. Carr, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Carr joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2001, where
he currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA Large Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Mr.
de Silva joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1995, where
he currently serves as President and Portfolio Manager for the Analytic Investors
team. |
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Eberhardy joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1994,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Vince
Fioramonti, CFA Large Cap Core Fund
|
Mr.
Fioramonti joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2012,
where he currently serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Golden Capital Equity
team. |
|
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA Classic Value Fund
|
Mr.
Giaconi joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2003, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Director of Research with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Gruendyke joined Wells Capital Management in 2008, where he currently serves as
a portfolio manager on the Heritage Growth Equity team. |
|
Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA Classic Value Fund |
Mr.
Nadal joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2011, where
he currently serves as Team Leader and Senior Portfolio Manager with the MetWest
Capital Equity team. |
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA Growth Fund Large
Cap Growth Fund Premier Large Company Growth Fund
|
Mr.
Ognar joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 1998, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager. |
|
Michael
T. Smith, CFA Endeavor Select Fund Omega
Growth Fund |
Mr.
Smith joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2000, where
he currently serves as a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental
Growth Equity team. |
|
|
|
Christopher
J. Warner, CFA Endeavor Select Fund Omega
Growth Fund |
Mr.
Warner joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2007, where
he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Fundamental Growth Equity team.
|
|
Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
|
Mr.
Wicentowski joined Wells Capital Management or one of its predecessor firms in 2016,
where he currently serves as a Portfolio Manager and Analyst for the Golden Capital
Equity team. Prior to joining Wells Capital Management, he served as a Manager
of Portfolio Research at WBI Investments, LLC. Prior to WBI Investments, Mr.
Wicentowski served as a Senior Global Strategist for the Options Strategy Group for
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. |
Multi-Manager
Arrangement
The Funds
and Funds Management have obtained an exemptive order from the SEC that permits Funds Management,
subject to Board approval, to select certain sub-advisers and enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements
with them, without obtaining shareholder approval. The SEC order extends to sub-advisers that are not
otherwise affiliated with Funds Management or the Funds,
as well as sub-advisers that are wholly-owned subsidiaries
of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns Funds Management. In addition, the SEC staff,
pursuant to no-action relief, has extended multi-manager relief to any affiliated sub-adviser, such as affiliated
sub-advisers that are not wholly-owned subsidiaries of Funds Management or of a company that wholly owns
Funds Management, provided certain conditions are satisfied (all such sub-advisers covered by the order or relief,
“Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers”).
As
such, Funds Management, with Board approval, may hire or replace Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers for each Fund that
is eligible to rely on the order or relief. Funds Management, subject to Board oversight, has the responsibility to
oversee Multi-Manager Sub-Advisers and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. If a new sub-adviser
is hired for a Fund pursuant to the order or relief, the Fund is required to notify shareholders within 90 days.
The Funds are
not required to disclose the individual fees that Funds Management pays to a Multi-Manager Sub-Adviser.
Account
Information
Share
Class Eligibility
Institutional
Class shares are generally available through intermediaries for the accounts of their customers and directly
to institutional investors and individuals. Institutional investors may include corporations; private banks; trust
companies; endowments and foundations; defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer sponsored
retirement plans; institutional retirement plan platforms; insurance companies; registered investment advisor
firms; bank trusts; 529 college savings plans; family offices; and funds of funds, including those managed by
Funds Management. The following investors may purchase Institutional Class shares and are not subject to a minimum
initial investment amount except as noted below:
| ■ |
Employee
benefit plan programs; |
| ■ |
Broker-dealer
managed account or wrap programs that charge an asset-based fee; |
| ■ |
Registered
investment adviser mutual fund wrap programs or other accounts that charge a fee for advisory, investment,
consulting or similar services; |
| ■ |
Private
bank and trust company managed accounts or wrap programs that charge an asset-based fee; |
| ■ |
Internal
Revenue Code Section 529 college savings plan accounts; |
| ■ |
Funds
of funds, including those advised by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Private
Bank and Trust Departments of Wells Fargo & Company purchasing shares on behalf of their clients; |
| ■ |
Endowments,
non-profits, and charitable organizations who invest a minimum initial investment amount of $500,000
in a Fund; |
| ■ |
Any
other institutions or customers of intermediaries who invest a minimum initial investment amount of $1 million
in a Fund; |
| ■ |
Individual
investors who invest a minimum initial investment amount of $1 million directly in a Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
investors and related accounts as detailed in the Statement of Additional Information; and |
| ■ |
Investors
purchasing shares through an intermediary, acting solely as a broker on behalf of its customers, that holds
such shares in an omnibus account and charges investors a transaction based commission outside of the Fund.
In order to offer Fund shares, an intermediary must have an agreement with the Fund’s distributor authorizing
the use of the share class within this type of platform. |
Eligibility
requirements for Institutional Class shares may be modified or discontinued at any time.
Your
Fund may offer other classes of shares in addition to those offered through this Prospectus. You may be eligible
to invest in one or more of these other classes of shares. Each share class bears varying expenses and may differ
in other features. Consult your financial professional for more information regarding a Fund’s available share classes.
The
information in this Prospectus is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any non-U.S.
jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to any law or regulation, or which would
subject Fund shares to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country.
Share
Class Features
The
table below summarizes the key features of the share class offered through this Prospectus. Please note that if
you purchase shares through an intermediary that acts as a broker on your behalf, you may be required to pay a commission
to your intermediary in an amount determined and separately disclosed to you by the intermediary. Consult
your financial professional for further details.
|
|
|
|
|
Institutional
Class |
|
Front-End
Sales Charge |
|
None
|
|
Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) |
|
None
|
|
Ongoing
Distribution (12b-1) Fees |
|
None
|
Compensation
to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries
In
addition to dealer reallowances and payments made by certain classes of each
Fund for distribution and shareholder servicing, the
Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates make additional payments (“Additional
Payments”) to certain financial professionals and intermediaries for selling shares and providing shareholder
services, which include broker-dealers and 401(k) service providers and record keepers. These Additional
Payments, which may be significant, are paid by the Fund’s manager, the distributor or their affiliates, out
of their revenues, which generally come directly or indirectly from Fund fees.
In
return for these Additional Payments, each Fund’s
manager and distributor expect the Fund to receive certain marketing
or servicing considerations that are not generally available to mutual funds whose sponsors do not make
such payments. Such considerations are expected to include, without limitation, placement of the Fund on a list
of mutual funds offered as investment options to the intermediary’s clients (sometimes referred to as “Shelf Space”);
access to the intermediary’s financial professionals; and/or the ability to assist in training and educating the
intermediary’s financial professionals.
The
Additional Payments may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and a financial professional
or intermediary who is recommending or making available a particular mutual fund over other mutual funds.
Before investing, you should consult with your financial professional and review carefully any disclosure by the
intermediary as to what compensation the intermediary receives from mutual fund sponsors, as well as how your
financial professional is compensated.
The
Additional Payments are typically paid in fixed dollar amounts, based on the number of customer accounts maintained
by an intermediary, or based on a percentage of sales and/or assets under management, or a combination
of the above. The Additional Payments are either up-front or ongoing or both and differ among intermediaries.
In a given year, Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on its customers’
assets typically range between 0.02% and 0.25% of assets invested in a Fund by the intermediary’s customers.
Additional Payments to an intermediary that is compensated based on a percentage of sales typically range
between 0.10% and 0.25% of the gross sales of a Fund attributable to the financial intermediary.
More
information on the FINRA member firms that have received the Additional Payments described in this section
is available in the Statement of Additional Information, which is on file with the SEC and is also available on the
Wells Fargo Funds website at wfam.com.
Buying
and Selling Fund Shares
For
more information regarding buying and selling Fund shares, please visit wfam.com. You may buy (purchase) and
sell (redeem) Fund shares as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Opening
an Account |
Adding
to an Account or Selling Fund Shares
|
|
Through
Your Financial Professional |
Contact
your financial professional.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your account with your
intermediary. |
Contact
your financial professional.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your account with your
intermediary. |
|
Through
Your Retirement Plan |
Contact
your retirement plan administrator.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your retirement plan
account. |
Contact
your retirement plan administrator.
Transactions
will be subject to the terms of your retirement plan
account. |
|
Online
|
New
accounts cannot be opened online. Contact your financial
professional or retirement plan administrator, or refer
to the section on opening an account by mail.
|
Visit
wfam.com.
Online transactions are limited
to a maximum of $100,000. You may be eligible for
an exception to this maximum. Please call Investor Services
at 1-800-222-8222 for more information. |
|
|
|
|
|
Opening
an Account |
Adding
to an Account or Selling Fund Shares
|
|
By
Telephone |
Call
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222.
Available
only if you have another Wells Fargo Fund account with
your bank information on file. |
Call
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222.
Redemption
requests may not be made by phone if the address on your
account was changed in the last 15 days. In this event,
you must request your redemption by mail. For
joint accounts, telephone requests generally require
only one of the account owners to call unless you have
instructed us otherwise. |
|
By
Mail |
Complete
an account application and submit it according
to the instructions on the application.
Account
applications are available online at wfam.com or by calling
Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222. |
Send
the items required under “Requests in Good
Order” below to:
Regular
Mail Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Overnight
Only Wells Fargo Funds 430
W 7th Street STE 219967 Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
|
Requests
in “Good Order”. All purchase and
redemption requests must be received in “good order.” This means that
a request generally must include:
| ■ |
The
Fund name(s), share class(es) and account number(s); |
| ■ |
The
amount (in dollars or shares) and type (purchase or redemption) of the request; |
| ■ |
If
by mail, the signature of each registered owner as it appears in the account application; |
| ■ |
For
purchase requests, payment of the full amount of the purchase request (see “Payment” below); and |
| ■ |
Any
supporting legal documentation that may be required. |
Purchase
and redemption requests in good order will be processed at the next NAV calculated after the Fund’s transfer
agent or an authorized intermediary1
receives your request. If your request is not received in good order, additional
documentation may be required to process your transaction. We reserve the right to waive any of the above
requirements.
| 1. |
The
Fund’s shares may be purchased through an intermediary that has entered into a dealer agreement with the Fund’s distributor.
The Fund has approved the acceptance of a purchase or
redemption request effective as of the time of its receipt by such an authorized intermediary
or its designee, as long as the request is received by one of those entities prior to the Fund’s closing time. These intermediaries
may charge transaction fees. We reserve the right to
adjust the closing time in certain circumstances. |
Payment.
Payment for Fund shares may be made as follows:
|
|
|
By
Wire |
Purchases
into a new or existing account may be funded by using the following wire instructions:
State
Street Bank & Trust Boston, MA Bank
Routing Number: ABA 011000028 Wire Purchase Account:
9905-437-1 Attention: Wells Fargo Funds (Name
of Fund, Account Number and any applicable share class) Account
Name: Provide your name as registered on the Fund account or as included in your
account application. |
|
By
Check |
Make
checks payable to Wells Fargo Funds. |
|
By
Exchange |
Identify
an identically registered Wells Fargo Fund account from which you wish to exchange
(see “Exchanging Fund Shares” below for restrictions on exchanges). |
|
By
Electronic Funds Transfer (“EFT”)
|
Additional
purchases for existing accounts may be funded by EFT using your linked bank
account. |
All
payments must be in U.S. dollars, and all checks and EFTs must be drawn on U.S. banks. You will be charged a $25.00
fee for every check or EFT that is returned to us as unpaid.
Form
of Redemption Proceeds. You may request that your
redemption proceeds be sent to you by check, by EFT into
a linked bank account, or by wire to a linked bank account. Please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 regarding
the requirements for linking bank accounts or for wiring funds. Under normal circumstances, we expect to
meet redemption requests either by using uninvested cash or cash equivalents or by using the proceeds from the
sale of portfolio securities, at the discretion of the portfolio manager(s). The Wells Fargo Funds may also borrow
through a bank line of credit for the purpose of meeting redemption requests, although we do not expect to
draw funds from this source on a regular basis. In lieu of making cash payments, we reserve the right to determine
in our sole discretion, including under stressed market conditions, whether to satisfy one or more redemption
requests by making payments in securities. In such cases, we may meet all or part of a redemption request
by making payment in securities equal in value to the amount of the redemption payable to you as permitted
under the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder, in which case the redeeming shareholder should expect to
incur transaction costs upon the disposition of any securities received.
Timing
of Redemption Proceeds. We normally will send out
redemption proceeds within one business day after we
accept your request to redeem. We reserve the right to delay payment for up to seven days. If you wish to redeem
shares purchased by check, by EFT or through the Automatic Investment Plan within seven days of purchase,
you may be asked to resubmit your redemption request if your payment has not yet cleared. Payment of redemption
proceeds may be delayed for longer than seven days under extraordinary circumstances or as permitted
by the SEC in order to protect remaining shareholders. Such extraordinary circumstances are discussed further
in the Statement of Additional Information.
Retirement
Plans and Other Products. If you purchased shares
through a packaged investment product or retirement
plan, read the directions for redeeming shares provided by the product or plan. There may be special requirements
that supersede or are in addition to the requirements in this Prospectus.
Exchanging
Fund Shares
Exchanges
between two funds involve two transactions: (1) the redemption of shares of one fund; and (2) the purchase
of shares of another. In general, the same rules and procedures described under “Buying and Selling Fund Shares”
apply to exchanges. There are, however, additional policies and considerations you should keep in mind while
making or considering an exchange:
| ■ |
In
general, exchanges may be made between like share classes of any fund in the Wells Fargo Funds complex offered
to the general public for investment (i.e., a fund not closed to new accounts), with the following exceptions:
(1) Class A shares of non-money market funds may also be exchanged for Service Class shares of any retail or
government money market fund; (2) Service Class shares may be exchanged for Class A shares of any non-money
market fund; and (3) no exchanges are allowed into institutional money market funds. |
| ■ |
If
you make an exchange between Class A shares of a money market fund or Class A2 or Class A shares of a non-money
market fund, you will buy the shares at the public offering price of the new fund, unless you are otherwise eligible
to buy shares at NAV. |
| ■ |
Same-fund
exchanges between share classes are permitted subject to the following conditions: (1) the shareholder
must meet the eligibility guidelines of the class being purchased in the exchange; (2) exchanges out of Class
A and Class C shares would not be allowed if shares are subject to a CDSC; and (3) for non-money market funds,
in order to exchange into Class A shares, the shareholder must be able to qualify to purchase Class A shares
at NAV based on current Prospectus guidelines. |
| ■ |
An
exchange request will be processed on the same business day, provided that both funds are open at the time the
request is received. If one or both funds are closed, the exchange will be processed on the following business day. |
| ■ |
You
should carefully read the Prospectus for the Fund into which you wish to exchange. |
| ■ |
Every
exchange involves redeeming fund shares, which may produce a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an initial investment into a fund through an exchange, you must exchange at least the minimum
initial investment amount for the new fund, unless your balance has fallen below that amount due to investment
performance. |
| ■ |
If
you are making an additional investment into a fund that you already own through an exchange, you must exchange
at least the minimum subsequent investment amount for the fund you are exchanging into. |
| ■ |
Class
C share exchanges will not trigger a CDSC. The new shares received in the exchange will continue to age according
to the original shares’ CDSC schedule and will be charged the CDSC applicable to the original shares upon
redemption. |
Generally,
we will notify you at least 60 days in advance of any changes in the above exchange policies.
Frequent
Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Wells
Fargo Funds reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange order for any reason. If a shareholder redeems
$20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction) from a Covered Fund, that
shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including purchases that are part of an exchange
transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption.
Excessive
trading by Fund shareholders can negatively impact a Fund and its long-term shareholders in several ways,
including disrupting Fund investment strategies, increasing transaction costs, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting
the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Excessive trading in Fund shares can negatively impact
a Fund’s long-term performance by requiring it to maintain more assets in cash or to liquidate portfolio holdings
at a disadvantageous time. Certain Funds may be more susceptible than others to these negative effects. For
example, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments in non-U.S. securities may be more susceptible
than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities resulting from pricing variations due to time zone differences
across international financial markets. Similarly, Funds that have a greater percentage of their investments
in small company securities may be more susceptible than other Funds to arbitrage opportunities due
to the less liquid nature of small company securities. Both types of Funds also may incur higher transaction costs
in liquidating portfolio holdings to meet excessive redemption levels. Fair value pricing may reduce these arbitrage
opportunities, thereby reducing some of the negative effects of excessive trading.
Wells
Fargo Funds, other than the Adjustable Rate Government Fund, Conservative Income Fund, Ultra Short-Term
Income Fund and Ultra Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (“Ultra-Short Funds”) and the money market
funds, (the “Covered Funds”). The
Covered Funds are not designed to serve as vehicles for frequent trading.
The Covered Funds actively discourage and take steps to prevent the portfolio disruption and negative effects
on long-term shareholders that can result from excessive trading activity by Covered Fund shareholders. The
Board has approved the Covered Funds’ policies and procedures, which provide, among other things, that Funds
Management may deem trading activity to be excessive if it determines that such trading activity would likely
be disruptive to a Covered Fund by increasing expenses or lowering returns. In this regard, the Covered Funds
take steps to avoid accommodating frequent purchases and redemptions of shares by Covered Fund shareholders.
Funds Management monitors available shareholder trading information across all Covered Funds on a
daily basis. If a shareholder redeems $20,000 or more (including redemptions that are part of an exchange transaction)
from a Covered Fund, that shareholder is “blocked” from purchasing shares of that Covered Fund (including
purchases that are part of an exchange transaction) for 30 calendar days after the redemption. This policy
does not apply to:
| ■ |
Dividend
reinvestments; |
| ■ |
Systematic
investments or exchanges where the financial intermediary maintaining the shareholder account identifies
the transaction as a systematic redemption or purchase at the time of the transaction; |
| ■ |
Rebalancing
transactions within certain asset allocation or “wrap” programs where the financial intermediary maintaining
a shareholder account is able to identify the transaction as part of an asset allocation program approved
by Funds Management; |
| ■ |
Transactions
initiated by a “fund of funds” or Section 529 Plan into an underlying fund investment; |
| ■ |
Permitted
exchanges between share classes of the same Fund; |
| ■ |
Certain
transactions involving participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, including: participant withdrawals
due to mandatory distributions, rollovers and hardships, withdrawals of shares acquired by participants through
payroll deductions, and shares acquired or sold by a participant in connection with plan loans; and |
| ■ |
Purchases
below $20,000 (including purchases that are part of an exchange transaction). |
The
money market funds and the Ultra-Short Funds. Because
the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds are often
used for short-term investments, they are designed to accommodate more frequent purchases and redemptions
than the Covered Funds. As a result, the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not anticipate
that frequent purchases and redemptions, under normal circumstances, will have significant adverse consequences
to the money market funds or Ultra-Short Funds or their shareholders. Although the money market
funds and Ultra-Short Funds do not prohibit frequent trading, Funds Management will seek to prevent an investor
from utilizing the money market funds and Ultra-Short Funds to facilitate frequent purchases and
redemptions
of shares in the Covered Funds in contravention of the policies and procedures adopted by the Covered
Funds.
All
Wells Fargo Funds.
In addition, Funds Management reserves the right to accept purchases, redemptions and exchanges
made in excess of applicable trading restrictions in designated accounts held by Funds Management or its
affiliate that are used at all times exclusively for addressing operational matters related to shareholder accounts,
such as testing of account functions, and are maintained at low balances that do not exceed specified dollar
amount limitations.
In
the event that an asset allocation or “wrap” program is unable to implement the policy outlined above, Funds Management
may grant a program-level exception to this policy. A financial intermediary relying on the exception is
required to provide Funds Management with specific information regarding its program and ongoing information
about its program upon request.
A
financial intermediary through whom you may purchase shares of the Fund may independently attempt to identify
excessive trading and take steps to deter such activity. As a result, a financial intermediary may on its own limit
or permit trading activity of its customers who invest in Fund shares using standards different from the standards
used by Funds Management and discussed in this Prospectus. Funds Management may permit a financial
intermediary to enforce its own internal policies and procedures concerning frequent trading rather than the
policies set forth above in instances where Funds Management reasonably believes that the intermediary’s policies
and procedures effectively discourage disruptive trading activity. If you purchase Fund shares through a financial
intermediary, you should contact the intermediary for more information about whether and how restrictions
or limitations on trading activity will be applied to your account.
Account
Policies
Advance
Notice of Large Transactions. We strongly urge you
to make all purchases and redemptions of Fund shares
as early in the day as possible and to notify us or your intermediary at least one day in advance of transactions
in Fund shares in excess of $1 million. This will help us to manage the Funds most effectively. When you
give this advance notice, please provide your name and account number.
Householding.
To help keep Fund expenses low, a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder report may be sent to shareholders
of the same household. If your household currently receives a single copy of a Prospectus or shareholder
report and you would prefer to receive multiple copies, please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222
or contact your financial professional.
Retirement
Accounts. We offer a variety of retirement account
types for individuals and small businesses. There may
be special distribution requirements for a retirement account, such as required distributions or mandatory Federal
income tax withholdings. For more information about the retirement accounts listed below, including any distribution
requirements, call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222. For retirement accounts held directly with a Fund,
certain fees may apply including an annual account maintenance fee.
The
retirement accounts available for individuals and small businesses are:
| ■ |
Individual
Retirement Accounts, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. |
| ■ |
Small
business retirement accounts, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs. |
Small
Account Redemptions. We reserve the right to redeem
accounts that have values that fall below a Fund’s minimum
initial investment amount due to shareholder redemptions (as opposed to market movement). Before doing
so, we will give you approximately 60 days to bring your account value above the Fund’s minimum initial investment
amount. Please call Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 or contact your financial professional for further
details.
Transaction
Authorizations. We may accept telephone, electronic,
and clearing agency transaction instructions from anyone
who represents that he or she is a shareholder and provides reasonable confirmation of his or her identity.
Neither we nor Wells Fargo Funds will be liable for any losses incurred if we follow such instructions we reasonably
believe to be genuine. For transactions through our website, we may assign personal identification numbers
(PINs) and you will need to create a login ID and password for account access. To safeguard your account, please
keep these credentials confidential. Contact us immediately if you believe there is a discrepancy on your confirmation
statement or if you believe someone has obtained unauthorized access to your online access credentials.
Identity
Verification. We are required by law to obtain from
you certain personal information that will be used to verify
your identity. If you do not provide the information, we will not be able to open your account. In the rare event
that we are unable to verify your identity as required by law, we reserve the right to redeem your account at the
current NAV of the Fund’s shares. You will be responsible for any losses, taxes, expenses, fees, or other results of
such a redemption.
Right
to Freeze Accounts, Suspend Account Services or Reject or Terminate an Investment.
We reserve the right, to the extent permitted by law
and/or regulations, to freeze any account or suspend account services when we
have received reasonable notice (written or otherwise) of a dispute between registered or beneficial account owners
or when we believe a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred. Additionally, we reserve the right to
reject any purchase or exchange request and to terminate a shareholder’s investment, including closing the shareholder’s
account.
Distributions
The
Funds, except the Large Company Value Fund, generally make distributions of any net investment income and any
realized net capital gains at least annually. The Large Company Value Fund generally makes distributions of any
net investment income quarterly and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Please contact your institution
for distribution options. Please note, distributions have the effect of reducing the NAV per share by the amount
distributed.
We
offer the following distribution options. To change your current option for payment of distributions, please call Investor
Services at 1-800-222-8222.
| ■ |
Automatic
Reinvestment Option—Allows you to use distributions to buy new shares of the same class of the Fund
that generated the distributions. The new shares are purchased at NAV generally on the day the distribution
is paid. This option is automatically assigned to your account unless you specify another option. |
| ■ |
Check
Payment Option—Allows you to receive distributions via checks mailed to your address of record or to another
name and address which you have specified in written instructions. A Medallion Guarantee may also be required.
If checks remain uncashed for six months or are undeliverable by the Post Office, we will reinvest the distributions
at the earliest date possible, and future distributions will be automatically reinvested. |
| ■ |
Bank
Account Payment Option—Allows you to receive distributions directly in a checking or savings account through
EFT. The bank account must be linked to your Wells Fargo Fund account. Any distribution returned to us
due to an invalid banking instruction will be sent to your address of record by check at the earliest date possible,
and future distributions will be automatically reinvested. |
| ■ |
Directed
Distribution Purchase Option—Allows you to buy shares of a different Wells Fargo Fund of the same share
class. The new shares are purchased at NAV generally on the day the distribution is paid. In order to use this
option, you need to identify the Fund and account the distributions are coming from, and the Fund and account
to which the distributions are being directed. You must meet any required minimum investment amounts in
both Funds prior to using this option. |
You
are eligible to earn distributions beginning on the business day after the Fund’s transfer agent or an authorized
intermediary receives your purchase request in good order.
Other
Information
Taxes
The
following discussion regarding federal income taxes is based on laws that were in effect as of the date of this Prospectus
and summarizes only some of the important federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and you
as a shareholder. It does not apply to foreign or tax-exempt shareholders or those holding Fund shares through
a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) Plan or IRA. This discussion is not intended as a substitute for careful
tax planning. You should consult your tax adviser about your specific tax situation. Please see the Statement
of Additional Information for additional federal income tax information.
The
Fund elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. A RIC is not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains
from investments that are distributed in a timely manner to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify
as a RIC would result in corporate level taxation, and consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution
to you as a shareholder.
We
will pass on to a Fund’s shareholders substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income and realized net capital
gains, if any. Distributions from a Fund’s ordinary income and net short-term capital gains, if any, generally will
be taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions from a Fund’s net long-term capital gains, if any, generally will
be taxable to you as long-term capital gains. If you are an individual and meet certain holding period requirements
with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income,
if any, distributed by the Fund.
Corporate
shareholders may be able to deduct a portion of their distributions when determining their taxable income.
Individual
taxpayers are subject to a maximum tax rate of 37% on ordinary income and a maximum tax rate on long-term
capital gains and qualified dividends of 20%. For U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000
if married and filing jointly), a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax will apply on “net investment income,” including
interest, dividends, and capital gains. Corporations are subject to tax on all income and gains at a tax rate of
21%. However, a RIC is not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains from investments that are distributed
in a timely manner to shareholders.
Distributions
from a Fund normally will be taxable to you when paid, whether you take distributions in cash or automatically
reinvest them in additional Fund shares. Following the end of each year, we will notify you of the federal
income tax status of your distributions for the year.
If
you buy shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a taxable distribution, your distribution will, in effect, be a taxable
return of part of your investment. Similarly, if you buy shares of a Fund when it holds appreciated securities,
you will receive a taxable return of part of your investment if and when the Fund sells the appreciated securities
and distributes the gain. The Fund has built up, or has the potential to build up, high levels of unrealized appreciation.
Your
redemptions (including redemptions in-kind) and exchanges of Fund shares ordinarily will result in a taxable capital
gain or loss, depending on the amount you receive for your shares (or are deemed to receive in the case of exchanges)
and the amount you paid (or are deemed to have paid) for them. Such capital gain or loss generally will be
long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your redeemed or exchanged Fund shares for more than one year at
the time of redemption or exchange. In certain circumstances, losses realized on the redemption or exchange of Fund
shares may be disallowed.
When
you receive a distribution from a Fund or redeem shares, you may be subject to backup withholding.
Financial
Highlights
The
following tables are intended
to help you understand a Fund’s financial performance for the past five years (or since
inception, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. Total returns represent
the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each
Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). The
information in the following tables has been
derived from the Funds’ financial statements
which have
been audited by KPMG LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along
with each Fund’s financial statements,
is also included in each Fund’s annual report,
a copy of which is available upon request.
Classic
Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Endeavor
Select Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is less than $0.005. |
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Large
Cap Core Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Class
Institutional |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Large
Cap Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Large
Company Value Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
20171
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
distributions to shareholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
For
the period from October 31, 2016 (commencement of class operations) to July 31,2017 |
| 2. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 3. |
Returns
for periods of less than one year are not annualized. |
Omega
Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
ismore than $(0.005). |
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
For
a share outstanding throughout each period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended July 31 |
|
Institutional
Class |
|
2020
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
from investment operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
to shareholders from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
realized gains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets (annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
| 1. |
Calculated
based upon average shares outstanding |
| 2. |
Amount
is less than $0.005. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
More
information on a Fund is available free upon request, including
the following documents:
Statement
of Additional Information (“SAI”) Supplements
the disclosures made by this Prospectus. The SAI,
which has been filed with the SEC, is incorporated
by reference into this Prospectus and therefore
is legally part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports Provide financial and other important
information, including a discussion of the market
conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected Fund performance over the reporting period.
To
obtain copies of the above documents or for more information
about Wells Fargo Funds, contact us:
By
telephone: Individual Investors: 1-800-222-8222 Retail
Investment Professionals: 1-888-877-9275 Institutional
Investment Professionals: 1-800-260-5969 |
By
mail: Wells Fargo Funds P.O.
Box 219967 Kansas City, MO 64121-9967
Online: wfam.com
From
the SEC: Visit the SEC’s Public Reference
Room in Washington, DC (phone 1-202-551-8090 for
operational information for the SEC’s Public
Reference Room) or the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
To
obtain information for a fee, write or email: SEC’s
Public Reference Section 100 “F” Street,
NE Washington, DC 20549-0102 publicinfo@sec.gov
The
Wells Fargo Funds are distributed by Wells Fargo
Funds Distributor, LLC, a member of FINRA, and an
affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. |
|
|
|
©
2020 Wells Fargo & Company. All rights reserved.
|
120LCIT/P104 ICA
Reg. No. 811-09253 |
WELLS
FARGO FUNDS TRUST
PART
B
WELLS FARGO U.S.
EQUITY FUNDS
STATEMENT
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
Statement
of Additional Information December 1, 2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
A
|
C
|
R
|
R4
|
R6
|
Administrator
|
Institutional
|
|
Wells
Fargo Classic Value Fund (formerly Wells Fargo Intrinsic
Value Fund) |
EIVAX
|
EIVCX
|
EIVTX
|
-
|
EIVFX
|
EIVDX
|
EIVIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Disciplined U.S. Core Fund |
EVSAX
|
EVSTX
|
EVSHX
|
-
|
EVSRX
|
EVSYX
|
EVSIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Endeavor Select Fund |
STAEX
|
WECCX
|
-
|
-
|
WECRX
|
WECDX
|
WFCIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Growth Fund |
SGRAX
|
WGFCX
|
-
|
-
|
SGRHX
|
SGRKX
|
SGRNX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Core Fund |
EGOAX
|
EGOCX
|
EGOHX
|
-
|
EGORX
|
WFLLX
|
EGOIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Cap Growth Fund |
STAFX
|
STOFX
|
STMFX
|
SLGRX
|
STFFX
|
STDFX
|
STNFX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Large Company Value Fund |
WLCAX
|
WFLVX
|
-
|
-
|
WTLVX
|
WWIDX
|
WLCIX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
WLVLX
|
WLVKX
|
-
|
-
|
WLVJX
|
WLVDX
|
WLVOX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Omega Growth Fund |
EKOAX
|
EKOCX
|
EKORX
|
-
|
-
|
EOMYX
|
EKONX
|
|
Wells
Fargo Premier Large Company Growth Fund |
EKJAX
|
EKJCX
|
-
|
EKJRX
|
EKJFX
|
WFPDX
|
EKJYK
|
Wells
Fargo Funds (the “Trust”) is an open-end,
management investment company. This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) contains additional information
about the above referenced series of the Trust in the Wells Fargo family of funds - (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the
“Funds”).
This
SAI is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ Prospectuses (each a “Prospectus” and collectively
the “Prospectuses”) dated December 1, 2020.
The audited financial statements for the Funds, which include the portfolios of investments and report of the independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ended July
31, are hereby incorporated by reference to the Funds’ Annual
Reports dated as of July
31. The Prospectuses, Annual Reports and Semi-Annual
Reports may be obtained free of charge by visiting wfam.com, calling 1-800-222-8222 or writing to Wells Fargo Funds, P.O. Box
219967, Kansas City, MO 64121-9967.
LCSS/FASAI10
12-20
License
Information about the S&P 500 Index
The
Trust (the “Licensee”) has entered into a license agreement with S&P authorizing the use of various S&P trademarks
and trade names in connection with the marketing and/or promotion of certain of the Funds (collectively
referred to, herein, as the “Products”).
The
Products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Products or any member of
the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Products particularly or the ability
of the S&P 500 Index to track general stock market performance. S&P’s only relationship to the Licensee is
the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of S&P and of the S&P 500 Index which is determined, composed,
and calculated by S&P without regard to the Licensee or the Products. S&P has no obligation to take the
needs of the Licensee or the owners of the Products into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating
the S&P 500 Index. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing
of this issuance or sale of the Products or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the
Products are to be converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration,
marketing, or trading of the Products.
S&P
does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the S&P 500 Index or any data included therein
and S&P shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein. S&P makes no warranty,
express or implied, as to results to be obtained by Licensee, owners of the product, or any other person
or entity from the use of the S&P 500 Index or any data included therein. S&P makes no express or implied
warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or
use with respect to the S&P 500 Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no
event shall S&P have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages (including lost profits).
| 2 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
HISTORICAL
FUND INFORMATION
The
Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on March 10, 1999. On March 25, 1999, the Board of Trustees
of Norwest Advantage Funds (“Norwest”), the Board of Directors of Stagecoach Funds, Inc. (“Stagecoach”)
and the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”), approved an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization
providing for, among other things, the transfer of the assets and stated liabilities of various predecessor
Norwest and Stagecoach portfolios to certain Funds of the Trust (the “Reorganization”). Prior to November
5, 1999, the effective date of the Reorganization, the Trust had only nominal assets.
On
December 16, 2002, the Boards of Trustees of The Montgomery Funds and The Montgomery Funds II (collectively,
“Montgomery”) approved an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization providing for, among other things,
the transfer of the assets and stated liabilities of various predecessor Montgomery portfolios into various
Funds of the Trust. The effective date of the reorganization was June 9, 2003.
On
February 3, 2004, the Board, and on February 18, 2004, the Board of Trustees of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund
(“AIC Trust”), approved an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization providing for, among other things, the transfer
of the assets and stated liabilities of various predecessor AIC Trust portfolios into various Funds of the Trust.
The effective date of the reorganization was July 26, 2004.
In
August and September 2004, the Boards of Directors of the Strong family of funds (“Strong”) and the Board approved
an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization providing for, among other things, the transfer of the assets
and stated liabilities of various predecessor Strong mutual funds into various Funds of the Trust. The effective
date of the reorganization was April 8, 2005.
On
December 30, 2009, the Board of Trustees of Evergreen Funds (“Evergreen”), and on January 11, 2010, the Board,
approved an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization providing for, among other things, the transfer of the
assets and stated liabilities of various predecessor Evergreen portfolios and Wells Fargo Advantage Funds portfolios
to certain Funds of the Trust. The effective date of the reorganization was July 12, 2010 for certain Evergreen
Funds, and July 19, 2010 for the remainder of the Evergreen Funds.
On
December 15, 2015, the Wells Fargo Advantage Funds changed its name to the Wells Fargo Funds.
The
Classic Value Fund
commenced operations on July 19, 2010, as successor to the Evergreen Intrinsic Value Fund.
The predecessor fund commenced operations on August 1, 2006. On April 1, 2019 the Fund changed its name
from Wells Fargo Intrinsic Value Fund to Wells Fargo Classic Value Fund.
The
Disciplined U.S. Core Fund
commenced operations on July 19, 2010, as successor to the Evergreen Evergreen
Enhanced S&P 500®
Fund. The predecessor fund commenced operations on February 28, 1990.
The
Endeavor Select Fund
commenced operations on April 11, 2005, as successor to the Strong Advisor Select Fund,
a series of Strong Opportunity Fund, Inc. The predecessor Strong Advisor Select Fund commenced operations
on December 29, 2000.
The
Growth Fund
commenced operations on April 11, 2005, as successor to the Strong Growth Fund, a series of Strong
Equity Funds, Inc. The predecessor Strong Growth Fund commenced operations on December 31, 1993.
The
Large Cap Core Fund
commenced operations on July 19, 2010, as successor to the Evergreen Golden Large Cap
Core Fund and Wells Fargo Advantage Large Company Core Fund. The predecessor Evergreen Golden Large Cap
Core Fund commenced operations on December 17, 2007. The Wells Fargo Advantage Large Company Core
Fund commenced operations on December 29, 1995.
The
Large Cap Growth Fund
commenced operations on April 11, 2005, as successor to the Strong Large Cap Growth
Fund, a series of Strong Large Cap Growth Fund, Inc. The predecessor Strong Large Cap Growth Fund commenced
operations on December 30, 1981.
The
Large Company Value Fund
commenced operations on April 11, 2005, as successor to the Strong Dividend Income
Fund, a series of Strong Conservative Equity Funds, Inc. The predecessor Strong Dividend Income Fund commenced
operations on July 1, 1993. The Fund changed its name from the Dividend Income Fund to the Large
Company Value Fund effective on the close of business on March 20, 2008.
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
3 |
The
Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
commenced operations on October 31, 2016.
The
Omega Growth Fund
commenced operations on July 19, 2010, as successor to the Evergreen Omega Fund. The
predecessor fund commenced operations on April 29, 1968.
The
Premier Large Company Growth Fund
commenced operations on July 19, 2010, as successor to the Evergreen
Large Company Growth Fund and Wells Fargo Advantage Large Company Growth Fund. The predecessor
Evergreen Large Company Growth Fund commenced operations on September 11, 1935. The Wells
Fargo Advantage Large Company Growth Fund commenced operations on November 11, 1994.
FUND
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS
Fundamental
Investment Policies
Each
Fund has adopted the following fundamental investment policies; that is, they may not be changed without
approval by the holders of a majority (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities
of each Fund.
The
Funds may not:
(1)
purchase the securities of issuers conducting their principal business activity in the same industry if, immediately
after the purchase and as a result thereof, the value of a Fund’s investments in that industry would equal
or exceed 25% of the current value of the Fund’s total assets, provided that this restriction does not limit a
Fund’s investments in (i) securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities,
(ii)securities of other investment companies, (iii) municipal securities, or (iv) repurchase agreements;
(2)
purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, with respect to 75% of a Fund’s total assets, more than 5% of the
value of its total assets would be invested in the securities of any one issuer or the Fund’s ownership would be
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, provided that this restriction does not limit
a Fund’s investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities,
or investments in securities of other investment companies;
(3)
borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations and any exemptive
orders obtained thereunder;
(4)
issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations and
any exemptive orders obtained thereunder;
(5)
make loans to other parties if, as a result, the aggregate value of such loans would exceed one-third of a Fund’s
total assets. For the purposes of this limitation, entering into repurchase agreements, lending securities and
acquiring any debt securities are not deemed to be the making of loans;
(6)
underwrite securities of other issuers, except to the extent that the purchase of permitted investments directly
from the issuer thereof or from an underwriter for an issuer and the later disposition of such securities in
accordance with a Fund’s investment program may be deemed to be an underwriting;
(7)
purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this
shall not prevent a Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or securities of
companies engaged in the real estate business); or
(8)
purchase or sell commodities, provided that (i) currency will not be deemed to be a commodity for purposes of
this restriction, (ii) this restriction does not limit the purchase or sale of futures contracts, forward contracts or
options, and (iii) this restriction does not limit the purchase or sale of securities or other instruments backed by
commodities or the purchase or sale of commodities acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments.
| 4 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
Non-Fundamental
Investment Policies
Each
Fund has adopted the following non-fundamental policies; that is, they may be changed by the Trustees at any
time without approval of such Fund’s shareholders.
(1)
Each Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including
the rules, regulations and any exemptive orders obtained thereunder, provided however, that no Fund that
has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(G)
of the 1940 Act will acquire any securities of registered open-end management investment companies
or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.
(2)
Each Fund may not invest or hold more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets in illiquid securities.
(3)
Each Fund may invest in financial instruments subject to the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended (“CEA”),
including futures, options on futures, and swaps (“commodity interests”), consistent with its investment
policies and the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations and interpretations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”) thereunder or any exemptive orders obtained thereunder, and consistent with investment
in commodity interests that would allow the Fund’s investment adviser to claim an exclusion from being
a “commodity pool operator” as defined by the CEA.
(4)
Each Fund may lend securities from its portfolio to approved brokers, dealers and financial institutions, to the
extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations and exemptions thereunder, which currently
limit such activities to one-third of the value of a Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral
received). Any such loans of portfolio securities will be fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market
daily.
(5)
Each Fund may not make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, provided that this
restriction does not limit a Fund’s investments in securities of other investment companies or investments in
entities created under the laws of foreign countries to facilitate investment in securities of that country.
(6)
Each Fund may not purchase securities on margin (except for short-term credits necessary for the clearance of
transactions).
(7)
Each Fund may not sell securities short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and
amount to the securities sold short (short sales “against the box”), and provided that transactions in futures contracts
and options are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.
(8)
Each Fund that is subject to Rule 35d-1 (the “Names Rule”) under the 1940 Act, and that has a non-fundamental
policy or policies in place to comply with the Names Rule, has adopted the following policy:
Shareholders
will receive at least 60 days’ notice of any change to a Fund’s non-fundamental policy complying with
the Names Rule. The notice will be provided in Plain English in a separate written document, and will contain
the following prominent statement or similar statement in boldface type: “Important Notice Regarding Change
in Investment Policy.” This statement will appear on both the notice and the envelope in which it is delivered,
unless it is delivered separately from other communications to investors, in which case the statement will
appear either on the notice or the envelope in which the notice is delivered.
Further
Explanation of Investment Policies
Notwithstanding
the foregoing policies, any other investment companies in which the Funds may invest have adopted
their own investment policies, which may be more or less restrictive than those listed above, thereby allowing
a Fund to participate in certain investment strategies indirectly that are prohibited under the fundamental
and non-fundamental investment policies listed above.
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Additional
Approved Investment Strategies and Certain Associated Risks
In
addition to the principal investment strategies set forth in the Prospectus(es), the Funds may also use futures,
options or swap agreements, as well as other derivatives, to manage risk or to enhance return. Please refer
to a Fund’s Prospectuses for information regarding the Fund’s anticipated use of derivatives, if any, as a principal
investment strategy. Please note that even if a Fund’s Prospectuses do not currently include information
regarding derivatives, or only includes information regarding certain derivative instruments, the Fund
may use any of the derivative securities described below, at any time, and to any extent consistent with the
Fund’s other principal investment strategies.
DERIVATIVE
SECURITIES
Derivatives
are financial instruments that derive their value, at least in part, from the value of another security or
asset, the level of an index (e.g., the S&P 500 Index) or a rate (e.g., the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (“Euribor”)),
or the relative change in two or more reference assets, indices or rates. The most common types of derivatives
are forward contracts, futures, options and swap agreements. Some forms of derivative instruments,
such as exchange-traded futures and options on securities, commodities, or indices, are traded on regulated
exchanges, like the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. These types of derivative
instruments are standardized contracts that can easily be bought and sold, and whose market values are
determined and published daily. Non-standardized derivative instruments, on the other hand, tend to be more
specialized or complex, and may be harder to value. Other common types of derivative instruments include
forward foreign currency contracts, linked securities and structured products, participation notes and agreements,
collateralized mortgage obligations, inverse floaters, stripped securities, warrants, and swaptions.
A
Fund may take advantage of opportunities to invest in a type of derivative that is not presently contemplated for
use by the Fund, or that is not currently available, but that may be developed in the future, to the extent such
opportunities are both consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and legally permissible. The trading markets
for less traditional and/or newer types of derivative instruments are less developed than the markets for
traditional types of derivative instruments and provide less certainty with respect to how such instruments will
perform in various economic scenarios.
A
Fund may use derivative instruments for a variety of reasons, including: i) to employ leverage to enhance returns;
ii) to increase or decrease exposure to particular securities or markets; iii) to protect against possible unfavorable
changes in the market value of securities held in, or to be purchased for, its portfolio (i.e., to hedge); iv)
to protect its unrealized gains reflected in the value of its portfolio; v) to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities
for investment purposes; vi) to reduce transaction costs; vii) to manage the effective maturity or duration
of its portfolio; and/or viii) to maintain cash reserves while remaining fully invested.
The
risks associated with the use of derivative instruments are different from, and potentially much greater than,
the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying instruments on which the derivatives are based.
The value of some derivative instruments in which a Fund may invest may be particularly sensitive to changes
in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully
utilize derivative instruments may depend, in part, upon the ability of the sub-adviser to forecast interest
rates and other economic factors correctly. If the sub-adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken
positions in derivatives contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to additional, unforeseen
risks, including the risk of loss.
Because
certain derivatives have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset,
reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative
itself. The risk of loss is heightened when a Fund uses derivative instruments to enhance its returns or as
a substitute for a position or security, rather than solely to hedge or offset the risk of a position or security held
by a Fund. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.
Additional
risks of derivative instruments include, but are not limited to: i) the risk of disruption of a Fund’s ability
to trade in derivative instruments because of regulatory compliance problems or regulatory changes; ii) credit
risk of counterparties to derivative contracts; and iii) market risk (i.e., exposure to adverse price changes).
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The
possibility of default by the issuer or the issuer’s credit provider may be greater for derivative instruments than
for other types of instruments. The sub-adviser utilizes a variety of internal risk management procedures to
ensure that derivatives are closely monitored, and that their use is consistent with a particular Fund’s investment
objective, policies, restrictions and quality standards, and does not expose such Fund to undue risk.
A
hedging strategy may fail if the correlation between the value of the derivative instruments and the other investments
in a Fund’s portfolio is not consistent with the sub-adviser’s expectations. If the sub-adviser’s expectations
are not met, it is possible that the hedging strategy will not only fail to protect the value of a Fund’s
portfolio, but the Fund may also lose money on the derivative instrument itself.
In
the case of credit derivatives, which are a form of derivative that includes credit default swaps and total return
swaps, payments of principal and interest are tied to the performance of one or more reference obligations
or assets. The same general risks inherent in derivative transactions are present. However, credit derivative
transactions also carry with them greater risks of imperfect correlation between the performance and
price of the underlying reference security or asset, and the general performance of the designated interest rate
or index which is the basis for the periodic payment.
Certain
derivative transactions may be modified or terminated only by mutual consent of a Fund and its counterparty
and certain derivative transactions may be terminated by the counterparty or the Fund, as the case
may be, upon the occurrence of certain Fund-related or counterparty-related events, which may result in losses
or gains to the Fund based on the market value of the derivative transactions entered into between the Fund
and the counterparty. In addition, such early terminations may result in taxable events and accelerate gain or
loss recognition for tax purposes. It may not be possible for a Fund to modify, terminate, or offset the Fund’s obligations
or the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with a derivative transaction prior to its termination or
maturity date, which may create a possibility of increased volatility and/or decreased liquidity to the Fund. Upon
the expiration or termination of a particular contract, a Fund may wish to retain a Fund’s position in the derivative
instrument by entering into a similar contract, but may be unable to do so if the counterparty to the original
contract is unwilling to enter into the new contract and no other appropriate counterparty can be found, which
could cause the Fund not to be able to maintain certain desired investment exposures or not to be able to hedge
other investment positions or risks, which could cause losses to the Fund. Furthermore, after such an expiration
or termination of a particular contract, a Fund may have fewer counterparties with which to engage in
additional derivative transactions, which could lead to potentially greater exposure to one or more counterparties
and which could increase the cost of entering into certain derivatives. In such cases, the Fund may
lose money.
The
Funds might not employ any of the strategies described herein, and no assurance can be given that any strategy
used will succeed. Also, with some derivative strategies, there is the risk that a Fund may not be able to find
a suitable counterparty for a derivative transaction. In addition, some over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivative instruments
may be illiquid. Derivative instruments traded in the OTC market are also subject to the risk that the
other party will not meet its obligations. The use of derivative instruments may also increase the amount and
accelerate the timing of taxes payable by shareholders.
A
Fund’s use of derivative instruments also is subject to broadly applicable investment policies. For example, a Fund
may not invest more than a specified percentage of its assets in “illiquid securities,” including those derivative
instruments that are not transferable or that do not have active secondary markets.
Because
certain derivatives may involve leverage, and a Fund could lose more than it invested, federal securities laws,
regulations and guidance may require a Fund to segregate or “earmark” assets in order to reduce the risks associated
with such derivatives, or to otherwise hold instruments that offset the Fund’s current obligations from
derivatives. This process is known as “cover.” A Fund will not enter into any derivative transactions unless it
earmarks cash or liquid assets with a value at least sufficient to cover its current obligations under a derivative transaction
or otherwise covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance. If a large portion of a
Fund’s assets is earmarked or otherwise used for cover, it could affect portfolio management or the Fund’s ability
to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
In
the case of swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and other derivative instruments that do not cash
settle a Fund must earmark liquid assets equal to the full notional amount of the instrument while the
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positions
are open, to the extent there is not a permissible offsetting position or a contractual “netting” agreement
with respect to swaps (other than credit default swaps where the Fund is the protection seller). Conversely,
with respect to swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and other derivative instruments
that are required to cash settle, a Fund may earmark liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily
marked-to-market net obligations (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability) under the instrument, if any, rather than
its full notional amount. Forwards and futures contracts that do not cash settle may be treated as cash settled
for asset segregation purposes when a Fund has entered into contractual arrangements with a third party
futures commission merchant (“FCM”) or other counterparty to offset the Fund’s exposure under the contract,
and, failing that, to assign their delivery obligations under the contract to the counterparty. The Funds reserve
the right to modify their asset segregation policies in the future in their discretion, consistent with the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and SEC or SEC-staff guidance. By earmarking assets equal to only its net obligations
under certain instruments, a Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the
Fund were required to earmark assets equal to the full notional amount of the instrument.
When
a Fund buys or sells a derivative that is cleared through a central clearing party, an initial margin deposit with
a FCM is typically required subject to certain exceptions for uncleared swaps under applicable rules. If the value
of a Fund’s derivatives that are cleared through a central clearing party decline, the Fund will be required to
make additional “variation margin” payments to the FCM. If the value of a Fund’s derivatives that are cleared through
a central clearing party increases, the FCM will be required to make additional “variation margin” payments
to the Fund. This process is known as “marking-to-market” and is calculated on a daily basis.
Central
clearing arrangements with respect to derivative instruments may be less favorable to the Funds than bilateral
arrangements, because the Funds may be required to provide greater amounts of margin for cleared transactions
than for bilateral transactions. Also, in contrast to bilateral derivatives transactions, following a period
of notice to a Fund, a central clearing party generally can require termination of existing cleared transactions
at any time or increase margin requirements.
While
some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity
for gain, or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise.
This is due, in part, to: i) the possible inability of a Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time
that otherwise would be favorable; ii) the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time
because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage or offsetting positions in connection with transactions
in derivative instruments; and/or iii) the possible inability of a Fund to close out or liquidate its derivatives
positions. Accordingly, there is the risk that such strategies may fail to serve their intended purposes,
and may reduce returns or increase volatility. These strategies also entail transactional expenses.
It
is possible that current and/or future legislation and regulation with respect to derivative instruments may limit
or prevent a Fund from using such instruments as a part of its investment strategy, and could ultimately prevent
a Fund from being able to achieve its investment objective. For example, Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act made
broad changes to the OTC derivatives market and granted significant authority to the SEC and the CFTC to
regulate OTC derivatives and market participants. Other provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act include: i) position limits
that may impact a Fund’s ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its
investment objective; ii) capital and margin requirements; and iii) the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms
for many OTC derivative transactions. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and exchanges are authorized to take
extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction
of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of
daily price limits and the suspension of trading. The regulation of futures, options and swaps transactions in the
United States is subject to modification by government and judicial action. Changes to U.S. tax laws may affect
the use of derivatives by the Funds. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation
and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse.
Moreover,
in 2019 the SEC proposed new regulations and rule changes that could significantly limit or impact the
ability of registered investment companies to invest in derivatives and other instruments, limit their ability to
employ certain strategies that use derivatives, or adversely affect their efficiency in implementing particular investment
strategies.
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Futures
Contracts. A futures contract is an agreement
to buy or sell a security or other asset at a set price on a future
date. An option on a future gives the holder of the option the right, which may or may not be exercised, to
buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price on or before a
specified expiration date. Futures contracts and options on futures are standardized and exchange-traded, where
the exchange serves as the ultimate counterparty for all contracts. Consequently, the primary credit risk on
such contracts is the creditworthiness of the exchange. In addition, futures contracts and options on futures are
subject to market risk (i.e., exposure to adverse price changes).
An
interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale or purchase of
a specified quantity of a financial instrument, commodity, foreign currency or the cash value of an index at a specified
price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which a party agrees to pay or
receive an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading
day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of
an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities
is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments
and foreign currencies. To the extent that a Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities,
it also may invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon. Certain of the Funds also may
invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement
to buy or sell a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity at a later date at a price
and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is bought or sold.
Futures
contracts often call for making or taking delivery of an underlying asset; however, futures are exchange-traded,
so that a party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without ever having to make
or take delivery of an asset. Closing out a futures position is affected by purchasing or selling an offsetting contract
for the same aggregate amount with the same delivery date; however, there can be no assurance that a liquid
market will exist at a time a Fund seeks to close out an exchange-traded position, including options positions.
A
Fund may purchase and write call and put options on futures contracts. The holder of an option on a futures contract
has the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures
contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option,
the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position.
In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is “in the money” if the value of the futures
contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is “in the money” if the exercise
price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option. The potential loss related
to the purchase of futures options is limited to the premium paid for the option (plus transaction costs). Because
the value of the option is fixed at the time of sale, there are no daily cash payments to reflect changes in
the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option may change daily, and that change would
be reflected in the net asset value (“NAV”) of a Fund.
To
the extent securities are segregated or “earmarked” to cover a Fund’s obligations under futures contracts and
related options, such use will not eliminate the risk of leverage, which may exaggerate the effect of any increase
or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s portfolio, and may require liquidation of portfolio positions when
it is not advantageous to do so.
There
are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and options on futures as hedging instruments.
A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the
futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in a hedging
vehicle and the securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between securities and
futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not
to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations
in speculative market demand for futures and options on futures contracts for securities, including technical
influences in futures and options trading, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged
and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate
levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge
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involves
the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree
because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.
Futures
contracts on U.S. Government securities have historically been highly correlated to their respective underlying
U.S. Government securities. However, to the extent a Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value
of the futures will not fluctuate in direct proportion to the value of the Fund’s holdings of U.S. Government
securities. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of a futures contract and its respective underlying
security may be affected by differences in the nature of their respective markets. The spread may also
be affected by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation
of speculators in such markets.
There
are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts, including but not
limited to:
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Storage:
Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage
associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will
reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested
in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while
a Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately. |
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Reinvestment:
In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge
the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity
at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures
contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected
future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts
to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at
a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers
and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the
expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for a Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators
in futures markets has shifted when it is time for a Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract
in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue
other investments. |
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Other
Economic Factors: The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional
economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes,
tariffs, and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have
a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than
on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply
and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices
for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may
create additional investment risks which subject a Fund’s investments to greater volatility than investments
in traditional securities. |
The
requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company may limit the extent to which a Fund may
enter into futures and options on futures positions. Unless otherwise noted in the section entitled “Non-Fundamental
Investment Policies,” each of the Funds has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “Commodity
Pool Operator” (“CPO”) found in Rule 4.5 of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”). Accordingly, the
manager of each such Fund, as well as each sub-adviser, is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO with
respect to the Funds under the CEA.
Options.
A Fund may purchase and sell both put and call options on various instruments, including, but not limited
to, fixed-income or other securities or indices in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities
exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on NASDAQ or on an OTC market, and agreements,
sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.
A Fund may also write covered straddles consisting of a combination of calls and puts written on the same
underlying securities or indices.
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An
option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right
to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying
the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price often at any time during the term
of the option for American options or only at expiration for European options. The writer of an option on a security
has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise
price (in the case of a call) or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security (in the case
of a put). Certain put options written by a Fund may be structured to have an exercise price that is less than the
market value of the underlying securities that would be received by the Fund. Upon exercise, the writer of an option
on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied
by the specified multiplier for the index option. An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial
or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities, or certain economic indicators.
If
an option written by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received
at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes
a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded
option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type,
exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price, and expiration). There can be no assurance, however,
that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when a Fund desires.
A
Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on
whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on
the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting
purchase or sale of an option of the same series. A Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase
transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or,
if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more
than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will
realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and
demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise
price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration
date.
The
value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange
on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between
the last bid and ask prices.
There
are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are
significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation
between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether,
when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction
may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
The
writer of an American option typically has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation
as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing
purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying
security at the exercise price. To the extent a Fund writes a put option, the Fund has assumed the obligation
during the option period to purchase the underlying investment from the put buyer at the option’s exercise
price if the put buyer exercises its option, regardless of whether the value of the underlying investment falls
below the exercise price. This means that a Fund that writes a put option may be required to take delivery of
the underlying investment and make payment for such investment at the exercise price. This may result in losses
to the Fund and may result in the Fund holding the underlying investment for some period of time when it
is disadvantageous to do so.
If
a put or call option purchased by a Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying
security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or
equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also,
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where
a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security,
the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.
If
trading were suspended in an option purchased by a Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If
restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except
to the extent that a call option on an index written by a Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased
by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated
by changes in the value of the Fund’s securities during the period the option was outstanding.
To
the extent that a Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security
as the sole means of “covering” its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium
on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the
exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained
the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline.
Foreign
Currency Options. Funds that may invest in foreign
currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and
call options on foreign currencies. These Funds may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either
on exchanges or in the OTC market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the
right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency
gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option
expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit
the ability of a Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. OTC options differ from exchange-traded
options in that they are bilateral contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer
and seller, and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange-traded options. Under definitions
adopted by the CFTC and SEC, many foreign currency options are considered swaps for certain purposes,
including determination of whether such instruments need to be exchange-traded and centrally cleared.
Stock
Index Options. A Fund may purchase and write (i.e.,
sell) put and call options on stock indices to gain exposure
to comparable market positions in the underlying securities or to manage risk (i.e., hedge) on direct investments
in the underlying securities. A stock index fluctuates with changes of the market values of the stocks
included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the
S&P 500 Index or a narrower market index, such as the S&P 100 Index. Indices may also be based on an industry
or market segment. A Fund may, for the purpose of hedging its portfolio, subject to applicable securities
regulations, purchase and write put and call options on stock indices listed on foreign and domestic stock
exchanges. The effectiveness of purchasing or writing stock index options will depend upon the extent to which
price movements of the securities in a Fund’s portfolio correlate with price movements of the stock index selected.
Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the
price of a particular stock, whether a Fund will realize a gain or loss from purchasing or writing stock index options
depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally or, in the case of certain
indices, in an industry or market segment, rather than movements in the price of particular stock.
There
is a key difference between stock options and stock index options in connection with their exercise. In the case
of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of a stock
index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index. The option holder
who exercises the stock index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon
which the option is based is greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise
price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock
index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple.
Swap
Agreements. Swap agreements are derivative
instruments that can be individually negotiated and 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 a Fund’s exposure to long- or short-term interest rates,
foreign currency values, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors such as security prices
or inflation rates. A Fund may enter into a variety of swap agreements, including interest rate, index,
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commodity,
equity, credit default and currency exchange rate, among others, each of which may include special features,
such as caps, collars and floors.
Swap
agreements are usually entered into without an upfront payment because the value of each party’s position
is the same. The market values of the underlying commitments will change over time, resulting in one of
the commitments being worth more than the other and the net market value creating a risk exposure for one party
or the other.
A
Fund may enter into swap agreements for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies,
such as 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 a Fund
anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.
OTC
swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging
from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard OTC swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange
the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments
or instruments. 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 change in value of a particular dollar amount invested
at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign (non-U.S.) currency, or in a “basket” of securities or commodities
representing a particular index. A “quanto” or “differential” swap combines both an interest rate and
a currency transaction. Certain swap agreements, such as interest rate swaps, are traded on exchanges and cleared
through central clearing counterparties. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under
which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest
rates exceed a specified rate, or “cap”; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party
agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or “floor”;
and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to
protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. A total return swap
agreement is a contract in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to another party based on the
change in market value of underlying assets, which may include a single stock, a basket of stocks, or a stock index
during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the
total return from other underlying assets. Consistent with a Fund’s investment objectives and general investment
policies, certain of the Funds may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment
in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the
total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, a Fund will receive the price appreciation
of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon
fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, a Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of
the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, a
Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a “floating” rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate, such as
Euribor, and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, a Fund
may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.
A
Fund may also enter into combinations of swap agreements in order to achieve certain economic results. For example,
a Fund may enter into two swap transactions, one of which offsets the other for a period of time. After the
offsetting swap transaction expires, the Fund would be left with the economic exposure provided by the remaining
swap transaction. The intent of such an arrangement would be to lock in certain terms of the remaining
swap transaction that a Fund may wish to gain exposure to in the future without having that exposure
during the period the offsetting swap is in place.
Most
types of swap agreements entered into by the Funds will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement
on a “net basis.” Consequently, a Fund’s current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally
be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values
of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). A Fund’s current obligations under
a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund), and any accrued
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but
unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation or “earmarking” of cash
or other liquid assets to limit the extent of any potential leveraging of the Fund’s portfolio. Obligations under
swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be “senior securities” for purposes of a Fund’s investment
restriction concerning senior securities.
Swap
agreements are sophisticated instruments that typically involve a small investment of cash relative to the magnitude
of risks assumed. As a result, swaps can be highly volatile and may have a considerable impact on a Fund’s
performance. Depending on how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility
of a Fund’s investments and its share price and yield. Additionally, the extent to which a Fund’s use of swap
agreements will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the sub-adviser’s ability
to correctly predict whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments.
Moreover,
a Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event
of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. When a counterparty’s obligations are not
fully secured by collateral, then a Fund is essentially an unsecured creditor of the counterparty. If the counterparty
defaults, the Fund will have contractual remedies, but there is no assurance that a counterparty will
be able to meet its obligations pursuant to such contracts or that, in the event of default, the Fund will succeed
in enforcing contractual remedies. Counterparty risk still exists even if a counterparty’s obligations are secured
by collateral because a Fund’s interest in collateral may not be perfected or additional collateral may not
be promptly posted as required. Counterparty risk also may be more pronounced if a counterparty’s obligations
exceed the amount of collateral held by a Fund (if any), the Fund is unable to exercise its interest in collateral
upon default by the counterparty, or the termination value of the instrument varies significantly from the
marked-to-market value of the instrument. The sub-adviser will closely monitor the credit of a swap agreement
counterparty in order to attempt to minimize this risk. Certain restrictions imposed on the Funds by the
Internal Revenue Code may limit the Funds’ ability to use swap agreements. The swaps market is subject to increasing
regulations, in both U.S. and non-U.S. markets. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including
additional government regulation, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing swap agreements
or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.
The
use of swaps is a highly specialized activity that requires investment techniques, risk analyses and tax planning
different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding,
not only of the reference asset, interest rate, or index, but also of the terms of the swap agreement,
without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because
OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability
and termination, and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, OTC swap
agreements may be considered illiquid and subject to a Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.
To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position
at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Moreover,
like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument
will change in a way detrimental to a Fund’s interest. A Fund bears the risk that the sub-adviser will not
accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors
in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the sub-adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge on, or as
a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop
an imperfect correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While
hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity
for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments.
In addition, because swap transactions generally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying
assets or principal, the risk of loss with respect to swap agreements and swaptions (described below) generally
is limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. There is also a
risk of a default by the other party to a swap agreement or swaption, in which case a Fund may not receive the net
amount of payments that such Fund contractually is entitled to receive.
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Many
swaps are complex, and their valuation often requires modeling and judgment, which increases the risk of mispricing
or incorrect valuation. The pricing models used may not produce valuations that are consistent with the
values a Fund realizes when it closes or sells an over-the-counter derivative. Valuation risk is more pronounced
when a Fund enters into an over-the-counter swap with specialized terms, because the market value
of a swap, in some cases, is partially determined by reference to similar derivatives with more standardized
terms. Incorrect valuations may result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties, undercollateralization
and/or errors in calculation of a Fund’s net asset value.
A
Fund also may enter into options to enter into a swap agreement (“swaptions”). These transactions give a party
the right (but not the obligation), in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement
or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future
time on specified terms. A Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions. Depending on the terms
of the particular option agreement, a Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption
than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the
amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when a Fund
writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the
underlying agreement.
Commodity-Linked
Swap Agreements. Commodity-linked swaps are two-party
contracts in which the parties agree to exchange the
return or interest rate on one instrument for the return of a particular commodity, commodity
index or commodities futures or options contract. The payment streams are calculated by reference to
an agreed upon notional amount. A one-period swap contract operates in a manner similar to a forward or futures
contract because there is an agreement to swap a commodity for cash at only one forward date. A Fund may
engage in swap transactions that have more than one period and more than one exchange of commodities.
In
a total return commodity swap, a Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the
index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period,
the Fund will pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity
swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund will pay an adjustable or floating
fee. With a “floating” rate, the fee is pegged to a base rate such as Euribor, and is adjusted each period. Therefore,
if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, a Fund may be required to pay a higher fee
at each swap reset date.
A
Fund’s ability to invest in commodity-linked swaps may be adversely affected by changes in legislation, regulations
or other legally binding authority. Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
a Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income from qualifying sources to qualify as a regulated investment
company. The Internal Revenue Service has also issued a revenue ruling which holds that income derived
from commodity-linked swaps is not qualifying income with respect to the 90% threshold. As a result, a Fund’s
ability to directly invest in commodity-linked swaps as part of its investment strategy is limited to a maximum
of 10% of its gross income. Failure to comply with the restrictions in the Code and any future legislation
or guidance may cause a Fund to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, which may adversely
impact a shareholder’s return. Alternatively, a Fund may forego such investments, which could adversely
affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment goal.
Credit
Default Swap Agreements. A Fund may enter into OTC
and cleared credit default swap agreements, which may
reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are or are not currently held by a Fund. The protection
“buyer” in an OTC credit default swap agreement is generally obligated to pay the protection “seller” an
upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on
a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value”
(full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference
entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the
swap is cash settled. A Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If a Fund is a buyer and no credit
event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit
event occurs, the buyer generally may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an
equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly
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decreased.
As a seller, a Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term
of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, a Fund would effectively add leverage to its
portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, a Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional
amount of the swap.
The
spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over
the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. Market perceived credit risk increases
as spreads widen; market perceived credit risk decreases as spreads narrow. Wider credit spreads and decreasing
market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit
soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit
event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed
securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment
rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk. A Fund’s obligations
under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the
Fund).
Credit
default swap agreements sold by a Fund may involve greater risks than if a Fund had invested in the reference
obligation directly because, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity
risk and counterparty credit risk (with respect to OTC credit default swaps). A Fund will enter into uncleared
credit default swap agreements generally with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness.
A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur
and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation
received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than
the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. In addition, there may be disputes
between the buyer and seller of a credit default swap agreement or within the swaps market as a whole as
to whether a credit event has occurred or what the payment should be. Such disputes could result in litigation or
other delays, and the outcome could be adverse for the buyer or seller.
Interest
Rate Swap Agreements. Interest rate swap agreements
may be used to obtain or preserve a desired return or
spread at a lower cost than through a direct investment in an instrument that yields the desired return or
spread. They are financial instruments that involve the exchange of one type of interest rate cash flow for another
type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates in the future. In a standard interest rate swap transaction,
two parties agree to exchange their respective commitments to pay fixed or floating interest rates on
a predetermined specified (notional) amount. The swap agreement’s notional amount is the predetermined basis
for calculating the obligations that the swap counterparties have agreed to exchange. Under most swap agreements,
the obligations of the parties are exchanged on a net basis. The two payment streams are netted out,
with each party receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Interest rate
swaps can be based on various measures of interest rates, including Euribor, swap rates, Treasury rates and foreign
interest rates.
Swap
agreements will tend to shift a Fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example,
if a Fund agreed to pay fixed rates in exchange for floating rates while holding fixed-rate bonds, the swap
would tend to decrease a Fund’s exposure to long-term interest rates. Another example is if a Fund agreed to
exchange payments in dollars for payments in foreign currency, the swap agreement would tend to decrease a
Fund’s exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates.
Total
Return Swap Agreements. Total return swap agreements
are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic
payments to another party based on the change in market value of the assets underlying the contract, which
may include a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices during the specified period, in return
for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets.
Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or
taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. Total return swap agreements may
effectively add leverage to a Fund’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, a Fund would be subject
to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.
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Total
return swap agreements are subject to the risk that a counterparty will default on its payment obligations to
a Fund thereunder, and conversely, that a Fund will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty. Generally,
a Fund will enter into total return swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted against
one another with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments).
Contracts
for Differences. Contracts for differences are swap
arrangements in which the parties agree that their return
(or loss) will be based on the relative performance of two different groups or baskets of securities. Often, one
or both baskets will be an established securities index. A Fund’s return will be based on changes in value of theoretical
long futures positions in the securities comprising one basket (with an aggregate face value equal to the
notional amount of the contract for differences) and theoretical short futures positions in the securities comprising
the other basket. A Fund also may use actual long and short futures positions and achieve similar market
exposure by netting the payment obligations of the two contracts. A Fund typically enters into contracts
for differences (and analogous futures positions) when the sub-adviser believes that the basket of securities
constituting the long position will outperform the basket constituting the short position. If the short basket
outperforms the long basket, a Fund will realize a loss, even in circumstances when the securities in both the
long and short baskets appreciate in value.
Cross-Currency
Swap Agreements. Cross currency swap agreements
are similar to interest rate swaps, except that they
involve multiple currencies. A Fund may enter into a cross currency swap agreement when it has exposure
to one currency and desires exposure to a different currency. Typically, the interest rates that determine
the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may pay a floating rate
of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap agreement, however, the principal amounts are exchanged at the beginning
of the contract and returned at the end of the contract. In addition to paying and receiving amounts at
the beginning and termination of the agreements, both sides will have to pay in full periodically based upon the
currency they have borrowed. Changes in foreign exchange currency rates and changes in interest rates may negatively
affect currency swaps.
Volatility,
Variance and Correlation Swap Agreements. A Fund
also may enter into forward volatility agreements, also
known as volatility swaps. In a volatility swap, the counterparties agree to make payments in connection with
changes in the volatility (i.e., the magnitude of change over a specified period of time) of an underlying reference
instrument, such as a currency, rate, index, security or other financial instrument. Volatility swaps permit
the parties to attempt to hedge volatility risk and/or take positions on the projected future volatility of an
underlying reference instrument. For example, a Fund may enter into a volatility swap in order to take the position
that the reference instrument’s volatility will increase over a particular period of time. If the reference instrument’s
volatility does increase over the specified time, the Fund will receive a payment from its counterparty
based upon the amount by which the reference instrument’s realized volatility level exceeds a volatility
level agreed upon by the parties. If the reference instrument’s volatility does not increase over the specified
time, the Fund will make a payment to the counterparty based upon the amount by which the reference
instrument’s realized volatility level falls below the volatility level agreed upon by the parties. Payments
on a volatility swap will be greater if they are based upon the mathematical square of volatility (i.e., the
measured volatility multiplied by itself, which is referred to as “variance”). This type of a volatility swap is frequently
referred to as a variance swap. Certain of the Funds may engage in variance swaps. Correlation swaps are
contracts that provide exposure to increases or decreases in the correlation between the prices of different assets
or different market rates. Certain of the Funds may engage in variance swaps and correlation swaps.
Interest
Rate Futures Contracts and Options on Interest Rate Futures Contracts.
A Fund may invest in interest rate futures contracts
and options on interest rate futures contracts for various investment reasons, including to
serve as a substitute for a comparable market position in the underlying securities. A Fund may also sell options
on interest rate futures contracts as part of closing purchase transactions to terminate its options positions.
No assurance can be given that such closing transactions can be effected or as to the degree of correlation
between price movements in the options on interest rate futures and price movements in a Fund’s portfolio
securities which are the subject of the transaction.
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Bond
prices are established in both the cash market and the futures market. In the cash market, bonds are purchased
and sold with payment for the full purchase price of the bond being made in cash, generally within five
business days after the trade. In the futures market, a contract is made to purchase or sell a bond in the future
for a set price on a certain date. Historically, the prices for bonds established in the futures markets have tended
to move generally in the aggregate in concert with the cash market prices and have maintained fairly predictable
relationships. Accordingly, a Fund may use interest rate futures contracts as a defense, or hedge, against
anticipated interest rate changes. A Fund presently could accomplish a similar result to that which it hopes
to achieve through the use of interest rate futures contracts by selling bonds with long maturities and investing
in bonds with short maturities when interest rates are expected to increase, or conversely, selling bonds
with short maturities and investing in bonds with long maturities when interest rates are expected to decline.
However, because of the liquidity that is often available in the futures market, the protection is more likely
to be achieved, perhaps at a lower cost and without changing the rate of interest being earned by a Fund, through
using futures contracts.
Inverse
Floaters. Inverse floaters (also known
as “residual interest bonds”) are inverse floating rate debt securities.
The interest rate on an inverse floater varies inversely with a floating rate (which may be reset periodically
by a “Dutch” auction, a remarketing agent or by reference to a short-term tax-exempt interest rate index).
A change in the interest rate on the referenced security or index will inversely affect the rate of interest paid
on an inverse floater. That is, income on inverse floating rate debt securities will decrease when interest rates
increase, and will increase when interest rates decrease.
Markets
for inverse floaters may be less developed and more volatile, and may experience less or varying degrees
of liquidity relative to markets for more traditional securities, especially during periods of instability in credit
markets. The value of an inverse floater is generally more volatile than that of a traditional fixed-rate bond
having similar credit quality, redemption provisions and maturity. Inverse floaters may have interest rate adjustment
formulas that generally reduce or, in the extreme cases, eliminate the interest paid to a Fund when short-term
interest rates rise, and increase the interest paid to a Fund when short-term interest rates fall. The value
of an inverse floater also tends to fall faster than the value of a fixed-rate bond when interest rates rise, and
conversely, the value of an inverse floater tends to rise more rapidly when interest rates fall. Inverse floaters tend
to underperform fixed-rate bonds in a rising long-term interest rate environment, but tend to outperform fixed-rate
bonds when long-term interest rates decline.
Inverse
floaters have the effect of providing a degree of investment leverage because they may increase or decrease
in value in response to changes (e.g., changes in market interest rates) at a rate that is a multiple of the rate
at which fixed-rate securities increase or decrease in response to the same changes. As a result, the market values
of such securities are generally more volatile than the market values of fixed-rate securities (especially during
periods when interest rates are fluctuating). A Fund could lose money and its net asset value could decline
if movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated. To seek to limit the volatility of these securities,
a Fund may purchase inverse floating obligations that have shorter-term maturities or that contain limitations
on the extent to which the interest rate may vary. Certain investments in such obligations may be illiquid.
Furthermore, where such a security includes a contingent liability, in the event of an adverse movement in
the underlying index or interest rate, a Fund may be required to pay substantial additional margin to maintain the
position.
A
Fund may either participate in structuring an inverse floater or purchase an inverse floater in the secondary market.
When structuring an inverse floater, a Fund will transfer fixed-rate securities held in the Fund’s portfolio
to a trust. The trust then typically issues the inverse floaters and the floating rate notes that are collateralized
by the cash flows of the fixed-rate securities. In return for the transfer of the securities to the trust,
the Fund receives the inverse floaters and cash associated with the sale of the notes from the trust.
Inverse
floaters are sometimes created by depositing municipal securities in a tender option bond trust (“TOB Trust”).
In a tender option bond (“TOB”) transaction, a TOB Trust issues a floating rate certificate (“TOB Floater”)
and a residual interest certificate (“TOB Residual”) and utilizes the proceeds of such issuance to purchase
a fixed-rate municipal bond (“Fixed-Rate Bond”) that either is owned or identified by a Fund. The TOB Floater
is generally issued to third party investors (typically a money market fund) and the TOB Residual is
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generally
issued to the Fund that sold or identified the Fixed-Rate Bond. The TOB Trust divides the income stream
provided by the Fixed-Rate Bond to create two securities, the TOB Floater, which is a short-term security,
and the TOB Residual, which is a longer-term security. The interest rates payable on the TOB Residual issued
to a Fund bear an inverse relationship to the interest rate on the TOB Floater. The interest rate on the TOB
Floater is reset by a remarketing process typically every 7 to 35 days. After income is paid on the TOB Floater
at current rates, the residual income from the Fixed-Rate Bond goes to the TOB Residual. Therefore, rising
short-term rates result in lower income for the TOB Residual, and vice versa. In the case of a TOB Trust that
utilizes the cash received (less transaction expenses) from the issuance of the TOB Floater and TOB Residual
to purchase the Fixed Rate Bond from a Fund, the Fund may then invest the cash received in additional securities,
generating leverage for the Fund.
The
TOB Residual may be more volatile and less liquid than other municipal bonds of comparable maturity. In most
circumstances, the TOB Residual holder bears substantially all of the underlying Fixed-Rate Bond’s downside
investment risk and also benefits from any appreciation in the value of the underlying Fixed-Rate Bond.
Investments in a TOB Residual typically will involve greater risk than investments in Fixed-Rate Bonds.
The
TOB Residual held by a Fund provides the Fund with the right to: i) cause the holders of the TOB Floater to tender
their notes at par; and ii) cause the sale of the Fixed-Rate Bond held by the TOB Trust, thereby collapsing the
TOB Trust. TOB Trusts are generally supported by a liquidity facility provided by a third-party bank or other financial
institution (the “Liquidity Provider”) that provides for the purchase of TOB Floaters that cannot be remarketed.
The holders of the TOB Floaters have the right to tender their certificates in exchange for payment of
par plus accrued interest on a periodic basis (typically weekly) or on the occurrence of certain mandatory tender
events. The tendered TOB Floaters are remarketed by a remarketing agent, which is typically an affiliated
entity of the Liquidity Provider. If the TOB Floaters cannot be remarketed, the TOB Floaters are purchased
by the TOB Trust either from the proceeds of a loan from the Liquidity Provider or from a liquidation of
the Fixed-Rate Bond.
The
TOB Trust may also be collapsed without the consent of a Fund, as the TOB Residual holder, upon the occurrence
of certain “tender option termination events” (or “TOTEs”), as defined in the TOB Trust agreements. Such
termination events typically include the bankruptcy or default of the municipal bond, a substantial downgrade
in credit quality of the municipal bond, or a judgment or ruling that interest on the Fixed-Rate Bond is
subject to federal income taxation. Upon the occurrence of a termination event, the TOB Trust would generally
be liquidated in full with the proceeds typically applied first to any accrued fees owed to the trustee, remarketing
agent and liquidity provider, and then to the holders of the TOB Floater up to par plus accrued interest
owed on the TOB Floater and a portion of gain share, if any, with the balance paid out to the TOB Residual
holder. In the case of a mandatory termination event (“MTE”), after the payment of fees, the TOB Floater
holders would be paid before the TOB Residual holders (i.e., the Fund). In contrast, in the case of a TOTE, after
payment of fees, the TOB Floater holders and the TOB Residual holders would be paid pro rata in proportion
to the respective face values of their certificates.
Participation
Notes. Participation notes (“P-notes”)
are participation interest notes that are issued by banks and
broker-dealers and are designed to offer a return linked to a particular equity, debt, currency or market. An investment
in a P-note involves additional risks beyond the risks normally associated with a direct investment in the
underlying security, and the P-note’s performance may differ from the underlying security’s performance. While
the holder of a P-note is entitled to receive from the bank or issuing broker-dealer any dividends paid on the
underlying security, the holder is not entitled to the same rights (e.g., voting rights) as an owner of the underlying
stock. P-notes are considered general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers
that issue them. As such, a Fund must rely on the creditworthiness of the issuer of a P-note for their
investment returns on such P-note, and would have no rights against the issuer of the underlying security. There
is also no assurance that there will be a secondary trading market for a P-note or that the trading price of a
P-note will equal the value of the underlying security. Additionally, issuers of P-notes and the calculation agent
may have broad authority to control the foreign exchange rates related to the P-notes and discretion to adjust
the P-note’s terms in response to certain events.
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Stock
Index Futures Contracts and Options on Stock Index Futures Contracts.
Stock index futures and options on stock index futures
provide exposure to comparable market positions in the underlying securities or to manage
risk (i.e., hedge) on direct investments in the underlying securities. A stock index future obligates the seller
to deliver (and the purchaser to take), effectively, an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount times
the difference between the value of a specific stock index at the close of the last trading day of the contract
and the price at which the agreement is made. No physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the index is
made. With respect to stock indices that are permitted investments, each Fund intends to purchase and sell futures
contracts on the stock index for which it can obtain the best price with consideration also given to liquidity.
Options
on stock index futures give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position
in a stock index futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is
a put), at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the
delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by
delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account, which represents the amount by which
the market price of the stock index futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than
(in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the stock index future. If an option is exercised on the
last trading day prior to the expiration date of the option, the settlement will be made entirely in cash equal to
the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing level of the index on which the future is
based on the expiration date. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer
a loss of the premium paid.
Synthetic
Convertible Securities. Synthetic convertible
securities are derivative positions composed of two or more
different securities whose investment characteristics, taken together, resemble those of convertible securities.
For example, a Fund may purchase a non-convertible debt security and a warrant or option, which enables
a Fund to have a convertible-like position with respect to a company, group of companies or a stock index.
Synthetic convertible securities are typically offered by financial institutions and investment banks in private
placement transactions. Upon conversion, a Fund generally receives an amount in cash equal to the difference
between the conversion price and the then current value of the underlying security. Unlike a true convertible
security, a synthetic convertible comprises two or more separate securities, each with its own market
value. Therefore, the market value of a synthetic convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed-income component
and its convertible component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible and a true convertible
security may respond differently to market fluctuations. In addition to the general risks of convertible
securities and the special risks of enhanced convertible securities, there are risks unique to synthetic convertible
securities. In addition, the component parts of a synthetic convertible security may be purchased simultaneously
or separately; and the holder of a synthetic convertible faces the risk that the price of the stock, or
the level of the market index underlying the convertibility component will decline. Exposure to more than one issuer
or participant will increase the number of parties upon which the investment depends and the complexity of
that investment and, as a result, increase a Fund’s credit risk and valuation risk. A Fund only invests in synthetic
convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated “A” or higher by Moody’s
or S&P and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.
Permitted
Investment Activities and Certain Associated Risks
Set
forth below are descriptions of permitted investment activities for the Funds and certain of their associated risks.
The activities are organized into various categories. To the extent that an activity overlaps two or more categories,
the activity is referenced only once in this section. The Funds described in this SAI are funds-of-funds
that invest in various affiliated mutual funds (“Underlying Funds”). References to the activities of
a fund-of-funds are understood to refer to the investments of the Underlying Funds in which the fund-of-funds
invests. Not all of the Funds participate in all of the investment activities described below. In addition,
with respect to any particular Fund, to the extent that an investment activity is described in such Fund’s
Prospectus as being part of its principal investment strategy, the information provided below regarding such
investment activity is intended to supplement, but not supersede, the information contained in the Prospectus,
and the Fund may engage in such investment activity in accordance with the limitations set forth in
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the
Prospectus. To the extent an investment activity is described in this SAI that is not referenced in the Prospectus,
a Fund under normal circumstances will not engage in such investment activity with more than 15% of
its assets unless otherwise specified below. Unless otherwise noted or required by applicable law, the percentage
limitations included in this SAI apply at the time of purchase of a security.
For
purposes of monitoring the investment policies and restrictions of the Funds (with the exception of the loans
of portfolio securities policy described below), the amount of any securities lending collateral held by a Fund
will be excluded in calculating total assets.
DEBT
SECURITIES
Debt
securities include bonds, corporate debt securities and similar instruments, issued by various U.S. and non-U.S.
public- or private-sector entities. The issuer of a debt security has a contractual obligation to pay interest
at a stated rate on specific dates and to repay principal (the debt security’s face value) periodically or on a
specified maturity date. An issuer may have the right to redeem or “call” a debt security before maturity, in which
case the investor may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower market rates. The value of fixed-rate debt securities
will tend to fall when interest rates rise, and rise when interest rates fall. The values of “floating-rate” or
“variable-rate” debt securities, on the other hand, fluctuate much less in response to market interest-rate movements
than the value of fixed-rate debt securities. Debt securities may be senior or subordinated obligations.
Senior obligations, including certain bonds and corporate debt securities, generally have the first claim
on a corporation’s earnings and assets and, in the event of liquidation, are paid before subordinated debt. Debt
securities may be unsecured (backed only by the issuer’s general creditworthiness) or secured (also backed by
specified collateral).
Debt
securities are interest-bearing investments that promise a stable stream of income; however, the prices of such
securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates and, therefore, are subject to the risk of market
price fluctuations. Longer-term securities are affected to a greater extent by changes in interest rates than
shorter-term securities. The values of debt securities also may be affected by changes in the credit rating or
financial condition of the issuing entities. Certain securities that may be purchased by a Fund, such as those rated
“Baa” or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) and “BBB” or lower
by Standard & Poor’s Rating Group (“S&P”)
and Fitch Investors Service, Inc. (“Fitch”) tend to be subject to greater issuer credit risk, to greater
market fluctuations and pricing uncertainty, and to less liquidity than lower-yielding, higher-rated debt securities.
A Fund could lose money if the issuer fails to meet its financial obligations. If a security held by a Fund is
downgraded, such Fund may continue to hold the security until such time as the Fund’s sub-adviser determines
it to be advantageous for the Fund to sell the security. Investing in debt securities is subject to certain
risks including, among others, credit and interest rate risk, as more fully described in this section.
A
Fund may purchase instruments that are not rated if, as determined by the Fund’s sub-adviser, such obligations
are of investment quality comparable to other rated investments that are permitted to be purchased
by such Fund. After purchase by a Fund, a security may cease to be rated, or its rating may be reduced
below the minimum required for purchase by such Fund. Neither event will require a sale of such security
by the Fund. To the extent the ratings given by Moody’s, Fitch or S&P may change as a result of changes
in such organizations’ rating systems, a Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for investments
in accordance with the investment policies contained in its Prospectus and in this SAI.
Certain
of the debt obligations a Fund may purchase (including certificates of participation, commercial paper and
other short-term obligations) may be backed by a letter of credit from a bank or insurance company. A letter
of credit guarantees that payment to a lender will be received on time and for the correct amount, and is typically
unconditional and irrevocable. In the event that the indebted party is unable to make payment on the debt
obligation, the bank or insurance company will be required to cover the full or remaining amount of the debt
obligation.
Corporate
debt securities are long and short term fixed-income securities typically issued by businesses to finance
their operations. The issuer of a corporate debt security has a contractual obligation to pay interest at a stated
rate on specific dates and to repay principal periodically or on a specified maturity date. The rate of interest
on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating, or variable, and could vary directly or inversely with respect
to a reference rate. An issuer may have the right to redeem or “call” a corporate debt security before
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maturity,
in which case the investor may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower market rates. The value of fixed-rate
corporate debt securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise and rise when interest rates fall. Senior
obligations generally have the first claim on a corporation’s earnings and assets and, in the event of liquidation,
are paid before subordinated debt. Corporate debt securities may be unsecured (backed only by the issuer’s
general creditworthiness) or secured (also backed by specified collateral). Because of the wide range of types
and maturities of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of issuers, corporate debt
securities can have widely varying risk/return profiles.
LIBOR
Transition. The Funds’ investments,
payment obligations and financing terms may be based on floating rates,
such as London Inter-bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), Euro Interbank Offered Rate (“EURIBOR”) and other similar
types of reference rates (each, a “Reference Rate”). On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the U.K. Financial
Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade nor
compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR and certain other Reference Rates after 2021. Such
announcement indicates that the continuation of LIBOR and other Reference Rates on the current basis cannot
and will not be guaranteed after 2021. This announcement and any additional regulatory or market changes
may have an adverse impact on a Fund’s investments, performance or financial condition. Until then, the
Funds may continue to invest in instruments that reference such rates or otherwise use such Reference Rates
due to favorable liquidity or pricing.
In
advance of 2021, regulators and market participants will work together to identify or develop successor Reference
Rates and how the calculation of associated spreads (if any) should be adjusted. Additionally, prior to 2021,
it is expected that industry trade associations and participants will focus on the transition mechanisms by which
the Reference Rates and spreads (if any) in existing contracts or instruments may be amended, whether through
market-wide protocols, fallback contractual provisions, bespoke negotiations or amendments or otherwise.
Nonetheless, the termination of certain Reference Rates presents risks to the Funds. At this time, it is
not possible to exhaustively identify or predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of alternative
Reference Rates or any other reforms to Reference Rates that may be enacted in the UK or elsewhere.
The elimination of a Reference Rate, or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision
of Reference Rates, could have an adverse impact on the market for, or value of any, securities or payments
linked to those Reference Rates and other financial obligations held by a Fund, or on its overall financial
condition or results of operations. In addition, any substitute Reference Rate, and any pricing adjustments
imposed by a regulator or by counterparties or otherwise, may adversely affect a Fund’s performance
and/or net asset value.
Negative
Interest Rates. Certain countries have
recently experienced negative interest rates on deposits and debt
instruments have traded at negative yields. A negative interest rate policy is an unconventional central bank
monetary policy tool where nominal target interest rates are set with a negative value (i.e., below zero percent)
intended to help create self-sustaining growth in the local economy. Negative interest rates may become
more prevalent among non-U.S. issuers, and potentially within the U.S. To the extent a Fund has a bank deposit
or holds a debt instrument with a negative interest rate to maturity, the Fund would generate a negative
return on that investment. While negative yields can be expected to reduce demand for fixed-income investments
trading at a negative interest rate, investors may be willing to continue to purchase such investments
for a number of reasons including, but not limited to, price insensitivity, arbitrage opportunities across
fixed-income markets or rules-based investment strategies. If negative interest rates become more prevalent
in the market, it is expected that investors will seek to reallocate assets to other income-producing assets
such as investment grade and high-yield debt instruments, or equity investments that pay a dividend. This
increased demand for higher yielding assets may cause the price of such instruments to rise while triggering
a corresponding decrease in yield and the value of debt instruments over time.
Money
Market Instruments. Money market instruments
provide short-term funds to businesses, financial institutions
and governments. They are debt instruments issued with maturities of thirteen months or less, and that
are determined to present minimal credit risk. Because of their short-term maturities and by whom these debt
instruments are issued, money market instruments are extremely liquid and provide relatively few risks. Common
money market instruments include Treasury bills, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, banker’s acceptances,
and repurchase agreements among others.
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Bank
Obligations. Bank obligations include
certificates of deposit, time deposits, bankers’ acceptances, and other
short-term obligations of domestic banks, foreign subsidiaries of domestic banks, foreign branches of domestic
banks, domestic and foreign branches of foreign banks, domestic savings and loan associations and other
banking institutions. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates evidencing the obligation of a bank to
repay funds deposited with it for a specified period of time. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained
in a banking institution for a specified period of time at a stated interest rate. Bankers’ acceptances are
credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft drawn on it by a customer. These instruments
reflect the obligation both of the bank and of the customer to pay the face amount of the instrument
upon maturity. Other short-term obligations may include uninsured, direct obligations of the banking
institution bearing fixed, floating or variable interest rates.
The
activities of U.S. banks and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. New legislation or regulations,
or changes in interpretation and enforcement of existing laws or regulations, may affect the manner
of operations and profitability of domestic banks. With respect to such obligations issued by foreign branches
of domestic banks, foreign subsidiaries of domestic banks, and domestic and foreign branches of foreign
banks, a Fund may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those
incurred by a Fund that invests only in debt obligations of domestic issuers. Such risks include political, regulatory
or economic developments, the possible imposition of foreign withholding and other taxes (at potentially
confiscatory levels) on amounts realized on such obligations, the possible establishment of exchange controls
or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions that might adversely affect the payment of principal
and interest on these obligations and the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits. In addition,
foreign branches of domestic banks and foreign banks may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements
and to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, reporting and recordkeeping standards than those
applicable to domestic branches of U.S. banks.
Banks
may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes or adverse developments
in the market for real estate. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the
availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions
of banks. Further, the traditional banking industry is experiencing increased competition from alternative
types of financial institutions.
Commercial
Paper. Commercial paper is a short-term,
promissory note issued by a bank, corporation or other borrower
to finance short-term credit needs. Commercial paper is typically unsecured but it may be supported by
letters of credit, surety bonds or other forms of collateral. Commercial paper may be sold at par or on a discount
basis and typically has a maturity from 1 to 270 days. Like bonds, and other fixed-income securities, commercial
paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. As interest rates rise, commercial paper
prices typically will decline and vice versa. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment, however,
makes it less susceptible to such volatility than many other securities. Variable amount master demand
notes are a type of commercial paper. They are demand obligations that permit the investment of fluctuating
amounts at varying market rates of interest pursuant to arrangements between the issuer and a commercial
bank acting as agent for the payee of such notes whereby both parties have the right to vary the amount
of the outstanding indebtedness on the notes.
Loan
Participations. A loan participation gives
a Fund an undivided proportionate interest in a partnership or trust
that owns a loan or instrument originated by a bank or other financial institution. Typically, loan participations
are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates and are acquired by multiple
investors. Principal and interest payments are passed through to the holder of the loan participation. Loan
participations may carry a demand feature permitting the holder to tender the participations back to the bank
or other institution. Loan participations, however, typically do not provide the holder with any right to enforce
compliance by the borrower, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the holder may not directly
benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it purchased a loan participation. As a result, the holder
may assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the loan participation.
Loan
participations in which a Fund may invest are subject generally to the same risks as debt securities in which the
Fund may invest. Loan participations in which a Fund invests may be made to finance highly leveraged
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corporate
acquisitions. The highly leveraged capital structure of the borrowers in such transactions may make such
loan participations especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Loan participations
generally are subject to restrictions on transfer, and only limited opportunities may exist to sell such
loan participations in secondary markets. As a result, a Fund may be unable to sell loan participations at a time
when it may otherwise be desirable to do so, or may be able to sell them only at a price below their fair market
value. Market bids may be unavailable for loan participations from time to time; a Fund may find it difficult
to establish a fair value for loan participations held by it. Many loan participations in which a Fund invests
may be unrated, and the Fund’s sub-adviser will be required to rely exclusively on its analysis of the borrower
in determining whether to acquire, or to continue to hold, a loan participation. In addition, under legal theories
of lender liability, a Fund potentially might be held liable as a co-lender.
U.S.
Government Obligations. U.S. Government
obligations include direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including
Treasury bills, notes and bonds, the principal and interest payments of which are backed by the full faith
and credit of the U.S. This category also includes other securities issued by U.S. Government agencies or U.S.
Government sponsored entities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), Federal
National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”). U.S.
Government Obligations issued by U.S. Government agencies or government-sponsored entities may not be
backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
GNMA,
a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation, is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the
U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by
GNMA and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration or the Department of
Veterans Affairs. Securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest
by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. FHLMC guarantees the timely
payment of interest and ultimate collection or scheduled payment of principal, but its guarantees are not backed
by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
While
U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government, such securities are
nonetheless subject to risk. U.S. Government obligations are subject to low but varying degrees of credit risk,
and are still subject to interest rate and market risk. From time to time, uncertainty regarding congressional
action to increase the statutory debt ceiling could: i) increase the risk that the U.S. Government may
default on payments on certain U.S. Government securities; ii) cause the credit rating of the U.S. Government
to be downgraded or increase volatility in both stock and bond markets; iii) result in higher interest rates;
iv) reduce prices of U.S. Treasury securities; and/or v) increase the costs of certain kinds of debt. U.S. Government
obligations may be adversely affected by a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the U.S. Government.
In the past, U.S. sovereign credit has experienced downgrades, and there can be no guarantee that it
will not be downgraded in the future. Further, if a U.S. Government-sponsored entity is negatively impacted by
legislative or regulatory action, is unable to meet its obligations, or its creditworthiness declines, the performance
of a Fund that holds securities of the entity will be adversely impacted.
Under
the direction of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), FNMA and FHLMC have entered into a joint
initiative to develop a common securitization platform for the issuance of a uniform mortgage-backed security
(the “Single Security Initiative”) that aligns the characteristics of FNMA and FHLMC certificates. The Single
Security Initiative was implemented in June 2019, and the effects it may have on the market for mortgage-backed
securities are uncertain.
EQUITY
SECURITIES
Equity
securities represent an ownership interest, or the right to acquire an ownership interest, in an issuer. Different
types of equity securities provide different voting and dividend rights and priority in the event of the bankruptcy
and/or insolvency of the issuer. Equity securities include common stocks and certain preferred stocks,
certain types of convertible securities and warrants (see “Other Securities Section below”). Equity securities
other than common stock are subject to many of the same risks as common stock, although possibly to
different degrees. The risks of equity securities are generally magnified in the case of equity investments in distressed
companies.
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Equity
securities fluctuate in value and the prices of equity securities tend to move by industry, market or sector.
When market conditions favorably affect, or are expected to favorably affect, an industry, the share prices
of the equity securities of companies in that industry tend to rise. Conversely, negative news or a poor outlook
for a particular industry can cause the share prices of such securities of companies in that industry to decline.
Investing in equity securities poses risks specific to an issuer, as well as to the particular type of company
issuing the equity securities. For example, investing in the equity securities of small- or mid-capitalization
companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in stocks of larger,
more-established companies. Small- or mid-capitalization companies often have limited product lines, limited
operating histories, limited markets or financial resources, may be dependent on one or a few key persons
for management, and can be more susceptible to financial losses. Also, their securities may be thinly traded
(and therefore may have to be sold at a discount from current prices or sold in small lots over an extended
period of time) and may be subject to wider price swings, thus creating a greater risk of loss than securities
of larger capitalization companies.
Common
Stock. Common stock represents a unit
of equity ownership of a corporation. Owners typically are entitled
to vote on the election of directors and other important corporate governance matters, and to receive dividend
payments, if any, on their holdings. However, ownership of common stock does not entitle owners to participate
in the day-to-day operations of the corporation. Common stocks of domestic and foreign public corporations
can be listed, and their shares traded, on domestic stock exchanges, such as the NYSE or the NASDAQ
Stock Market. Domestic and foreign corporations also may have their shares traded on foreign exchanges,
such as the London Stock Exchange or Tokyo Stock Exchange. Common stock may be privately placed
or publicly offered.
The
price of common stock is generally affected by corporate earnings, anticipated dividend payments, types of products
or services offered, projected growth rates, experience of management, liquidity, and general market conditions.
In the event that a corporation declares bankruptcy or is liquidated, the claims of secured and unsecured
creditors and owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own
common stock.
The
value of common stock may fall due to changes in general economic conditions that impact the market as a whole,
as well as factors that directly relate to a specific company or its industry. Such general economic conditions
include changes in interest rates, periods of market turbulence or instability, or general and prolonged
periods of economic decline and cyclical change. It is possible that a drop in the stock market may depress
the price of most or all of the common stocks in a Fund’s portfolio. Common stock is also subject to the risk
that investor sentiment toward particular industries will become negative. The value of a company’s common
stock may fall because of various factors, including an increase in production costs that negatively impact
other companies in the same region, industry or sector of the market. The value of common stock also may
decline significantly over a short period of time due to factors specific to a company, including decisions made
by management or lower demand for the company’s products or services.
Preferred
Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity
interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive,
in preference to the holders of other stocks, such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds
resulting from a liquidation of the company. Some preferred stock also entitles holders to receive additional
liquidation proceeds on the same basis as holders of a company’s common stock and, thus, also represent
an ownership interest in that company. Distributions on preferred stock generally are taxable as dividend
income, rather than interest payments, for federal income tax purposes.
Preferred
stock generally has no maturity date, so its market value is dependent on the issuer’s business prospects
for an indefinite period of time. Preferred stock may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred stock
is subject to issuer-specific and market risks generally applicable to equity securities. A company generally pays
dividends on its preferred stock only after making required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt.
For this reason, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual
or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred stock of smaller companies
may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred stock of larger companies. In addition,
preferred stock is subordinated to all debt obligations in the event of insolvency, and an issuer’s failure
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to
make a dividend payment is generally not an event of default entitling the preferred shareholders to take action.
Auction
preferred stock (“APS”) is a type of adjustable-rate preferred stock with a dividend determined periodically
in a Dutch auction process by institutional bidders. An APS is distinguished from standard preferred stock
because its dividends change more frequently. Shares typically are bought and sold at face values generally
ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 per share. Holders of APS may not be able to sell their shares if an
auction fails, such as when there are more shares of APS for sale at an auction than there are purchase bids.
Trust-preferred
securities, also known as trust-issued securities, are securities that have characteristics of both debt
and equity instruments and are typically treated by the Funds as debt investments. Generally, trust-preferred
securities are cumulative preferred stocks issued by a trust that is created by a financial institution,
such as a bank holding company. The financial institution typically creates the trust with the objective
of increasing its capital by issuing subordinated debt to the trust in return for cash proceeds that are reflected
on the financial institution’s balance sheet.
The
primary asset owned by a trust is the subordinated debt issued to the trust by the financial institution. The financial
institution makes periodic interest payments on the debt as discussed further below. The financial institution
will own the trust’s common securities, which typically represents a small percentage of the trust’s capital
structure. The remainder of the trust’s capital structure typically consists of trust-preferred securities which
are sold to investors. The trust uses the proceeds from selling the trust-preferred securities to purchase the
subordinated debt issued by the financial institution.
The
trust uses the interest received from the financial institution on its subordinated debt to make dividend payments
to the holders of the trust-preferred securities. The dividends are generally paid on a quarterly basis and
are often higher than other dividends potentially available on the financial institution’s common stocks. The interests
of the holders of the trust-preferred securities are senior to those of the financial institution’s common
stockholders in the event that the financial institution is liquidated, although their interests are typically
subordinated to those of other holders of other debt issued by the institution.
In
certain instances, the structure involves more than one financial institution and thus, more than one trust. In such
a pooled offering, an additional separate trust may be created. This trust will issue securities to investors and
use the proceeds to purchase the trust-preferred securities issued by trust-preferred trust subsidiaries of the
participating financial institutions. In such a structure, the trust-preferred securities held by the investors are
backed by other trust-preferred securities issued by the trust subsidiaries.
If
a financial institution is financially unsound and defaults on interest payments to the trust, the trust will not be
able to make dividend payments to holders of the trust-preferred securities (e.g, a Fund), as the trust typically
has no business operations other than holding the subordinated debt issued by the financial institution(s)
and issuing the trust-preferred securities and common stock backed by the subordinated debt.
FOREIGN
SECURITIES
Unless
otherwise stated in a Fund’s prospectus, the decision on whether stocks and other securities or investments
are deemed to be “foreign” is based primarily on the issuer’s place of organization/incorporation, but
the Fund may also consider the issuer’s domicile, principal place of business, primary stock exchange listing, sources
of revenue or other factors, such as, in the case of asset-backed or other collateralized securities, the countries
in which the collateral backing the securities is located. Foreign equity securities include common stocks
and certain preferred stocks, certain types of convertible securities and warrants (see “Equity Securities” above
and “Other Securities Section” below). Foreign debt securities may be structured as fixed-, variable- or floating-rate
obligations or as zero-coupon, pay-in-kind and step-coupon securities and may be privately placed or
publicly offered (see “Debt Securities” above).
Foreign
securities may include securities of issuers in emerging and frontier market countries, which carry heightened
risks relative to investments in more developed foreign markets. Unless otherwise stated in a Fund’s
prospectus, countries are generally characterized by a Fund’s sub-adviser as “emerging market countries”
by reference to a broad market index, by reference to the World Bank’s per capita income brackets or based
on the sub-adviser’s qualitative judgments about a country’s level of economic and institutional
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development,
and include markets commonly referred to as “frontier markets.” An emerging market is generally
in the earlier stages of its industrialization cycle with a low per capita gross domestic product (“GDP”) and
a low market capitalization to GDP ratio relative to those in the United States and the European Union. Frontier
market countries generally have smaller economies and even less developed capital markets than typical
emerging market countries and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified
in frontier market countries.
Investments
in or exposure to foreign securities involve certain risks not associated with investments in or exposure
to securities of U.S. companies. For example, foreign markets can be extremely volatile. Foreign securities
may also be less liquid than securities of U.S. companies so that a Fund may, at times, be unable to sell foreign
securities at desirable times and/or prices. Brokerage commissions, custodial costs, currency conversion costs
and other fees are also generally higher for foreign securities. A Fund may have limited or no legal recourse
in the event of default with respect to certain foreign debt securities, including those issued by foreign governments.
The
performance of a Fund may also be negatively affected by fluctuations in a foreign currency’s strength or weakness
relative to the U.S. dollar, particularly to the extent the Fund invests a significant percentage of its assets
in foreign securities or other assets denominated in non-U.S. currencies. 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 exchange controls and economic or political developments in the
U.S. or abroad. A Fund may also incur currency conversion costs when converting foreign currencies into U.S. dollars
and vice versa.
It
may be difficult to obtain reliable information about the securities and business operations of certain foreign issuers.
It may also be difficult to evaluate such information, as well as foreign economic trends, due to foreign regulation
and accounting standards. Governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in
designated depositories that are not subject to independent evaluation. Additionally, investments in certain countries
may subject a Fund to tax rules, the application of which may be uncertain. Countries may amend or revise
their existing tax laws, regulations and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes
in or uncertainties regarding the laws, regulations or procedures of a country could reduce the after-tax
profits of a Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies located
in such countries in which the Fund invests, or result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.
Global
economies and financial markets have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibility
that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region.
Any attempt by a Fund to hedge against or otherwise protect its portfolio, or to profit from such circumstances,
may fail and, accordingly, an investment in a Fund could lose money over short or long periods. For
example, the economies of many countries or regions in which a Fund may invest are highly dependent on trading
with certain key trading partners. Reductions in spending on products and services by these key trading partners,
the institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a slowdown in the economies of key trading partners
may adversely affect the performance of securities in which a Fund may invest. The severity or duration
of adverse economic conditions may also be affected by policy changes made by governments or quasi-governmental
organizations. The imposition of sanctions by the United States or another government on a
country could cause disruptions to the country’s financial system and economy, which could negatively impact the
value of securities. To the extent a Fund holds securities of an issuer that becomes subject to sanctions, such
securities may also become less liquid and a Fund may be forced to sell securities when it otherwise would not
have done so. The risks posed by sanctions may be heightened to the extent a Fund invests significantly in the
affected country or region or in issuers from the affected country that depend on global markets.
In
addition, foreign securities may be impacted by economic, political, social, diplomatic or other conditions or events
(including, for example, military confrontations, war and terrorism), as well as the seizure, expropriation or
nationalization of a company or its assets or the assets of a particular investor or category of investors. A foreign
government may also restrict an issuer from paying principal and interest on its debt obligations to investors
outside the country. It may also be difficult to use foreign laws and courts to force a foreign issuer to make
principal and interest payments on its debt obligations.
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Although
it is not uncommon for governments to enter into trade agreements that would, among other things, reduce
barriers among countries, increase competition among companies and reduce government subsidies, there
are no assurances that such agreements will achieve their intended economic objectives. There is also a possibility
that such trade arrangements: i) will not be implemented; ii) will be implemented, but not completed; iii)
or will be completed, but then partially or completely unwound. It is also possible that a significant participant
could choose to abandon a trade agreement, which could diminish its credibility and influence. Any of these
occurrences could have adverse effects on the markets of both participating and non-participating countries,
including appreciation or depreciation of currencies, a significant increase in exchange rate volatility, a resurgence
in economic protectionism and an undermining of confidence in markets. Such developments could have
an adverse impact on a Fund’s investments in the debt of countries participating in such trade agreements.
Some
foreign countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly
their equity markets, by foreign entities, like the Funds. For example, certain countries may require governmental
approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons
in a particular company, or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of
a company which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available
for purchase by nationals. Even in instances where there is no individual investment quota that applies, trading
may be subject to aggregate and daily investment quota limitations that apply to foreign entities in the aggregate.
Such limitations may restrict a Fund from investing on a timely basis, which could affect the Fund’s ability
to effectively pursue its investment strategy. Investment quotas are also subject to change. In instances where
governmental approval is required, there can be no assurance that a Fund will be able to obtain such approvals
in a timely manner. In addition, changes to restrictions on foreign ownership of securities subsequent to
a Fund’s purchase of such securities may have an adverse effect on the value of such shares.
Regulations
that govern the manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain countries can subject
a Fund to trading, clearance and settlement procedures that could pose risks to the Fund. For example, a Fund
may be required in certain countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity, and then have the
shares purchased re-registered in the name of the Fund. Re-registration may, in some instances, not be able to
occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which the Fund may be denied certain of its rights as an investor,
including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain corporate actions. In certain other countries,
shares may be held only through a nominee structure whereby a local company holds purchased shares
as nominee on behalf of foreign investors. The precise nature and rights of a Fund as the beneficial owner of
shares held through such a nominee structure may not be well defined under local law, and as a result, should such
local company become insolvent, there is a risk that such shares may not be regarded as held for the beneficial
ownership of the Fund, but rather as part of the general assets of the local company available for general
distribution to its creditors.
A
Fund’s foreign debt securities are generally held outside of the United States in the primary market for the securities
in the custody of certain eligible foreign banks and trust companies (“foreign sub-custodians”), as permitted
under the 1940 Act. Settlement practices for foreign securities may differ from those in the United States.
Some countries have limited governmental oversight and regulation of industry practices, stock exchanges,
depositories, registrars, brokers and listed companies, which increases the risk of corruption and fraud
and the possibility of losses to a Fund. In particular, under certain circumstances, foreign securities may settle
on a delayed delivery basis, meaning that a Fund may be required to make payment for securities before the
Fund has actually received delivery of the securities or deliver securities prior to the receipt of payment. Typically,
in these cases, the Fund will receive evidence of ownership in accordance with the generally accepted settlement
practices in the local market entitling the Fund to delivery or payment at a future date, but there is a risk
that the security will not be delivered to the Fund or that payment will not be received, although the Fund and
its foreign sub-custodians take reasonable precautions to mitigate this risk. Losses can also result from lost,
stolen or counterfeit securities; defaults by brokers and banks; failures or defects of the settlement system;
or poor and improper recordkeeping by registrars and issuers.
There
is a practice in certain foreign markets under which an issuer’s securities are blocked from trading at the custodian
or sub-custodian level for a specified number of days before and, in certain instances, after a shareholder
meeting where such shares are voted. This is referred to as “share blocking.” The blocking period
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can
last up to several weeks. Share blocking may prevent a Fund from buying or selling securities during this period,
because during the time shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. It may be difficult or impossible
to lift blocking restrictions, with the particular requirements varying widely by country. To avoid these
restrictions, a sub-adviser, on behalf of a Fund, may abstain from voting proxies in markets that require share
blocking.
Foreign
Debt Securities. Foreign debt securities
may be structured as fixed-, variable- or floating-rate obligations,
or as zero-coupon, pay-in-kind and step-coupon securities. They include fixed-income securities of foreign
issuers and securities or contracts payable or denominated in non-U.S. currencies. Investments in, or exposure
to, foreign debt securities involve certain risks not associated with securities of U.S. issuers. Unless otherwise
stated in a Fund’s prospectus, the decision on whether a security is deemed to be “foreign” is based primarily
on the issuer’s place of organization/incorporation, but the Fund may also consider the issuer’s domicile,
principal place of business, primary stock exchange listing, sources of revenue or other factors.
Foreign
debt securities may include securities of issuers in emerging and frontier market countries, which carry heightened
risks relative to investments in more developed foreign markets. Unless otherwise stated in a Fund’s
prospectus, countries are generally characterized by a Fund’s sub-adviser as “emerging market countries”
by reference to a broad market index, by reference to the World Bank’s per capita income brackets or based
on the sub-adviser’s qualitative judgments about a country’s level of economic and institutional development,
and include markets commonly referred to as “frontier markets.” An emerging market is generally
in the earlier stages of its industrialization cycle with a low per capita gross domestic product (“GDP”) and
a low market capitalization to GDP ratio relative to those in the United States and the European Union. Frontier
market countries generally have smaller economies and even less developed capital markets than typical
emerging market countries and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified
in frontier market countries.
Investments
in or exposure to foreign debt securities involve certain risks not associated with investments in or exposure
to securities of U.S. companies. For example, foreign markets can be extremely volatile. Foreign debt securities
may also be less liquid than securities of U.S. issuers so that a Fund may, at times, be unable to sell foreign
debt securities at desirable times and/or prices. Transaction fees, custodial costs, currency conversion costs
and other fees are also generally higher for foreign debt securities. A Fund may have limited or no legal recourse
in the event of default with respect to certain foreign debt securities, including those issued by foreign governments.
Foreign debt securities carry many of the same risks as other types of foreign securities. For more
information, refer to “Foreign Securities.”
During
periods of very low or negative interest rates, a Fund’s foreign debt investments may be unable to generate
or maintain positive returns. Certain countries have recently experienced negative interest rates on certain
fixed-income instruments. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest
rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened
market volatility, and may detract from Fund performance to the extent a Fund is exposed to such interest
rates.
The
cost of servicing foreign debt will also generally be adversely affected by rising international interest rates, because
many external debt obligations bear interest at rates which are adjusted based upon international interest
rates. Furthermore, there is a risk of restructuring of certain foreign debt obligations that could reduce and
reschedule interest and principal payments.
The
performance of a Fund may also be negatively affected by fluctuations in a foreign currency’s strength or weakness
relative to the U.S. dollar, particularly to the extent the Fund invests a significant percentage of its assets
in foreign debt securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies. 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 exchange controls and economic or political developments in the U.S. or abroad. A Fund
may also incur currency conversion costs when converting foreign currencies into U.S. dollars and vice versa.
It
may be difficult to obtain reliable information about the securities and business operations of certain foreign issuers.
It may also be difficult to evaluate such information, as well as foreign economic trends, due to foreign
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regulation
and accounting standards. Governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in
designated depositories that are not subject to independent evaluation. Additionally, investments in certain countries
may subject a Fund to tax rules, the application of which may be uncertain. Countries may amend or revise
their existing tax laws, regulations and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes
in or uncertainties regarding the laws, regulations or procedures of a country could reduce the after-tax
profits of a Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies located
in such countries in which the Fund invests, or result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.
Global
economies and financial markets have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibility
that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region.
Any attempt by a Fund to hedge against or otherwise protect its portfolio, or to profit from such circumstances,
may fail and, accordingly, an investment in a Fund could lose money over short or long periods. For
example, the economies of many countries or regions in which a Fund may invest are highly dependent on trading
with certain key trading partners. Reductions in spending on products and services by these key trading partners,
the institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a slowdown in the economies of key trading partners
may adversely affect the performance of securities in which a Fund may invest. The severity or duration
of adverse economic conditions may also be affected by policy changes made by governments or quasi-governmental
organizations. The imposition of sanctions by the United States or another government on a
country could cause disruptions to the country’s financial system and economy, which could negatively impact the
value of securities. The risks posed by sanctions may be heightened to the extent a Fund invests significantly
in the affected country or region or in issuers from the affected country that depend on global markets.
In
addition, foreign debt securities may be impacted by economic, political, social, diplomatic or other conditions
or events (including, for example, military confrontations, war and terrorism), as well as the seizure, expropriation
or nationalization of a company or its assets or the assets of a particular investor or category of investors.
A foreign government may also restrict an issuer from paying principal and interest on its debt obligations
to investors outside the country. It may also be difficult to use foreign laws and courts to force a foreign
issuer to make principal and interest payments on its debt obligations.
Further,
investments in certain countries may subject a Fund to tax rules, the application of which may be uncertain.
Countries may amend or revise their existing tax laws, regulations and/or procedures in the future, possibly
with retroactive effect. Changes in, or uncertainties regarding the laws, regulations or procedures of a country
could reduce the after-tax profits of a Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits
of companies located in such countries in which the Fund invests, or result in unexpected tax liabilities for
the Fund.
Although
it is not uncommon for governments to enter into trade agreements that would, among other things, reduce
barriers among countries, increase competition among companies and reduce government subsidies, there
are no assurances that such agreements will achieve their intended economic objectives. There is also a possibility
that such trade arrangements: i) will not be implemented; ii) will be implemented, but not completed; iii)
or will be completed, but then partially or completely unwound. It is also possible that a significant participant
could choose to abandon a trade agreement, which could diminish its credibility and influence. Any of these
occurrences could have adverse effects on the markets of both participating and non-participating countries,
including appreciation or depreciation of currencies, a significant increase in exchange rate volatility, a resurgence
in economic protectionism and an undermining of confidence in markets. Such developments could have
an adverse impact on a Fund’s investments in the debt of countries participating in such trade agreements.
A
Fund’s foreign debt securities are generally held outside of the United States in the primary market for the securities
in the custody of certain eligible foreign banks and trust companies (“foreign sub-custodians”), as permitted
under the 1940 Act. Settlement practices for foreign securities may differ from those in the United States.
Some countries have limited governmental oversight and regulation of industry practices, stock exchanges,
depositories, registrars, brokers and listed companies, which increases the risk of corruption and fraud
and the possibility of losses to a Fund. In particular, under certain circumstances, foreign securities may settle
on a delayed delivery basis, meaning that a Fund may be required to make payment for securities before
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the
Fund has actually received delivery of the securities or deliver securities prior to the receipt of payment. Typically,
in these cases, the Fund will receive evidence of ownership in accordance with the generally accepted settlement
practices in the local market entitling the Fund to delivery or payment at a future date, but there is a risk
that the security will not be delivered to the Fund or that payment will not be received, although the Fund and
its foreign sub-custodians take reasonable precautions to mitigate this risk. Losses can also result from lost,
stolen or counterfeit securities; defaults by brokers and banks; failures or defects of the settlement system;
or poor and improper recordkeeping by registrars and issuers.
Foreign
Currency Contracts. To the extent that
a Fund may i) invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies,
ii) temporarily hold funds in bank deposits or other money market investments denominated in foreign
currencies, or iii) engage in foreign currency contract transactions, the Fund may be affected favorably or
unfavorably by exchange control regulations or changes in the exchange rate between such currencies and the
U.S. dollar. The rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and other currencies is determined by the forces of supply
and demand in the foreign exchange markets. The international balance of payments and other economic
and financial conditions, market interest rates, government intervention, speculation and other factors
affect these forces. A Fund may engage in foreign currency transactions in order to hedge its portfolio and
to attempt to protect it against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and
sale of securities. A Fund may also engage in foreign currency transactions to increase exposure to a foreign currency
or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.
Forward
foreign currency contracts are also contracts for the future delivery of a specified currency at a specified
time and at a specified price. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect a Fund against a possible
loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or
to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. These transactions differ from futures contracts in that they
are usually conducted on a principal basis instead of through an exchange, and therefore there are no brokerage
fees, margin deposits are negotiated between the parties, and the contracts are settled through different
procedures. The sub-advisers will consider on an ongoing basis the creditworthiness of the institutions with
which each Fund will enter into such forward foreign currency contracts.
The
use of foreign currency contracts involves the risk of imperfect correlation between movements in contract prices
and movements in the price of the currencies to which the contracts relate. The successful use of foreign currency
transaction strategies also depends on the ability of the sub-adviser to correctly forecast interest rate movements,
currency rate movements and general stock market price movements. There can be no assurance that
the sub-adviser’s forecasts will be accurate. Accordingly, a Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency
on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the sub-adviser’s predictions regarding
the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. Also, foreign currency transactions,
like currency exchange rates, can be affected unpredictably by intervention (or the failure to intervene)
by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks, or by currency controls or political developments. Such
events may prevent or restrict a Fund’s ability to enter into foreign currency transactions, force the Fund to
exit a foreign currency transaction at a disadvantageous time or price or result in penalties for the Fund, any of
which may result in a loss to the Fund. When such contracts are used for hedging purposes, they are intended to
reduce the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, but at the same time, they tend to limit
any potential gain which might result should the value of such currency increase.
Foreign
currency contracts may be either futures contracts or forward contracts. Similar to other futures contracts,
a foreign currency futures contract is an agreement for the future delivery of a specified currency at a specified
time and at a specified price that will be secured by margin deposits, is regulated by the CFTC and is traded
on designated exchanges. A Fund will incur brokerage fees when it purchases and sells foreign currency futures
contracts.
Foreign
currency futures contracts carry the same risks as other futures contracts, but also entail risks associated
with international investing. Similar to other futures contracts, a foreign currency futures contract is an
agreement for the future delivery of a specified currency at a specified time and at a specified price that will be
secured by margin deposits, is regulated by the CFTC and is traded on designated exchanges. A Fund will incur
brokerage fees when it purchases and sells futures contracts.
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To
the extent a Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies, and may temporarily hold funds
in bank deposits or other money market investments denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund may be affected
favorably or unfavorably by exchange control regulations or changes in the exchange rates between such
currencies and the U.S. dollar. The rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and other currencies is determined
by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets. The international balance of payments
and other economic and financial conditions, government intervention, speculation and other factors affect
these forces.
If
a decline in the exchange rate for a particular currency is anticipated, a Fund may enter into a foreign currency futures
position as a hedge. If it is anticipated that an exchange rate for a particular currency will rise, a Fund may
enter into a foreign currency futures position to hedge against an increase in the price of securities denominated
in that currency. These foreign currency futures contracts will only be used as a hedge against anticipated
currency rate changes. Although such contracts are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline
in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result
should the value of such currency increase.
The
use of foreign currency futures contracts involves the risk of imperfect correlation between movements in futures
prices and movements in the price of currencies which are the subject of the hedge. The successful use of
foreign currency futures contracts also depends on the ability of the sub-adviser to correctly forecast interest
rate movements, currency rate movements and general stock market price movements. There can be no
assurance that the sub-adviser’s judgment will be accurate. The use of foreign currency futures contracts also
exposes a Fund to the general risks of investing in futures contracts, including: the risk of an illiquid market for
the foreign currency futures contracts and the risk of adverse regulatory actions. Any of these events may cause
a Fund to be unable to hedge its currency risks, and may cause a Fund to lose money on its investments in foreign
currency futures contracts.
Recent
Events in European Countries. A number of countries
in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial
difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced
to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing
obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have
needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe
and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties
may continue, worsen or spread within and beyond Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European
governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result
in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences.
Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse
effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world.
On
June 23, 2016, the citizens of the United Kingdom (“UK”) voted via referendum to leave the European Union (the
“EU”), a measure commonly referred to as “Brexit.” On March 29, 2017, the UK formally notified the European
Council of its intention to withdraw from the EU within two years after providing such notice. Following
several extensions, the UK government and the EU eventually ratified a withdrawal agreement and the
UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020. The withdrawal agreement does not in general address the future
relationship between the parties, which will need to be the subject of a separate agreement negotiated following
the UK’s exit from the EU.
Brexit
has resulted in volatility in European and global markets and could have significant negative impacts on financial
markets in the UK and throughout Europe. The longer term economic, legal, political and social framework
to be put in place between the UK and the EU is unclear at this stage and is likely to lead to ongoing political
and economic uncertainty and periods of exacerbated volatility in both the UK and in wider European markets
for some time. This uncertainty may have an adverse effect on the global economy and on the value of a
Fund’s investments. This may be due to, among other things: fluctuations in asset values and exchange rates; increased
illiquidity of investments located, traded or listed within the UK, the EU or elsewhere; changes in the willingness
or ability of counterparties to enter into transactions at the price and terms on which a Fund is prepared
to transact; and/or changes in legal and regulatory regimes to which certain of a Fund’s assets are or
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become
subject. Potential decline in the value of the British Pound and/or the Euro against other currencies, along
with the potential downgrading of the UK’s sovereign credit rating, may also have an impact on the performance
of a Fund’s assets or investments economically tied to the UK or the EU.
The
effects of Brexit will depend, in part, on agreements the UK negotiates to retain access to EU markets, either
during a transitional period or more permanently, including, but not limited to, current trade and finance agreements.
Brexit could lead to legal and tax uncertainty and potentially divergent national laws and regulations,
as the UK determines which EU laws to replace or replicate. The extent of the impact of the withdrawal
negotiations in the UK and in global markets, as well as any associated adverse consequences, remain
unclear, and the uncertainty may have a significant negative effect on the value of a Fund’s investments. Whether
or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers
or countries, these events could result in losses to the Fund, as there may be negative effects on the value
and liquidity of the Fund’s investments and/or the Fund’s ability to enter into certain transactions.
Depositary
Receipts. American Depositary Receipts
(“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and European
Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) represent interests in securities of foreign companies that have been deposited
with a U.S. financial institution, such as a bank or trust company, and that trade on an exchange or over-the-counter
(“OTC”).
A
Fund may invest in depositary receipts through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility
is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying
security and a depositary (the issuing bank or trust company), whereas
a depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the deposited security.
Holders
of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of such facilities, and the depositary of an
unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute interest holder communications received from
the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts in respect
of the deposited securities. The issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material
information in the United States; as such, there may be limited information available regarding such issuers
and/or limited correlation between available information and the market value of depositary receipts.
ADRs
represent interests in foreign issuers that trade on U.S. exchanges or OTC. ADRs represent the right to receive
securities of the foreign issuer deposited with the issuing bank or trust company. Generally, ADRs are denominated
in U.S. dollars and are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. The depositaries that issue ADRs
are usually U.S. financial institutions, such as a bank or trust company, but the underlying securities are issued
by a foreign issuer.
GDRs
may be issued in U.S. dollars or other currencies and are generally designed for use in securities markets outside
the United States. GDRs represent the right to receive foreign securities and may be traded on the exchanges
of the depositary’s country. The issuing depositary, which may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, converts dividends
and the share price into the shareholder’s home currency. EDRs are generally issued by a European bank
and traded on local exchanges.
Although
an issuing bank or trust company may impose charges for the collection of dividends on foreign securities
that underlie ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, and for the conversion of ADRs, GDRs and EDRs into their respective
underlying securities, there are generally no fees imposed on the purchase or sale of ADRs, GDRs and EDRs,
other than transaction fees ordinarily involved with trading stocks. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs may be less liquid
or may trade at a lower price than the underlying securities of the issuer. Additionally, receipt of corporate information
about the underlying issuer may be untimely.
Emerging
Market Securities. Unless otherwise stated
in a Fund’s prospectus, countries are generally characterized
by a Fund’s sub-adviser as “emerging market countries” by reference to a broad-based market index,
by reference to the World Bank’s per capita income brackets or based on the sub-adviser’s qualitative judgments
about a country’s level of economic and institutional development, and include markets commonly referred
to as “frontier markets.” An emerging market is generally in the earlier stages of its industrialization cycle
with a low per capita gross domestic product (“GDP”) and a low market capitalization to GDP ratio relative to
those in the United States and the European Union. Frontier market countries generally have smaller
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economies
and even less developed capital markets than typical emerging market countries (which themselves have
increased investment risk relative to investing in more developed markets) and, as a result, the risks of investing
in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier market countries.
Investing
in emerging markets may involve risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing
in the securities markets of developed countries. For example, economies in emerging market countries
may be dependent on relatively few industries that are more susceptible to local and global changes. Securities
markets in these countries can also be relatively small and have substantially lower trading volumes. As
a result, securities issued in these countries may be more volatile and less liquid, and may be more difficult to value,
than securities issued in countries with more developed economies and/or markets.
Certain
emerging market countries lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting and disclosure standards,
have less governmental supervision of financial markets than developed countries, and have less developed
legal systems than developed countries. Certain governments may be more unstable and present greater
risks of nationalization or restrictions on foreign ownership of local companies. Repatriation of investment
income, capital and the proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration
and/or approval in some emerging market countries. Some emerging market countries may also impose
punitive taxes that could adversely affect the prices of securities. While a Fund will only invest in markets
where these restrictions are considered acceptable by the Fund’s sub-adviser, a country could impose new
or additional repatriation restrictions after the Fund’s investment. If this happens, the Fund’s response might
include, among other things, applying to the appropriate authorities for a waiver of the restrictions or engaging
in transactions in other markets designed to offset the risks of decline in that country. Such restrictions
will be considered in relation to a Fund’s liquidity needs and other factors. Further, some attractive equity
securities may not be available to a Fund if foreign shareholders already hold the maximum amount legally
permissible.
While
government involvement in the private sector varies in degree among emerging market countries, such involvement
may in some cases include government ownership of companies in certain sectors, wage and price controls
or imposition of trade barriers and other protectionist measures. With respect to any developing country,
there is no guarantee that some future economic or political crisis will not lead to price controls, forced mergers
of companies, expropriation, or creation of government monopolies to the possible detriment of a Fund’s
investments. In addition, rapid fluctuations in inflation rates may have negative impacts on the economies
and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.
Additionally,
there may be increased settlement risk for transactions in securities of emerging market issuers. Settlement
systems in emerging market countries are generally less organized than those in developed markets.
Supervisory authorities may also be unable to apply standards comparable to those in developed markets.
Thus, there may be risks that settlement may be delayed and that cash or securities belonging to a Fund
may be in jeopardy because of failures of or defects in the systems. In particular, market practice may require
that payment be made before receipt of the security being purchased or that delivery of a security be made
before payment is received. In such cases, default by a broker or bank (the “counterparty”) through whom the
transaction is effected might cause the Fund to suffer a loss. A Fund will seek, where possible, to use counterparties
whose financial status is such that this risk is reduced. However, there can be no certainty that a Fund
will be successful in eliminating this risk, particularly as counterparties operating in emerging market countries
frequently lack the standing or financial resources of those in developed countries. There may also be a
danger that, because of uncertainties in the operation of settlement systems in individual markets, competing claims
may arise with respect to securities held by or to be transferred to a Fund. A Fund and its shareholders may
also encounter substantial difficulties in obtaining and enforcing judgments against individuals residing outside
of the U.S. and companies domiciled outside of the U.S.
Taxation
of dividends, interest and capital gains received by a Fund varies among emerging market countries and,
in some cases, is comparatively high. In addition, emerging market countries typically have less well-defined
tax laws and procedures, and such laws may permit retroactive taxation so that a Fund could become
subject in the future to local tax liability that it had not reasonably anticipated in conducting its investment
activities or valuing its assets.
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Sovereign
Debt Obligations. Sovereign debt instruments
are issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their
agencies, including those of emerging market countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional
securities or other types of debt instruments, such as loans or loan participations. The debt obligations
of a foreign government or entity may not be supported by the full faith and credit of such foreign government.
Sovereign debt of emerging market countries may involve a high degree of risk, and may be in default
or present the risk of default. Governmental entities responsible for repayment of the debt may fail to repay
principal and interest when due, and may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments. Prospects
for repayment of principal and interest may depend on political and economic factors. A Fund may have
limited or no legal recourse in the event of default with respect to sovereign debt obligations. Sovereign debt
instruments and foreign debt securities share many of the same risks. For more information, refer to “Foreign
Debt Securities.”
Unless
otherwise stated in a Fund’s prospectus, countries are generally characterized by a Fund’s sub-adviser as “emerging
market countries” by reference to a broad market index, by reference to the World Bank’s per capita income
brackets or based on the sub-adviser’s qualitative judgments about a country’s level of economic and institutional
development, and include markets commonly referred to as “frontier markets.” An emerging market
is generally in the earlier stages of its industrialization cycle with a low per capita gross domestic product
(“GDP”) and a low market capitalization to GDP ratio relative to those in the United States and the European
Union. Frontier market countries generally have smaller economies and even less developed capital markets
than typical emerging market countries and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries
are magnified in frontier market countries.
The
performance of sovereign debt instruments may be negatively affected by fluctuations in a foreign currency’s
strength or weakness relative to the U.S. dollar, particularly to the extent the Fund invests a significant
percentage of its assets in sovereign debt instruments denominated in non-U.S. currencies. 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 exchange controls and economic or political developments
in the U.S. or abroad.
Global
economies and financial markets have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibility
that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region.
Sovereign debt instruments may be impacted by economic, political, social, diplomatic or other conditions
or events (including, for example, military confrontations, war and terrorism). Any attempt by a Fund to
hedge against or otherwise protect its portfolio, or to profit from such circumstances, may fail and, accordingly,
an investment in a Fund could lose money over short or long periods. For example, the economies of
many countries or regions in which a Fund may invest are highly dependent on trading with certain key trading
partners. Reductions in spending on products and services by these key trading partners, the institution of
tariffs or other trade barriers, or a slowdown in the economies of key trading partners may adversely affect the
performance of securities in which a Fund may invest. The severity or duration of adverse economic conditions
may also be affected by policy changes made by governments or quasi-governmental organizations. The
imposition of sanctions by the United States or another government on a country could cause disruptions to
the country’s financial system and economy, which could negatively impact the value of securities, including sovereign
debt instruments. The risks posed by sanctions may be heightened to the extent a Fund invests significantly
in the affected country or region or in issuers from the affected country that depend on global markets.
Although
it is not uncommon for governments to enter into trade agreements that would, among other things, reduce
barriers among countries, increase competition among companies and reduce government subsidies, there
are no assurances that such agreements will achieve their intended economic objectives. There is also a possibility
that such trade arrangements: i) will not be implemented; ii) will be implemented, but not completed; iii)
or will be completed, but then partially or completely unwound. It is also possible that a significant participant
could choose to abandon a trade agreement, which could diminish its credibility and influence. Any of these
occurrences could have adverse effects on the markets of both participating and non-participating countries,
including appreciation or depreciation of currencies, a significant increase in exchange rate volatility, a
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resurgence
in economic protectionism and an undermining of confidence in markets. Such developments could have
an adverse impact on a Fund’s investments in the debt of countries participating in such trade agreements.
Further,
investments in certain countries may subject a Fund to tax rules, the application of which may be uncertain.
Countries may amend or revise their existing tax laws, regulations and/or procedures in the future, possibly
with retroactive effect. Changes in, or uncertainties regarding the laws, regulations or procedures of a country
could directly or indirectly reduce the after-tax profits of a Fund.
Supranational
Entity Securities. Debt security investments
may include the debt securities of “supranational” entities,
which are international groups or unions in which the power and influence of member states transcend national
boundaries or interests in order to share in decision making and vote on issues concerning the collective
body. They include international organizations designated or supported by governments to promote economic
reconstruction or development and international banking institutions and related government agencies,
such as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (part of the World Bank), the European
Union, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The governmental members
of these supranational entities are “stockholders” that typically make capital contributions and may be
committed to make additional capital contributions if the entity is unable to repay its borrowings. There can be
no assurance that the constituent foreign governments will continue to be able or willing to honor their capitalization
commitments for such entities.
Supranational
Entity Securities are subject to risks in addition to those relating to foreign government and sovereign
debt securities and debt securities generally. Issuers of such debt securities may be unwilling to pay interest
and repay principal, or otherwise meet obligations, when due and may require that the conditions for payment
be renegotiated. The foreign governmental or other organizations supporting such supranational issuers
may be immune from lawsuits in the event of the issuer’s failure or inability to pay the obligations when due.
Issuers may be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governmental or other organizations.
OTHER
PERMITTED INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES
Borrowing.
Generally, under the 1940 Act, a Fund may borrow money only from banks in an amount not exceeding
1/3 of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings). A Fund may
borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes, including for short-term redemptions and liquidity needs.
Borrowing involves special risk considerations. Interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market
rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on borrowed funds (or on the assets
that were retained rather than sold to meet the needs for which funds were borrowed). Under adverse market
conditions, a Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time
when investment considerations would not favor such sales. Reverse repurchase agreements, dollar roll transactions
and other similar investments that involve a form of leverage have characteristics similar to borrowings,
but are not considered borrowings if a Fund covers such leverage by maintaining a segregated account
or otherwise. To help meet short-term redemptions and liquidity needs, the Funds are parties to a revolving
credit agreement whereby a Fund is permitted to use bank borrowings for temporary or emergency purposes.
Floating-
and Variable-Rate Obligations
Floating-
and variable-rate obligations include obligations such as demand notes, bonds and preferred shares. Variable-rate
demand notes include master demand notes that are obligations that permit a Fund to invest fluctuating
amounts, which may change daily without penalty, pursuant to direct arrangements between the Fund,
as lender, and the borrower. The interest rate on a floating-rate demand obligation is based on a referenced
lending rate, such as a bank’s prime rate, and is adjusted automatically each time such rate is adjusted.
The interest rate on a variable-rate demand obligation is adjusted automatically at specified intervals. The
issuer of such obligations ordinarily has a right, after a given period, to prepay at its discretion the outstanding
principal amount of the obligations plus accrued interest upon a specified number of days notice to the
holders of such obligations. Frequently, such obligations are secured by letters of credit or other credit support
arrangements provided by banks. Such features often include unconditional and irrevocable letters of credit
that are issued by a third party, usually a bank, savings and loan association or insurance company which assumes
the obligation for payment of principal and interest in the event of default by the issuer. Letters of
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credit
are designed to enhance liquidity and ensure repayment of principal and any accrued interest if the underlying
variable-rate demand obligation should default. Some variable rate obligations feature other credit enhancements,
such as standby bond purchase agreements (“SBPAs”). An SBPA can feature a liquidity facility that
is designed to provide funding for the purchase price of variable rate obligations that are unable to be successfully
remarketed for resale. The liquidity facility provider is obligated solely to advance funds for the purchase
of tendered variable rate bonds that fail to be remarketed and does not guarantee the repayment of principal
or interest. The liquidity facility provider’s obligations under the SBPA are subject to conditions, including
the continued creditworthiness of the underlying borrower or issuer, and the facility may terminate upon
the occurrence of certain events of default or at the expiration of its term. In addition, a liquidity facility provider
may fail to perform its obligations. A Fund may be unable to timely dispose of a variable rate obligation if
the underlying issuer defaults and the letter of credit or liquidity facility provider fails to perform its obligations
or the facility otherwise terminates and a successor letter of credit or liquidity provider is not immediately
obtained. The potential adverse impact to a Fund resulting from the inability of a letter of credit or liquidity
facility provider to meet its obligations could be magnified to the extent the provider also furnishes credit
support for other variable-rate obligations held by the Fund.
There
generally is no established secondary market for certain variable-rate obligations, such as those not supported
by letters of credit, SBPAs or other credit support arrangements, because they are direct lending arrangements
between the lender and borrower. Accordingly, where these obligations are not secured by letters
of credit, SBPAs or other credit support arrangements, a Fund is dependent on the ability of the borrower
to pay principal and interest on demand. Such obligations frequently are not rated by credit rating agencies
and a Fund may invest in obligations which are not so rated only if the sub-adviser determines that at the
time of investment the obligations are of comparable quality to the other obligations in which such Fund may
invest. The sub-adviser, on behalf of a Fund, monitors the creditworthiness of the issuers of the floating- and
variable-rate demand obligations in such Fund’s portfolio. Floating- and variable-rate instruments are subject
to interest-rate and credit risks and other risks generally associated with debt securities. The floating- and
variable-rate instruments that the Funds may purchase include certificates of participation in such instruments.
Loans
of Portfolio Securities. Portfolio securities
of a Fund may be loaned pursuant to guidelines approved by the
Board to brokers, dealers and financial institutions, provided: i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting
of cash, securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or an irrevocable letter of
credit issued by a bank organized under the laws of the United States, organized under the laws of a state, or a
foreign bank that has filed an agreement with the Federal Reserve Board to comply with the same rules and regulations
applicable to U.S. banks in securities credit transactions, initially in an amount at least equal to 100% of
the value of the loaned securities (which includes any accrued interest or dividends), with the borrower being obligated,
under certain circumstances, to post additional collateral on a daily marked-to-market basis, all as described
in further detail in the following paragraph; although the loans may not be fully supported at all times if,
for example, the instruments in which cash collateral is invested decline in value or the borrower fails to provide
additional collateral when required in a timely manner or at all; ii) the Fund may at any time terminate the
loan and request the return of the loaned securities upon sufficient prior notification; iii) the Fund will receive
any interest or distributions paid on the loaned securities; and iv) the aggregate market value of loaned securities
will not at any time exceed the limits established under the 1940 Act.
For
lending its securities, a Fund will earn either a fee payable by the borrower (on loans that are collateralized by
U.S. Government securities or a letter of credit) or the income on instruments purchased with cash collateral (after
payment of a rebate fee to the borrower and a portion of the investment income to the securities lending agent).
Cash collateral may be invested on behalf of a Fund by the Fund’s sub-adviser in U.S. dollar-denominated
short-term money market instruments that are permissible investments for the Fund and that,
at the time of investment, are considered high-quality. Currently, cash collateral generated from securities lending
is invested in shares of Securities Lending Cash Investments, LLC (the “Cash Collateral Fund”). The Cash Collateral
Fund is a Delaware limited liability company that is exempt from registration under the 1940 Act. The Cash
Collateral Fund is managed by Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”) and is sub-advised
by Wells Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital Management”). The Cash Collateral
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Fund
is required to comply with the credit quality, maturity and other limitations set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the
1940 Act. The Cash Collateral Fund seeks to provide preservation of principal and daily liquidity by investing in
high-quality, U.S. dollar-denominated short-term money market instruments. The Cash Collateral Fund may invest
in securities with fixed, variable, or floating rates of interest. The Cash Collateral Fund seeks to maintain a stable
price per share of $1.00, although there is no guarantee that this will be achieved. Income on shares of the
Cash Collateral Fund is reinvested in shares of the Cash Collateral Fund. The net asset value of a Fund will be affected
by an increase or decrease in the value of the securities loaned by it, and by an increase or decrease in the
value of instruments purchased with cash collateral received by it.
The
interests in the Cash Collateral Fund are not insured by the FDIC, and are not deposits, obligations of, or endorsed
or guaranteed in any way by, Wells Fargo Bank or any banking entity. Any losses in the Cash Collateral Fund
will be borne solely by the Cash Collateral Fund and not by Wells Fargo Bank or its affiliates.
Loans
of securities involve a risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities when due or when recalled by
a Fund or may fail to provide additional collateral when required. In either case, a Fund could experience delays
in recovering securities or could lose all or part of the value of the loaned securities. Although voting rights,
or rights to consent, attendant to securities on loan pass to the borrower, loans may be recalled at any time
and generally will be recalled if a material event affecting the investment is expected to be presented to a shareholder
vote, so that the securities may be voted by a Fund.
Each
lending Fund pays a portion of the income (net of rebate fees) or fees earned by it from securities lending to
a securities lending agent. Goldman Sachs Bank USA, an unaffiliated third party doing business as Goldman Sachs
Agency Lending, currently acts as securities lending agent for the Funds, subject to the overall supervision
of the Funds’ manager.
Investment
Companies. These securities include shares
of other affiliated or unaffiliated open-end investment companies
(i.e., mutual funds), closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), UCITS funds (pooled investment
vehicles established in accordance with the Undertaking for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities
adopted by European Union member states) and business development companies. A Fund may invest
in securities of other investment companies up to the limits prescribed in Section 12(d) under the 1940 Act,
the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief currently or in the future available to a Fund.
Except
with respect to funds structured as funds-of-funds or so-called master/feeder funds or other funds whose
strategies otherwise allow such investments, the 1940 Act generally requires that a fund limit its investments
in another investment company or series thereof so that, as of the time at which a securities purchase
is made: i) no more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company or series thereof
will be owned by a fund or by companies controlled by a fund; ii) no more than 5% of the value of its total
assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company; and iii) no more than 10% of the value
of its total assets will be invested in the aggregate in securities of other investment companies.
Other
investment companies in which a Fund invests can be expected to pay fees and other operating expenses, such
as investment advisory and administration fees, that would be in addition to those paid by the Fund. Other investment
companies may include ETFs, which are publicly-traded unit investment trusts, open-end funds or depositary
receipts that seek to track the performance of specific indices or companies in related industries (e.g.,
passive ETFs), and index funds. A passive ETF or index fund is an investment company that seeks to track the
performance of an index (before fees and expenses) by holding in its portfolio either the securities that comprise
the index or a representative sample of the securities in the index. Passive ETFs or index funds in which
the Funds invest will incur expenses not incurred by their applicable indices. Certain securities comprising the
indices tracked by passive ETFs or index funds may, from time to time, temporarily be unavailable, which may
further impede a passive ETF’s or index fund’s ability to track their respective indices. An actively-managed ETF
is an investment company that seeks to outperform the performance of an index.
ETFs
generally are subject to the same risks as the underlying securities the ETFs are designed to track and to the
risks of the specific sector or industry tracked by the ETF. ETFs also are subject to the risk that their prices may
not totally correlate to the prices of the underlying securities the ETFs are designed to track and the risk of possible
trading halts due to market conditions or for other reasons. Although ETFs that track broad market indexes
are typically large and their shares are fairly liquid, ETFs that track more specific indexes tend to be
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newer
and smaller, and ETFs have limited redemption features. Additionally, to the extent an ETF holds securities
traded in markets that close at a different time from the ETF’s listing exchange, liquidity in such securities
may be reduced after the applicable closing times, and during the time when the ETF’s listing exchange
is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads and the resulting
premium or discount to the ETF’s shares’ NAV may widen. In 2019, the SEC adopted a new rule and rule
changes that are expected to change some of the ways that ETFs are currently offered and operate, and may
affect the ability of a Fund to invest in an ETF.
In
addition, a Fund may invest in the securities of closed-end investment companies. Because shares of closed-end
investment companies trade on a stock exchange or in the OTC market, they may trade at a premium
or discount to their net asset values, which may be substantial, and their potential lack of liquidity could
result in greater volatility. In addition, closed-end investment companies may employ leverage, which also subjects
the closed-end investment company to increased risks such as increased volatility. Moreover, closed-end
investment companies incur their own fees and expenses.
Under
the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder, a Fund may purchase shares of other affiliated Funds, including
the money market Funds, subject to certain conditions. Investing in affiliated Funds may present certain
actual or potential conflicts of interest. In 2018, the SEC proposed a new rule and related amendments designed
to streamline and enhance the regulatory framework for fund of funds arrangements, which are created
when a mutual fund or other type of fund invests in shares of another fund. If adopted, this new rule may
affect the ability and conditions under which a Fund may purchase shares of other affiliated Funds, including
the money market Funds.
Private
Placement and Other Restricted Securities.
Private placement securities are securities sold in offerings that
are exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. They are generally eligible for sale only to certain eligible investors.
Private placements often may offer attractive opportunities for investment not otherwise available on
the open market. However, private placement and other “restricted” securities typically cannot be resold without
registration under the 1933 Act or the availability of an exemption from registration (such as Rules 144A
(a “Rule 144A Security”)), and may not be readily marketable because they are subject to legal or contractual
delays in or restrictions on resale. Asset-backed securities, common stock, convertible securities, corporate
debt securities, foreign securities, high-yield securities, money market instruments, mortgage-backed
securities, municipal securities, participation interests, preferred stock and other types of equity
and debt instruments may be privately placed or restricted securities.
Private
placement and other restricted securities typically may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers, or
in a privately negotiated transaction, or to a limited number of qualified purchasers, or in limited quantities after
they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met for an exemption from registration.
Private placement and other restricted securities may be considered illiquid securities, as they typically
are subject to restrictions on resale as a matter of contract or under federal securities laws. Because there
may be relatively few potential qualified purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic
conditions, or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, a Fund could find
it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities
only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held and traded. At times, it also may be more
difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing a Fund’s net asset value due
to the absence of an active trading market. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to a
Fund. Restricted securities that are “illiquid” are subject to each Fund’s policy of not investing or holding more
than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
The term “illiquid” in this context refers to securities that cannot be
disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which a Fund
has valued the securities.
The
manager typically will evaluate the liquidity characteristics of each Rule 144A Security proposed for purchase
by a Fund on a case-by-case basis and will consider the following factors, among others, in its evaluation:
i) the frequency of trades and quotes for the Rule 144A Security; ii) the number of dealers willing to purchase
or sell the Rule 144A Security and the number of other potential purchasers; iii) dealer undertakings to make
a market in the Rule 144A Security; and iv) the nature of the Rule 144A Security and the nature of the
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marketplace
trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the Rule 144A Security, the method of soliciting offers and
the mechanics of transfer).
The
manager will apply a similar process to evaluating the liquidity characteristics of other restricted securities. A
restricted security that is deemed to be liquid when purchased may not continue to be deemed to be liquid for as
long as it is held by a Fund. As a result of the resale restrictions on 144A securities, there is a greater risk that they
will become illiquid than securities registered with the SEC.
Convertible
Securities. A convertible security is
a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that may
be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the issuer) within a specified period of time into a certain amount
of common stock of the same or a different issuer. As such, convertible securities combine the investment
characteristics of debt and equity securities. A convertible security provides a fixed-income stream and
the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation resulting from a market
price advance in its underlying common stock.
As
with a straight fixed-income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates
decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Like a common stock, the value of a convertible security
also tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, and it tends to decrease as the market
value of the underlying stock declines. Because its value can be influenced by both interest-rate and market
movements, a convertible security tends not to be as sensitive to interest rate changes as a similar fixed-income
security, and tends not to be as sensitive to share price changes as its underlying stock.
Investing
in convertible securities is subject to certain risks in addition to those generally associated with debt securities.
Certain convertible securities, particularly securities that are convertible into securities of an issuer other
than the issuer of the convertible security, may be or become illiquid and, therefore, may be more difficult to
resell in a timely fashion or for a fair price, which could result in investment losses.
The
creditworthiness of the issuer of a convertible security is important because the holder of a convertible security
will typically have recourse only to the issuer. In addition, a convertible security may be subject to conversion
or redemption by the issuer, but only after a specified date and under circumstances established at the
time the security is issued. This feature may require a holder to convert the security into the underlying common
stock, even if the value of the underlying common stock has declined substantially. In addition, companies
that issue convertible securities frequently are small- or mid-capitalization companies and, accordingly,
carry the risks associated with investments in such companies.
While
the Funds use the same criteria to evaluate the credit quality of a convertible debt security that they would
use for a more conventional debt security, a convertible preferred stock is treated like a preferred stock for
a Fund’s credit evaluation, as well as financial reporting and investment limitation purposes.
Contingent
Convertible Bonds. Contingent convertible bonds
are a type of convertible security typically issued by non-U.S.
banks. Unlike more traditional convertible securities, which typically may convert into equity after the issuer’s
common stock has reached a certain strike price, the trigger event for a contingent convertible bond is typically
a decline in the issuing bank’s capital threshold below a specified level. Contingent convertible bonds typically
are subordinated to other debt instruments of the issuer and generally rank junior to the claims of all holders
of unsubordinated obligations of the issuer. Coupon payments on contingent convertible securities may be
discretionary and may be cancelled by the issuer. Contingent convertible bonds are a new form of instrument,
and the market and regulatory environment for contingent convertible bonds is evolving. Therefore,
it is uncertain how the overall market for contingent convertible bonds would react to a triggering event
or coupon suspension applicable to one issuer. A Fund may lose money on its investment in a contingent convertible
bond when holders of the issuer’s equity securities do not.
Exchange-Traded
Notes. Exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”)
are generally notes representing debt of an issuer, usually
a financial institution. ETNs combine aspects of both bonds and ETFs. An ETN’s returns are based on the performance
of one or more underlying assets, reference rates or indexes, minus fees and expenses. Similar to ETFs,
ETNs are listed on an exchange and traded in the secondary market. However, unlike an ETF, an ETN can be
held until the ETN’s maturity, at which time the issuer will pay a return linked to the performance of the
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specific
asset, index or rate (“reference instrument”) to which the ETN is linked minus certain fees. Unlike regular
bonds, ETNs do not make periodic interest payments, and principal is not protected.
The
value of an ETN may be influenced by, among other things, time to maturity, levels of supply and demand for
the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, the performance
of the reference instrument, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic
events that affect the reference instrument. An ETN that is tied to a reference instrument may not replicate
the performance of the reference instrument. ETNs also incur certain expenses not incurred by their applicable
reference instrument. Some ETNs that use leverage can, at times, be relatively illiquid and, thus, they may
be difficult to purchase or sell at a fair price. Levered ETNs are subject to the same risk as other instruments
that use leverage in any form. While leverage allows for greater potential returns, the potential for loss
is also greater. Finally, additional losses may be incurred if the investment loses value because, in addition to
the money lost on the investment, the loan still needs to be repaid.
Because
the return on an ETN is dependent on the issuer’s ability or willingness to meet its obligations, the value
of the ETN may change due to a change in the issuer’s credit rating, despite there being no change in the underlying
reference instrument. The market value of ETN shares may differ from the value of the reference instrument.
This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for ETN shares
at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the assets underlying
the reference instrument that the ETN seeks to track.
There
may be restrictions on a Fund’s right to redeem its investment in an ETN, which is generally designed to be
held until maturity. A Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the unavailability or limited nature
of a secondary market. A Fund could lose some or all of the amount invested in an ETN.
Illiquid
Securities. Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under
the 1940 Act, a Fund (other than a money market Fund) may not
acquire any “illiquid investment” if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than
15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An “illiquid investment” is any investment that such
a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days
or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Illiquid investments
include repurchase agreements with a notice or demand period of more than seven days, certain over-the-counter
derivative instruments, and securities and other financial instruments that are not readily marketable,
unless, based upon a review of the relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations, those
investments are determined not to be illiquid. The Funds (other than the money market Funds) have implemented
a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant
to Rule 22e-4, and the Board has approved the designation of the Funds Management to administer the
liquidity risk management program and related procedures. The money market Funds may invest up to 5% of
its net assets in illiquid investments. The 15% and 5% limits are applied as of the date a Fund purchases an illiquid
investment. It is possible that a Fund’s holding of illiquid investment could exceed the 15% limit (5% for the
money market Funds), for example as a result of market developments or redemptions.
Each
Fund may purchase certain restricted securities that can be resold to institutional investors and which may be
determined not to be illiquid investments pursuant to the Trust’s liquidity risk management program. In many
cases, those securities are traded in the institutional market under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and are called
Rule 144A securities.
Investments
in illiquid investments involve more risks than investments in similar securities that are readily marketable.
Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments. Investment of
a Fund’s assets in illiquid investments may restrict the ability of the Fund to dispose of its investments in a timely
fashion and for a fair price as well as its ability to take advantage of market opportunities. The risks associated
with illiquidity will be particularly acute where a Fund’s operations require cash, such as when a Fund has
net redemptions, and could result in the Fund borrowing to meet short-term cash requirements or incurring losses
on the sale of illiquid investments.
Illiquid
investments are often restricted securities sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their
purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. In many cases,
the privately placed securities may not be freely transferable under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction
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41 |
or
due to contractual restrictions on resale. To the extent privately placed securities may be resold in privately negotiated
transactions, the prices realized from the sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund or less
than the fair value of the securities. In addition, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject
to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that may be applicable if their securities were
publicly traded. If any privately placed securities held by a Fund are required to be registered under the securities
laws of one or more jurisdictions before being resold, the Fund may be required to bear the expenses of
registration. Private placement investments may involve investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may
involve greater risks than investments in more established companies. These issuers may have limited product
lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group. In making
investments in private placement securities, a Fund may obtain access to material non-public information,
which may restrict the Fund’s ability to conduct transactions in those securities.
Repurchase
Agreements. A repurchase agreement is
an agreement wherein a Fund purchases a security for a relatively
short period of time (usually less than or up to seven days) and, at the time of purchase, the seller agrees
to repurchase that security from the Fund at a mutually agreed upon time and price (representing the Fund’s
cost plus interest). The repurchase agreement specifies the yield during the purchaser’s holding period. Entering
into repurchase agreements allows a Fund to earn a return on cash in the Fund’s portfolio that would otherwise
remain un-invested.
Repurchase
agreements also may be viewed as loans made by a Fund that are collateralized by the securities subject
to repurchase, which may consist of a variety of security types. The maturities of the underlying securities
in a repurchase agreement transaction may be greater than twelve months, although the maximum term
of a repurchase agreement will always be less than twelve months. Repurchase agreements may involve risks
in the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty that has agreed to repurchase the securities from a
Fund, including possible delays or restrictions upon the Fund’s ability to sell the underlying security and additional
expenses in seeking to enforce the Fund’s rights and recover any losses. Although the Fund seeks to limit
the credit risk under a repurchase agreement by carefully selecting counterparties and accepting only high quality
collateral, some credit risk remains. The counterparty could default, which may make it necessary for the Fund
to incur expenses to liquidate the collateral. In addition, the collateral may decline in value before it can be liquidated
by the Fund.
A
Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements under which the Fund sells portfolio securities and agrees
to repurchase them at an agreed-upon future date and price. Use of a reverse repurchase agreement may
be preferable to a regular sale and later repurchase of securities, because it avoids certain market risks and transaction
costs. At the time a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will segregate cash or other liquid
assets having a value equal to or greater than the repurchase price (including accrued interest), and will subsequently
monitor the account to ensure that the value of such segregated assets continues to be equal to or
greater than the repurchase price.
In
the event that the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent,
a Fund’s use of proceeds from the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party,
or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce a Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase
agreements may be viewed as a form of borrowing.
Short
Sales. A short sale is a transaction in
which a Fund sells a security it may not own in anticipation of a decline
in market value of that security. When a Fund makes a short sale, the proceeds it receives are retained by
the broker until the Fund replaces the borrowed security. In order to deliver the security to the buyer, a Fund must
arrange through a broker to borrow the security and, in so doing, the Fund becomes obligated to replace the
security borrowed at its market price at the time of replacement, whatever that price may be. Short sales “against
the box” means that a Fund owns the securities, which are placed in a segregated account until the transaction
is closed out, or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold
short. A Fund’s ability to enter into short sales transactions is limited by the requirements of the 1940 Act.
Short
positions in futures and options create opportunities to increase a Fund’s return but, at the same time, involve
special risk considerations and may be considered speculative. Since a Fund in effect profits from a decline
in the price of the futures or options sold short without having to invest the full purchase price of the
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futures
or options on the date of the short sale, a Fund’s NAV per share will tend to increase more when the futures
or options it has sold short decrease in value, and to decrease more when the futures or options it has sold
short increase in value, than would otherwise be the case if it had not engaged in such short sales. Short sales
theoretically involve unlimited loss potential, as the market price of futures or options sold short may continuously
increase, although a Fund may mitigate such losses by replacing the futures or options sold short before
the market price has increased significantly. Under adverse market conditions, a Fund might have difficulty
purchasing futures or options to meet its short sale delivery obligations, and might have to sell portfolio
securities to raise the capital necessary to meet its short sale obligations at a time when fundamental investment
considerations would not favor such sales.
If
a Fund makes a short sale “against the box,” it would not immediately deliver the securities sold and would not
receive the proceeds from the sale. The seller is said to have a short position in the securities sold until it delivers
the securities sold, at which time it receives the proceeds of the sale. A sub-adviser’s decision to make a short
sale “against the box” may be a technique to hedge against market risks when the sub-adviser believes that
the price of a security may decline, causing a decline in the value of a security owned by the Fund or a security
convertible into or exchangeable for such security. In such case, any future losses in the Fund’s long position
would be reduced by a gain in the short position. Short sale transactions may have adverse tax consequences
to a Fund and its shareholders.
In
the view of the SEC, a short sale involves the creation of a “senior security,” as such term is defined in the 1940
Act, unless the sale is “against the box,” and the securities sold are placed in a segregated account, or unless
a Fund’s obligation to deliver the securities sold short is “covered” by segregating cash or other liquid assets
in an amount equal to the difference between the current market value of the securities sold short and any
cash or liquid securities required to be deposited as collateral with a broker in connection with the transaction.
Collateral deposited with a broker will be marked-to-market daily, and any amounts deposited with a
broker or in a segregated account will not have the effect of limiting a Fund’s potential losses on a short sale.
To
avoid limitations under the 1940 Act on borrowing by investment companies, all short sales not “against the box”
will be “covered” by segregating cash, U.S. Government securities or other liquid debt or equity securities in
an amount equal to the market value of its delivery obligation. A Fund will not make short sales of futures or options
not “against the box” or maintain a short position if doing so could create liabilities or require collateral deposits
and segregation of assets totaling more than a specified percentage of the value of the Fund’s total assets.
Warrants.
Warrants are instruments, typically issued with preferred stock or bonds, that give the holder the right
to purchase a given number of shares of common stock at a specified price, usually during a specified period
of time. The price usually represents a premium over the applicable market value of the common stock at the
time of the warrant’s issuance. Warrants have no voting rights with respect to the common stock, receive no
dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer. Warrants do not pay a fixed dividend. Investments
in warrants involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for the resale of the warrants,
potential price fluctuations as a result of speculation or other factors and failure of the price of the common
stock to rise. A warrant becomes worthless if it is not exercised within the specified time period.
When-Issued
and Delayed-Delivery Transactions and Forward Commitments.
Certain securities may be purchased or sold on a when-issued
or delayed-delivery basis, and contracts to purchase or sell securities for a fixed
price at a future date beyond customary settlement time may also be made. Delivery and payment on such transactions
normally take place within 120 days after the date of the commitment to purchase. Securities purchased
or sold on a when-issued, delayed-delivery or forward commitment basis involve a risk of loss if the value
of the security to be purchased declines, or the value of the security to be sold increases, before the settlement
date.
Each
Fund has a segregated account where it may maintain cash, U.S. Government obligations or other high-quality
debt instruments in an amount at least equal in value to its commitments to purchase when-issued securities.
If the value of these assets declines, a Fund will place additional liquid assets in the account on a daily basis
so that the value of the assets in the account is at least equal to the amount of such commitments.
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Other
Risks
Large
Shareholder Risk To the extent a large
number of shares of a Fund is held by a single shareholder or a small
group of shareholders, the Fund is subject to the risk that redemption by those shareholders of all or a large
portion of their shares will adversely affect the Fund’s performance by forcing the Fund to sell securities, potentially
at disadvantageous prices, to raise the cash needed to satisfy such redemption requests. This risk may
be heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets, or to the extent that such large shareholders have
short investment horizons or unpredictable cash flow needs. Such redemptions may also increase transaction
costs and/or have adverse tax consequences for remaining shareholders.
Liquidation
Risk. There can be no assurance that a
Fund will grow to or maintain a viable size and, pursuant to the
Declaration of Trust, the Board is authorized to close and/or liquidate a Fund at any time. In the event of the liquidation
of a Fund, the expenses, timing and tax consequences of such liquidation may not be favorable to some
or all of the Fund’s shareholders. In addition, pursuant to section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform
and Consumer Protection Act and certain rules promulgated thereunder (collectively known as the “Volcker
Rule”), if the Manager and/or its affiliates own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund after the
permitted seeding period following the Fund’s inception, the Fund will be subject to restrictions on trading that
will adversely impact the Fund’s ability to execute its investment strategy. Should this occur, a Fund may be liquidated,
or the Manager and/or its affiliates may be required to reduce their ownership interests in the Fund, either
of which may result in gains or losses, increased transaction and other costs and adverse tax consequences.
In addition, other large shareholders controlling a significant portion of a Fund’s shares, such as other
funds, institutional investors, financial intermediaries, individuals and other accounts, may elect to redeem
a portion or all of their shares at any time, and the Fund may no longer be able to maintain a viable size after
meeting the redemption request. In these circumstances, a Fund’s board may determine to liquidate the Fund
or a particular class of the Fund. For a list of shareholders that own, of record and/or beneficially, 5% or more
of the outstanding shares of a class or 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund, please see the section
entitled “Control Persons and Principal Fund Holders”.
Other
factors and events that may lead to the liquidation of a Fund include changes in laws or regulations governing
the Fund or affecting the type of assets in which the Fund invests, or economic developments or trends
having a significant adverse impact on the business or operations of the Fund.
After
a Fund liquidation is announced, such Fund may begin to experience greater redemption activity as the Fund
approaches its liquidation date. As portfolio managers effect portfolio transactions to meet redemptions and
prepare the Fund for liquidation, the Fund may not meet its investment objective and principal investment strategies.
The Fund will incur transaction costs as a result of these portfolio transactions which will indirectly be
borne by the Fund’s shareholders. The Fund may be required to make a distribution of income and capital gains
realized, if any, from liquidating its portfolio. It is anticipated that any distribution would be paid to shareholders
prior to liquidation. Shareholders of the Fund on the date of liquidation would receive a distribution
of their account proceeds on the settlement date in complete redemption of their shares. In the event
of a liquidation, please consult with a tax advisor to determine your specific tax consequences, if any.
Operational
and Cybersecurity Risks. Fund operations,
including business, financial, accounting, data processing systems
or other operating systems and facilities may be disrupted, disabled or damaged as a result of a number
of factors, including events that are wholly or partially beyond our control. For example, there could be electrical
or telecommunications outages; degradation or loss of internet or web services; natural disasters, such
as earthquakes, tornados and hurricanes; disease pandemics; or events arising from local or larger scale political
or social events, as well as terrorist acts.
The
Funds are also subject to the risk of potential cyber incidents, which may include, but are not limited to, the harming
of or unauthorized access to digital systems (for example, through “hacking” or infection by computer viruses
or other malicious software code), denial-of-service attacks on websites, and the inadvertent or intentional
release of confidential or proprietary information. Cyber incidents may, among other things, harm Fund
operations, result in financial losses to a Fund and its shareholders, cause the release of confidential or highly
restricted information, and result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and/or increased compliance,
reimbursement or other compensation costs. Fund operations that may be disrupted or halted due
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to
a cyber incident include trading, the processing of shareholder transactions, and the calculation of a Fund’s net
asset value.
Issues
affecting operating systems and facilities through cyber incidents, any of the scenarios described above, or
other factors, may harm the Funds by affecting a Fund’s manager, sub-adviser(s), or other service providers, or
issuers of securities in which a Fund invests. Although the Funds have business continuity plans and other safeguards
in place, including what the Funds believe to be robust information security procedures and controls, there
is no guarantee that these measures will prevent cyber incidents or prevent or ameliorate the effects of significant
and widespread disruption to our physical infrastructure or operating systems. Furthermore, the Funds
cannot directly control the security or other measures taken by unaffiliated service providers or the issuers
of securities in which the Funds invest. Such risks at issuers of securities in which the Funds invest could result
in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Fund’s investment in such securities to
lose value.
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TRUSTEES
AND OFFICERS
The
following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the section in each
Prospectus entitled “Management of the Funds.”
General
The
following table provides basic information about the Trustees and those Officers of the Trust who perform policy-making
functions.. Each of the Trustees and Officers listed below acts in identical capacities for the Wells Fargo
family of funds which consists of, as of July 31, 147
series comprising Wells Fargo Funds Trust, Wells Fargo
Variable Trust, Wells Fargo Master Trust and four closed-end funds (collectively the “Fund Complex” or the
“Trusts”). The business address of each Trustee and Officer is 525 Market Street, 12th Floor, San Francisco, CA
94105. Each Trustee and Officer serves an indefinite term, with the Trustees subject to retirement from service
as required pursuant to the Trust’s retirement policy at the end of the calendar year in which a Trustee turns
75.
Information
for Trustees, all of whom are not “interested” persons of the Trust, as that term is defined under the
1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”), appears below. In addition to the Officers listed below, the Funds have appointed
an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer.
|
|
|
|
|
Name
and Year of Birth |
Position
Held with Registrant/Length
of Service1
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years or Longer
|
Current
Other Public Company or Investment Company Directorships
|
|
|
|
INDEPENDENT
TRUSTEES |
|
|
William
R. Ebsworth (Born 1957) |
Trustee,
since 2015 |
Retired.
From 1984 to 2013, equities analyst, portfolio manager,
research director and chief investment officer at Fidelity
Management and Research Company in Boston, Tokyo, and
Hong Kong, and retired in 2013 as Chief Investment Officer
of Fidelity Strategic Advisers, Inc. where he led a team
of investment professionals managing client assets. Prior
thereto, Board member of Hong Kong Securities
Clearing Co., Hong Kong Options Clearing Corp., the Thailand
International Fund, Ltd., Fidelity Investments Life Insurance
Company, and Empire Fidelity Investments Life Insurance
Company. Audit Committee Chair and Investment Committee
Chair of the Vincent Memorial Hospital Endowment (non-profit
organization). Mr. Ebsworth is a CFA® charterholder.
|
N/A
|
|
Jane
A. Freeman (Born 1953) |
Trustee,
since 2015; Chair Liaison,
since 2018 |
Retired.
From 2012 to 2014 and 1999 to 2008, Chief Financial Officer
of Scientific Learning Corporation. From 2008 to 2012,
Ms. Freeman provided consulting services related
to strategic business projects. Prior to 1999, Portfolio
Manager at Rockefeller & Co. and Scudder, Stevens
& Clark. Board member of the Harding Loevner Funds
from 1996 to 2014, serving as both Lead Independent
Director and chair of the Audit Committee. Board member
of the Russell Exchange Traded Funds Trust from 2011
to 2012 and the chair of the Audit Committee. Ms.
Freeman is also an inactive Chartered Financial Analyst.
|
N/A
|
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|
|
|
|
|
Name
and Year of Birth |
Position
Held with Registrant/Length
of Service1
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years or Longer
|
Current
Other Public Company or Investment Company Directorships
|
|
Isaiah
Harris, Jr. (Born 1952) |
Trustee,
since 2009; Audit Committee
Chairman, since 2019
|
Retired.
Chairman of the Board of CIGNA Corporation since 2009,
and Director since 2005. From 2003 to 2011, Director
of Deluxe Corporation. Prior thereto, President
and CEO of BellSouth Advertising and Publishing Corp.
from 2005 to 2007, President and CEO of BellSouth Enterprises
from 2004 to 2005 and President of BellSouth
Consumer Services from 2000 to 2003. Emeritus member
of the Iowa State University Foundation Board of Governors.
Emeritus Member of the Advisory Board of Iowa
State University School of Business. Advisory Board Member,
Palm Harbor Academy (private school). Mr. Harris is a
certified public accountant (inactive status).
|
CIGNA
Corporation |
|
Judith
M. Johnson (Born 1949) |
Trustee,
since 2008 |
Retired.
Prior thereto, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment
Officer of Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund from
1996 to 2008. Ms. Johnson is an attorney, certified public
accountant and a certified managerial accountant.
|
N/A
|
|
David
F. Larcker (Born 1950) |
Trustee,
since 2009 |
James
Irvin Miller Professor of Accounting at the Graduate
School of Business (Emeritus), Stanford University, Director
of the Corporate Governance Research Initiative
and Senior Faculty of The Rock Center for Corporate Governance
since 2006. From 2005 to 2008, Professor of Accounting
at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University.
Prior thereto, Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting
at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
from 1985 to 2005. |
N/A
|
|
Olivia
S. Mitchell (Born 1953) |
Trustee,
since 2006; Nominating
and Governance
Committee Chair,
since 2018 |
International
Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Professor, Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania since 1993.
Director of Wharton’s Pension Research Council
and Boettner Center on Pensions & Retirement Research,
and Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic
Research. Previously, Cornell University Professor from
1978 to 1993. |
N/A
|
|
Timothy
J. Penny (Born 1951) |
Trustee,
since 1996; Chairman,
since 2018 |
President
and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Minnesota Initiative
Foundation, a non-profit organization, since 2007. Member
of the Board of Trustees of NorthStar Education Finance,
Inc., a non-profit organization, since 2007.
|
N/A
|
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|
|
|
|
|
Name
and Year of Birth |
Position
Held with Registrant/Length
of Service1
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years or Longer
|
Current
Other Public Company or Investment Company Directorships
|
|
James
G. Polisson (Born 1959) |
Trustee,
since 2018 |
Retired.
Chief Marketing Officer, Source (ETF) UK Services, Ltd,
from 2015 to 2017. From 2012 to 2015, Principal of The
Polisson Group, LLC, a management consulting,
corporate advisory and principal investing company. Chief
Executive Officer and Managing Director at Russell Investments,
Global Exchange Traded Funds from 2010 to 2012. Managing
Director of Barclays Global Investors from 1998
to 2010 and Global Chief Marketing Officer for iShares
and Barclays Global Investors from 2000 to 2010. Trustee
of the San Francisco Mechanics’ Institute, a non-profit
organization, from 2013 to 2015. Board member of the
Russell Exchange Traded Fund Trust from 2011 to 2012.
Director of Barclays Global Investors Holdings Deutschland
GmbH from 2006 to 2009. Mr. Polisson is an attorney and
has a retired status with the Massachusetts and District
of Columbia Bar Associations. |
N/A
|
|
Pamela
Wheelock (Born 1959) |
Trustee,
since January 2020; previously
Trustee from January
2018 to July 2019 |
Board
member of the Destination Medical Center Economic Development
Agency, Rochester, Minnesota since 2019. Interim President
of the McKnight Foundation from January to September
2020. Acting Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Human
Services, July 2019 through September 2019. Human Services
Manager (part-time), Minnesota Department of Human
Services, October 2019 through December 2019. Chief Operating
Officer, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity from 2017
to 2019. Vice President of University Services, University
of Minnesota from 2012 to 2016. Prior thereto, on the
Board of Directors, Governance Committee and Finance
Committee for the Minnesota Philanthropy Partners (Saint
Paul Foundation) from 2012 to 2018, Interim Chief
Executive Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
from 2011 to 2012, Chairman of the Board from 2009 to
2012 and Board Director from 2003 to 2015. Vice
President, Leadership and Community Engagement, Bush
Foundation, Saint Paul, Minnesota (a private foundation)
from 2009 to 2011. Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, Minnesota Sports and Entertainment
from 2004 to 2009 and Senior Vice President from 2002
to 2004. Executive Vice President of the Minnesota Wild
Foundation from 2004 to 2008. Commissioner of Finance,
State of Minnesota, from 1999 to 2002. Currently Board
Chair of the Minnesota Wild Foundation since 2010.
|
N/A
|
| 1. |
Length
of service dates reflect the Trustee’s commencement of service with the Trust’s predecessor entities, where applicable. |
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|
|
|
Name
and Year of Birth |
Position
Held with Registrant/Length of
Service1 |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years or Longer |
|
|
|
OFFICERS
|
|
Andrew
Owen (Born 1960) |
President,
since 2017 |
Executive
Vice President of Wells Fargo & Company and Head of Affiliated Managers,
Wells Fargo Asset Management, since 2014. In addition, Mr. Owen
is currently President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Wells Fargo
Funds Management, LLC since 2017. Prior thereto, Executive Vice President
responsible for marketing, investments and product development for
Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC, from 2009 to 2014. |
|
Jeremy
DePalma (Born 1974)2
|
Treasurer,
since 2012; Assistant Treasurer,
since 2009 |
Senior
Vice President of Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC since 2009. Senior
Vice President of Evergreen Investment Management Company, LLC from
2008 to 2010 and head of the Fund Reporting and Control Team within
Fund Administration from 2005 to 2010. |
|
Nancy
Wiser (Born 1967)2
|
Treasurer,
since 2012 |
Executive
Vice President of Wells Fargo Funds Management since 2011. Chief
Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at LightBox Capital Management
LLC, from 2008 to 2011. |
|
Michelle
Rhee (Born 1966) |
Chief
Legal Officer, since 2019
|
Secretary
of Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC, Chief Legal Counsel of Wells
Fargo Asset Management and Assistant General Counsel of Wells Fargo
Bank, N.A. since 2018. Associate General Counsel and Managing Director
of Bank of America Corporation from 2004 to 2018. |
|
Catherine
Kennedy (Born 1969) |
Secretary,
since 2019 |
Vice
President of Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC and Senior Counsel of
the Wells Fargo Legal Department since 2010. Vice President and Senior Counsel
of Evergreen Investment Management Company, LLC from 1998 to
2010. |
|
Michael
H. Whitaker (Born 1967) |
Chief
Compliance Officer, since 2016
|
Chief
Compliance Officer of Wells Fargo Asset Management since 2016. Senior
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for Fidelity Investments
from 2007 to 2016. |
| 1. |
Length
of service dates reflect the Trustee’s commencement of service with the Trust’s predecessor entities, where applicable. |
| 2. |
Nancy
Wiser currently serves as Treasurer of 65 funds in the
Fund Complex. Jeremy DePalma currently serves as Treasurer of 82
funds in the Fund Complex and Assistant Treasurer of
65 funds in the Fund Complex. |
The
Trust’s Declaration of Trust, as amended and restated from time to time (the “Declaration of Trust”), does not
set forth any specific qualifications to serve as a Trustee other than that no person shall stand for initial election
or appointment as a Trustee if such person has already reached the age of 72. The Charter and the Statement
of Governance Principles of the Nominating and Governance Committee also do not set forth any specific
qualifications, but do set forth certain factors that the Nominating and Governance Committee may take
into account in considering Trustee candidates and a process for evaluating potential conflicts of interest, which
identifies certain disqualifying conflicts. All of the current Trustees are Independent Trustees. Among the attributes
or skills common to all Trustees are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information
provided to them, to interact effectively with the other Trustees, Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC
(“Funds Management” or the “Manager”), sub-advisers, other service providers, counsel and the independent
registered public accounting firm, and to exercise effective and independent business judgment in the
performance of their duties as Trustees. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively has been
attained through the Trustee’s business, consulting, public service, professional and/or academic positions and
through experience from service as a board member of the Trust and the other Trusts in the Fund Complex (and/or
in other capacities, including for any predecessor funds), other registered investment companies, public companies,
and/or non-profit entities or other organizations. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively
also has been enhanced by his or her educational background, professional training, and/or other life experiences.
The specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the conclusion that a Trustee
should serve as a Trustee of the Trusts in the Fund Complex are as set forth below.
William
R. Ebsworth. Mr. Ebsworth has served as a Trustee
of the Trusts in the Fund Complex since January 1, 2015.
He also served as a Trustee of Asset Allocation Trust from 2015 to 2018. From 1984 to 2013, he was employed
as an equities analyst, portfolio manager and research director at Fidelity Management and Research Company
in Boston, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, and retired in 2013 as Chief Investment Officer of Fidelity Strategic
Advisers, Inc., where he led a team of investment professionals managing client assets. Prior thereto,
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49 |
he
was a Board member of Hong Kong Securities Clearing Co., Hong Kong Options Clearing Corp., the Thailand International
Fund, Ltd., Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company, and Empire Fidelity Investments Life Insurance
Company. Mr. Ebsworth is a CFA®
charterholder.
Jane
A. Freeman. Ms. Freeman has served as a Trustee
of the Trusts in the Fund Complex since January 1, 2015. She
also served as a Trustee of Asset Allocation Trust from 2015 to 2018. From 2012 to 2014 and 1999 to 2008,
Ms. Freeman served as the Chief Financial Officer of Scientific Learning Corporation. From 2008 to 2012, Ms.
Freeman provided consulting services related to strategic business projects. Prior to joining Scientific Learning,
Ms. Freeman was employed as a portfolio manager at Rockefeller & Co. and Scudder, Stevens & Clark. She
served as a board member of the Harding Loevner Funds from 1996 to 2014, serving as both Lead Independent
Director and chair of the Audit Committee. She also served as a board member of the Russell Exchange
Traded Funds Trust from 2011 to 2012, and as chair of the Audit Committee. Ms. Freeman is also an inactive Chartered
Financial Analyst.
Isaiah
Harris, Jr. Mr. Harris has served as a Trustee of
the Trusts in the Fund Complex since 2009 and as Chair of the
Audit Committee since 2019 and was an Advisory Board Member from 2008 to 2009. He also served as a Trustee
of Asset Allocation Trust from 2010 to 2018. He has been the Chairman of the Board of CIGNA Corporation
since 2009, and has been a director of CIGNA Corporation since 2005. He served as a director of Deluxe
Corporation from 2003 to 2011. As a director of these and other public companies, he has served on board
committees, including Governance, Audit and Compensation Committees. Mr. Harris served in senior executive
positions, including as president, chief executive officer, vice president of finance and/or chief financial
officer, of operating companies for approximately 20 years.
Judith
M. Johnson. Ms. Johnson has served as a Trustee
of the Trusts in the Fund Complex since 2008 and as Chair
of the Audit Committee from 2009 to 2018. She has also served as a trustee and chair of the audit committee
of Asset Allocation Trust from 2010 to 2018. She served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment
Officer of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund for twelve years until her retirement in 2008.
Ms. Johnson is a licensed attorney, as well as a certified public accountant and a certified managerial accountant.
Ms. Johnson has been determined by the Board to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term
is defined in the applicable rules of the SEC.
David
F. Larcker. Mr. Larcker has served as a Trustee
of the Trusts in the Fund Complex since 2009 and was an Advisory
Board Member from 2008 to 2009. He also served as a Trustee of Asset Allocation Trust from 2010 to 2018.
Mr. Larcker is the James Irvin Miller Professor of Accounting at the Graduate School of Business (Emeritus)
of Stanford University. He is also the Morgan Stanley Director of the Center for Leadership Development
and Research and Co-director of The Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University.
He has been a professor of accounting for over 30 years. He has written numerous articles on a range of
topics, including managerial accounting, financial statement analysis and corporate governance.
Olivia
S. Mitchell. Ms. Mitchell has served as a Trustee
of the Trusts in the Fund Complex since 2006 and as chair of
the Nominating and Governance Committee since 2018. She also served as a Trustee of Asset Allocation Trust
from 2010 to 2018. Ms. Mitchell is the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Professor at the
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she is also Professor of Insurance/Risk Management
and Business Economics/Policy. She also serves in senior positions with academic and policy organizations
that conduct research on pensions, retirement, insurance, risk management and related topics, including
as Executive Director of the Pension Research Council and Director of the Boettner Center on Pensions
and Retirement Research, both at the University of Pennsylvania. She has taught on, and served as a consultant
on economics, insurance, and risk management, served as Department Chair, advised numerous governmental
entities, and written numerous articles and books on topics including retirement systems, private and
social insurance, and health and retirement policy.
Timothy
J. Penny. Mr. Penny has served as a Trustee of the
Trusts in the Fund Complex and their predecessor funds
since 1996, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees since 2018. He also served as a Trustee of Asset Allocation
Trust from 2010 to 2018. He has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Minnesota Initiative
Foundation since 2007. He also serves as a member of the board of another non-profit organization.
| 50 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
Mr.
Penny was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 12 years representing Southeastern Minnesota’s
First Congressional District.
James
G. Polisson. Mr. Polisson has served as a Trustee
of the Trusts in the Fund Complex since 2018 and was an Advisory
Board member in 2017. Mr. Polisson has extensive experience in the financial services industry, including
over 15 years in the ETF industry. From 2015 to July 31, 2017, Mr. Polisson was the Chief Marketing Officer
of Source (ETF) UK Services, Ltd., one of the largest providers of exchange-traded products in Europe. From
2012 to 2015, Mr. Polisson was Principal of The Polisson Group, LLC, a management consulting, corporate advisory
and principal investing firm. Prior to 2012, Mr. Polisson was Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
of Russell Investments’ global ETF business from 2010 to 2012. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees
of Russell Exchange Traded Funds Trust, where he served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer,
from 2011 to 2012. Mr. Polisson also served as Chief Marketing Officer for Barclays Global Investors from
2000 to 2010, where he led global marketing for the iShares ETF business.
Pamela
Wheelock. Ms. Wheelock has served as a Trustee of
the Trusts in the Fund Complex since January 2020 and
previously from January 2018 until July 2019 and was an Advisory Board member in 2017. Ms. Wheelock has
been a Board member of the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency in Rochester, Minnesota
since 2019. She was Interim President of the McKnight Foundation from January to September 2020.
She served as the acting Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services from July 2019 through
September 2019 and as the Human Services Manager (part-time) of the Minnesota Department of Human
Services from October 2019 through December 2019. Ms. Wheelock has more than 25 years of leadership
experience in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Ms. Wheelock was the Chief Operating Officer of
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity from 2017 through 2019. Prior to joining Habitat for Humanity in 2017, Ms.
Wheelock was on the Board of Directors, Governance Committee and Finance Committee for the Minnesota
Philanthropy Partners (Saint Paul Foundation) and the Vice President of University Services at the University
of Minnesota from 2012, where she served as chief operations officer of the University. She also served
as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota from 2011 to 2012,
Vice President of the Bush Foundation from 2009 to 2011, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of Minnesota Sports and Entertainment from 2004 to 2009. Ms. Wheelock served as the Executive
Budget Officer and Finance Commissioner for the State of Minnesota from 1999 to 2002.
Board
of Trustees - Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities
Overall
responsibility for oversight of the Trust and the Funds rests with the Board of Trustees. The Board has engaged
Funds Management to manage the Funds on a day-to day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing
Funds Management and other service providers in the operation of the Trust in accordance with the provisions
of the 1940 Act, applicable provisions of Delaware law, other applicable laws and the Declaration of Trust.
The Board is currently composed of nine members, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board currently
conducts regular in-person meetings five times a year. In addition, the Board may hold special in-person
or telephonic meetings or informal conference calls to discuss specific matters that may arise or require
action between regular meetings. The Independent Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist
them in performing their oversight responsibilities.
The
Board has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman’s role is to preside
at all meetings of the Board and to act as a liaison with respect to governance-related matters with service
providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may also perform
such other functions as may be delegated by the Board from time to time.Timothy Penny serves as chairman
of the Board. In order to assist the Chairman in maintaining effective communications with the other Trustees
and Funds Management, the Board has appointed a Chair Liaison to work with the Chairman to coordinate
Trustee communications and to help coordinate timely responses to Trustee inquiries relating to board
governance and fiduciary matters. The Chair Liaison serves for a one-year term, which may be extended with
the approval of the Board. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust’s charter document,
the designation of Chairman or Chair Liaison does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties,
obligations or liability that are greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a
member of the Board generally.
| Wells
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51 |
The
Board also has established a Nominating and Governance Committee, an Audit Committee, a Valuation Committee
and a Dividend Committee to assist the Board in the oversight and direction of the business and affairs
of the Trust, and from time to time may establish informal working groups to review and address the policies
and practices of the Trust with respect to certain specified matters. Additionally, the Board has established
investment teams to review in detail the performance of each of the Funds, to meet with portfolio managers,
and to report back to the full Board. The Board occasionally engages independent consultants to assist
it in evaluating initiatives or proposals. The Board believes that the Board’s current leadership structure is appropriate
because it allows the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview,
and it allocates areas of responsibility among committees of Trustees and the full Board in a manner that
enhances effective oversight. The leadership structure of the Board may be changed, at any time and in the discretion
of the Board, including in response to changes in circumstances or the characteristics of the Trust.
The
Funds and Trusts are subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational, liquidity and
valuation risks, among others. Day-to-day risk management functions are subsumed within the responsibilities
of Funds Management, the sub-advisers and other service providers (depending on the nature of
the risk), who carry out the Funds’ investment management and business affairs. Each of Funds Management,
the sub-advisers and other service providers have their own, independent approach to risk management,
and their policies and methods of carrying out risk management functions will depend, in part, on their
individual priorities, resources and controls.
Risk
oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Funds and Trusts and is addressed as part of various
Board and Committee activities. The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that
may affect a Fund or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects and
that it is necessary for the Funds to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to pursue their goals.
As part of its regular oversight of the Trusts, the Board, directly or through a Committee, interacts with and
reviews reports from, among others, Funds Management, sub-advisers, the Chief Compliance Officer of the Funds,
the Chief Risk Officer of Funds Management, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds,
and internal compliance auditors for Funds Management or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced
by the Funds and relevant risk functions. The Board, with the assistance of its investment teams, also reviews
investment policies and risks in connection with its review of the Funds’ performance, and considers information
regarding the oversight of liquidity risks from Funds Management’s investment personnel. The Board
has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer who oversees the implementation and testing of the Funds’ compliance
program and regularly reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Funds and their principal
service providers. Funds Management has appointed a Chief Risk Officer to enhance the framework around
the assessment, management, measurement and monitoring of risk indicators and other risk matters concerning
the Funds and develop periodic reporting of risk management matters to the Board. In addition, as part
of the Board’s periodic review of the Funds’ advisory, subadvisory and other service provider agreements, the
Board may consider risk management aspects of their operations and the functions for which they are responsible.
With respect to valuation, the Board oversees a management valuation team comprised of officers and
employees of Funds Management, has approved and periodically reviews written valuation policies and procedures applicable
to valuing Fund portfolio investments, and has established a valuation committee of Trustees.
The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts its risk oversight
role.
Committees.
As
noted above, the Board has established a standing Nominating and Governance Committee, a standing Audit Committee,
a standing Valuation Committee and a standing Dividend Committee to assist the Board in the oversight
and direction of the business and affairs of the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee and
Audit Committee operate pursuant to charters approved by the Board. The Valuation Committee’s responsibilities
are set forth in Valuation Procedures approved by the Board, and the Dividend Committee’s responsibilities
were set forth by the Board when it established the Committee. Each Independent Trustee is a member
of the Trust’s Nominating and Governance Committee, Audit Committee and Valuation Committee. The
Dividend Committee is comprised of three Independent Trustees.
| 52 |
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(1)
Nominating and Governance
Committee. Except with respect to any trustee nomination
made by an eligible shareholder or shareholder group
as permitted by applicable law and applicable provisions of the Declaration of Trust
and any By-Laws of a Trust, the Committee shall make all nominations for membership on the Board of Trustees
of each Trust. The Committee shall evaluate each candidate’s qualifications for Board membership and his
or her independence from the Funds’ manager, sub-adviser(s) and principal underwriter(s) and, as it deems appropriate,
other principal service providers. Olivia Mitchell serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance
Committee.
The Nominating
and Governance Committee has adopted procedures by which a shareholder may properly submit
a nominee recommendation for the Committee’s consideration, which are set forth in Appendix A to the Trusts’
Nominating and Governance Committee Charter. The shareholder must submit any such recommendation
(a “Shareholder Recommendation”) in writing to the Trust, to the attention of the Trust’s Secretary,
at the address of the principal executive offices of the Trust. The Shareholder Recommendation must include:
(i) a statement in writing setting forth (A) the name, age, date of birth, business address, residence address,
and nationality of the person recommended by the shareholder (the “candidate”), (B) the series (and, if applicable,
class) and number of all shares of the Trust owned of record or beneficially by the candidate, as reported
to such shareholder by the candidate; (C) any other information regarding the candidate called for with respect
to director nominees by paragraphs (a), (d), (e), and (f ) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K or paragraph (b) of
Item 22 of Rule 14a-101 (Schedule 14A) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”), adopted by the SEC (or the corresponding provisions of any regulation or rule subsequently adopted
by the SEC or any successor agency applicable to the Trust); (D) any other information regarding the candidate
that would be required to be disclosed if the candidate were a nominee in a proxy statement or other filing
required to be made in connection with solicitation of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14
of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (E) whether the recommending
shareholder believes that the candidate is or will be an “interested person” of the Trust (as defined
in the 1940 Act) and information regarding the candidate that will be sufficient for the Trust to make such
determination; (ii) the written and signed consent of the candidate to be named as a nominee and to serve as
a Trustee if elected; (iii) the recommending shareholder’s name as it appears on the Trust’s books; (iv) the series
(and, if applicable, class) and number of all shares of the Trust owned beneficially and of record by the recommending
shareholder; and (v) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the recommending
shareholder and the candidate and any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to
which the recommendation is being made by the recommending shareholder. In addition, the Nominating and
Governance Committee may require the candidate to interview in person or furnish such other information as
it may reasonably require or deem necessary to determine the eligibility of such candidate to serve as a Trustee
of the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee has full discretion to reject candidates recommended
by shareholders, and there is no assurance that any such person properly recommended and considered
by the Committee will be nominated for election to the Board. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency
with respect to the requirements applicable to a Shareholder Recommendation as between those established
in the procedures and those in the By-Laws of a Closed-End Fund, the requirements of the By-Laws of
such Closed-End Fund shall control.
The Nominating
and Governance Committee may from time-to-time propose nominations of one or more individuals
to serve as members of an “advisory board,” as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(1) of the 1940 Act.
(2)
Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee oversees the Funds’ accounting and financial reporting policies, including
their internal controls over financial reporting; oversees the quality and objectivity of the Funds’ financial
statements and the independent audit thereof; and interacts with the Funds’ independent registered public
accounting firm on behalf of the full Board and with appropriate officers of the Trust. Isaiah Harris, Jr. serves
as the chairman of the Audit Committee.
(3)
Valuation Committee.
The Board has delegated to the Valuation Committee the authority to take any action regarding
the valuation of portfolio securities that the Valuation Committee deems necessary or appropriate, including
determining the fair value of securities between regularly scheduled Board meetings in instances where
that determination has not otherwise been delegated to the valuation team (“Management Valuation
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53 |
Team”)
of Funds Management. The Board considers for ratification at each quarterly meeting any valuation actions
taken during the previous quarter by the Valuation Committee or by the Management Valuation Team other
than pursuant to Board-approved methodologies. Any one member of the Valuation Committee may constitute
a quorum for a meeting of the committee.
(4)
Dividend Committee.
The Board has delegated to the Dividend Committee the responsibility to review and approve
certain dividend amount determinations made by a separate committee composed of representatives from
Funds Management and certain sub-advisers (“Management Open-End Dividend Committee”). The Board has
delegated to the Management Open-End Dividend Committee the authority to determine periodic dividend
amounts subject to certain Board-approved parameters to be paid by each of the Core Plus Bond Fund, Diversified
Income Builder Fund, Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, International Bond Fund, Real Return Fund
and Strategic Income Fund. Under certain circumstances, the Dividend Committee must review and consider
for approval, as it deems appropriate, recommendations of the Management Open-End Dividend Committee.
The
committees met the following number of times during the most recently completed fiscal year:
|
|
|
|
Committee
Name |
|
Committee
Meetings During Last Fiscal Year |
|
Nominating
and Governance Committee |
|
4
|
|
Audit
Committee |
|
7
|
|
Valuation
Committee |
|
3
|
|
Dividend
Committee |
|
0
|
Compensation.
The Trustees do not receive any retirement benefits or deferred compensation from the Trust or any
other member of the Fund Complex. The Trust’s Officers are not compensated by the Trust for their services.
Listed below is the compensation that was paid to each current Trustee by a Fund and the Fund Complex
for the most recently completed fiscal period:
|
|
|
|
|
Trustee
Compensation |
|
Trustee
|
|
Aggregate
Compensation from the Fund |
Total
Compensation from the Fund Complex1
|
|
William
R. Ebsworth |
|
$321,500
|
$2,187
|
|
Jane
A. Freeman |
|
$341,500
|
$2,323
|
|
Isaiah
Harris, Jr. |
|
$350,000
|
$2,381
|
|
Judith
M. Johnson |
|
$321,500
|
$2,187
|
|
David
F. Larcker |
|
$321,500
|
$2,187
|
|
Olivia
S. Mitchell |
|
$341,500
|
$2,323
|
|
Timothy
J. Penny |
|
$396,500
|
$2,697
|
|
James
G. Polisson |
|
$321,500
|
$2,187
|
|
Pamela
Wheelock2 |
|
$234,000
|
$1,592
|
| 1. |
As
of July 31, there were 147
series in the Fund Complex. |
| 2. |
Effective
July 15, 2019, Ms. Wheelock resigned her position as Trustee. The Board reappointed Ms. Wheelock as Trustee effective January 1, 2020. |
Beneficial
Equity Ownership Information. The following table
contains specific information about the dollar range of
equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee as of December 31, 2019 in each Fund
and the aggregate dollar range of equity securities
in other Funds in the Fund Complex overseen by the Trustees, stated as
one of the following ranges: A = $0; B = $1 - $10,000; C = 10,001 - $50,000; D = $50,001 - $100,000; and E = Over
$100,000.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Ebsworth
|
Freeman
|
Harris
|
Johnson
|
Larcker
|
Mitchell
|
Penny
|
Polisson
|
Wheelock
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
| 54 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Ebsworth
|
Freeman
|
Harris
|
Johnson
|
Larcker
|
Mitchell
|
Penny
|
Polisson
|
Wheelock
|
|
Growth
Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
C
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
E
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
C
|
|
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Funds
Overseen by Trustee in Fund Complex1
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| 1. |
Includes
Trustee ownership in shares of funds within the entire Wells Fargo Fund Complex (consisting of 149 funds). |
Ownership
of Securities of Certain Entities. As of the calendar
year ended December 31, 2019, none of the Independent
Trustees and/or their immediate family members owned securities of the manager, any sub-advisers,
or the distributor, or any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control
with the manager, any sub-advisers, or the distributor.
MANAGER
AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
Manager
and Class-Level Administrator
Funds
Management, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company and an affiliate of Wells Fargo
Bank, is the manager and class-level administrator for the Funds. Funds Management provides advisory and
Fund-level administrative services to the Funds under an investment management agreement (the “Management
Agreement”) and provides class-level administrative services to the Funds under a class-level administration
agreement (the “Class-Level Administration Agreement”). Under the Management Agreement, Funds
Management is responsible for, among other services, (i) implementing the investment objectives and strategies
of the Funds, (ii) supervising the applicable Sub-Adviser(s), (iii) providing Fund-level administrative services
in connection with the Funds’ operations, (iv) developing and implementing procedures for monitoring compliance
with regulatory requirements and compliance with the Funds’ investment objectives, policies and restrictions,
and (v) providing any other Fund-level administrative services reasonably necessary for the operation
of the Funds other than those services that are provided by the Funds’ transfer and dividend disbursing
agent, custodian, and fund accountant. Funds Management also furnishes office space and certain facilities
required for conducting the Funds’ business together with ordinary clerical and bookkeeping services.
Under
the Class-Level Administration Agreement, Funds Management is responsible for, among other services, (i)
coordinating, supervising and paying the applicable transfer agent and various sub-transfer agents and omnibus
account servicers and record-keepers, (ii) coordinating the preparation and filing of registration statements,
notices, shareholder reports and other information materials, including prospectuses, proxies and other
shareholder communications for a class, (iii) receiving and tabulating class-specific shareholder votes, (iv) reviewing
bills submitted to a Fund and, upon determining that a bill is appropriate, allocating amounts to the appropriate
classes thereof and instructing the Funds’ custodian to pay such bills, and (v) assembling and disseminating
information concerning class performance, expenses, distributions and administration. Funds Management
has agreed to pay all of the Funds’ fees and expenses for services provided by the Funds’ transfer agent
and various sub-transfer agents and omnibus account servicers and record-keepers out of the fees it receives
pursuant to the Class-Level Administration Agreement.
| Wells
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55 |
As
compensation for its services under the Management Agreement, Funds Management is entitled to receive a
monthly fee at the annual rates indicated below of each Fund’s average daily net assets:
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Fee
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
First
$500M Next $500M Next
$1B Next $2B Next
$1B Next $3B Next
$2B Next $2B Next
$4B Over $16B |
0.700% 0.675% 0.650% 0.625% 0.600% 0.590% 0.565% 0.555% 0.530% 0.505%
|
|
Disciplined
U. S. Core Fund |
First
$1B Next $4B Next
$5B Over $10B |
0.350% 0.325% 0.290% 0.280%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
First
$500M Next $500M Next
$1B Next $2B Next
$1B Next $3B Next
$2B Next $2B Next
$4B Over $16B |
0.700% 0.675% 0.650% 0.625% 0.600% 0.590% 0.565% 0.555% 0.530% 0.505%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
First
$500M Next $500M Next
$1B Next $2B Next
$1B Next $3B Next
$2B Next $2B Next
$4B Over $16B |
0.800% 0.750% 0.700% 0.675% 0.650% 0.640% 0.615% 0.605% 0.580% 0.555%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
First
$500M Next $500M Next
$1B Next $2B Next
$1B Next $3B Next
$2B Next $2B Next
$4B Over $16B |
0.700% 0.675% 0.650% 0.625% 0.600% 0.590% 0.565% 0.555% 0.530% 0.505%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
First
$500M Next $500M Next
$1B Next $2B Next
$1B Next $3B Next
$2B Next $2B Next
$4B Over $16B |
0.700% 0.675% 0.650% 0.625% 0.600% 0.590% 0.565% 0.555% 0.530% 0.505%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
First
$1B Next $4B Next
$5B Over $10B |
0.400% 0.375% 0.340% 0.330%
|
| 56 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Fee
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
First
$1B Next $4B Next
$5B Over $10B |
0.400% 0.375% 0.340% 0.330%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
First
$500M Next $500M Next
$1B Next $2B Next
$1B Next $3B Next
$2B Next $2B Next
$4B Over $16B |
0.800% 0.750% 0.700% 0.675% 0.650% 0.640% 0.615% 0.605% 0.580% 0.555%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
First
$500M Next $500M Next
$1B Next $2B Next
$1B Next $3B Next
$2B Next $2B Next
$4B Over $16B |
0.700% 0.675% 0.650% 0.625% 0.600% 0.590% 0.565% 0.555% 0.530% 0.505%
|
Management
Fees Paid. The amounts shown below reflect
fees paid to and waived by Funds Management under the
Management Agreement for the past three fiscal years or periods.
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
Fund/Fiscal
Year or Period |
Management
Fees Paid |
Management
Fees Waived |
|
July
31, 2020 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$5,135,931
|
$428,218
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$3,469,025
|
$0
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$1,079,059
|
$480,114
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$31,272,253
|
$558,839
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$3,600,901
|
$905,999
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$5,934,521
|
$839,168
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$486,068
|
$308,061
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$0
|
$201,546
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$6,501,542
|
$0
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
|
$16,673,097
|
$725,188
|
|
July
31, 2019 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$5,309,094
|
$607,816
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$4,450,189
|
$0
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$800,876
|
$136,334
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$30,553,416
|
$685,552
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$6,147,936
|
$1,113,345
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$5,835,545
|
$993,527
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$607,348
|
$297,132
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$0
|
$148,227
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$6,196,391
|
$0
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
|
$15,102,347
|
$851,179
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
57 |
|
|
|
|
Management
Fees Paid |
|
Fund/Fiscal
Year or Period |
Management
Fees Paid |
Management
Fees Waived |
|
July
31, 2018 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$5,631,015
|
$679,186
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$4,274,359
|
$0
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$1,043,868
|
$81,792
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$31,616,267
|
$784,759
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$6,706,326
|
$893,349
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$6,415,460
|
$1,024,468
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$732,239
|
$294,511
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$0
|
$153,015
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$6,066,169
|
$7,002
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
|
$15,408,373
|
$919,040
|
For
providing class-level administrative services to the Funds pursuant to the Class-Level Administration Agreement,
including paying the Funds’ fees and expenses
for services provided by the Funds’ transfer
agent and various sub-transfer agents and omnibus account
servicers and record-keepers, Funds Management is entitled
to receive an annual fee at the rates indicated below, as a percentage of the total net assets of each Class:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class-Level
Administrator Fee
|
|
Share
Class |
|
%
of Total Net Assets |
|
Class
A |
|
0.21%
|
|
Class
C |
|
0.21%
|
|
Class
R |
|
0.21%
|
|
Class
R4 |
|
0.08%
|
|
Class
R6 |
|
0.03%
|
|
Administrator
Class |
|
0.13%
|
|
Institutional
Class |
|
0.13%
|
Administrative
Service Fees Paid. The amounts shown below
reflect fees paid to and waived by Funds Management
under the Class-Level Administration Agreement for the past three fiscal years or periods.
|
|
|
|
Administrative
Service Fees Paid |
|
Fund/Fiscal
Year or Period |
Administrative
Service Fees Paid |
Administrative
Service Fees Waived |
|
July
31, 2020 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$504,490
|
$754,717
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$1,239,530
|
$120,066
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$302,462
|
$24,368
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$5,087,513
|
$2,275,807
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$834,450
|
$288,383
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$1,043,798
|
$359,488
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$363,921
|
$40,649
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$597
|
$65,334
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$1,534,507
|
$132,370
|
| 58 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
Administrative
Service Fees Paid |
|
Fund/Fiscal
Year or Period |
Administrative
Service Fees Paid |
Administrative
Service Fees Waived |
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
|
$2,664,768
|
$869,832
|
|
July
31, 2019 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$844,043
|
$504,211
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$1,577,665
|
$109,621
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$107,436
|
$81,731
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$5,382,335
|
$1,893,450
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$1,162,021
|
$516,248
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$1,312,757
|
$88,963
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$446,293
|
$8,475
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$0
|
$48,287
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$1,498,308
|
$94,134
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
|
$2,985,264
|
$853,925
|
|
July
31, 2018 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$949,101
|
$487,609
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$1,736,705
|
$109,988
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$129,462
|
$93,931
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$5,613,326
|
$2,070,634
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$1,161,939
|
$609,412
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$1,407,953
|
$94,804
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$511,304
|
$89
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$0
|
$49,716
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$1,483,932
|
$80,514
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
|
$3,153,538
|
$864,598
|
General. Each
Fund’s Management Agreement will continue in effect provided the continuance is approved annually
(i) by the holders of a majority of the respective Fund’s outstanding voting securities or by the Board and
(ii) by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Management Agreement or “interested persons”
(as defined under the 1940 Act) of any such party. The Management Agreement may be terminated at any
time by vote of the Board or by vote of a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities, or by Funds Management
on 60 days’ written notice. It will terminate automatically if assigned.
For each
Fund, the Class-Level Administration Agreement will continue in effect provided the continuance is approved
annually by the Board, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined
under the 1940 Act) of any party to the Class-Level Administration Agreement. The Class-Level Administration
Agreement may be terminated on 60 days’ written notice by either party.
Conflicts
of Interest. Wells Fargo & Company
is a diversified financial services company providing banking, insurance,
investment, mortgage and consumer financial services. The involvement of various subsidiaries of Wells
Fargo & Company, including Funds Management, in the management and operation of the Fund and in providing
other services or managing other accounts gives rise to certain actual and potential conflicts of interest.
For
example, certain investments may be appropriate for a Fund and also for other clients advised by Funds Management
and its affiliates, and there may be market or regulatory limits on the amount of such investments,
which may cause competition for limited positions. Also, various clients and proprietary accounts of
Funds Management and its affiliates may at times take positions that are adverse to a Fund. Funds Management
applies various policies to address these situations, but a Fund may nonetheless incur losses or
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
59 |
underperformance
during periods when Wells Fargo & Company, its affiliates and their clients achieve gains or outperformance.
Wells
Fargo & Company may have interests in or provide services to portfolio companies or Fund shareholders or
intermediaries that may not be fully aligned with the interests of all investors. Funds Management and its affiliates
serve in multiple roles, including as manager and, for most Wells Fargo Funds, sub-adviser, as well as class-level
administrator and principal underwriter.
These
are all considerations of which an investor should be aware and which may cause conflicts that could disadvantage
a Fund. Funds Management has instituted business and compliance policies, procedures and disclosures
that are designed to identify, monitor and mitigate such conflicts of interest.
Fund
Expenses. From time to time, Funds Management
may waive fees from a Fund in whole or in part.
Any such waiver will reduce expenses and, accordingly,
have a favorable impact on a Fund’s performance.
Except
for the expenses borne by Funds Management, the Trust bears all costs of its operations, including the compensation
of the Independent Trustees; investment management, shareholder services and class-level administrative
fees; payments pursuant to any 12b-1 Plan; interest charges; taxes; fees and expenses of its independent
auditors, legal counsel, transfer agent and distribution disbursing agent; expenses of redeeming shares;
expenses of preparing and printing prospectuses (except the expense of printing and mailing prospectuses
used for promotional purposes, unless otherwise payable pursuant to a 12b-1 Plan), shareholders’ reports,
notices, proxy statements and reports to regulatory agencies; insurance premiums and certain expenses
relating to insurance coverage; trade association membership dues (including membership dues in the Investment
Company Institute allocable to a Fund); brokerage
and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio
transactions; fees and expenses of its custodian, including those for keeping books and accounts
and calculating the NAV per share of a Fund; expenses
of shareholders’ meetings; expenses relating to the
issuance, registration and qualification of a Fund’s
shares; pricing services, organizational expenses and any extraordinary
expenses. Expenses attributable to a Fund are charged
against the Fund’s assets. General expenses of
the Trust are allocated among all of the series of the Trust, including the Funds, in a manner proportionate
to the net assets of each Fund, on a transactional basis, or on such other basis as the Board deems
equitable.
Sub-Advisers
Funds
Management has engaged Wells Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital Management”) to serve
as investment sub-adviser to the Funds (the “Sub-Adviser”), as indicated in the table below. Subject to the
direction of the Board and the overall supervision and control of Funds Management and the Trust, the Sub-Adviser
provides day-to-day portfolio management for the Funds. The Sub-Adviser furnishes to Funds Management
periodic reports on the investment activity and performance of the Funds. The Sub-Adviser also furnishes
such additional reports and information as Funds Management and the Board and Officers may reasonably
request. Funds Management may, from time to time and in its sole discretion, allocate and reallocate
services provided by and fees paid to Wells Capital Management.
For
providing investment sub-advisory services to the Funds, the Sub-Adviser is entitled to receive monthly fees
at the annual rates indicated below of each Fund’s average daily net assets. These fees may be paid by Funds
Management or directly by the Funds. If a sub-advisory fee is paid directly by a Fund, the compensation paid
to Funds Management for advisory fees will be reduced accordingly.
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Fee
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$250M Next $250M Next
$2B Next $2B Over
$4.5B |
0.350% 0.325% 0.300% 0.275% 0.250%
|
|
Disciplined
U. S. Core Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$100M Next $200M Over
$300M |
0.250% 0.200% 0.150%
|
| 60 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Fee
|
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$100M Next $200M Next
$500M Over $800M |
0.300% 0.275% 0.250% 0.200%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$100M Next $100M Next
$300M Over $500M |
0.450% 0.400% 0.350% 0.300%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$1B Over $1B |
0.350% 0.300%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$100M Next $200M Next
$500M Over $800M |
0.300% 0.275% 0.250% 0.200%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$100M Next $200M Over
$300M |
0.250% 0.200% 0.150%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$750M Over $750M |
0.200% 0.120%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$100M Next $100M Next
$300M Over $500M |
0.450% 0.400% 0.350% 0.300%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
First
$100M Next $100M Next
$300M Over $500M |
0.350% 0.325% 0.300% 0.275%
|
Portfolio
Managers
The
following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the section in each Prospectus entitled
“The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers.” The information in this section is provided as of July
31, the most recent fiscal year end for the Funds
managed by the portfolio managers listed below (each, a “Portfolio Manager”
and together, the “Portfolio Managers”). The Portfolio Managers manage the investment activities of the Funds
on a day-to-day basis as follows.
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Portfolio
Managers |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA Jean-Baptiste Nadal, CFA
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
Justin
P. Carr, CFA Robert M. Wicentowski, CFA
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund Omega Growth Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
Michael
T. Smith, CFA Christopher J. Warner, CFA
|
|
Growth
Fund Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA Robert Gruendyke, CFA Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA |
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
John
R. Campbell, CFA Vince Fioramonti, CFA
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
Wells
Capital Management |
Dennis
Bein, CFA Ryan Brown, CFA Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA |
Management
of Other Accounts.
The following table(s) provide information relating to other accounts managed by
the Portfolio Manager(s). The table(s) do not include the Funds
or any personal brokerage accounts of the Portfolio
Manager(s) and their families.
|
|
|
|
Dennis
Bein, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
61 |
|
|
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
18
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$5.39
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
16
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$7.37
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
3
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$161.38
M |
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
18
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$4.60
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
1
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$27.91
M |
|
|
|
|
Ryan
Brown, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
8
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$2.66
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
5
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$4.16
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
3
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$217.31
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
John
R. Campbell, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
2
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.17
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
0
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$0
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
8
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$223.44
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
| 62 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
Justin
P. Carr, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
4
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$586.78
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
2
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$389.41
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
25
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$997.67
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
1
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$69.81
M |
|
|
|
|
Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
18
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$5.65
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
17
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$7.44
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
3
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$161.38
M |
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
23
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$4.75
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
1
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$27.91
M |
|
|
|
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
5
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.52
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
6
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.70
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
63 |
|
|
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
45
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.40
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
Vince
Fioramonti, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
3
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$320.81
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
2
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$43.39
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
0
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$0
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
1
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$133.77
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
6
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$316.14
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
23
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.17
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
2
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$580.52
M |
|
|
|
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
5
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.52
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
6
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.70
B |
| 64 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
45
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.40
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
1
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$133.77
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
6
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$316.14
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
35
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.28
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
2
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$580.52
M |
|
|
|
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
5
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.52
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
6
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.70
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
45
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.40
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
T. Smith, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
7
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$4.60
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
65 |
|
|
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
4
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$564.02
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
38
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$2.54
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher
J. Warner, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
7
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$4.60
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
4
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$564.02
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
38
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$2.54
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
|
|
Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA |
Registered
Investment Companies |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
3
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.46
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
1
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$375.48
M |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
0
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$0
|
|
|
Other
Accounts |
|
|
|
Number
of Accounts |
30
|
|
|
Total
Assets Managed |
$1.12
B |
|
|
Number
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
1
|
|
|
Assets
of Accounts Subject to Performance Fee |
$69.81
M |
Beneficial
Ownership in the Funds.
The following table shows for each Portfolio Manager the dollar value of Fund
equity securities beneficially owned by the Portfolio Manager, stated as one of the following ranges:
$0;
$1
- $10,000;
| 66 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
$10,001
- $50,000;
$50,001 - $100,000;
$100,001
- $500,000;
$500,001 - $1,000,000; and
over
$1,000,000.
|
|
|
|
Portfolio
Manager |
Fund
|
Beneficial
Ownership |
|
Wells
Capital Management1
|
|
|
|
Dennis
Bein, CFA |
Large
Company Value Fund Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
|
$10,001-$50,000 $10,001-$50,000
|
|
Ryan
Brown, CFA |
Large
Company Value Fund Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
|
$10,001-$50,000 $10,001-$50,000
|
|
John
R. Campbell, CFA |
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Justin
P. Carr, CFA |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$1-10,000
|
|
Harindra
de Silva, Ph.D., CFA |
Large
Company Value Fund Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund
|
$100,001-$500,000 $100,001-$500,000
|
|
Joseph
M. Eberhardy, CFA, CPA |
Growth
Fund Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Over
$1,000,000 Over $1,000,000 Over
$1,000,000 |
|
Vince
Fioramonti, CFA |
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$0
|
|
Miguel
E. Giaconi, CFA |
Classic
Value Fund |
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
Robert
Gruendyke, CFA |
Growth
Fund Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
$500,001-$1,000,000 $500,001-$1,000,000 $500,001-$1,000,000
|
|
Jean-Baptiste
Nadal, CFA |
Classic
Value Fund |
$100,001-$500,000
|
|
Thomas
C. Ognar, CFA |
Growth
Fund Large Cap Growth Fund Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
Over
$1,000,000 Over $1,000,000 Over
$1,000,000 |
|
Michael
T. Smith, CFA |
Endeavor
Select Fund Omega Growth Fund |
$500,001-$1,000,000 $500,001-$1,000,000
|
|
Christopher
J. Warner, CFA |
Endeavor
Select Fund Omega Growth Fund |
$50,001-$100,000 $50,001-$100,000
|
|
Robert
M. Wicentowski, CFA |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$0
|
| 1. |
Amounts
included in the table above may include notional investments held by the portfolio manager through a deferred compensation vehicle. |
Material
Conflicts of Interest.
The Portfolio Managers face inherent conflicts of interest in their day-to-day management
of the Funds and other accounts because the Funds
may have different investment objectives, strategies
and risk profiles than the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers. For instance, to the extent
that the Portfolio Managers manage accounts with different investment strategies than the Funds,
they may from time to time be inclined to purchase securities,
including initial public offerings, for one account but not
for a Fund. Additionally, some of the accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers may have different fee structures,
including performance fees, which are or have the potential to be higher or lower, in some cases significantly
higher or lower, than the fees paid by the Funds. The
differences in fee structures may provide an incentive
to the Portfolio Managers to allocate more favorable trades to the higher-paying accounts.
To
minimize the effects of these inherent conflicts of interest, each firm listed below has adopted and implemented
policies and procedures, including brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, intended
to address the potential conflicts associated with managing portfolios for multiple clients and are designed
to ensure that all clients are treated fairly and equitably. Accordingly, security block purchases are allocated
to all accounts with similar objectives in a fair and equitable manner.
Wells
Capital Management. Wells Capital Management’s
Portfolio Managers often provide investment management
for separate accounts advised in the same or similar investment style as that provided to mutual funds.
While management of multiple accounts could potentially lead to conflicts of interest over various issues
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
67 |
such
as trade allocation, fee disparities and research acquisition, Wells Capital Management has implemented policies
and procedures for the express purpose of ensuring that clients are treated fairly and that potential conflicts
of interest are minimized.
Compensation.
The Portfolio Managers were compensated by their employing Sub-Adviser using the following compensation
structure:
Wells
Capital Management. The compensation structure
for Wells Capital Management’s Portfolio Managers includes
a competitive fixed base salary plus variable incentives, payable annually and over a longer term period. Wells
Capital Management participates in third party investment management compensation surveys for market-based
compensation information to help support individual pay decisions. In addition to surveys, Wells Capital
Management also considers prior professional experience, tenure, seniority and a Portfolio Manager’s team
size, scope and assets under management when determining his/her fixed base salary. In addition, Portfolio
Managers, who meet the eligibility requirements, may participate in Wells Fargo’s 401(k) plan that features
a limited matching contribution. Eligibility for and participation in this plan is on the same basis for all employees.
Wells
Capital Management’s investment incentive program plays an important role in aligning the interests of our
portfolio managers, investment team members, clients and shareholders. Incentive awards for portfolio managers
are determined based on a review of relative investment and business/team performance. Investment
performance is generally evaluated for 1, 3, and 5 year performance results, with a predominant weighting
on the 3- and 5- year time periods, versus the relevant benchmarks and/or peer groups consistent with
the investment style. In the case of each Fund, the benchmark(s) against which the performance of the Fund’s
portfolio may be compared for these purposes generally are indicated in the “Average Annual Total Returns”
table in the Prospectus. Once determined, incentives are awarded to portfolio managers annually, with a
portion awarded as annual cash and a portion awarded as long term incentive. The long term portion of incentives
generally carry a pro-rated vesting schedule over a three year period. For many of our portfolio managers,
Wells Capital Management further requires a portion of their annual long-term award be allocated directly
into each strategy they manage through a deferred compensation vehicle. In addition, our investment team
members who are eligible for long term awards also have the opportunity to invest up to 100% of their awards
into investment strategies they support (through a deferred compensation vehicle).
Distributor
and Shareholder Servicing Agent
Wells
Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of Funds Management located at 525 Market Street,
San Francisco, California 94105, serves as the distributor to the Wells Fargo Funds.
Each
Fund has adopted a distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Rule”)
for the classes of shares listed in the table below. The 12b-1 Plan was adopted by the Board, including a majority
of the Trustees who were not “interested persons” (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Fund and who
had no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the
12b-1 Plan (the “Non-Interested Trustees”).
Under
the 12b-1 Plan and pursuant to the related Distribution Agreement, each applicable class pays the Distributor,
on a monthly basis, an annual fee up to the amount indicated in the table. The Distributor may retain
any portion of the total distribution fee to compensate it for distribution-related services provided by it or
to reimburse it for other distribution-related expenses. The Distributor’s distribution-related revenues from the
12b-1 Plan may be more or less than distribution-related expenses incurred during the period.
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
C
|
R
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
|
0.75%
|
0.25%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
|
0.75%
|
0.25%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
|
0.75%
|
-
|
|
Growth
Fund |
|
0.75%
|
-
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
0.75%
|
0.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
|
0.75%
|
0.25%
|
| 68 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
C
|
R
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
|
0.75%
|
-
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
|
0.75%
|
-
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
|
0.75%
|
0.25%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
|
0.75%
|
-
|
For
the fiscal year ended July 31, the Funds paid the Distributor
the following fees for distribution-related services.
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution
Fees |
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Total
Distribution Fee Paid by Fund |
Compensation
Paid to Distributor |
Compensation
to Broker/Dealers |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$43,616
|
$4,970
|
$38,646
|
|
Class
R |
$187
|
$15
|
$172
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$255,000
|
$15,078
|
$239,922
|
|
Class
R |
$7,705
|
$69
|
$7,636
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$31,885
|
$10,612
|
$21,273
|
|
Growth
Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$966,056
|
$196,909
|
$769,147
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$311,871
|
$48,168
|
$263,703
|
|
Class
R |
$4,443
|
$26
|
$4,417
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$78,584
|
$16,292
|
$62,292
|
|
Class
R |
$9,244
|
$1,081
|
$8,163
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$5,250
|
$477
|
$4,773
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$2,227
|
$1,377
|
$850
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$163,251
|
$28,047
|
$135,204
|
|
Class
R |
$11,908
|
$651
|
$11,257
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
|
|
|
|
Class
C |
$952,767
|
$151,056
|
$801,711
|
General.
The 12b-1 Plan and Distribution Agreement will continue in effect from year to year if such continuance
is approved at least annually by vote of a majority of both the Trustees and the Non-Interested Trustees.
The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically if assigned, and may be terminated at any time,
without payment of any penalty, on not less than 60 days’ written notice, by the Trust’s Board, by a vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by the Distributor. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended
to increase materially the amounts payable thereunder by the relevant class of a Fund without approval
by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such class, and no material amendment to
the 12b-1 Plan shall be made unless approved by vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Non-Interested Trustees.
The 12b-1 Plan provides that, if and to the extent any shareholder servicing payments are deemed to be
payments for the financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares, such payments
are deemed to have been approved under the 12b-1 Plan.
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
69 |
Servicing
Agent
Each
Fund has adopted a Shareholder Servicing Plan (the “Servicing Plan”) for its Class A, Class C, Class R, Class R4
and Administrator Class shares, as applicable, and has entered into a related Shareholder Servicing Agreement
with the Distributor and Funds Management. Under this agreement, the Distributor and Funds Management
are authorized to provide or engage third parties to provide, pursuant to an Administrative and Shareholder
Services Agreements, shareholder support services. For providing these services, the Distributor, Funds
Management and third parties are entitled to an annual fee from the applicable class of the Fund of up to 0.25%
of the average daily net assets of the Class A, Class C, Class R and Administrator Class shares, and up to 0.10%
of the average daily net assets of the Class R4 shares, owned of record or beneficially by their customers.
General.
The Servicing Plan will continue in effect from year to year if such continuance is approved by vote of a majority
of both the Trustees and the Non-Interested Trustees. No material amendment to the Servicing Plan may
be made except by such vote.
Underwriting
Commissions
The
Distributor serves as the principal underwriter distributing securities of the Funds
on a continuous basis.
For
the fiscal periods listed below, the aggregate amounts of underwriting commissions paid to and retained by the
Distributor are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Underwriting
Commissions |
|
Fund/Fiscal
Year End |
|
Aggregate
Total Underwriting Commissions
|
Underwriting
Commissions Retained
|
|
July
31, 2020 |
|
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
|
$5,329
|
$5,329
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
|
$7,870
|
$7,870
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
|
$6,797
|
$6,797
|
|
Growth
Fund |
|
$31,080
|
$31,080
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
$5,057
|
$5,057
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
|
$1,428
|
$1,428
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
|
$1,865
|
$1,865
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
|
$50
|
$50
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
|
$16,149
|
$16,149
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
|
$25,278
|
$25,278
|
|
July
31, 2019 |
|
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
|
$3,295
|
$3,295
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
|
$12,646
|
$12,646
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
|
$2,906
|
$2,906
|
|
Growth
Fund |
|
$68,108
|
$68,108
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
$13,775
|
$13,775
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
|
$3,601
|
$3,601
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
|
$1,599
|
$1,599
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
|
$387
|
$387
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
|
$16,651
|
$16,651
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
|
$39,531
|
$39,531
|
|
July
31, 2018 |
|
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
|
$3,808
|
$3,808
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
|
$26,006
|
$26,006
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
|
$5,003
|
$5,003
|
|
Growth
Fund |
|
$26,342
|
$26,342
|
| 70 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
Underwriting
Commissions |
|
Fund/Fiscal
Year End |
|
Aggregate
Total Underwriting Commissions
|
Underwriting
Commissions Retained
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
$24,903
|
$24,903
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
|
$4,055
|
$4,055
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
|
$2,137
|
$2,137
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
|
$99
|
$99
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
|
$17,755
|
$17,755
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
|
$33,289
|
$33,289
|
Custodian
and Fund Accountant
State
Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), located at State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02111, acts as Custodian and fund accountant for the Funds.
As Custodian, State Street, among other things, maintains
a custody account or accounts in the name of each Fund, handles the receipt
and delivery of securities, selects and monitors foreign sub-custodians as the Fund’s global custody manager,
determines income and collects interest on each Fund’s investments and maintains certain books and records.
As fund accountant, State Street is responsible for calculating each Fund’s daily net asset value per share
and for maintaining its portfolio and general accounting records. For its services, State Street is entitled to
receive certain transaction fees, asset-based fees and out-of-pocket costs.
Securities
Lending Agent
Goldman
Sachs Bank USA, d/b/a Goldman Sachs Agency Lending (the “Securities Lending Agent”) serves as the securities
lending agent to the Funds responsible for the implementation and administration of the Funds’ securities
lending program including facilitating the lending of the Funds’ available securities to approved borrowers
and negotiating the terms and conditions of each loan with a borrower. The Securities Lending Agent ensures
that all substitute interest, dividends, and other distributions paid with respect to loaned securities is credited
to each Fund’s relevant account on the date such amounts are delivered by the borrower to the Securities
Lending Agent.
The
Securities Lending Agent ensures that all collateral received in connection with securities loans is invested in
the Cash Collateral Fund, as described above in the section entitled “Permitted Investment Activities and Certain
Associated Risks – Loans of Portfolio Securities”. The Securities Lending Agent monitors the marked value
of the collateral delivered in connection with a securities loan so that such collateral equals to at least 102%
of the market value of any domestic securities loaned or 105% of the market value of any foreign securities
loaned. The loaned securities are marked to market on a daily basis, and additional collateral is required
to be paid to maintain coverage. At the termination of the loan, the Securities Lending Agent returns the
collateral to the borrower upon the return of the loaned securities.
The
Securities Lending Agent maintains records of all loans and makes available to the Funds a monthly statement
describing the loans made and the income derived from the loans during the period. The Securities Lending
Agent performs compliance monitoring and testing of the securities lending program and provides quarterly
report to the Funds’ Board of Trustees.
For
the fiscal year ended July 31, the Funds listed
in the table below earned income and paid fees and compensation
to the Securities Lending Agent as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees
and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services: |
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
Growth
Fund |
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
Gross
income from securities lending activities |
$57,317
|
$97,345
|
$19,210
|
$604,760
|
$58,448
|
|
Fees
paid to Securities Lending Agent from revenue split
|
$(1,953)
|
$(5,094)
|
$(832)
|
$(21,310)
|
$(1,687)
|
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees
and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services: |
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
Growth
Fund |
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
Fees
paid for any cash collateral management services
(including fees deducted from a pooled cash
collateral reinvestment vehicle) that are not included
in the revenue split |
$(1,275)
|
$(1,226)
|
$(384)
|
$(10,702)
|
$(1,287)
|
|
Administrative
fees not included in the revenue split
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Indemnification
fees not included in the revenue split
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Rebate
(paid to borrow) |
$(36,505)
|
$(45,171)
|
$(10,500)
|
$(380,938)
|
$(40,288)
|
|
Other
fees not included in revenue split |
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Aggregate
fees and/or compensation for securities lending
activities |
$(39,734)
|
$(51,491)
|
$(11,716)
|
$(412,950)
|
$(43,262)
|
|
Net
income from securities lending activities |
$17,583
|
$45,854
|
$7,495
|
$191,810
|
$15,186
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees
and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services: |
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund
|
Large
Company Value
Fund |
Low
Volatility U.S.
Equity Fund |
Omega
Growth Fund
|
Premier
Large Company
Growth Fund
|
|
Gross
income from securities lending activities |
$234,530
|
$3,308
|
$0
|
$75,689
|
$735,749
|
|
Fees
paid to Securities Lending Agent from revenue split
|
$(9,695)
|
$(196)
|
$0
|
$(1,527)
|
$(12,356)
|
|
Fees
paid for any cash collateral management services
(including fees deducted from a pooled cash
collateral reinvestment vehicle) that are not included
in the revenue split |
$(4,020)
|
$(66)
|
$0
|
$(1,527)
|
$(12,356)
|
|
Administrative
fees not included in the revenue split
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Indemnification
fees not included in the revenue split
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Rebate
(paid to borrow) |
$(133,552)
|
$(1,283)
|
$0
|
$(58,479)
|
$(372,592)
|
|
Other
fees not included in revenue split |
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Aggregate
fees and/or compensation for securities lending
activities |
$(147,267)
|
$(1,545)
|
$0
|
$(61,575)
|
$(420,026)
|
|
Net
income from securities lending activities |
$87,264
|
$1,764
|
$0
|
$14,114
|
$315,723
|
Transfer
and Distribution Disbursing Agent
DST
Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), located at Two Thousand Crown Colony Drive, Quincy, Massachusetts
02169, acts as transfer and distribution disbursing agent for the Wells Fargo Funds. For providing
such services, DST is entitled to receive fees from the Administrator.
Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm
KPMG
LLP (“KPMG”) has been selected as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.
KPMG provides audit services, tax return preparation
and assistance and consultation in connection with review of
certain SEC filings. KPMG’s address is Two Financial Center, 60 South Street, Boston, MA 02111.
Code
of Ethics
The
Fund Complex, Funds Management, the Distributor and the Sub-Advisers each has adopted a code of ethics which
contains policies on personal securities transactions by “access persons” as defined in each of the codes. These
policies comply with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act
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of
1940, as applicable. Each code of ethics, among other things, permits access persons to invest in certain securities,
subject to various restrictions and requirements. To facilitate enforcement, the codes of ethics generally
require that an access person submit reports to a designated compliance person regarding personal securities
transactions. The codes of ethics for the Fund Complex, Funds Management, the Distributor and the Sub-Advisers
are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC.
Proxy
Voting Policies and Procedures
The
Trusts have adopted policies and procedures for the Funds (“Fund Proxy Voting Procedures”) that are used to
determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds of the Trusts. The Fund Proxy
Voting Procedures are designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of Fund shareholders,
without regard to any relationship that any affiliated person of a Fund (or an affiliated person of such
affiliated person) may have with the issuer of the security and with the goal of maximizing value to shareholders
consistent with governing laws and the investment policies of each Fund. While securities are not purchased
to exercise control or to seek to effect corporate change through share ownership activism, the Funds
support sound corporate governance practices within companies in which they invest. The Board of the Trusts
has delegated the responsibility for voting proxies relating to the Funds’ portfolio securities to Funds Management.
Funds Management utilizes the Wells Fargo Asset Management Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures,
included below, to ensure that proxies relating to the Funds’ portfolio securities are voted in shareholders’
best interests.
Wells
Fargo Asset Management Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
Wells
Fargo Asset Management (“WFAM”) Stewardship
As
fiduciaries, we are committed to effective stewardship of the assets we manage on behalf of our clients. To us,
good stewardship reflects responsible, active ownership and includes both engaging with investee companies
and voting proxies in a manner that we believe will maximize the long-term value of our investments.
Scope
of Policies and Procedures
In conjunction with
the WFAM Engagement Policy, these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Policies and Procedures”)
sets out how WFAM complies with applicable regulatory requirements in respect of how we exercise
voting rights when we invest in shares traded on a regulated market on behalf of a client.
With
respect to client accounts of Funds Management, this includes, among others, Wells Fargo Funds Trust, Wells
Fargo Master Trust, Wells Fargo Variable Trust, Wells Fargo Global Dividend Opportunity Fund, Wells Fargo
Income Opportunities Fund, Wells Fargo Multi-Sector Income Fund, Wells Fargo Utilities and High Income
Fund (the “Trusts”). It also includes Wells Fargo (Lux) Worldwide Fund and Worldwide Alternative Fund SICAV-SIF,
both domiciled in Luxembourg (the “Luxembourg Funds”). Aside from the investment funds managed
by Funds Management, WFAM also offers medium term note programs, managed for issuers of such notes
domiciled in Luxembourg. Hereafter, all series of the Trusts, and all such Trusts not having separate series, and
all sub-funds of the Luxembourg Fund, as well as the MTN issuers, are referred to as the “Investment Products”.
In addition, these Policies and Procedures are used to determine how to vote proxies for the assets managed
on behalf of WFAM’s other clients. Not all clients delegate proxy-voting authority to WFAM. WFAM will
not vote proxies, or provide advice to clients on how to vote proxies in the absence of specific delegation of authority,
a pre-existing contractual agreement, or an obligation under applicable law (e.g., securities that are held
in an investment advisory account for which WFAM exercises no investment discretion are not voted by WFAM).
Luxembourg
Products
WFAML has delegated the portfolio
management of the Luxembourg Funds it manages to WFAM and the responsibility
for exercising voting rights in conjunction with such delegation; as such, these Policies and Procedures
shall apply to the portfolio management of the Fund. The respective portfolio management may also
delegate the responsibility for exercising voting rights to the Proxy Voting Vendor, with the prior consent of
WFAML. Responsibility for exercising voting rights has also been delegated to WFAM with respect to the Worldwide
Alternative Fund SICAV-SIF and to the MTN issuers.
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Voting
Philosophy
WFAM
has adopted these Policies and Procedures to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of clients
and Investment Product investors, without regard to any relationship that any affiliated person of WFAM
or the Investment Product (or an affiliated person of such affiliated person) may have with the issuer. WFAM
exercises its voting responsibility as a fiduciary with the goal of maximizing value to clients consistent with
governing laws and the investment policies of each client. While securities are not purchased to exercise control
or to seek to effect corporate change through share ownership activism, WFAM supports sound corporate
governance practices at companies in which client assets are invested. WFAM has established an appropriate
strategy determining when and how the voting rights related to the instruments held in portfolios managed
are exercised, so that these rights are exclusively reserved to the relevant Investment Product and its investors.
Proxy
Administrator
The proxy voting process is administered
by WellsCap’s Operations Department (“Proxy Administrator”), who reports
to WFAM’s Chief Operations Officer. The Proxy Administrator is responsible for administering and overseeing
the proxy voting process to ensure the implementation of the Policies and Procedures, including regular
operational reviews, typically conducted on a weekly basis. The Proxy Administrator monitors third party
voting of proxies to ensure it is being done in a timely and responsible manner, including review of scheduled
vendor reports. The Proxy Administrator in conjunction with the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee
reviews the continuing appropriateness of the Policies and Procedures set forth herein, and recommends
revisions as necessary.
Third
Party Proxy Voting Vendor
WFAM has retained
a third-party proxy voting service, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), to assist in the
implementation of certain proxy voting-related functions including: 1.) Providing research on proxy matters 2.)
Providing technology to facilitate the sharing of research and discussions related to proxy votes 3.) Vote proxies
in accordance with WFAM’s guidelines 4.) Handle administrative and reporting items 5.) Maintain records
of proxy statements received in connection with proxy votes and provide copies/analyses upon request. Except
in instances where clients have retained voting authority, WFAM retains the responsibility for proxy voting
decisions.
Proxy
Committee and Sub-Committees
WFAM
Proxy Governance Committee
The WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the proxy voting process to ensure
its implementation in conformance with these Policies and Procedures. The WFAM Proxy Governance Committee
shall coordinate with WFAM Compliance to monitor ISS, the proxy voting agent currently retained by
WFAM, to determine that ISS is accurately applying the Policies and Procedures as set forth herein and operates
as an independent proxy voting agent. WFAM’s ISS Vendor Oversight process includes an assessment of
ISS’ Policy and Procedures (“P&P”), including conflict controls and monitoring, receipt and review of routine
performance-related reporting by ISS to WFAM and periodic
onsite due diligence meetings. Due diligence meetings
typically include: meetings with key staff, P&P related presentations and discussions, technology-related
demonstrations and assessments, and some sample testing, if appropriate. The WFAM Proxy
Governance Committee shall review the continuing appropriateness of the Policies and Procedures set forth
herein. The WFAM Proxy Governance Committee may delegate certain powers and responsibilities to a proxy
voting sub-committee. The WFAM Proxy Governance Committee reviews and, in accordance with these Policies
and Procedures, votes on issues that have been escalated from the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee. Members
of the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee also oversee the implementation of WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee recommendations for the respective functional areas in WFAM that they represent.
Proxy
Voting Sub-Committee
Among other delegated
matters, the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee, in accordance with these Policies and Procedures,
reviews and votes on routine proxy proposals that it considers under these Policies and Procedures in
a timely manner. If necessary, the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee escalates issues to the WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee that are determined to be material by the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee or otherwise
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in
accordance with these Policies and Procedures. The Proxy Voting Sub-Committee coordinates with Wells Fargo
Asset Management Investment Analytics and Compliance teams to review the performance and independence
of ISS in exercising its proxy voting responsibilities.
Meetings;
Committee Actions
The WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee shall convene or act through written consent, including through the use
of electronic systems of record, of a majority of WFAM Proxy Governance Committee members as needed and
when discretionary voting determinations need to be considered. Any sub-committee of the WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee shall have the authority on matters delegated to it to act by vote or written consent, including
through the use of electronic systems of record, of a majority of the sub-committee members available
at that time. The WFAM Proxy Governance Committee shall also meet quarterly to review the Policies and
Procedures.
Membership
Members
are selected based on subject matter expertise for the specific deliverables the committee is required to
complete. The voting members of the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee are identified in the WFAM Proxy
Charter. Changes to the membership of the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee will be made only with approval
of the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee. Upon departure from Wells Fargo Asset Management, a member’s
position on the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee will automatically terminate.
Voting
Procedures
Unless
otherwise required by applicable law, proxies will be voted in accordance with the following steps and in the
following order of consideration:
| |
1.
First, any voting items related to WFAM “Top-of-House” voting principles (as described below under the heading
“WFAM Proxy Voting Principles/Guidelines”) will generally be voted in accordance with a custom voting policy
with ISS (“Custom Policy”) designed to implement the WFAM’s Top-of-House voting principles. |
| |
2.
Second, any voting items for meetings deemed of “high importance” (e.g., proxy contests, mergers and acquisitions,
capitalization proposals and anti-takeover proposals) where ISS opposes management recommendations
will be referred to the Portfolio Management teams for recommendation or the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee
(or escalated to the WFAM Proxy Governance -Committee) for case-by-case review and vote determination. |
| |
3.
Third, with respect to any voting items where ISS Sustainability Voting Guidelines provide a different recommendation
than ISS Standard Voting Guidelines, the following steps are taken: |
| |
|
a.
The WFAM Investment Analytics team evaluates the matter for materiality and any other relevant considerations. b.
If the Investment Analytics team recommends further review, the voting item is then referred to the Portfolio
Management teams for recommendation or the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee (or escalated to the WFAM
Proxy Governance Committee) for case-by-case review and vote determination. c.
If the Investment Analytics team does not recommend further review, the matter is voted in accordance with
ISS Standard Voting Guidelines. |
| |
4.
Fourth, any remaining proposals are voted in accordance with ISS Standard Voting Guidelines. |
Commitment
to the Principles of Responsible Investment
As
a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment, WFAM has integrated certain environmental, social, and
governance factors into its investment processes, which includes the proxy process. As described under Voting
Procedures above, WFAM considers ISS’s Sustainability Voting Guidelines as a point of reference in certain
cases deemed to be material to a company’s long-term shareholder value.
Voting
Discretion
In all cases, the WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee (and any sub-committee thereof) will exercise its voting discretion
in accordance with the voting philosophy of these Policies and Procedures. In cases where a proxy item
is forwarded by ISS to the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee or a sub-committee thereof, the WFAM Proxy
Governance Committee or its sub-committee may be assisted in its voting decision through receipt of: (i) independent
research and voting recommendations provided by ISS or other independent sources; (ii) input
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from
the investment sub-adviser responsible for purchasing the security; and (iii) information provided by company
management and shareholder groups.
Portfolio
Manager and Sub-Adviser Input
The WFAM Proxy
Governance Committee (and any sub-committee thereof) may consult with portfolio management
teams and Fund sub-advisers on specific proxy voting issues as it deems appropriate. In addition, portfolio
management teams or Fund sub-advisers may proactively make recommendations to the WFAM Proxy
Governance Committee regarding any proxy voting issue. In this regard, the process takes into consideration
expressed views of portfolio management teams and Fund sub-advisers given their deep knowledge
of investee companies. For any proxy vote, portfolio management teams and Investment Product advisers
and sub-advisers may make a case to vote against the ISS or WFAM Proxy Governance Committee’s recommendation
(which is described under Voting Procedures above). Any portfolio management team’s or Investment
Product adviser’s or sub-adviser’s opinion should be documented in a brief write-up for consideration
by the Proxy Voting Sub-Committee who will determine, or escalate to the WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee, the final voting decision.
Consistent
Voting
Proxies will be voted consistently on
the same matter when securities of an issuer are held by multiple client accounts
unless there are special circumstances such as, for example, proposals concerning corporate actions such
as mergers, tender offers, and acquisitions or as reasonably necessary to implement specified proxy voting guidelines
as established by a client (e.g. Taft Hartley ISS Guidelines or custom proxy guidelines).
Governance
and Oversight
WFAM
Top-of-House Proxy Voting Principles/Guidelines.
The
following reflects WFAM’s Top-of-House Voting Principles in effect as of the date of these Policies and Procedures.
WFAM has put in place a custom voting policy with ISS to implement these voting principles.
We
believe that Boards of Directors of investee companies should have strong, independent leadership and should
adopt structures and practices that enhance their effectiveness. We recognize that the optimal board size
and governance structure can vary by company size, industry, region of operations, and circumstances specific
to the company.
| ■ |
We
generally vote for the election of Directors in uncontested elections. We reserve the right to vote on a case-by-case
basis when directors fail to meet their duties as a board member, such as failing to act in the best
economic interest of shareholders; failing to maintain independent audit, compensation, nominating committees;
and failing to attend at least 75% of meetings, etc. |
| ■ |
We
generally vote for an independent board that has a majority of outside directors who are not affiliated with
the top executives and have minimal or no business dealings with the company to avoid potential conflicts
of interests. |
| ■ |
Generally
speaking, we believe Directors serving on an excessive number of boards could result in time constraints
and an inability to fulfill their duties. |
| ■ |
We
generally support adopting a declassified board structure for public operating and holding companies. We reserve
the right to vote on a case-by-case basis when companies have certain long-term business commitments. |
| ■ |
We
generally support annual election of directors of public operating and holding companies. We reserve the right
to vote on a case-by-case basis when companies have certain long-term business commitments. |
| ■ |
We
believe a well-composed board should embody multiple dimensions of diversity in order to bring personal and
professional experiences to bear and create a constructive debate of competing perspectives and opinions
in the boardroom. Diversity should consider factors such as gender, ethnicity, and age as well as professional
factors such as area of expertise, industry experience and geographic location. |
We
believe it is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to create, enhance, and protect shareholder value and
that companies should strive to maximize shareholder rights and representation.
| ■ |
We
believe that companies should adopt a one-share, one-vote standard and avoid adopting share structures |
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that
create unequal voting rights among their shareholders. We will normally support proposals seeking to establish
that shareholders are entitled to voting rights in proportion to their economic interests |
| ■ |
We
believe that directors of public operating and holding companies should be elected by a majority of the shares
voted. We reserve the right to vote on a case-by-case basis when companies have certain long-term business
commitments. This ensures that directors of public operating and holding companies who are not broadly
supported by shareholders are not elected to serve as their representatives. We will normally support proposals
seeking to introduce bylaws requiring a majority vote standard for director elections. |
| ■ |
We
believe a simple majority voting standard should be required to pass proposals. We will normally support proposals
seeking to introduce bylaws requiring a simple majority vote. |
| ■ |
We
believe that shareholders who own a meaningful stake in the company and have owned such stake for a sufficient
period of time should have, in the form of proxy access, the ability to nominate directors to appear on
the management ballot at shareholder meetings. In general we support market-standardized proxy access proposals
and we will analyze them based on various criteria such as threshold ownership levels, a minimum holding
period, and the % and/or number of directors that are subject to nomination. |
| ■ |
We
believe that shareholders should have the right to call a special meeting and not wait for company management
to schedule a meeting if there is sufficiently high shareholder support for doing so on issues of substantial
importance. In general we support the right to call a special meeting if there is balance between a reasonable
threshold of shareholders and a hurdle high enough to also avoid the waste of corporate resources for
narrowly supported interests. We will evaluate the issues of importance on the basis of serving all shareholders
well and not structured for the benefit of a dominant shareholder over others. |
Practical
Limitations to Proxy Voting
While WFAM uses
its reasonable best efforts to vote proxies, in certain circumstances, it may be impractical or impossible
for WFAM to vote proxies (e.g., limited value or unjustifiable costs).
Securities
on Loan
As a general matter, securities on
loan will not be recalled to facilitate proxy voting (in which case the borrower of
the security shall be entitled to vote the proxy). However, as it relates to portfolio holdings of the Investment Products,
if the WFAM Proxy Governance Committee is aware of an item in time to recall the security and has determined
in good faith that the importance of the matter to be voted upon outweighs the loss in lending revenue
that would result from recalling the security (e.g., if there is a controversial upcoming merger or acquisition,
or some other significant matter), the security will be recalled for voting.
Share
Blocking
Proxy voting in certain countries
requires ‘share blocking’. Shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit
their shares with a designated depositary before the date of the meeting. Consequently, the shares may not
be sold in the period preceding the proxy vote. Absent compelling reasons, WFAM believes that the benefit derived
from voting these shares is outweighed by the burden of limited trading. Therefore, if share blocking is required
in certain markets, WFAM will not participate and refrain from voting proxies for those clients impacted
by share blocking.
Conflicts
of Interest
We always seek to place the interests
of our clients first and to identify and manage any conflicts of interest, including
those that arise from proxy voting or engagement. WFAM acts as a fiduciary with respect to its asset management
activities and therefore we must act in the best interest of our clients and address conflicts that arise.
Conflicts
of interest are identified and managed through a strict and objective application of our voting policy and
procedures. WFAM may have a conflict of interest regarding a proxy to be voted upon if, for example, WFAM
or its affiliates (such as a sub-adviser or principal underwriter) have other relationships with the issuer of the
proxy. This type of conflict is generally mitigated by the information barriers between WFAM and its affiliates
and our commitment as a fiduciary to independent judgement. However, when the WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee becomes aware of a conflict of interest (that gets uncovered through the WFAM Proxy Voting
Policy and Procedures), it takes additional steps to mitigate the conflict, by using any of the following methods:
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| |
1.
Instructing ISS to vote in accordance with its recommendation; |
| |
2.
Disclosing the conflict to the relevant Board and obtaining its consent before voting; |
| |
3.
Submitting the matter to the relevant Board to exercise its authority to vote on such matter; |
| |
4.
Engaging an independent fiduciary who will direct the vote on such matter, |
| |
5.
Consulting with Legal and Compliance and, if necessary, outside legal counsel for guidance on resolving the conflict
of interest, |
| |
6.
Voting in proportion to other shareholders (“mirror voting”) following consultation with the Board of the Funds
if the conflict pertains to a matter involving a portfolio holding of the Funds; or |
| |
7.
Voting in other ways that are consistent with WFAM’s obligation to vote in the best interests of its clients. |
Vendor
Oversight
The WFAM Proxy Administrator monitors
the ISS proxy process against specific criteria in order to identify potential
issues relating to account reconciliation, unknown and rejected ballot reviews, upcoming proxy reviews,
share reconciliation oversight, etc.
Other
Provisions
Policy
Review and Ad Hoc Meetings
The WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee meets at least annually to review this Policy and consider any appropriate
changes. Meetings may be convened more frequently (for example, to discuss a specific proxy agenda
or proposal) as requested by the Manager of Proxy Administrator, any member of the WFAM Proxy Governance
Committee, or WFAM’s Chief Compliance Officer. The WFAM Proxy Governance Committee includes
representation from Portfolio Management, Operations, Investment Analytics and, in a non-voting consultative
capacity, Compliance.
Records
Retention
The WFAM Proxy Administrator will
maintain the following records relating to the implementation of the Policies
and Procedures:
| ■ |
A
copy of these proxy voting policies and procedures; |
| ■ |
Proxy
statements received for client securities (which will be satisfied by relying on ISS); |
| ■ |
Records
of votes cast on behalf of Investment Products and separate account clients (which ISS maintains on behalf
of WFAM); |
| ■ |
Records
of each written client request for proxy voting records and WFAM’s written response to any client request
(written or oral) for such records; and |
| ■ |
Any
documents prepared by WFAM or ISS that were material to making a proxy voting decision. |
Such
proxy voting books and records shall be maintained at an office of WFAM in an easily accessible place for a period
of six years.
Compliance
with Regional Regulations and Client Delegation Arrangements
U.S.
Regulation
These Policies and Procedures have
been written in compliance with Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940. Proxy voting records for WFAM’s mutual funds are disclosed on Form N-PX annually, as required by
Section 30 and Rule 30b1-4 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, to the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”).
E.U.
Regulation
These Policies and Procedures have
been established, implemented and maintained, as they apply to WFAML and
WFAMI Ltd, in accordance the EU Shareholder Rights Directive II (EU 2017/828) (“SRD II”). Specific to WFAML,
the Policies and Procedures also comply with Article 23 of CSSF Regulation No. 10-4, and the CSSF Circular
18/698.
Disclosure
of policies and procedures
A summary of the
proxy voting policy and procedures are disclosed on WFAM’s website.
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In
addition, WFAM will disclose to its separate clients (i.e. proxy votes for assets managed on behalf of WFAM’s other
clients as per a delegation arrangement) a summary description of its proxy voting policy and procedures via
mail.
Disclosure
of proxy voting results
WFAM will provide to
clients proxy statements and any records as to how WFAM voted proxies on behalf of clients,
quarterly or upon request. For assistance, clients may contact their relationship manager, call WFAM at 1-800-259-3305
or e-mail wellscapclientadmin@wellsfargo.com to request a record of proxies voted on their behalf.
WFAM
will publish high-level proxy voting statistics in periodic reports. However, except as otherwise required by
law, WFAM has a general policy of not disclosing to any issuer specific or third party how its separate account client
proxies are voted.
Policies
and Procedures for Disclosure of Fund Portfolio Holdings
I.
Scope
of Policies and Procedures. The following
policies and procedures (the “Procedures”) govern the disclosure
of portfolio holdings and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about portfolio holdings
for the separate series of Wells Fargo Funds Trust (“Funds Trust”), Wells Fargo Master Trust (“Master Trust”),
Wells Fargo Variable Trust (“Variable Trust”) (each of Funds Trust, Master Trust and Variable Trust are referred
to collectively herein as the “Funds” or individually as the “Fund”) now existing or hereafter created.
II.
Disclosure
Philosophy. The Funds have adopted these
Procedures to ensure that the disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio
holdings is accomplished in a manner that is consistent with a Fund’s fiduciary duty to its shareholders. For
purposes of these Procedures, the term “portfolio holdings” means the stock, bond and derivative positions held
by a Fund and includes the cash investments held by the Fund.
Under
no circumstances shall Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC (“Funds Management”), Wells Fargo Asset Management
(“WFAM”) or the Funds receive any compensation in return for the disclosure of information about
a Fund’s portfolio holdings or for any ongoing arrangements to make available information about a Fund’s
portfolio holdings.
III.
Disclosure
of Fund Portfolio Holdings. The complete
portfolio holdings and top ten holdings information referenced
below (except for the Funds of Master Trust (“Master Portfolios”) and Funds of Variable Trust) will be
available on the Funds’ website until updated for the next applicable period. Funds Management may withhold
any portion of a Fund’s portfolio holdings from online disclosure when deemed to be in the best interest
of the Fund. Once holdings information has been posted on the website, it may be further disseminated without
restriction.
A.
Complete
Holdings. The complete portfolio holdings
for each Fund (except for Money Market Funds and Alternative
Funds and Master Portfolios) shall be made publicly available monthly on the Funds’ website (www.wfam.com),
on a one-month delayed basis. Money Market Fund portfolio holdings shall be made publicly available
on the Funds’ website, on a 1-day delayed basis. In addition to the foregoing, each Money Market Fund shall
post on its website such portfolio holdings and other information required by Rule 2a-7 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended. The categories of information included on the website may differ
slightly from what is included in the Funds’ financial statements.
B.
Top
Ten Holdings. Top ten holdings information
(excluding derivative positions) for each Fund (except for Money
Market Funds, Alternative Funds and Master Portfolios) shall be made publicly available on the Funds’ website
on a monthly, seven-day or more delayed basis.
C.
Fund
of Funds Structures.
1. The underlying
funds held by a Fund that operates as a fund of funds and invests exclusively in multiple affiliated
underlying funds or multiple unaffiliated underlying funds or in a combination of affiliated and unaffiliated
underlying funds (“fund of funds”) shall be posted to the Funds’ website on a monthly, one-month delayed
basis.
2. The individual holdings of the underlying
master funds held by Funds that operate as a feeder fund in a master-feeder
structure shall be posted to the Funds’ website on a monthly, one-month delayed basis.
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3.
A change to the underlying funds held by a fund of funds or changes in fund of funds’ target allocations between
or among its fixed-income and/or equity investments may be posted to the Funds’ website simultaneous
with the occurrence of the change.
D.
Alternative
Funds.
The following holdings disclosure
policy applies to Alternative Funds:
1. Complete
Holdings as of Fiscal Quarter Ends. As
of each fiscal quarter end, each Alternative Fund’s complete portfolio
holdings shall be made publicly available quarterly on the Funds’ website, on a one-month delayed basis.
2.
Holdings
as of Other Month Ends. As of each month
end other than a month end that coincides with a fiscal quarter
end, each Alternative Fund shall make publicly available monthly on the Funds’ website, on a one-month delayed
basis, the following: (i) all portfolio holdings held long other than any put options on equity securities; (ii)
portfolio holdings held short other than short positions in equity securities of single issuers; and (iii) the aggregate
dollar value of each of the following: (a) equity securities of single issuers held short, and (b) any put options
on equity securities held long.
3. Top
Ten Holdings. Each Alternative Fund shall
make publicly available on the Funds’ website on a monthly, seven-day
or more delayed basis information about its top ten holdings information, provided that the following
holdings shall be excluded: (i) derivative positions; and (ii) equity securities of single issuers held short.
E.
Master
Portfolios.
1. The complete portfolio
holdings of Master Portfolios shall be posted to the Funds’ website on a semi-annual, one-month
delayed basis.
Furthermore,
each Fund shall file such forms and portfolio holdings information in filings made with the SEC in the
manner specified on such forms and with such frequency as required by such forms and applicable SEC rules and
regulations.
IV.
List
of Approved Recipients. The following
list describes the limited circumstances in which a Fund’s portfolio holdings
may be disclosed to select third parties in advance of the monthly release on the Funds’ website. In each
instance, a determination will be made by Funds Management that such advance disclosure is supported by
a legitimate business purpose and that the recipients, where feasible, are subject to an independent duty or contractual
obligation not to disclose or trade on the nonpublic information.
A.
Wells
Fargo Affiliates. Team members of Wells
Fargo & Co. (“Wells Fargo”) and its affiliates who perform risk management
functions and provide other services to the Fund(s), as well as the third-party service providers utilized
by them to perform such functions and provide such services, shall have full daily access to the portfolio holdings
of the Fund(s).
B.
Sub-Advisers.
Sub-advisers shall have full daily access to fund holdings for the Fund(s) for which they have direct
management responsibility. Sub-advisers may also release to and discuss portfolio holdings with various broker/dealers
for purposes of analyzing the impact of existing and future market changes on the prices, availability/demand
and liquidity of such securities, as well as for the purpose of assisting portfolio managers in the
trading of such securities.
A
new Fund sub-adviser may periodically receive full portfolio holdings information for such Fund from the date of
Board approval through the date upon which they take over day-to-day investment management activities. Such
disclosure will be subject to confidential treatment.
C.
Money
Market Portfolio Management Team. The
money market portfolio management team at Wells Capital
Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital Management”) shall have full daily access to daily transaction information
across the Wells Fargo Funds for purposes of anticipating money market sweep activity which in turn
helps to enhance liquidity management within the money market funds.
D.
Funds
Management/Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC (“Funds Distributor”).
1.
Funds Management personnel that deal directly with the processing, settlement, review, control, auditing, reporting,
and/or valuation of portfolio trades shall have full daily access to Fund portfolio holdings through access
to the fund accountant’s system.
2. Funds
Management personnel that deal directly with investment review and analysis of the Funds shall have
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full
daily access to Fund portfolio holdings through Factset, a program that is used, among other things, to evaluate
portfolio characteristics against available benchmarks.
3.
Funds Management and Funds Distributor personnel may be given advance disclosure of any changes to the underlying
funds in a fund of funds structure or changes in a Fund’s target allocations that result in a shift between
or among asset classes.
E.
External
Servicing Agents. Portfolio holdings may
be disclosed to servicing agents in connection with the day-to-day
operations and management of the funds. These recipients include, but are not limited to: a fund’s auditors;
a fund’s custodians; a fund’s accountants; proxy voting service providers; class action processing service
providers; pricing service vendors; prime brokers; securities lending agents; counsel to a fund or its independent
Trustees; regulatory authorities; third parties that assist in the review, processing and/or analysis of
Fund portfolio transactions, portfolio accounting and reconciliation, portfolio performance, trade order management,
portfolio data analytics, electronic order matching and other analytical or operational systems and
services in connection with supporting a fund’s operations; a fund’s insurers; financial printers; and providers of
electronic systems providing access to materials for meetings of a fund’s board of Trustees.
F.
Rating
Agencies. Nationally Recognized Statistical
Ratings Organizations may receive full Fund holdings for rating
purposes.
G.
Reorganizations.
Entities hired as trading advisors that assist with the analysis and trading associated with transitioning
portfolios may receive full portfolio holdings of both the target fund and the acquiring fund. In addition,
the portfolio managers of the target fund and acquiring fund may receive full portfolio holdings of the acquiring
fund and target fund, respectively, in order to assist with aligning the portfolios prior to the closing date
of the reorganization.
H.
Investment
Company Institute. The Investment Company
Institute may receive information about full money market
Fund holdings concurrently at the time each money market Fund files with the SEC a report containing
such information.
I.
In-Kind
Redemptions. In connection with satisfying
in-kind redemption requests made to Funds, the redeeming
shareholders and their advisers and service providers may receive full Fund holdings as reasonably necessary
to operationally process such redemptions.
V.
Additions
to List of Approved Recipients. Any additions
to the list of approved recipients requires approval by the
President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of the Funds based on a review of: (i) the type of fund
involved; (ii) the purpose for receiving the holdings information; (iii) the intended use of the information; (iv)
the frequency of the information to be provided; (v) the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information
and the date on which the information will be disclosed; (vi) the proposed recipient’s relationship to the
Funds; (vii) the ability of Funds Management to monitor that such information will be used by the proposed recipient
in accordance with the stated purpose for the disclosure; (viii) whether a confidentiality agreement will be
in place with such proposed recipient; and (ix) whether any potential conflicts exist regarding such disclosure between
the interests of Fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Fund’s investment adviser, principal
underwriter, or any affiliated person of the Fund.
VI.
Commentaries.
Funds Management and WFAM may disclose any views, opinions, judgments, advice or commentary,
or any analytical, statistical, performance or other information in connection with or relating to a Fund
or its portfolio holdings (including historical holdings information), or any changes to the portfolio holdings
of a Fund. The portfolio commentary and statistical information may be provided to members of the press,
shareholders in the Funds, persons considering investment in the Funds or representatives of such shareholders
or potential shareholders. The content and nature of the information provided to each of these persons
may differ.
Certain
of the information described above will be included in periodic fund commentaries (e.g., quarterly, monthly,
etc.) and will contain information that includes, among other things, top contributors/detractors from fund
performance and significant portfolio changes during the relevant period (e.g., calendar quarter, month, etc.).
This information will be posted contemporaneously with their distribution on the Funds’ website.
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No
person shall receive any of the information described above if, in the sole judgment of Funds Management and
WFAM, the information could be used in a manner that would be harmful to the Funds.
VII.
Other
Investment Products. Funds Management,
WFAM and/or their affiliates manage other investment products,
including investment companies, offshore funds, and separate accounts. Many of these other investment
products have strategies that are the same or substantially similar to those of the Funds and thus may
have the same or substantially similar portfolio holdings. The provision of the portfolio holdings of these other
investment products is excluded from these procedures. Similarly, the provision of a model or reference portfolio
to clients, investors and, in some cases, third-party sponsors, in connection with the management or other
investment products is excluded from these procedures, even if the model or reference portfolio is the same
as or substantially similar to that of a Fund, provided (1) the model or reference portfolio is not characterized
or otherwise identified to the recipient, explicitly or implicitly, as being the portfolio of a Fund and (2)
the degree of overlap with the Fund’s portfolio or with any portion thereof is not communicated, identified or
confirmed to the recipient.
VIII.
Board
Approval. The Board shall review these
Procedures, including the list of approved recipients, as often as
they deem appropriate, but not less often than annually, and will consider for approval any changes that they deem
appropriate.
IX.
Education
Component. In order to promote strict
compliance with these Procedures, Funds Management has
informed its employees, and other parties possessing Fund portfolio holdings information (such as sub-advisers,
the fund accounting agent and the custodian), of the limited circumstances in which the Funds’ portfolio
holdings may be disclosed in advance of the monthly disclosure on the Funds’ website and the ramifications,
including possible dismissal, if disclosure is made in contravention of these Procedures.
BROKERAGE
The
Trust has no obligation to deal with any broker-dealer or group of broker-dealers in the execution of transactions
in portfolio securities. Subject to the supervision of the Board and the supervision of the Manager, the
Sub-Advisers are responsible for the Funds’ portfolio decisions and the placing of portfolio transactions. In placing
orders, it is the policy of the Sub-Advisers to obtain the best overall results taking into account various factors,
including, but not limited to, the size and type of transaction involved; the broker-dealer’s risk in positioning
the securities involved; the nature and character of the market for the security; the confidentiality, speed
and certainty of effective execution required for the transaction, the general execution and operational capabilities
of the broker-dealer; the reputation, reliability, experience and financial condition of the firm, the value
and quality of the services rendered by the firm in this and other transactions; and the reasonableness of the
spread or commission. While the Sub-Advisers generally seek reasonably competitive spreads or commissions,
the Funds will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available.
Purchases
and sales of equity securities on a securities exchange are effected through broker-dealers who charge
a negotiated commission for their services. Orders may be directed to any broker-dealer including, to the
extent and in the manner permitted by applicable law, affiliated broker-dealers. However, the Funds and Funds
Management have adopted a policy pursuant to Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act that prohibits the Funds
from directing portfolio brokerage to brokers who sell Fund shares as compensation for such selling efforts.
In the over-the-counter market, securities are generally traded on a “net” basis with broker-dealers acting
as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually
includes a profit to the broker-dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price that
includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession
or discount.
In
placing orders for portfolio securities of the Fund, the Fund’s Sub-Adviser is required to give primary consideration
to obtaining the most favorable price and efficient execution. This means that the Sub-Adviser will
seek to execute each transaction at a price and commission, if any, that provide the most favorable total cost
or proceeds reasonably attainable in the circumstances. Commission rates are established pursuant to negotiations
with the broker-dealer based, in part, on the quality and quantity of execution services provided by
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the
broker-dealer and in the light of generally prevailing rates. Furthermore, the Manager oversees the trade execution
procedures of the Sub-Adviser to ensure that such procedures are in place, that they are adhered to, and
that adjustments are made to the procedures to address ongoing changes in the marketplace.
The
Sub-Adviser may, in circumstances in which two or more broker-dealers are in a position to offer comparable
results for a portfolio transaction, give preference to a broker-dealer that has provided statistical or other
research services to the Sub-Adviser. In selecting a broker-dealer under these circumstances, the Sub-Adviser
will consider, in addition to the factors listed above, the quality of the research provided by the broker-dealer.
The
Sub-Adviser may pay higher commissions than those obtainable from other broker-dealers in exchange for such
research services. The research services generally include: (1) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the
advisability of investing in, purchasing, or selling securities, and the advisability of securities or purchasers or sellers
of securities; (2) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors
and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (3) effecting securities transactions
and performing functions incidental thereto. By allocating transactions in this manner, a Sub-Adviser
is able to supplement its research and analysis with the views and information of securities firms. Information
so received will be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to be performed by the Sub-Adviser
under the advisory contracts, and the expenses of the Sub-Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as
a result of the receipt of this supplemental research information. Furthermore, research services furnished by broker-dealers
through which a sub-adviser places securities transactions for a Fund may be used by the Sub-Adviser
in servicing its other accounts, and not all of these services may be used by the Sub-Adviser in connection
with advising the Funds.
Portfolio
Turnover. The portfolio turnover rate
is not a limiting factor when a Sub-Adviser deems portfolio changes
appropriate. Changes may be made in the portfolios consistent with the investment objectives and policies
of the Funds whenever such changes are believed to be in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders.
The portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities
by the average monthly value of a Fund’s portfolio securities. For purposes of this calculation, portfolio
securities exclude all securities having a maturity when purchased of one year or less. Portfolio turnover
generally involves some expenses to the Funds, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and
other transaction costs on the sale of securities and the reinvestment in other securities. Portfolio turnover may
also result in adverse tax consequences to a Fund’s shareholders.
The
table below shows each Fund’s portfolio turnover rates for the two most recent fiscal years:
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
July
31, 2020 |
July
31, 2019 |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
34%
|
27%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
50%
|
63%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
16%
|
20%
|
|
Growth
Fund |
37%
|
39%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
28%
|
45%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
34%
|
43%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
366%
|
221%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
165%
|
74%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
23%
|
39%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
45%
|
60%
|
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Brokerage
Commissions. Below are the brokerage commissions
paid for the last three fiscal years by each Fund
to: (1) all brokers and; (2) Wells Fargo Clearing Services,
LLC, an affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
|
|
|
|
Fund/Fiscal
Year or Period |
Total
Paid to All Brokers |
Total
Paid to Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
July
31, 2020 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$291,498
|
$0
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$469,875
|
$0
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$24,279
|
$0
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$1,743,323
|
$0
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$318,667
|
$0
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$261,351
|
$0
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$124,911
|
$0
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$14,691
|
$0
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$174,375
|
$0
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
$933,351
|
$0
|
|
July
31, 2019 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$250,940
|
$0
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$4,042
|
$0
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$24,393
|
$0
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$1,675,656
|
$0
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$393,351
|
$0
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$289,460
|
$0
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$96,293
|
$0
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$5,477
|
$0
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$290,510
|
$0
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
$829,597
|
$0
|
|
July
31, 2018 |
|
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
$251,218
|
$0
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
$577,228
|
$0
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
$55,199
|
$0
|
|
Growth
Fund |
$1,866,155
|
$0
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
$333,021
|
$0
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
$305,781
|
$0
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
$153,767
|
$0
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund |
$5,779
|
$0
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
$384,442
|
$0
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund |
$881,493
|
$0
|
Commissions
Paid to Brokers that Provide Research Services.
For the fiscal year ended July 31, the Funds
paid the following commissions to brokers that provide
research services, based on the stated total amount of transactions.
|
|
|
|
|
Brokerage
Commissions |
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
Commissions
Paid |
Transactions
Value |
|
Classic
Value Fund |
|
$194,220
|
$537,631,221
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
|
$5,922
|
$72,483,923
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund |
|
$14,988
|
$66,145,621
|
|
Growth
Fund |
|
$1,126,765
|
$3,403,453,130.94
|
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|
|
|
|
|
Brokerage
Commissions |
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
Commissions
Paid |
Transactions
Value |
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
|
$738
|
$13,098,984
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund |
|
$166,458
|
$640,219,043
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund |
|
$116,495
|
$387,246,251
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund
|
|
$589,564
|
$2,423,955,900
|
Securities
of Regular Broker-Dealers. The Funds are
required to identify any securities of their “regular
brokers or dealers” (as defined under the 1940
Act) or of their parents that the Funds
may hold at the close of their most
recent fiscal year. As of July 31, the following Funds
held securities of their regular broker-dealers
or of their parents as indicated in the amounts shown
below:
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
Regular
Broker or Dealer |
Amount
|
|
Classic
Value Fund |
Bank
of America Securities Incorporated |
$22,531,328
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund |
Bank
of America Securities Incorporated |
$8,397,672
|
|
|
JPMorgan
Securities LLC |
$9,928,504
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund |
JPMorgan
Securities LLC |
$9,570,646
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund |
Bank
of America Securities Incorporated |
$2,795,591
|
|
|
Goldman
Sachs & Company |
$1,908,334
|
|
|
Citigroup
Global Markets Incorporated |
$1,948,640
|
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Incorporated |
$676,939
|
DETERMINATION
OF NET ASSET VALUE
A
Fund’s NAV is the value of a single share. The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, although a Fund
may deviate from this calculation time under unusual or unexpected circumstances. The NAV is calculated separately
for each class of shares of a multiple-class Fund. The most recent NAV for each class of a Fund is available
at wfam.com. To calculate the NAV of a Fund’s shares, the Fund’s assets are valued and totaled, liabilities
are subtracted, and the balance, called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The price
at which a purchase or redemption request is processed is based on the next NAV calculated after the request
is received in good order. Generally, NAV is not calculated, and purchase and redemption requests are not
processed, on days that the NYSE is closed for trading; however under unusual or unexpected circumstances a
Fund may elect to remain open even on days that the NYSE is closed or closes early. To the extent that a Fund’s
assets are traded in various markets on days when the Fund is closed, the value of the Fund’s assets may be
affected on days when you are unable to buy or sell Fund shares. Conversely, trading in some of a Fund’s assets
may not occur on days when the Fund is open.
With
respect to any portion of a Fund’s assets that may be invested in other mutual funds, the value of the Fund’s
shares is based on the NAV of the shares of the other mutual funds in which the Fund invests. The valuation
methods used by mutual funds in pricing their shares, including the circumstances under which they will
use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing, are included in the Prospectuses of such funds.
To the extent a Fund invests a portion of its assets in non-registered investment vehicles, the Fund’s interests
in the non-registered vehicles are fair valued at NAV.
With
respect to a Fund’s assets invested directly in securities, the Fund’s investments are generally valued at current
market prices. Equity securities, options and futures are generally valued at the official closing price or, if
none, the last reported sales price on the primary exchange or market on which they are listed (closing price). Equity
securities that are not traded primarily on an exchange are generally valued at the quoted bid price obtained
from a broker-dealer.
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Debt
securities are valued at the evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing service or, if a reliable price
is not available, the quoted bid price from an independent broker-dealer.
We
are required to depart from these general valuation methods and use fair value pricing methods to determine
the values of certain investments if we believe that the closing price or the quoted bid price of a security,
including a security that trades primarily on a foreign exchange, does not accurately reflect its current market
value at the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV. The closing price or the quoted bid price of a security
may not reflect its current market value if, among other things, a significant event occurs after the closing
price or quoted bid price but before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV that materially affects
the value of the security. We use various criteria, including a systemic evaluation of U.S. market moves after
the close of foreign markets, in deciding whether a foreign security’s market price is still reliable and, if not,
what fair market value to assign to the security. In addition, we use fair value pricing to determine the value of
investments in securities and other assets, including illiquid securities, for which current market quotations or
evaluated prices from a pricing service or broker-dealer are not readily available.
The
fair value of a Fund’s securities and other assets is determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures
adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. In light of the judgment involved in making fair value decisions,
there can be no assurance that a fair value assigned to a particular security is accurate or that it reflects
the price that the Fund could obtain for such security if it were to sell the security at the time as of which
fair value pricing is determined. Such fair value pricing may result in NAVs that are higher or lower than NAVs
based on the closing price or quoted bid price.
ADDITIONAL
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
Payment
for shares may, in the discretion of the Manager, be made in the form of securities that are permissible
investments for a Fund. For further information about this form of payment, please contact the Distributor.
In connection with an in-kind securities payment, the Funds will require, among other things, that the
securities be valued on the day of purchase in accordance with the pricing methods used by a Fund and that such
Fund receives satisfactory assurances that (i) it will have good and marketable title to the securities received
by it; (ii) that the securities are in proper form for transfer to the Fund; and (iii) adequate information will
be provided concerning the basis and other matters relating to the securities.
Each
Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase orders, and under the 1940 Act, may suspend the right of 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 trading is restricted, or during which, as determined
by SEC rule, regulation or order, an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio
securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such periods as the SEC may permit. The Fund may also redeem
shares involuntarily or make payment for redemption in securities or other property if it appears appropriate
to do so in light of the Fund’s responsibilities under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Fund may redeem shares
involuntarily to reimburse the Fund for any losses sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make
full payment for shares purchased or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit
of a shareholder which is applicable to shares of the Fund as provided from time to time in the Prospectuses.
Computation
of Class A Offering Price. Class A shares are sold
at their NAV plus a sales charge. Below is an example
of the method of computing the offering price of Class A shares of each
Fund. The example assumes a purchase of Class A shares
of each Fund aggregating less than $50,000 based upon
the NAV of each Fund’s Class
A shares as of its most recent fiscal year end.
|
|
|
|
|
Computation
of Class A Offering Price |
|
Fund
|
Net
Asset Value Per Share |
Sales
Charge Per Share1
|
Offering
Price Per Share
|
|
Classic
Value Fund (A) |
$11.35
|
5.75%
|
$12.04
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund (A) |
$18.22
|
5.75%
|
$19.33
|
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Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
Computation
of Class A Offering Price |
|
Fund
|
Net
Asset Value Per Share |
Sales
Charge Per Share1
|
Offering
Price Per Share
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund (A) |
$9.62
|
5.75%
|
$10.21
|
|
Growth
Fund (A) |
$39.86
|
5.75%
|
$42.29
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund (A) |
$15.71
|
5.75%
|
$16.67
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund (A) |
$49.63
|
5.75%
|
$52.66
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund (A) |
$12.31
|
5.75%
|
$13.06
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund (A) |
$12.00
|
5.75%
|
$12.73
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund (A) |
$64.95
|
5.75%
|
$68.91
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund (A) |
$16.08
|
5.75%
|
$17.06
|
| 1. |
The
sales charge you pay may differ slightly from the amounts listed here due to rounding calculations. |
Online
Purchases and Redemptions for Existing Wells Fargo Funds Account Holders.
All shareholders with an existing Wells Fargo Funds
account may purchase additional shares of funds or classes of funds within the Wells Fargo
Fund family of funds that they already own and redeem existing shares online. For purchases, such account
holders must have a bank account linked to their Wells Fargo Funds account. Redemptions may be deposited
into a linked bank account or mailed via check to the shareholder’s address of record. Online account access
is available for institutional clients. Shareholders should contact Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222 or log
on at wfam.com for further details. Shareholders who hold their shares in a brokerage account should contact
their selling agent.
Extraordinary
Circumstances Affecting Redemptions. Under
the extraordinary circumstances discussed under Section
22(e) under the 1940 Act, we may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment of a
redemption for longer than seven days for each Fund. Generally, those extraordinary circumstances are when: (i)
the NYSE is closed or trading thereon is restricted; (ii) an emergency exists which makes the disposal by a Fund
of securities it owns, or the fair determination of the value of the Fund’s net assets not reasonable or practical;
or (iii) the SEC, by order, permits the suspension of the right of redemption for the protection of shareholders.
Purchases
and Redemptions Through Brokers and/or Their Affiliates.
A broker may charge transaction fees on the purchase
and/or sale of Fund shares in addition to those fees described in the Prospectuses in the Summary of
Expenses. The Trust has authorized one or more brokers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders,
and such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders
on the Trust’s behalf. The Trust will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order for Fund shares
when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker’s authorized designee, receives the order, and such orders
will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next calculated after they are received by the authorized broker or the broker’s
designee.
Reduced
Sales Charges for Former C&B Portfolio Shareholders.
Shareholders who purchased shares of the C&B Portfolios
directly from the C&B Portfolios, and who became Wells Fargo Fund shareholders in the reorganization
between the Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund and the Trust effective July 26, 2004 may purchase Class
A shares of any Wells Fargo Fund at NAV. However, beginning on July 1, 2013, this privilege will only be available
to those former C&B Portfolio shareholders whose shares are held directly with the Fund. Please see your
account representative for details.
Reduced
Sales Charges for Former Montgomery Fund Shareholders.
Former Montgomery Fund Class P and Class R shareholders
who purchased their shares directly from the Montgomery Funds and became Wells Fargo Fund
shareholders in the reorganization, may purchase Class A shares of any Wells Fargo Fund at NAV. However,
beginning on July 1, 2013, this privilege will only be available to those former Montgomery Fund shareholders
whose shares are held directly with the Fund. Shareholders who did not purchase such shares directly
from the Montgomery Funds may purchase additional shares in the respective acquiring Wells Fargo
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Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
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87 |
Fund
at NAV. However, beginning on July 1, 2013, this privilege will only be available to those former Montgomery
Fund shareholders whose shares are held directly with the Fund.
Reduced
Sales Charges for Certain Former Advisor Class Shareholders.
Investors who held Advisor Class shares of a Wells Fargo
Fund at the close of business on June 20, 2008 (the “Eligibility Time”), may purchase Class A shares
of any Wells Fargo Fund at NAV, so long as the following conditions are met: (1) any purchases at NAV are
limited to Class A shares of the same Fund in which the investor held Advisor Class shares at the Eligibility Time;
(2) share purchases are made in the same account through which the investor held Advisor Class shares at the
Eligibility Time; (3) the owner of the account remains the same as the account owner at the Eligibility Time; and
(4) following the Eligibility Time, the account maintains a positive account balance at some time during a period
of at least six months in length. Investors who held Advisor Class shares at the Eligibility Time are also eligible
to exchange their Class A shares for Class A shares of another Wells Fargo Fund without imposition of any
Class A sales charges and would be eligible to make additional purchases of Class A shares of such other Fund
at NAV in the account holding the shares received in exchange. The eligibility of such investors that hold Fund
shares through an account maintained by a financial institution is also subject to the following additional limitation.
In the event that such an investor’s relationship with and/or the services such investor receives from the
financial institution subsequently change, such investor shall thereafter no longer be eligible to purchase Class
A shares at NAV. Please consult with your financial representative for further details.
Reduced
Sales Charges for Certain Former Evergreen Fund Shareholders.
Former Evergreen Class IS shareholders who received
Class A shares of a Fund as a result of a reorganization can continue to purchase Class
A shares of that Fund and any other Wells Fargo Fund purchased subsequently by exchange at NAV, without
paying the customary sales load, after which subsequent purchases of shares of the subsequent Fund may
also be made at NAV. However, beginning on July 31, 2012, this privilege will only be available to those former
Evergreen Fund shareholders whose shares are held directly with the Fund.
Former
Evergreen Class R shareholders who received Class A shares of a Fund as a result of a reorganization can continue
to purchase Class A shares of that Fund and any other Wells Fargo Fund purchased subsequently by exchange
at NAV, without paying the customary sales load, after which subsequent purchases of shares of the subsequent
Fund may also be made at NAV. However, beginning on July 31, 2012, this privilege will only be available
to those former Evergreen Fund shareholders whose shares are held directly with the Fund.
Certain
investors in acquired funds who became investors in the Evergreen Funds and subsequently became Wells
Fargo Fund shareholders in a reorganization, including former Class IS shareholders of Evergreen Strategic
Value Fund and Evergreen Limited Duration Fund, former Investor Class shareholders of Undiscovered
Managers Funds, former shareholders of the GMO Global Balanced Allocation Fund, the GMO Pelican
Fund and America’s Utility Fund, former shareholders of an Atlas Fund and shareholders of record on October
12, 1990 (and members of their immediate families) in any series of the Salem Funds in existence on that
date, may purchase Class A shares of any Wells Fargo Fund at NAV. However, beginning on July 1, 2013, this
privilege will only be available to former Evergreen Fund shareholders whose shares are held directly with the
Fund.
Reduced
Sales Charges for Affiliated Funds. Any
affiliated fund that invests in a Wells Fargo Fund may purchase Class
A shares of such Fund at NAV.
Reduced
Sales Charges for Certain Holders of Class C Shares.
No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class C shares
where a Fund did not pay a sales commission at the time of purchase.
Reduced
Sales Charges for Certain Former Investor Class Shareholders.
Former Investor Class shareholders who received Class
A shares of a Fund as a result of a conversion at the close of business on October 23, 2015, can continue
to purchase Class A shares of that Fund and any other Wells Fargo Fund purchased subsequently by exchange
at NAV, without paying the customary sales load, after which subsequent purchases of shares of the subsequent
Fund may also be made at NAV.
Elimination
of Minimum Initial Investment Amount for Administrator Class Shares for Eligible Investors.
An “Eligible Investor” (as defined below)
may purchase Administrator Class shares of the Wells Fargo Funds without
meeting the minimum initial investment amount. Eligible Investors include:
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Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
| ■ |
Clients
of sub-advisers to those Funds which offer an Administrator Class who are clients of such subadvisers at
the time of their purchase of such Administrator Class shares; |
| ■ |
Clients
of Wells Capital Management who are clients of Wells Capital Management at the time of their purchase
of Administrator Class shares; and |
| ■ |
Clients
of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement Trust (IRT) who are clients of IRT at the time of their purchase of
Administrator Class shares. |
Related
shareholders or shareholder accounts may be aggregated in order to meet the minimum initial investment
requirement for Administrator Class shares. The following are examples of relationships that may qualify
for aggregation:
| ■ |
Related
business entities, including: (i) corporations and their subsidiaries; (ii) general and limited partners; and
(iii) other business entities under common ownership or control. |
| ■ |
Shareholder
accounts that share a common tax-id number. |
| ■ |
Accounts
over which the shareholder has individual or shared authority to buy or sell shares on behalf of the account
(i.e., a trust account or a solely owned business account). |
Any
of the minimum initial investment waivers listed above may be modified or discontinued at any time.
Elimination
of Minimum Initial Investment Amount for Institutional Class Shares for Eligible Investors.
An “Eligible Investor” (as defined below)
may purchase Institutional Class shares of the Wells Fargo Funds without meeting
the minimum initial investment amount. Eligible Investors include:
| ■ |
Clients
of sub-advisers to those Funds which offer an Institutional Class who are clients of such sub-advisers at
the time of their purchase of such Institutional Class shares; |
| ■ |
Clients
of Wells Capital Management who are clients of Wells Capital Management at the time of their purchase
of Institutional Class shares; and |
| ■ |
Clients
of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement Trust (IRT) who are clients of IRT at the time of their purchase of
Institutional Class shares. |
Related
shareholders or shareholder accounts may be aggregated in order to meet the minimum initial investment
requirement for Institutional Class shares. The following are examples of relationships that may qualify
for aggregation:
| ■ |
Related
business entities, including: (i) corporations and their subsidiaries; (ii) general and limited partners; and
(iii) other business entities under common ownership or control. |
| ■ |
Shareholder
accounts that share a common tax-id number. |
| ■ |
Accounts
over which the shareholder has individual or shared authority to buy or sell shares on behalf of the account
(i.e., a trust account or a solely owned business account). |
Former
Institutional Class shareholders of an Evergreen Fund (including former Class Y shareholders of an Evergreen
Fund, former SouthTrust shareholders and former Vestaur Securities Fund shareholders who became Institutional
Class shareholders of an Evergreen Fund) who received Institutional Class shares of a Wells Fargo Fund
in connection with the reorganization of their Evergreen Fund may purchase Institutional Class shares at their
former minimum investment amount.
Former
Institutional Class shareholders of Golden Large Cap Core Fund or Golden Small Cap Core Fund who received
Institutional Class shares of Wells Fargo Large Cap Core Fund or Wells Fargo Small Cap Core Fund in connection
with the reorganization of their Fund may purchase Institutional Class shares of any Wells Fargo Fund
at their former minimum investment amount.
Any
of the minimum initial investment waivers listed above may be modified or discontinued at any time.
Waiver
of Minimum Initial and Subsequent Investment Amounts for All Share Classes for Special Operational Accounts.
Shares of any and all share classes of the Wells Fargo Funds may be acquired in special operational accounts
(as defined below) without meeting the applicable minimum initial or subsequent investment amounts.
Special operational accounts are designated accounts held by Funds Management or its affiliate that are
used exclusively for addressing operational matters related to shareholder accounts, such as testing of account
functions.
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Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
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89 |
Compensation
to Financial Professionals and Intermediaries.
Set forth below is a list of the member firms of FINRA
to which the Manager, the Distributor or their affiliates made payments out of their revenues in connection
with the sale and distribution of shares of the Funds or for services to the Funds and their shareholders
in the year ending December 31, 2019 (“Additional Payments”). (Such payments are in addition to any
amounts paid to such FINRA firms in the form of dealer reallowances or fees for shareholder servicing or distribution.
The payments are discussed in further detail in the Prospectuses under the title “Compensation to Financial
Professionals and Intermediaries”). Any additions, modifications, or deletions to the member firms identified
in this list that have occurred since December 31, 2019, are not reflected:
FINRA
member firms
| ■ |
ADP
Broker-Dealer, Inc. |
| ■ |
Alight
Financial Solutions, LLC |
| ■ |
Ameriprise
Financial Services, Inc. |
| ■ |
Broadridge
Business Process Outsourcing, LLC |
| ■ |
Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. |
| ■ |
Citigroup
Global Markets, Inc. |
| ■ |
Fidelity
Brokerage Services LLC |
| ■ |
Goldman,
Sachs & Co. LLC |
| ■ |
Hightower
Securities, LLC |
| ■ |
Institutional
Bond Network, LLC |
| ■ |
Institutional
Cash Distributors, LLC |
| ■ |
Janney
Montgomery Scott LLC |
| ■ |
J.P.
Morgan Securities LLC |
| ■ |
Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Incorporated |
| ■ |
Mid
Atlantic Capital Corporation |
| ■ |
Mid
Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation |
| ■ |
Nationwide
Investment Services Corporation |
| ■ |
OneAmerica
Securities, Inc. |
| ■ |
PNC
Capital Markets LLC |
| ■ |
Raymond
James & Associates, Inc. |
| ■ |
Raymond
James Financial Services, Inc. |
| ■ |
RBC
Capital Markets, LLC |
| ■ |
Robert
W. Baird & Co. Incorporated |
| ■ |
State
Street Global Markets, LLC |
| ■ |
Stifel,
Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated |
| ■ |
UBS
Financial Services Inc. |
| ■ |
VALIC
Financial Advisors, Inc. |
| ■ |
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services, LLC |
| ■ |
Wells
Fargo Securities, LLC |
In
addition to member firms of FINRA, Additional Payments are also made to other selling and shareholder servicing
agents, and to affiliates of selling and shareholder servicing agents that sell shares of or provide
| 90 |
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Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
services
to the Funds and their shareholders, such as banks, insurance companies and plan administrators. These
firms are not included on the list above, although they may be affiliated with companies on the above list.
No
compensation is paid to broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) from Fund assets on sales
of Class R6 shares and related services. Class R6 shares do not carry sales commissions or pay Rule 12b-1 fees,
or make payments to financial intermediaries to assist in, or in connection with, the sale of the Fund’s shares.
None of the Fund’s Manager, the distributor or their affiliates makes any type of administrative or service
payments to financial intermediaries in connection with investments in Class R6 shares.
Also
not included on the list above are other subsidiaries of Wells Fargo & Company who may receive revenue from
the Manager, the Distributor or their affiliates through intra-company compensation arrangements and for
financial, distribution, administrative and operational services.
U.S.
FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The
following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in each Prospectus entitled
“Taxes.” Each Prospectus generally describes the U.S. federal income tax treatment of distributions by the
Funds. This section of the SAI provides additional information concerning certain material U.S. federal income
taxes. It is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable Treasury Regulations,
judicial authority, and administrative rulings and practice, all as of the date of this SAI and all of which
are subject to change, including changes with retroactive effect. Except as specifically set forth below, the following
discussion does not address any state, local or foreign tax matters.
A
shareholder’s tax treatment may vary depending upon the shareholder’s particular situation. Except as specifically
set forth below, this discussion applies only to U.S. individual shareholders holding Fund shares as capital
assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code. A shareholder may also be subject to special rules
not discussed below if they are a certain kind of shareholder, including, but not limited to: an insurance company;
a tax-exempt organization; a shareholder holding a Fund’s shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such
as an individual retirement account (an “IRA”), a 401(k) plan account or other qualified retirement account);
a financial institution or broker-dealer; a person who is neither a citizen nor resident of the United States
or entity that is not organized under the laws of the United States or political subdivision thereof; a shareholder
who holds Fund shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction; a shareholder subject to
the alternative minimum tax; or an entity taxable as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and investors
in such an entity. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice
and may not be relied upon by any shareholder.
The
Trust has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”)
as to the U.S. federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those
discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion and the discussions
in each Prospectus applicable to each shareholder address only some of the material U.S. federal income
tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Funds.
On
December 22, 2017, new tax legislation was enacted which includes significant changes in tax rates, restrictions
on miscellaneous itemized deductions, changes to the dividends received deduction, restrictions on the
deduction of interest and the international operations of domestic businesses. Certain changes have sunset provisions,
which are important to note. Because the tax legislation is recently enacted, and Treasury Regulations
and additional guidance interpreting the legislation are continuing to be issued, there is still uncertainty
in how the legislation will affect the Fund’s investments and shareholders and whether such legislation
could have an adverse effect on a Fund’s investments or the taxation of the shareholders of a Fund. Shareholders
are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisor with respect to the impact of this legislation.
Prospective
shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers and financial planners regarding the U.S. federal
tax consequences of an investment in a Fund, the application of state, local or foreign laws, and the effect
of any possible changes in applicable tax laws on their investment in the Funds.
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91 |
Qualification
as a Regulated Investment Company. It
is intended that each Fund qualify as a regulated investment
company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1 of the Code. Each Fund will be treated as
a separate entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Thus, the provisions of the Code applicable to RICs generally
will apply separately to each Fund even though each Fund is a series of the Trust. Furthermore, each Fund
will separately determine its income, gains, losses and expenses for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In
order to qualify as a RIC under the Code, each Fund must, among other things, derive at least 90% of its gross income
each taxable year generally from (i) dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans,
gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, and other income attributable
to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies (including, but not limited to,
gains from options, futures or forward contracts) and (ii) net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly
traded partnership, as defined in the Code (together with (i) the “qualifying income requirement”). Future
U.S. Treasury regulations may (possibly retroactively) exclude from qualifying income foreign currency gains
that are not directly related to a Fund’s principal business of investing in stock, securities or options and futures
with respect to stock or securities. In general, for purposes of this 90% gross income requirement, income
derived from a partnership, except a qualified publicly traded partnership, will be treated as qualifying income
only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying
income if realized by the RIC.
Each
Fund must also diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year: (i) at least
50% of the fair market value of its assets consists of (A) cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government
securities and securities of other RICs, and (B) securities of any one issuer (other than those described
in clause (A)) to the extent such securities do not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and
do not exceed 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value
of the Fund’s total assets consists of the securities of any one issuer (other than those described in clause (i)(A)),
the securities of two or more issuers the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar or related
trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with
(i), the “diversification requirement”). In addition, for purposes of meeting this diversification requirement, the
term “outstanding voting securities of such issuer” includes the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded
partnership. The qualifying income and diversification requirements applicable to a Fund may limit the extent
to which it can engage in transactions in options, futures contracts, forward contracts and swap agreements.
If
a Fund fails to satisfy the qualifying income or diversification requirements in any taxable year, such Fund may be
eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax
is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain
de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified
period. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, such Fund will be taxed in the
same manner as an ordinary corporation, described below.
In
addition, with respect to each taxable year, each Fund generally must distribute to its shareholders at least 90%
of its investment company taxable income, which generally includes its ordinary income and the excess of any
net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss, and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income
earned for the taxable year. If a Fund meets all of the RIC qualification requirements, it generally will not be
subject to U.S. federal income tax on any of the investment company taxable income and net capital gain (i.e., the
excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) it distributes to its shareholders. For this
purpose, a Fund generally must make the distributions in the same year that it realizes the income and gain, although
in certain circumstances, a Fund may make the distributions in the following taxable year. Shareholders
generally are taxed on any distributions from a Fund in the year they are actually distributed. However,
if a Fund declares a distribution to shareholders of record in October, November or December of one year
and pays the distribution by January 31 of the following year, the Fund and its shareholders will be treated as
if the Fund paid the distribution by December 31 of the first taxable year. Each Fund intends to distribute its net
income and gain in a timely manner to maintain its status as a RIC and eliminate fund-level U.S. federal income
taxation of such income and gain. However, no assurance can be given that a Fund will not be subject to U.S.
federal income taxation.
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Moreover,
the Funds may retain for investment all or a portion of their net capital gain. If a Fund retains any net capital
gain, it will be subject to a tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained, but may report the retained
amount as undistributed capital gain in a written statement furnished to its shareholders, who (i) will be
required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such
undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund
on such undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to
the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned
by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of
undistributed capital gain included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder
under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence. A Fund is not required to, and there can be no assurance that
it will, make this designation if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain in a taxable year.
If,
for any taxable year, a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC, and is not eligible for relief as described above, it will be taxed
in the same manner as an ordinary corporation without any deduction for its distributions to shareholders,
and all distributions from the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (including any distributions
of its net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gain) to its shareholders will be taxable as dividend
income. To re-qualify to be taxed as a RIC in a subsequent year, the Fund may be required to distribute to
its shareholders its earnings and profits attributable to non-RIC years reduced by an interest charge on 50% of
such earnings and profits payable by the Fund to the IRS. In addition, if a Fund initially qualifies as a RIC but subsequently
fails to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required
to recognize and pay tax on any net unrealized gain (the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income,
over aggregate loss that would have been realized if the Fund had been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject
to tax on such unrealized gain recognized for a period of five years, in order to re-qualify as a RIC in a subsequent
year.
Equalization
Accounting. Each Fund may use the so-called
“equalization method” of accounting to allocate a portion
of its “earnings and profits,” which generally equals a Fund’s undistributed investment company taxable income
and net capital gain, with certain adjustments, to redemption proceeds. This method permits a Fund to achieve
more balanced distributions for both continuing and redeeming shareholders. Although using this method
generally will not affect a Fund’s total returns, it may reduce the amount that the Fund would otherwise distribute
to continuing shareholders by reducing the effect of redemptions of Fund shares on Fund distributions
to shareholders. However, the IRS may not have expressly sanctioned the particular equalization method
used by a Fund, and, thus a Fund’s use of this method may be subject to IRS scrutiny.
Capital
Loss Carry-Forwards. For net capital losses
realized in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011, a Fund
is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss to offset its capital gain, if any, realized during the eight years
following the year of the loss, and such capital loss carry-forward is treated as a short-term capital loss in the
year to which it is carried. For net capital losses realized in taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011,
a Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss to offset its capital gain indefinitely. For capital losses
realized in taxable years beginning after January 1, 2011, the excess of a Fund’s net short-term capital loss
over its net long-term capital gain is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s
next taxable year and the excess of a Fund’s net long-term capital loss over its net short-term capital gain
is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. If future capital gain
is offset by carried-forward capital losses, such future capital gain is not subject to fund-level U.S. federal income
tax, regardless of whether it is distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Funds do not expect to distribute
any such offsetting capital gain. The Funds cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.
If
a Fund engages in a reorganization, either as an acquiring fund or acquired fund, its capital loss carry-forwards (if
any), its unrealized losses (if any), and any such losses of other funds participating in the reorganization may be
subject to severe limitations that could make such losses, in particular losses realized in taxable years beginning
before January 1, 2011, substantially unusable. Various Funds in the Fund Complex have engaged in reorganizations
in the past and/or may engage in reorganizations in the future.
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Excise
Tax. If a Fund fails to distribute by
December 31 of each calendar year at least the sum of 98% of its ordinary
income for that year (excluding capital gains and losses), 98.2% of its capital gain net income (adjusted for
certain net ordinary losses) for the 12-month period ending on October 31 of that year, and any of its ordinary
income and capital gain net income from previous years that was not distributed during such years, the Fund
will be subject to a nondeductible 4% U.S federal excise tax on the undistributed amounts (other than to the
extent of its tax-exempt interest income, if any). For these purposes, a Fund will be treated as having distributed
any amount on which it is subject to corporate level U.S. federal income tax for the taxable year ending
within the calendar year. Each Fund generally intends to actually, or be deemed to, distribute substantially
all of its ordinary income and capital gain net income, if any, by the end of each calendar year and thus
expects not to be subject to the excise tax. However, no assurance can be given that a Fund will not be subject
to the excise tax. Moreover, each Fund reserves the right to pay an excise tax rather than make an additional
distribution when circumstances warrant (for example, the amount of excise tax to be paid by a Fund is
determined to be de minimis).
Investment
through Master Portfolio. A Fund that
invests its assets through one or more master portfolios will seek
to continue to qualify as a RIC. Each master portfolio will be treated as a non-publicly traded partnership (or,
in the event that a Fund is the sole investor in the corresponding master portfolio, as disregarded from the Fund)
for U.S. federal income tax purposes rather than as a RIC or a corporation under the Code. Under the rules applicable
to a non-publicly traded partnership (or disregarded entity), a proportionate share of any interest, dividends,
gains and losses of a master portfolio will be deemed to have been realized (i.e., “passed-through”) by its
investors, including the corresponding Fund, regardless of whether any amounts are actually distributed by the
master portfolio. Each investor in a master portfolio will be taxed on such share, as determined in accordance
with the governing instruments of the particular master portfolio, the Code and U.S. Treasury regulations,
in determining such investor’s U.S. federal income tax liability. Therefore, to the extent a master portfolio
were to accrue but not distribute any income or gains, the corresponding Fund would be deemed to have
realized its proportionate share of such income or gains without receipt of any corresponding distribution. However,
each of the master portfolios will seek to minimize recognition by its investors (such as a corresponding
Fund) of income and gains without a corresponding distribution. Furthermore, each master portfolio
intends to manage its assets, income and distributions in such a way that an investor in a master portfolio
will be able to continue to qualify as a RIC by investing its assets through the master portfolio.
Taxation
of Investments. In general, realized gains
or losses on the sale of securities held by a Fund will be treated
as capital gains or losses, and long-term capital gains or losses if the Fund has held the disposed securities
for more than one year at the time of disposition.
If
a Fund purchases a debt obligation with original issue discount (“OID”) (generally, a debt obligation with a purchase
price at original issuance less than its principal amount, such as a zero-coupon bond), which generally includes
“payment-in-kind” or “PIK” bonds, the Fund generally is required to annually include in its taxable income
a portion of the OID as ordinary income, even though the Fund may not receive cash payments attributable
to the OID until a later date, potentially until maturity or disposition of the obligation. A portion of the
OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate discount obligations may be treated as a
dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Similarly, if a Fund purchases a debt obligation with market discount
(generally a debt obligation with a purchase price after original issuance less than its principal amount (reduced
by any OID)) and a Fund elects to include market discount in income as it accrues, the Fund generally is required
to annually include in its taxable income a portion of the market discount as ordinary income, even though
the Acquiring Fund may not receive cash payments attributable to the market discount until a later date,
potentially until maturity or disposition of the obligation. A Fund generally will be required to make cash distributions
to shareholders representing the OID or market discount income on debt obligations that is currently
includible in income, even though the cash representing such income may not have been received by a Fund.
Cash to pay such distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund which a Fund
otherwise might have continued to hold; obtaining such cash might be disadvantageous for the Fund.
If
a Fund invests in distressed debt obligations or obligations of issuers that later become distressed, including debt
obligations of issuers not currently paying interest or who are in default, special tax issues may exist for the
Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when a Fund may cease to
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accrue
interest, OID, or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless
securities, and how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and
income. A Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included
in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income under
current law). These and other related issues will be addressed by a Fund when, as, and if it invests in such securities,
in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to not become subject to U.S. federal income
or excise tax.
If
an option granted by a Fund is sold, lapses or is otherwise terminated through a closing transaction, such as a repurchase
by the Fund of the option from its holder, the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain or loss, depending
on whether the premium income is greater or less than the amount paid by the Fund in the closing transaction.
Some capital losses realized by a Fund in the sale, exchange, exercise, or other disposition of an option
may be deferred if they result from a position that is part of a “straddle,” discussed below. If securities are
sold by a Fund pursuant to the exercise of a covered call option granted by it, the Fund generally will add the premium
received to the sale price of the securities delivered in determining the amount of gain or loss on the sale.
If securities are purchased by a Fund pursuant to the exercise of a put option granted by it, the Fund generally
will subtract the premium received from its cost basis in the securities purchased.
Some
regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and non-equity, listed options used by a Fund
will be deemed “Section 1256 contracts.” A Fund will be required to “mark-to-market” any such contracts held
at the end of the taxable year by treating them as if they had been sold on the last day of that year at market
value. Provided such positions are held as capital assets and are not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part
of a “straddle,” 60% of any net gain or loss realized on all dispositions of Section 1256 contracts, including deemed
dispositions under the “mark-to-market” rule, generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss,
and the remaining 40% will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss (although certain foreign currency gains
and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss (as described below)). These provisions
may require a Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Transactions that
qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule and the “60%/40%” rule and may require
the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on certain futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and non-equity
options.
Foreign
currency gains and losses realized by a Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated
debt obligations, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments
relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, or payables or receivables denominated in a foreign currency
are subject to Section 988 of the Code, which generally causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary
income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund’s income. Under future
U.S. Treasury regulations, any such transactions that are not directly related to a Fund’s investments in stock
or securities (or its options contracts or futures contracts with respect to stock or securities) may have to be
limited in order to enable the Fund to satisfy the 90% income test described above. If the net foreign currency
loss exceeds a Fund’s net investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for
a taxable year, the resulting ordinary loss for such year will not be deductible by the Fund or its shareholders in
future years.
Offsetting
positions held by a Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as financial forward, futures, and
options contracts, may be considered, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to constitute “straddles.” “Straddles”
are defined to include “offsetting positions” in actively traded personal property. The tax treatment of
“straddles” is governed by Section 1092 of the Code which, in certain circumstances, overrides or modifies the
provisions of Section 1256. If a Fund is treated as entering into a “straddle” and at least one (but not all) of the
Fund’s positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256 of the
Code, described above, then such straddle could be characterized as a “mixed straddle.” A Fund may make one
or more elections with respect to “mixed straddles.” Depending upon which election is made, if any, the results
with respect to a Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established
by a Fund, losses realized by the Fund may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting
positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may
be recharacterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as
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short-term
capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions.
As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute qualified dividend
income (defined below) to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements (described below) and
therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Furthermore, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct
currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle, including
any interest expense on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry any positions that are
part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and
losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will
be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially
as compared to the situation where a Fund had not engaged in such transactions.
If
a Fund enters into a “constructive sale” of any appreciated financial position in stock, a partnership interest, or certain
debt instruments, the Fund will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the property and
must recognize gain (but not loss) with respect to that position. A constructive sale of an appreciated financial
position occurs when a Fund enters into certain offsetting transactions with respect to the same or substantially
identical property, including: (i) a short sale; (ii) an offsetting notional principal contract; (iii) a futures
or forward contract; or (iv) other transactions identified in future U.S. Treasury regulations. The character
of the gain from constructive sales will depend upon a Fund’s holding period in the appreciated financial
position. Losses realized from a sale of a position that was previously the subject of a constructive sale will
be recognized when the position is subsequently disposed of. The character of such losses will depend upon a
Fund’s holding period in the position and the application of various loss deferral provisions in the Code. Constructive
sale treatment does not apply to certain closed transactions, including if such a transaction is closed
on or before the 30th day after the close of the Fund’s taxable year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial
position unhedged throughout the 60-day period beginning with the day such transaction was closed.
The
amount of long-term capital gain a Fund may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests
in certain pass-through entities is limited under the Code’s constructive ownership rules. The amount of
long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain a Fund would have had if the Fund directly invested
in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount
is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary
income.
In
addition, a Fund’s transactions in securities and certain types of derivatives (e.g., options, futures contracts, forward
contracts, and swap agreements) may be subject to other special tax rules, such as the wash sale rules or
the short sale rules, the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause
adjustments to the holding periods of the Fund’s securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term
capital gains, and/or convert short-term capital losses into long- term capital losses. These rules could
therefore affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders.
Rules
governing the U.S. federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear
in certain respects, particularly in light of IRS revenue rulings that held that income from a derivative contract
with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Accordingly, while each Fund intends
to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment.
If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of a Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized. Certain requirements
that must be met under the Code in order for each Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to
which a Fund will be able to engage in derivatives transactions.
Certain
Funds may invest in a wholly-owned subsidiary classified as a controlled foreign corporation, or “CFC,” for
federal income tax purposes. As a result, a Fund may be required to include in its gross income for federal income
tax purposes all or a significant portion of the income of such subsidiary, referred to as subpart F income,
whether or not the subsidiary makes a distribution to such Fund. Distributions by a CFC to a Fund will not
be taxable to such Fund to the extent that the Fund has previously recognized subpart F income. This subpart
F income is generally treated as ordinary income, regardless of the character of the CFC’s underlying income.
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In
2016, the IRS and Treasury issued proposed regulations that require a passive foreign investment company or
a CFC, including those that invest in certain commodities investments, to distribute income in order for the income
to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement. Therefore, to the extent a Fund invests directly in a CFC of
PFIC, the IRS may contest the Fund’s characterization of the income produced by such assets as qualifying income
which, if successful, could cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC. Each Fund and its investment manager
plan to direct investments of the Fund’s assets in conformance with the proposed regulations, IRS guidance,
and the advice of counsel. In addition, a Fund may not have more than 25% of the value of its assets invested
in a subsidiary to meet the Diversification Requirement. The value of a Fund’s subsidiary may be volatile
and it may be difficult for such Fund to continue to have less than 25% of the value of its assets invested in
a subsidiary. Accordingly, each Fund’s ability to invest in a subsidiary may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement
or Diversification Requirement. Each Fund will account for its investments in a subsidiary in a manner
it deems to be appropriate. However, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such
treatment, the status of such Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.
A
Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). Investments in REIT equity securities may require a
Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions,
the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to
do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other
times result in the Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings. If the Fund distributes these amounts,
these distributions could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for U.S. federal income tax
purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income
and will not qualify for the dividends-received deduction. In addition, between 2018 and 2025, a direct REIT
shareholder may claim a 20% “qualified business income” deduction for ordinary REIT dividends, and proposed
regulations issued in January 2019 (on which taxpayers may currently rely) permit a RIC to pass through
to its shareholders the special character of this income. Ordinary dividends received by a Fund from a REIT
will generally not constitute qualified dividend income, which would be eligible for tax at a reduced rate.
A
Fund may invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”)
or in other interests that may be treated as taxable mortgage pools (“TMPs”) for U.S. federal income
tax purposes. Under IRS guidance, a Fund must allocate “excess inclusion income” received directly or indirectly
from REMIC residual interests or TMPs to its shareholders in proportion to dividends paid to such shareholders,
with the same consequences as if the shareholders had invested in the REMIC residual interests or TMPs
directly.
In
general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject
to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) constitutes unrelated business taxable income to
Keogh, 401(k) and qualified pension plans, as well as investment retirement accounts and certain other tax exempt
entities, thereby potentially requiring such an entity, which otherwise might not be required to file a tax return,
to file a tax return and pay tax on such income, and (iii) in the case of a foreign shareholder, does not qualify
for any reduction, by treaty or otherwise, in the 30% U.S. federal withholding tax. In addition, if at any time
during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined in the Code) is a record holder of a share in a
Fund, then the Fund will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year
that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the highest federal corporate income tax rate.
To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, a Fund may elect to specially allocate any such tax to the applicable
disqualified organization, and thus reduce such shareholder’s distributions for the year by the amount of
the tax that relates to such shareholder’s interest in the Fund. The Funds have not yet determined whether such
an election will be made.
“Passive
foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”) are generally defined as foreign corporations with respect to which
at least 75% of their gross income for their taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends,
certain rents and royalties, or capital gains) or at least 50% of their assets on average produce such passive
income. If a Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax
and interest charges on “excess distributions” received from the PFIC or on gain from the sale of such equity interest
in the PFIC, even if all income or gain actually received by the Fund is timely distributed to its
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shareholders.
Excess distributions will be characterized as ordinary income even though, absent the application of
PFIC rules, some excess distributions may have been classified as capital gain.
A
Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges
incurred with respect to PFICs. Elections may be available that would ameliorate these adverse tax consequences,
but such elections could require a Fund to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent
receipt of cash. Investments in PFICs could also result in the treatment of associated capital gains as ordinary
income. The Funds may attempt to limit and/or manage their holdings in PFICs to minimize their tax liability
or maximize their returns from these investments but there can be no assurance that they will be able to
do so. Moreover, because it is not always possible to identify a foreign corporation as a PFIC in advance of acquiring
shares in the corporation, a Fund may incur the tax and interest charges described above in some instances.
Dividends paid by PFICs will not be eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.
In
addition to the investments described above, prospective shareholders should be aware that other investments
made by the Funds may involve complex tax rules that may result in income or gain recognition by the
Funds without corresponding current cash receipts. Although the Funds seek to avoid significant non-cash income,
such non-cash income could be recognized by the Funds, in which case the Funds may distribute cash derived
from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described above. In this regard,
the Funds could be required at times to liquidate investments prematurely in order to satisfy their minimum
distribution requirements.
Taxation
of Distributions. Except for exempt-interest
dividends (defined below) paid out by “Tax-Free Funds”, distributions
paid out of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year),
whether paid in cash or reinvested in the Fund, generally are deemed to be taxable distributions and must be
reported by each shareholder who is required to file a U.S. federal income tax return. Dividends and distributions
on a Fund’s shares are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax as described herein to the extent
they do not exceed the Fund’s realized income and gains, even though such dividends and distributions may
economically represent a return of a particular shareholder’s investment. Such distributions are likely to occur
in respect of shares acquired at a time when the Fund’s net asset value reflects gains that are either unrealized,
or realized but not distributed. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, a Fund’s earnings and profits, described
above, are determined at the end of the Fund’s taxable year and are allocated pro rata to distributions paid
over the entire year. Distributions in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will first
be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder’s tax basis in the shareholder’s Fund shares
and then as capital gain. A Fund may make distributions in excess of its earnings and profits, from time to
time.
For
U.S. federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income,
and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that a Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable
as ordinary income. Distributions properly designated by a Fund as capital gain dividends will be taxable to
shareholders as long-term capital gain (to the extent such distributions do not exceed the Fund’s net capital gain
for the taxable year), regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares, and do not qualify as dividends
for purposes of the dividends-received deduction or as qualified dividend income. Each Fund will report
capital gain dividends, if any, in a written statement furnished to its shareholders after the close of the Fund’s
taxable year.
Fluctuations
in foreign currency exchange rates may result in foreign exchange gain or loss on transactions in foreign
currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations, and certain foreign currency options, futures
contracts and forward contracts. Such gains or losses are generally characterized as ordinary income or loss
for tax purposes. The Fund must make certain distributions in order to not become subject to U.S. federal income
or excise tax, and the timing of and character of transactions such as foreign currency-related gains and losses
may result in the fund paying a distribution treated as a return of capital. Such distribution is nontaxable to
the extent of the recipient’s basis in its shares.
Sales
and Exchanges of Fund Shares. If a shareholder
sells, pursuant to a cash or in-kind redemption, or exchanges
the shareholder’s Fund shares, subject to the discussion below, the shareholder generally will recognize
a taxable capital gain or loss on the difference between the amount received for the shares (or
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deemed
received in the case of an exchange) and the shareholder’s tax basis in the shares. This gain or loss will be
long-term capital gain or loss if the shareholder has held such Fund shares for more than one year at the time of
the sale or exchange, and short-term otherwise.
If
a shareholder sells or exchanges Fund shares within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January
31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired
those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the
Fund or a different RIC, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund’s shares generally shall not
be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on
the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally
will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Also, if a shareholder recognizes a loss on a disposition
of Fund shares, the loss will be disallowed under the “wash sale” rules to the extent the shareholder purchases
substantially identical shares within the 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after
the disposition. Any disallowed loss generally will be reflected in an adjustment to the tax basis of the purchased
shares.
If
a shareholder receives a capital gain dividend with respect to any Fund share and such Fund share is held for six
months or less, then (unless otherwise disallowed) any loss on the sale or exchange of that Fund share will be treated
as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain dividend. If such loss is incurred from the redemption
of shares pursuant to a periodic redemption plan then U.S. Treasury regulations may permit an exception
to this six-month rule. No such regulations have been issued as of the date of this SAI.
In
addition, if a shareholder of a Tax-Free Fund holds such Fund shares for six months or less, any loss on the sale
or exchange of those shares will be disallowed to the extent of the amount of exempt-interest dividends (defined
below) received with respect to the shares. If such loss is incurred from the redemption of shares pursuant
to a periodic redemption plan then U.S. Treasury regulations may permit an exception to this six-month
rule. Such a loss will also not be disallowed where the loss is incurred with respect to shares of a Fund that
declares exempt-interest dividends on a daily basis in an amount equal to at least 90% of its net-tax exempt
interest and distributes such dividends on a monthly, or more frequent, basis. Additionally, where a Fund
regularly distributes at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest, if any, the Treasury Department is authorized
to issue regulations reducing the six month holding period requirement to a period of not less than the
greater of 31 days or the period between regular distributions. No such regulations have been issued as of the
date of this filing.
Foreign
Taxes. Amounts realized by a Fund from
sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and
other taxes imposed by such countries. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes is recoverable by
the Fund, the unrecovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received from such securities.
If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities
of foreign corporations, the Fund will be eligible to file an annual election with the IRS pursuant to which
the Fund may pass-through to its shareholders on a pro rata basis certain foreign income and similar taxes
paid by the Fund, and such taxes may be claimed, subject to certain limitations, either as a tax credit or deduction
by the shareholders. However, even if a Fund qualifies for the election for any year, it may decide not to
make the election for such year. If a Fund does not so elect, then shareholders will not be entitled to claim a credit
or deduction with respect to foreign taxes paid or withheld. If a Fund does elect to “pass through” its foreign
taxes paid in a taxable year, the Fund will furnish a written statement to its shareholders reporting such shareholders
proportionate share of the Funds’ foreign taxes paid.
Even
if a Fund qualifies for the election, foreign income and similar taxes will only pass through to the Fund’s shareholders
if the Fund and its shareholders meet certain holding period requirements. Specifically, (i) the shareholders
must have held the Fund shares for at least 16 days during the 31-day period beginning 15 days prior
to the date upon which the shareholders became entitled to receive Fund distributions corresponding with the
pass through of such foreign taxes paid by the Fund, and (ii) with respect to dividends received by the Fund on
foreign shares giving rise to such foreign taxes, the Fund must have held the shares for at least 16 days during
the 31-day period beginning 15 days prior to the date upon which the Fund became entitled to the
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dividend.
These holding periods increase for certain dividends on preferred stock. A Fund may choose not to make
the election if the Fund has not satisfied its holding requirement.
If
a Fund makes the election, the Fund will not be permitted to claim a credit or deduction for foreign taxes paid in
that year, and the Fund’s dividends-paid deduction will be increased by the amount of foreign taxes paid that year.
Fund shareholders that have satisfied the holding period requirements and certain other requirements shall
include their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund in their gross income and treat that amount
as paid by them for the purpose of the foreign tax credit or deduction. If the shareholder claims a credit for
foreign taxes paid, the credit will be limited to the extent it exceeds the shareholder’s federal income tax attributable
to foreign source taxable income. If the credit is attributable, wholly or in part, to qualified dividend income
(as defined below), special rules will be used to limit the credit in a manner that reflects any resulting dividend
rate differential.
In
general, an individual with $300 ($600 if married filing jointly) or less of creditable foreign taxes may elect to be
exempt from the foreign source taxable income and qualified dividend income limitations if the individual has
no foreign source income other than qualified passive income. A deduction for foreign taxes paid may only be
claimed by shareholders that itemize their deductions. Notably, for tax years between 2018 and 2025, miscellaneous
itemized deductions are suspended for non-corporate taxpayers. Accordingly, during this time period,
individuals may be more likely to take advantage of a foreign tax credit. Shareholders should consult their
tax advisers regarding the impact of these changes on their personal situation.
U.S.
Federal Income Tax Rates. Noncorporate
Fund shareholders (i.e., individuals, trusts and estates) currently are
taxed at a maximum rate of 37% on ordinary income and 20% on long-term capital gain.
In
general, “qualified dividend income” realized by noncorporate Fund shareholders is taxable at the same rate as
net capital gain. Generally, qualified dividend income is dividend income attributable to certain U.S. and foreign
corporations, as long as certain holding period requirements are met. All dividend income, other than qualified
dividend income, generally will be taxed at the same rate as ordinary income. If 95% or more of a Fund’s gross
income (excluding net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) constitutes qualified dividend
income, all of its distributions (other than capital gain dividends) will be generally treated as qualified dividend
income in the hands of individual shareholders, as long as they have owned their Fund shares for at least
61 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date (or, in the case of certain
preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date). In general, if less
than 95% of a Fund’s income is attributable to qualified dividend income, then only the portion of the Fund’s
distributions that is attributable to qualified dividend income and designated as such in a timely manner will
be so treated in the hands of individual shareholders. Payments received by a Fund from securities lending, repurchase,
and other derivative transactions ordinarily will not qualify as qualified dividend income. The rules attributable
to the qualification of Fund distributions as qualified dividend income are complex, including the holding
period requirements. Individual Fund shareholders therefore are urged to consult their own tax advisers and
financial planners. Income and bond Funds typically do not distribute significant amounts of “qualified dividend
income” eligible for reductions in individual U.S. federal income tax rates.
The
maximum stated corporate U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and net capital gain currently
is 21%. Actual marginal tax rates may be higher for some shareholders, for example, through reductions
in deductions. Subject to limitations and other rules, a corporate shareholder of a Fund may not be eligible
for the dividends received deduction on Fund distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund
from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such
a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends-received deduction may be subject to certain
reductions, and a distribution by a Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible
for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. These requirements are complex;
therefore, corporate shareholders of the Funds are urged to consult their own tax advisers and financial
planners. The amount of tax payable by any taxpayer will be affected by a combination of tax laws covering,
for example, deductions, credits, deferrals, exemptions, sources of income and other matters.
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Noncorporate
Fund shareholders with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) generally
will be subject to a 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” which ordinarily includes taxable distributions
received from the Funds and taxable gain on the disposition of Fund shares.
Backup
Withholding. A Fund is generally required
to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions
(such as for certain corporate or foreign shareholders), an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and
redemption proceeds (including proceeds from exchanges and redemptions in-kind) paid or credited to a Fund
shareholder if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with a correct “taxpayer identification number” (“TIN”),
(ii) the shareholder fails to certify under penalties of perjury that the TIN provided is correct, (iii) the shareholder
fails to make certain other certifications, or (iv) the IRS notifies the Fund that the shareholder’s TIN is
incorrect or that the shareholder is otherwise subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional
tax imposed on the shareholder. The shareholder may apply amounts withheld as a credit against the shareholder’s
U.S. federal income tax liability and may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld, provided that
the required information is furnished to the IRS. If a shareholder fails to furnish a valid TIN upon request, the
shareholder can also be subject to IRS penalties. A shareholder may generally avoid backup withholding by furnishing
a properly completed IRS Form W-9. State backup withholding may also be required to be withheld by
the Funds under certain circumstances.
Foreign
Shareholders. For purposes of this discussion,
“foreign shareholders” include: (i) nonresident alien individuals,
(ii) foreign trusts (i.e., a trust other than a trust with respect to which a U.S. court is able to exercise primary
supervision over administration of that trust and one or more U.S. persons have authority to control substantial
decisions of that trust), (iii) foreign estates (i.e., the income of which is not subject to U.S. tax regardless
of source), and (iv) foreign corporations.
Distributions
made to foreign shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal
income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct
of a trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty
applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding
and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject
to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the
case of corporations) and the foreign shareholder will be subject to federal income tax reporting requirements
generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.
Under
U.S. federal tax law, a foreign shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax
on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Funds and on long-term
capital gains dividends, provided that the Funds obtain a properly completed and signed certificate of
foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business
carried on by the foreign shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable
to a permanent establishment in the United States of the foreign shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual
foreign shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating
183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of
the Funds constitute U.S. real property interests (“USRPIs”), as described below.
Under
current law, if a Fund is considered to be a “United States Real Property Holding Corporation” (as defined in
the Code and Treasury Regulations), then distributions attributable to certain underlying real estate investment
trust (“REIT”) investments and redemption proceeds paid to a foreign shareholder that owns at least
5% of a Fund, generally will cause the foreign shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively
connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject to such gain or distribution withholding
tax and cause the foreign shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in
any year when at least 50% of a Fund’s assets are USRPIs (as defined in the Code and Treasury Regulations), distributions
of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject
to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder’s percentage interest in the Fund) and may require
the foreign shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld
amount.
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Subject
to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable
to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Funds. The federal income tax withholding
rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United
States and the foreign shareholder’s country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits,
a foreign shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status
(generally by providing a Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN).
Pursuant
to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments
of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii)
certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding
agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing
the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is
subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a foreign shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding
tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross
proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January
1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.
Before
investing in a Fund’s shares, a prospective foreign shareholder should consult with its own tax advisors,
including whether the shareholder’s investment can qualify for benefits under an applicable income tax
treaty.
Tax-Deferred
Plans. Shares of the Funds may be available
for a variety of tax-deferred retirement and other tax-advantaged
plans and accounts. However, shares of a Tax-Free Fund may not be suitable for tax-deferred, retirement
and other tax-advantaged plans and accounts, since such plans and accounts are generally tax-exempt
and, therefore, would not benefit from the tax-exempt status of certain distributions from the Tax-Free
Fund (discussed below). Such distributions may ultimately be taxable to the beneficiaries when distributed
to them.
Prospective
investors should contact their tax advisers and financial planners regarding the tax consequences to
them of holding Fund shares through such plans and/or accounts.
Tax-Exempt
Shareholders. Shares of a Tax-Free Fund
may not be suitable for tax-exempt shareholders since such
shareholders generally would not benefit from the tax-exempt status of distributions from the Tax-Free Funds
(discussed below). Tax-exempt shareholders should contact their tax advisers and financial planners regarding
the tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds.
Any
investment in residual interests of a collateralized mortgage obligation that has elected to be treated as a REMIC
can create complex U.S. federal income tax consequences, especially if a Fund has state or local governments
or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.
Special
tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts (“CRTs”) (as defined in Section 664 of the Code) that
invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. CRTs
are urged to consult their own tax advisers and financial planners concerning these special tax consequences.
Foreign
Bank and Financial Accounts and Foreign Financial Assets Reporting Requirements.
A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more
than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax
adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial
Accounts.
Also,
under recently enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future
U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in “specified foreign
financial assets” on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances
stockholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund’s “specified foreign financial
assets” (if any) under these new rules.
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Shareholders
may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. Shareholders
are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements
are applicable to them.
Tax
Shelter Reporting Regulations. Generally,
under U.S. Treasury regulations, if an individual shareholder recognizes
a loss of $2 million or more or if a corporate shareholder recognizes a loss of $10 million or more, the shareholder
must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these
regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper.
Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light
of their individual circumstances.
Additional
Considerations for the Tax-Free Funds.
If at least 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close
of each quarter of its taxable years consists of debt obligations that generate interest exempt from U.S. federal
income tax under Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code, then the Fund may qualify to pass through to
its shareholders the tax-exempt character of its income from such debt obligations by paying exempt-interest
dividends. The Tax-Free Funds intend to so qualify and are designed to provide shareholders with
income exempt from U.S. federal income tax in the form of exempt-interest dividends. “Exempt-interest dividends”
are dividends (other than capital gain dividends) paid by a RIC that are properly reported as such in a written
statement furnished to shareholders.
Each
Tax-Free Fund will report to its shareholders the portion of the distributions for the taxable year that constitutes
exempt-interest dividends. The designated portion cannot exceed the excess of the amount of interest
excludable from gross income under Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code received by a Tax-Free Fund
during the taxable year over any amounts disallowed as deductions under Sections 265 and 171(a)(2) of the
Internal Revenue Code. Interest on indebtedness incurred to purchase or carry shares of the Tax-Free Funds will
not be deductible to the extent that the Tax-Free Funds’ distributions are exempt from U.S. federal income tax.
In addition, an investment in a Tax-Free Fund may result in liability for U.S. federal alternative minimum tax (“AMT”)
for noncorporate shareholders. Certain deductions and exemptions have been designated “tax preference
items” which must be added back to taxable income for purposes of calculating the U.S. federal AMT for
noncorporate shareholders. Tax preference items include tax-exempt interest on certain “private activity bonds.”
To the extent a Tax-Free Fund invests in certain private activity bonds, its shareholders will be required to
report that portion of the Fund’s distributions attributable to income from the bonds as a tax preference item
in determining noncorporate shareholders’ U.S. federal AMT, if any. Shareholders will be notified of the tax status
of distributions made by a Tax-Free Fund.
Persons
who may be “substantial users” (or “related persons” of substantial users) of facilities financed by private
activity bonds should consult their tax advisers before purchasing shares in a Tax-Free Fund. Furthermore,
noncorporate shareholders will not be permitted to deduct any of their share of a Tax-Free Fund’s expenses
in computing their U.S. federal AMT. As of the date of this filing, individuals are subject to the U.S. federal
AMT at a maximum rate of 28%. Corporations are not subject to the U.S. federal AMT for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2017. Shareholders with questions or concerns about the U.S. federal AMT should
consult own their own tax advisers.
The
IRS is paying increased attention to whether debt obligations intended to produce interest exempt from U.S.
federal income tax in fact meet the requirements for such exemption. Ordinarily, the Tax-Free Funds rely on
opinions from the issuer’s bond counsel that interest on the issuer’s debt obligation will be exempt from U.S. federal
income tax. However, no assurance can be given that the IRS will not successfully challenge such exemption,
which could cause interest on the debt obligation to be taxable and could jeopardize a Tax-Free Fund’s
ability to pay any exempt-interest dividends. Similar challenges may occur as to state-specific exemptions.
A
shareholder who receives Social Security or railroad retirement benefits should consult the shareholder’s own tax
adviser to determine what effect, if any, an investment in a Tax-Free Fund may have on the U.S. federal taxation
of such benefits. Exempt-interest dividends are included in income for purposes of determining the amount
of benefits that are taxable.
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Distributions
of a Tax-Free Fund’s income other than exempt-interest dividends generally will be taxable to shareholders.
Gains realized by a Tax-Free Fund on the sale or exchange of investments that generate tax-exempt
income will also be taxable to shareholders.
Although
exempt-interest dividends are generally exempt from U.S. federal income tax, there may not be a similar
exemption under the laws of a particular state or local taxing jurisdiction. Thus, exempt-interest dividends
may be subject to state and local taxes. You should consult your own tax advisor to discuss the tax consequences
of your investment in a Tax-Free Fund.
Legislative
Proposals. Prospective shareholders should
recognize that the present U.S. federal income tax treatment
of the Funds and their shareholders may be modified by legislative, judicial or administrative actions at
any time, which may be retroactive in effect. The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly
under review by Congress, the IRS and the Treasury Department, and statutory changes as well as promulgation
of new regulations, revisions to existing statutes, and revised interpretations of established concepts
occur frequently. You should consult your advisors concerning the status of legislative proposals that may
pertain to holding Fund shares.
Cost
Basis Reporting
Each
Fund or its delegate is required to report cost basis information for shareholders who are individuals and S Corporations
to the Internal Revenue Service for redemptions of Fund shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012. This
information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. If a shareholder
is a corporation and has not instructed a Fund that it is a C corporation by written instruction, the Fund
will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.
Fund
shareholders should consult their tax advisors to obtain more information about how the new cost basis rules
apply to them and determine which cost basis method allowed by the Internal Revenue Service is best for their
tax situation. Methods allowed by the IRS include, but are not limited to:
| ■ |
Average
Cost. The cost per share is determined by dividing
the aggregate cost amount by the total shares in the account.
The basis of the shares redeemed is determined by multiplying the shares redeemed by the cost per
share. Starting in 2012, accounts may maintain two separate average costs: one average for covered shares
and a separate average for noncovered shares. Under the Average Cost method, noncovered shares are generally
depleted first. |
| ■ |
First
in first out (FIFO). Shares acquired first in the shareholder’s
account are the first shares depleted and determine the
shareholder’s cost basis. The basis of the shares redeemed is determined by the adjusted purchase
price of each date the shares were acquired. |
| ■ |
Specific
Identification. A shareholder selects the shares to
be redeemed from any of the purchase lots that still have
shares remaining. The basis of the shares redeemed is determined by the adjusted purchase price of each
date the shares were acquired. |
In
the absence of a shareholder method election, the Fund will apply its default method, Average Cost. If the Average
Cost method is applied either by default or at the shareholder’s election, the shareholder’s ability to change
such election once a sale occurs will be limited under the IRS rules. After an election has been made, but before
a disposition of shares occurs, a shareholder may make a retroactive change to an alternate method. The cost
basis method a shareholder elects may not be changed with respect to a redemption of shares after the settlement
date of the redemption. At any time, a shareholder may designate a new election for future purchases.
Redemptions
of shares acquired prior to January 1, 2012 will continue to be reported using the Average Cost method,
if available, and will not be reported to the IRS.
Money
Market Fund Shares. The cost basis reporting
rules described above do not apply to shares in money market
funds. Beginning in 2016, pursuant to SEC rules, certain money market funds began using a floating net asset
value rather than a stable net asset value. However, the IRS has issued regulations that permit taxpayers to
utilize a simplified method of accounting for gains and losses from redemptions of shares in money market funds
that have a floating net asset value (the “NAV method”). If taxpayers properly elect the NAV method, taxpayers
will not compute gain or loss for each redemption. Instead, taxpayers utilizing the NAV method, will
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aggregate
the gains and losses for a period and report the aggregate gain or loss on an annual basis. If taxpayers do
not elect the NAV method, the wash sales rules shall not apply to losses generated by the redemption of money
market shares. Any capital gains or losses reported utilizing the NAV method will be short-term capital gains
or losses.
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CONTROL
PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL FUND HOLDERS
The
Funds are eleven series of the Trust in the Wells Fargo family of funds. The Trust was organized as a Delaware
statutory trust on March 10, 1999.
Most
of the Trust’s series are authorized to issue multiple classes of shares, one class generally subject to a front-end
sales charge and, in some cases, classes subject to a CDSC, that are offered to retail investors. Certain of
the Trust’s series also are authorized to issue other classes of shares, which are sold primarily to institutional investors.
Each share in a series represents an equal, proportionate interest in the series with all other shares. Shareholders
bear their pro rata portion of a series’ operating expenses, except for certain class-specific expenses
(e.g., any state securities registration fees, shareholder servicing fees or distribution fees that may be paid
under Rule 12b-1) that are allocated to a particular class. Please contact Investor Services at 1-800-222-8222
if you would like additional information about other series or classes of shares offered.
With
respect to matters affecting one class but not another, shareholders vote as a class; for example, the approval
of a Plan. Subject to the foregoing, all shares of a Fund have equal voting rights and will be voted in the aggregate,
and not by series, except where voting by a series is required by law or where the matter involved only
affects one series. For example, a change in a Fund’s fundamental investment policy affects only one series and
would be voted upon only by shareholders of the Fund involved. Additionally, approval of an advisory agreement,
since it affects only one Fund, is a matter to be determined separately by each series. Approval by the
shareholders of one series is effective as to that series whether or not sufficient votes are received from the shareholders
of the other series to approve the proposal as to those series.
As
used in the Prospectus(es) and in this SAI, the term “majority,” when referring to approvals to be obtained from
shareholders of a class of shares of a Fund means the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the class represented
at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the class are present in person
or by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the class of the Fund. The term “majority,”
when referring to approvals to be obtained from shareholders of the Fund, means the vote of the lesser
of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding
shares of the Fund are present in person or by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares
of the Fund. The term “majority,” when referring to the approvals to be obtained from shareholders of the
Trust as a whole, means the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% of the Trust’s shares represented at a meeting if the
holders of more than 50% of the Trust’s outstanding shares are present in person or by proxy, or (ii) more than
50% of the Trust’s outstanding shares.
Shareholders
are not entitled to any preemptive rights. All shares are issued in uncertificated form only, and, when
issued will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust. The Trust may dispense with an annual meeting of
shareholders in any year in which it is not required to elect Trustees under the 1940 Act.
Each
share of a class of a Fund represents an equal proportional interest in the Fund with each other share of the
same class and is entitled to such dividends and distributions out of the income earned on the assets belonging
to the Fund as are declared in the discretion of the Trustees. In the event of the liquidation or dissolution
of the Trust, shareholders of a Fund are entitled to receive the assets attributable to that Fund that are
available for distribution, and a distribution of any general assets not attributable to a particular Fund that are
available for distribution in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion may determine.
From
time to time, the Manager and/or its affiliates may invest seed capital in a Fund. These investments are generally
intended to enable the Fund to commence investment operations and/or achieve sufficient scale. The Manager
and/or its affiliates may redeem some or all of its seed capital investment in a Fund at any time and without
prior notice, including at a time when such Fund has not otherwise achieved sufficient scale. The redemption
of seed capital may adversely affect a Fund and its shareholders, including by causing the Fund to realize
gains that will be distributed and may be taxable to remaining shareholders of the Fund, increasing the Fund’s
operating expense ratio and transaction costs and leaving the Fund with remaining assets that are insufficient
to support the Fund’s continued operation.
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Set
forth below as of November 2, 2020 the following owned of record and/or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding
shares of a class or 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund, as applicable. Additionally, as of
November 2, 2020, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust, as a group, beneficially owned less than 1% of the outstanding
shares of the Trust.
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Classic
Value Fund Class A |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
35.31%
|
|
Classic
Value Fund Class C |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services A/C 6688-0139 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
53.01%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
5.85%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
8.38%
|
|
Classic
Value Fund Class R |
|
|
Mid
Atlantic Trust Company FBO Twin Networks Inc 401K Profit
Sharing Plan & Trust 1251 Waterfront Place Suite
525 Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4228 |
74.92%
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-091 525 Market Street, 12th Floor San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
18.36%
|
|
FIIOC
401K Plan FBO Barkley Buick GMC Cadillac Inc 401(k)
Plan 100 Magellan Way (KWIC) Covington,
KY 41015-1987 |
5.65%
|
|
Classic
Value Fund Class R6 |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Metro Pneumo Abex QSF Trust PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
42.33%
|
|
Nabank
& Co PO Box 2180 Tulsa,
OK 74101-2180 |
32.88%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual funds Attn:
Courtney Waller 880 Carillon Pkwy St
Petersburg, FL 33716-1100 |
22.81%
|
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Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
107 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Classic
Value Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
5.50%
|
|
Classic
Value Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
Newport
Police and Fire Pension Plans Attn Laura L. Sitrin City
Hall 43 Broadway Newport,
RI 02840-2746 |
21.24%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
14.98%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
12.80%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
11.31%
|
|
City
of Newport Opeb Trust Attn Laura L. Sitrin City
Hall 43 Broadway Newport,
RI 02840-2746 |
7.69%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual funds Attn:
Courtney Waller 880 Carillon Pkwy St
Petersburg, FL 33716-1100 |
6.57%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Class A |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
24.39%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
7.55%
|
|
MLPF&S For
The Sole Benefit of Its Customers Attn: Mutual Fund
Administration 4800 Deer Lake Dr E FL 3 Jacksonville,
FL 32246-6484 |
5.23%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Class C |
|
| 108 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
37.99%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Services 707 2nd Avenue South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
25.05%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
6.50%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customer 1 New York Plz Floor 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
5.32%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Class R |
|
|
State
Street Bank and Trust As Trustee and/or Custodian FBO
ADP Access Product 1 Lincoln St Boston,
MA 02111-2901 |
48.98%
|
|
Alerus
Financial FBO Amitech Retirement Plan PO
Box 64535 Saint Paul, MN 55164-0535 |
10.13%
|
|
Mid
Atlantic Trust Company FBO Touchbase Global Services
401(K) Plan 1251 Waterfront Place, Suite 525 Pittsburgh,
PA 15222-4228 |
|
|
Alerus
Financial FBO Alerus Financial FBO CM Brown &
Ass 2300 S Columbia Rd Grand
Forks, ND 58201-5826 |
13.15%
|
|
Alerus
Financial FBO Battles Insurance Agency, Inc 401(k) PO
Box 64535 Saint Paul, MN 55164-0535 |
6.88%
|
|
Alerus
Financial FBO Alliance Group Technologies Corp 40 PO
Box 64535 Saint Paul, MN 55164-0535 |
6.02%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Class R6 |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Asset Allocation Fund 525 Market Street, Fl
12 San Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
74.30%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Growth Balanced Fund 525 Market Street, Fl
12 San Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
8.91%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Omnibus Cash Cash PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
5.48%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC 499 Washington Blvd Jersey
City, NJ 07310-1995 |
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
109 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account Exclusively
FBO the Customers 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
23.39%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Omnibus Account Reinv/Reinv PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
12.23%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank FBO 401(k) Accounts 1525
West WT Harris Blvd Charlotte, NC 28262-8522
|
8.90%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
8.78%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account FBO
Customers Attn Mutual Funds 211
Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
|
5.28%
|
|
High
Point Regional Health System Medical Center Blvd. Winston
Salem, NC 27157-0001 |
5.00%
|
|
Disciplined
U.S. Core Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
12.93%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
11.69%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Services 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
10.99%
|
|
MLPF&S For
The Sole Benefit of Its Customers Attn: Fund Administration 4800
Deer Lake Dr E 2nd FL Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
|
8.89%
|
|
Fleet
National Bank ING/Fleet Non-Dis Dir TTEE Agrmt ING
National Trust 403(B) Acct Central Val Unit C/O
Gordon Elrod 1 Orange Way Windsor,
CT 06095-4773 |
8.30%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual funds Attn:
Courtney Waller 880 Carillon Pkwy St
Petersburg, FL 33716-1100 |
5.62%
|
| 110 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund Class A |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
17.61%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Services 707 2nd Avenue South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
5.83%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
5.69%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account FBO
Customers Attn Mutual Funds 211
Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
|
5.47%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund Class C |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
38.71%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
16.37%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
11.90%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual Funds House
Acct Firm Attn: Courtney Waller 880
Carillon Pkwy St Petersburg, FL 33716-1100
|
11.66%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
5.97%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund Class R6 |
|
|
Wells
Fargo WealthBuilder Equity 525 Market St FL 12 San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
31.14%
|
|
Wells
Fargo WealthBuilder Growth Balanced 525 Market St
FL 12 San Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
25.73%
|
|
Wells
Fargo WealthBuilder Growth Allocation 525 Market
St FL 12 San Francisco, CA 94105-2720
|
17.91%
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
111 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Wells
Fargo WealthBuilder Moderate Balanced 525 Market
St FL 12 San Francisco, CA 94105-2720
|
12.16
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO The Reinalt Thomas Corp - WCM PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
6.65%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
Massachusetts
Mutual Insurance Co 1295 State Street Springfield,
MA 01111-0001 |
19.26%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
18.83%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA Omnibus Acct For Various Ret Plans 1525
West WT Harris Blvd Charlotte, NC 28288-1076
|
10.66%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Drive San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
7.50%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account 211
Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
|
7.12%
|
|
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plz Jersey
City, NJ 07399-0002 |
5.73%
|
|
Attn
NPIO Trade Desk DCGT as TTEE and/or Custodian FBO
PLIC Various Retirement Plans Omnibus 711
High Street Des Moines, IA 50392-0001
|
5.34%
|
|
Endeavor
Select Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
26.52%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customer 1 New York Plz FL 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
23.79%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
11.75%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
10.03%
|
| 112 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
7.73%
|
|
Growth
Fund Class A |
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of Our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
10.23%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94104-1905 |
6.92%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
6.33%
|
|
Growth
Fund Class C |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
41.05%
|
|
UBS
WM USA Omni Account M/F Special
Custody Account 1000 Harbor Blvd Weehawken,
NJ 07086-6761 |
10.64%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
9.94%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Services 707 2nd Avenue South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
9.64%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
6.87%
|
|
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plz Jersey
City, NJ 07399-0002 |
5.77%
|
|
Growth
Fund Class R6 |
|
|
JP
Morgan Securities LLC Omnibus Account for the Exclusive Benefit
of Customers 4 Chase Metrotech Center 3rd
FLoor Mutual Fund Department Brooklyn, NY 11245-0003
|
21.09%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC 499 Washington Blvd Jersey
City, NJ 07310-1995 |
10.37%
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
113 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account FBO
Customers 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94104-1905 |
7.25%
|
|
VI
Omnibus Account Vica PO Box 94597 Cleveland,
OH 44101-4597 |
8.83%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC 499 Washington Blvd Jersey
City, NJ 07310-1995 |
6.55%
|
|
PIMS
/ Prudential Retirment As Nominee For the TTEE/CUST SEPTA
457(b) Deferred 1234 Market Street, 6th Floor Philadelphia,
PA 19107-3701 |
6.11%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO CRVL-WellsCap DHR Active PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
5.63%
|
|
Growth
Fund Administrator Class |
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
Our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Fl 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
26.89%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account 211
Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
|
24.92%
|
|
Vanguard
Fiduciary Trust Company Attn: Outside Funds PO
Box 2600 Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600
|
12.17%
|
|
Growth
Fund Institutional Class |
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit Of
Our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499 Washington
Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995 |
17.99%
|
|
c/o
IPO Portfolio Accounting Nationwide Trust Company
FSB FBO Participating Retirement Plans NTC-PLNS PO
Box 182029 Columbus, OH 43218-2029 |
9.81%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Services 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
7.52%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
6.05%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
5.58%
|
| 114 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
UBS
WM USA Omni Account M/F Special
Custody Account 1000 Harbor Blvd Weehawken,
NJ 07086-6761 |
5.56%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund Class A |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
10.56%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
6.25%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund Class C |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
45.59%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual Funds House
Account Attn: Courtney Waller 880
Carillion Pkwy St Petersburg, FL 33716-1100
|
15.18%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customers 1 New York Plz FL 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
8.28%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Services 707 2nd Avenue South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
6.77%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund Class R |
|
|
Talcott
Resolution Life Insurance Company PO
Box 5051 Hartford, CT 06102-5051 |
71.48%
|
|
Massachusetts
Mutual Insurance Co. 1295 State Street Springfield,
MA 01111-0001 |
9.45%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual funds Attn:
Courtney Waller 880 Carillon Pkwy St
Petersburg, FL 33716-1100 |
6.80%
|
|
State
Street Bank and Trust As Trustee and/or Custodian FBO
ADP Access Product 1 Lincoln St. Boston,
MA 02111-2901 |
6.76%
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp for WFAM Holdings LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed
Account MAC #A0103-122 525
Market St, Fl 12 San Francisco, CA 94105-2720
|
5.51%
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
115 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund Class R6 |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Omnibus Cash/Cash PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
58.96%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Omnibus Cash Reinv PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
15.47%
|
|
MLPF&S For
The Sole Benefit of Its Customers Attn: Mutual Fund
Administration 4800 Deer Lake Dr E FL 3 Jacksonville,
FL 32246-6484 |
9.50%
|
|
VRSCO FBO
AIGFSB Cust TTEE FBO Diocese of Buffaol NY 2727-A
Allen Parkway Houston, TX 77019-2107
|
8.41%
|
|
Massachusetts
Mutual Insurance Co 1295 State Street Springfield,
MA 01111-0001 |
6.32%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
Our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
30.57%
|
|
Massachusetts
Mutual Insurance Co 1295 State Street Springfield,
MA 01111-0001 |
15.93
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn
Mutual Funds 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
13.01%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
11.78%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customer 1 New York Plz Floor 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
6.27%
|
|
Large
Cap Core Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
25.86%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual funds Attn:
Courtney Waller 880 Carillon Pkwy St
Petersburg, FL 33716-1100 |
16.37%
|
| 116 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
12.89%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
9.16%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customer 1 New York Plz Floor 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
7.43%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
5.80%
|
|
MLPF&S For
The Sole Benefit of Its Customers Attn: Mutual Fund
Administration 4800 Deer Lake Dr E FL 3 Jacksonville,
FL 32246-6484 |
5.52%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
5.92%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
Our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
5.22%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund Class C |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
34.24%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
14.86%
|
|
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plz Jersey
City, NJ 07399-0002 |
13.96%
|
|
LPL
Financial FBO Customer Accounts Attn
Mutual Fund Operations PO Box 509046 San
Diego, CA 92150-9046 |
8.55%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
5.86%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund Class R |
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
117 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Great-West
Trust Company LLC FBO Employee Benefits Clients
401K 8515 E Orchard RD 2T2 Greenwood
Village, CO 80111-5002 |
47.82%
|
|
MLPF&S For
The Sole Benefit Of Its Customers Attn: Mutual Fund
Administration 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E, FL 3 Jacksonville,
FL 32246-6484 |
22.95%
|
|
Matrix
Trust Company Custodian Brittany Sales Company 401(k)
Profit 717 17th St STE 1300 Denver,
CO 80202-3304 |
19.02%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund Class R4 |
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp for WFAM Holdings LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed
Account MAC #A0103-122 525
Market St, Fl 10 San Francisco, CA 94105-2720
|
100.00%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC 499 Washington Blvd Jersey
City, NJ 07310-1995 |
60.83%
|
|
Vanguard
Fiduciary Trust Company Attn: Outside Funds PO
Box 2600 Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600
|
14.09%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Omnibus Cash Cash PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
5.98%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn
Mutual Funds 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
56.02%
|
|
VRSCO FBO
AIGFSB Cust TTEE FBO MCG Health 403B 2929
Allen Pkwy Ste A6-20 Houston, TX 77019-7117
|
36.37%
|
|
Large
Cap Growth Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
15.45%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
Our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
12.80%
|
| 118 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank FBO Various Retirement Plans 1525
West WT Harris Blvd Charlotte, NC 28262-8522
|
8.36%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Services 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
7.71%
|
|
TIAA,
FSB Cust/TTEE FBO: Retirement Plans for Which TIAA
Acts as Recordkeeper Attn: Trust Operations 211
N Broadway Ste 1000 Saint Louis, MO 63102-2748
|
7.40%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody A/C FBO Customers Attn
Mutual Funds 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
5.55%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund Fund Level
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
25.85%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund Class A
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
28.00%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund Class C
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
77.66%
|
|
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plz Jersey
City, NJ 07399-0002 |
5.54%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund Class R6
|
|
|
Great-West
Trust Company LLC Trustee Employee Benefits Clients
401k 8515 E Orchard Road Greenwood
Village, CO 80111-5002 |
83.57%
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-122 525 Market St FL 12 San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
12.54%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank FBO Northland Insurance 1525
West WT Harris Blvd Charlotte, NC 28262-1076
|
24.90%
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
119 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
22.33%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
9.91%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Omnibus Account Reinv/Reinv PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
5.53%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank FBO Various Retirement Plans 1525
West WT Harris Blvd Charlotte, NC 28262-8522
|
5.23%
|
|
Large
Company Value Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
16.39%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
16.77%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
14.82%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account FBO
Customers Attn Mutual Funds 211
Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
|
14.22%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customers 1 New York Plz FL 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
9.37%
|
|
Raymond
James Omnibus for Mutual funds Attn:
Courtney Waller 880 Carillon Pkwy St
Petersburg, FL 33716-1100 |
6.40%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
6.23%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Fund Level
|
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-122 525 Market Street, 12th Floor San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
81.07%
|
| 120 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Class A
|
|
|
Karla
M. Rabusch Trustee Karla M. Rabusch Revocable Family
Trust 1325 Filbert St. San
Francisco, CA 94109-1723 |
35.91%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account FBO
Customers 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
26.11%
|
|
Wayne
S Badorf & Audrey A Badorf TTES Badorf
Family Trust 5294 Ambleside Dr Concord,
CA 94521-5441 |
10.00%
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-122 525 Market St FL 12 San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
6.10%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Class C
|
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-122 525 Market St FL 12 San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
35.56%
|
|
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plz Jersey
City, NJ 07399-0002 |
31.51%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave South Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
17.87%
|
|
Cetera
Inveestment Svcs (FBO) Kathleen F Wisniewski 12821
Lincoln Court Crown Point, IN 46307-9223
|
9.17%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Class R6
|
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-122 525 Market St FL 12 San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
100.00%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Administrator
Class |
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-122 525 Market St FL 12 San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
57.14%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
42.86%
|
|
Low
Volatility U.S. Equity Fund Institutional
Class |
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
121 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
Everen
Cap Corp For WFAM Hldgs LLC FBO WFFM-WFF Seed Account MAC
#A0103-122 525 Market St FL 12 San
Francisco, CA 94105-2720 |
83.91%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account FBO
Customers 211 Main Street San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
12.15%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund Fund Level |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
41.50%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund Class A |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
49.07%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
5.06%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund Class C |
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Account
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
43.33%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
Our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
9.97%
|
|
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plz Jersey
City, NJ 07399-0002 |
7.59%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Acct FBO Customers Attn
Mutual Funds 211 Main St San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
6.86%
|
|
UBS
WM USA Omni Account M/F Special
Custody Account EBOC 1000 Harbor Blvd Weehawken,
NJ 07086-6761 |
6.00%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund Class R |
|
|
Ascensus
Trust Company FBO Esterle Mold & Machine Co.
Inc. 401 PO Box 10758 Fargo,
ND 58106-0758 |
41.84%
|
| 122 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
FIIOC
(401K) Paul-Koehler-Brown Consulting Structural
Engineeres LLC 401(K) Retirement Plan 100
Magellan Way Covington, KY 41015-1987
|
9.12%
|
|
MLPF&S For
The Sole Benefit of Its Customers Attn Fund Admin 4800
Deer Lake Dr E 2nd FL Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
|
8.57%
|
|
Ascensus
Trust Company FBO The TLM Group 401K Retirement
Plan PO Box 10758 Fargo,
ND 58106-0758 |
8.19%
|
|
Ascensus
Trust Company FBO T G Miller P C Retirement Plan PO
Box 10758 Fargo, ND 58106-0758 |
7.56%
|
|
FIIOC FBO
Indusys Technology Inc. 401 (K) Profit Sharing Plan
& Trust 100 Magellan Way Covington,
KY 41015-1987 |
6.61%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
TD
Ameritrade Inc FBO Our Customers PO
Box 2226 Omaha, NE 68103-2226 |
22.13%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC 499 Washington Blvd Jersey
City, NJ 07310-1995 |
8.01%
|
|
Norman
Abraham TTE Norman Abraham Revocable Living Trust 208
E Broadway Apt J1804 New York, NY 10002-5541
|
6.83%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
5.78%
|
|
Omega
Growth Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Central MI University Endowment PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
20.17%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Bank NA FBO Central MI University Operating PO
Box 1533 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1533 |
18.96%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
12.16%
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
123 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
RBC
Capital Markets LLC Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing Omnibus Attn
Mutual Fund Ops Manager 60 S 6th St Minneapolis,
MN 55402-4413 |
11.26%
|
|
UBS
WM USA Omni Account M/F Attn:
Department Manager 1000 Harbor Blvd. Weehaken,
NJ 07086-6761 |
7.66%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
7.01%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customers 1 New York Plz FL 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
6.62%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Class A
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
21.59%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Class C
|
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
38.06%
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave S Minneapois,
MN 55402-2405 |
17.45%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Acct FBO Customers Attn
Mutual Funds 211 Main St San
Francisco, CA 94105-1905 |
7.19%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn: Mutual Fund Dept 4th Floor 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
5.59%
|
|
Pershing
LLC 1 Pershing Plz Jersey
City, NJ 07399-0002 |
5.71%
|
|
LPL
Financial Omnibus Customer Account Attn:
Mutual Fund Trading 4707 Executive Dr San
Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
5.25%
|
|
UBS
WM USA Omni Account M/F Special
Custody Account 1000 Harbor Blvd Weehawken,
NJ 07086-6761 |
5.01%
|
| 124 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
TD
Ameritrade Inc FBO Our Customers PO
Box 2226 Omaha, NE 68103-2226 |
5.28%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Class R4
|
|
|
Suntrust
Bank FBO Various Suntrust Omnibus Accounts 8515
E Orchard Rd Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5002
|
82.20%
|
|
Mid
Atlantic Trust Company FBO Wagner Plate Works LLC
401(k) Profit 1251 Waterfront Place, Suite 525 Pittsburgh,
PA 15222-4228 |
12.40%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Class R6
|
|
|
PIMS/Prudential
Retirement As Nominee for the TTEE/CUST PL State
of Connecticut Deferred 165 Capital Avenue Hartford,
CT 06106-1659 |
46.49%
|
|
PIMS/Prudential
Retirement As Nominee for the TTEE/CUST PL State
of Connecticut Alternate 165 Capital Avenue Hartford,
CT 06106-1659 |
17.41%
|
|
Great
West Trust Co. As Trustee FBO DTE
Energy Company Savings And Stock Ownership Plan 11500
Outlook St Overland Parks, KS 66211-1804
|
15.91%
|
|
PIMS/Prudential
Retirement As Nominee for the TTEE/CUST PL State
of Connecticut Section 165 Capital Avenue Hartford,
CT 06106-1659 |
10.41%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Administrator Class
|
|
|
PIMS/Prudential
Retirement As Nominee For The TTEE/CUST Retirement
Plan For Employees 911 Bypass Rd Pikeville,
KY 41501-1689 |
37.60%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of Our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
14.25%
|
|
Charles
Schwab & Co Inc Special Custody Account FBO
Customers Attn Mutual Funds 211
Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
|
9.84%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customers 2801
Market St Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
8.67%
|
| Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
|
125 |
|
|
|
Principal
Fund Holders |
|
|
TD
Ameritrade Inc FBO Our Customers PO
Box 2226 Omaha, NE 68103-2226 |
5.26%
|
|
Premier
Large Company Growth Fund Institutional Class
|
|
|
American
Enterprise Investment Svc 707 2nd Ave S Minneapolis,
MN 55402-2405 |
21.66%
|
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services LLC Special Custody Acct
For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer 2801
Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523
|
11.48%
|
|
UBS
WM USA Omni Account M/F Special
Custody Account EBOC 1000 Harbor Blvd Weehawken,
NJ 07086-6761 |
9.94%
|
|
Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC For the Exclusive Benefit
of its Customers 1 New York Plz FL 12 New
York, NY 10004-1965 |
8.59%
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Benefit of
our Customers Attn Mutual Fund Dept 4th FL 499
Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
|
6.67%
|
|
EGAP
& Co c/o People’s United Bank PO
Box 820 Burlington, VT 05402-0820 |
5.97%
|
For
purposes of the 1940 Act, any person who owns directly or through one or more controlled companies more than
25% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to “control” such company. Accordingly, to the extent
that a person identified in the foregoing table is identified as the beneficial owner of more than 25% of a Fund,
or is identified as the record owner of more than 25% of a Fund and has voting and/or investment powers, it
may be presumed to control such Fund. A controlling person’s vote could have a more significant effect on matters
presented to shareholders for approval than the vote of other Fund shareholders.
| 126 |
|
Wells
Fargo - U.S. Equity Funds |
SUPPLEMENT
TO THE
STATEMENT
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
OF
WELLS
FARGO ALTERNATIVE FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO COREBUILDER SHARES
WELLS
FARGO FACTOR-BASED FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO FIXED INCOME FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO INTERNATIONAL AND GLOBAL EQUITY FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO MONEY MARKET FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO MULTI-ASSET FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO MUNICIPAL FIXED INCOME FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO SPECIALTY FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO TARGET DATE RETIREMENT FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO U.S. EQUITY FUNDS
WELLS
FARGO VARIABLE TRUST FUNDS
(Each
a “Fund”, together the “Funds”)
The
principal investment risks of the Funds, such as “Market Risk,” are described in the Funds’ prospectuses. Information
about other
Fund risks, such as “Operational and Cybersecurity Risks,” is contained in the Funds’ Statements of Additional Information
(“SAIs”). Effective immediately, the following disclosure is added to the Funds’ SAIs under the heading “Other
Risks”
within the section entitled “Fund Investment Policies and Risks”:
COVID-19/Coronavirus.
A recent outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus was detected in Wuhan City,
Hubei Province, China and has since spread globally. The disease, coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated as “COVID-19”),
and concern about its spread has resulted in disruptions to global markets, including through border closings,
restrictions on travel and large gatherings, expedited and enhanced health screenings, quarantines, cancellations,
business and school closings, disruptions to employment and supply chains, reduced productivity, and reduced
customer and client activity in multiple markets and sectors. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced
that it had made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic. The impacts of COVID-19,
and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many
nations, particular regions, or the entire global economy, individual companies and investment products, and the market
in general. The full extent of such impacts cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. The impacts may be
short term or may last for an extended period of time, and may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic
risks in certain countries. The risk of further spreading of COVID-19 has led to significant uncertainty and volatility
in the financial markets. The value of a Fund and the securities in which a Fund invests may be adversely affected by
impacts caused by COVID-19 and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future.
WELLS
FARGO FUNDS TRUST
FILE
NOS. 333-74295; 811-09253
PART
C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item
28. Exhibits
Unless otherwise
indicated, each of the Exhibits listed below is filed herewith.
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
Exhibit
Description |
|
(a)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust dated February 18, 2016, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 448, filed February 25, 2016. |
|
(b)
|
|
Not
applicable |
|
(c)
|
|
Not
applicable |
|
(d)(1)
|
|
Investment
Management Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC dated July 1, 2015, is incorporated by reference
to Exhibit (d)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September 23, 2020. |
|
(d)(2)
|
|
Investment
Management Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC (Asset Allocation Fund) dated July 1, 2015, is
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 398, filed June 25, 2015. |
|
(d)(3)(a)
|
|
Investment
Management Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC (Absolute Return Fund) dated March 1, 2012,
is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 235, filed February 29, 2012. |
|
|
(d)(3)(b)
|
Schedule
A dated May 20, 2015 to the Investment Management Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC (Absolute
Return Fund) dated March 1, 2012, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No.
398, filed June 25, 2015. |
|
(d)(4)
|
|
Investment
Management Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC (New Funds since November 2015) dated November
18, 2015, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September 23,
2020. |
|
(d)(5)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Fee and Expense Agreement between Wells Fargo Funds Trust, Wells Fargo Master Trust and Wells Fargo
Funds Management, LLC dated June 1, 2018, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 708, filed September 23, 2020. |
|
(d)(6)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement with Wells Capital Management Incorporated dated March 1,
2001, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September 23, 2020. |
|
(d)(7)
|
|
Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement with LSV Asset Management dated February 1, 2005, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(d)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 681, filed April 2, 2020. |
|
(d)(8)(a)
|
|
Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement with Cooke & Bieler, L.P. dated March 24, 2004, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(d)(2)(xiii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 74, filed July 26, 2004. |
|
|
(d)(8)(b)
|
Appendix
A and Schedule A dated July 18, 2008, as amended March 29, 2013, to the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement with
Cooke & Bieler, L.P. dated March 24, 2004, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(9) of Post-Effective Amendment No.
295, filed April 23, 2013. |
|
(d)(9)
|
|
Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement with Artisan Partners, Limited Partnership dated March 12, 2014 is incorporated by reference
to Exhibit (d)(15) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 341, filed March 28, 2014. |
|
(d)(10)
|
|
Expense
Assumption Agreement between Wells Fargo Funds Trust and Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC dated February
29, 2008, as amended August 11, 2020, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 708, filed September 23, 2020. |
|
(d)(11)
|
|
Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement with Wells Fargo Asset Management (International) Limited dated March 1, 2019, is incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (d)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September 23, 2020. |
|
(d)(12)(a)
|
|
Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement with RCM Capital Management LLC (formerly Dresdner RCM Global Investors, LLC) dated
October 29, 2001, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(2)(vii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 32, filed February
8, 2002. |
|
|
(d)(12)(b)
|
Novation
of Sub-Advisory Agreement substituting Allianz Global Investors, U.S. LLC for RCM Capital Management LLC dated
April 1, 2013, incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 307, filed July 26, 2013. |
|
|
(d)(12)(c)
|
Appendix
dated January 26, 2008 of the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement with RCM Capital Management LLC (formerly
Dresdner RCM Global Investors, LLC) dated October 29, 2001 and Novation of Sub Advisory Agreement substituting
Allianz Global Investors, U.S. LLC for RCM Capital Management LLC dated April 1, 2013, incorporated by reference
to Exhibit (d)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 398, filed June 25, 2015. |
|
|
(d)(12)(d)
|
Schedule
A dated June 1, 2020 of the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement with RCM Capital Management LLC (formerly Dresdner
RCM Global Investors, LLC) dated October 29, 2001 and Novation of Sub-Advisory Agreement substituting Allianz
Global Investors, U.S. LLC for RCM Capital Management LLC dated April 1, 2013, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(d)(12)(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 689, filed June 23, 2020. |
|
(d)(13)
|
|
Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement with Wells Capital Management Incorporated and Wells Fargo Bank N.A. (dba Wells Capital
Management Singapore) dated May 1, 2015 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 696, filed July 24, 2020. |
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
Exhibit
Description |
|
(e)(1)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Distribution Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC dated February 20, 2014, as amended
May 28, 2020, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September
23, 2020. |
|
(f)
|
|
Not
applicable |
|
(g)(1)
|
|
Securities
Lending Agency Agreement by and among Wells Fargo Funds Trust, Wells Fargo Master Trust, Wells Fargo Variable
Trust, Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC and Goldman Sachs Bank USA is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(1)
of Post-Effective Amendment No. 681, filed April 2, 2020. |
|
(g)(2)
|
|
Master
Custodian Agreement with State Street Bank and Trust Company dated August 10, 2009, as amended June 30, 2020,
is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 696, filed July 24, 2020. |
|
(h)(1)
|
|
Class-Level
Administration Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC dated July 1, 2015, is incorporated by reference
to Exhibit (h)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September 23, 2020. |
|
(h)(2)(a)
|
|
Transfer
Agency and Service Agreement with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. dated April 29, 2019, is incorporated by reference
to Exhibit (h)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 636, filed June 27, 2019. |
|
|
(h)(2)(b)
|
Schedule
A dated March 2, 2020 to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. dated
April 29, 2019 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(2)(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 681, filed April 2, 2020.
|
|
(h)(3)
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Plan dated May 28, 2020, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 708, filed September 23, 2020. |
|
(h)(4)(a)
|
|
Administrative
and Shareholder Servicing Agreement, Form of Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(4) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 335, filed February 25, 2014. |
|
|
(h)(4)(b)
|
Schedule
I dated February 28, 2018 to the Administrative and Shareholder Servicing Agreement, Form of Agreement, is incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (h)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 609, filed November 26, 2018. |
|
(h)(5)
|
|
Shareholder
Servicing Agreement with Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC and Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC dated February
20, 2014, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September 23, 2020.
|
|
(i)
|
|
Legal
Opinion filed herewith. |
|
(j)(a)
|
|
Consent
of Independent Registered Accounting Firm filed herewith. |
|
(j)(1)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Timothy J. Penny is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574, filed
April 26, 2018. |
|
(j)(2)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Andrew Owen is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 511, filed
January 25, 2017. |
|
(j)(3)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Olivia S. Mitchell is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574, filed
April 26, 2018. |
|
(j)(4)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Judith M. Johnson is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574, filed
April 26, 2018. |
|
(j)(5)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Isaiah Harris, Jr. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574, filed April
26, 2018. |
|
(j)(6)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, David F. Larcker is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574, filed
April 26, 2018. |
|
(j)(7)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Nancy Wiser is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 254, filed September
4, 2012. |
|
(j)(8)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Jeremy DePalma is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(12) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 266, filed
November 16, 2012. |
|
(j)(9)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, William R. Ebsworth is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(11) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574,
filed April 26, 2018. |
|
(j)(10)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Jane A. Freeman is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(12) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574, filed
April 26, 2018. |
|
(j)(11)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, James G. Polisson is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(13) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 574, filed
April 26, 2018. |
|
(j)(12)
|
|
Power
of Attorney, Pamela Wheelock is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (j)(12) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 671, filed
January 27, 2020. |
|
(k)
|
|
Not
applicable |
|
(l)
|
|
Not
applicable |
|
(m)
|
|
Distribution
Plan dated May 28, 2020, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed
September 23, 2020. |
|
(n)
|
|
Rule
18f-3 Multi-Class Plan, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (n) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 708, filed September
23, 2020. |
|
(o)
|
|
Not
applicable |
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
Exhibit
Description |
|
(p)(1)
|
|
Joint
Code of Ethics for Asset Allocation Trust, Wells Fargo Global Dividend Opportunity Fund, Wells Fargo Income Opportunities
Fund, Wells Fargo Multi-Sector Income Fund, Wells Fargo Utilities & High Income Fund, Wells Fargo Funds Trust,
Wells Fargo Master Trust, and Wells Fargo Variable Trust dated May 24, 2016 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(1)
of Post-Effective Amendment No. 467, filed June 21, 2016. |
|
(p)(2)
|
|
Wells
Fargo Asset Management Code of Ethics (Joint Code of Ethics for Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC, Wells Fargo Funds
Distributor, LLC, Wells Capital Management Incorporated and Wells Fargo Bank N.A. (dba Wells Capital Management
Singapore) dated 2018 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 630, filed
April 26, 2019. |
|
(p)(3)
|
|
Allianz
Global Investors U.S. LLC (formerly RCM Capital Management, LLC) Code of Ethics dated July 1, 2016 is incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (p)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 509, filed December 23, 2016. |
|
(p)(4)
|
|
LSV
Asset Management Code of Ethics and Personal Trading Policy dated September 25, 2012 is incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (p)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 304, filed June 26, 2013. |
|
(p)(5)
|
|
Cooke
& Bieler, L.P. Code of Ethics is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 646, filed August
26, 2019. |
|
(p)(6)
|
|
Artisan
Partners Limited Partnership Code of Ethics dated August 15, 2019 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(7) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 669 filed on December 20, 2019. |
Item
29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant.
Registrant
believes that no person is controlled by or under common control with Registrant.
Item
30. Indemnification.
Article
IX of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust limits the liability and, in certain instances, provides for mandatory indemnification
of the Registrant’s Trustees, officers, employees, agents and holders of beneficial interests in the Trust. In addition,
the Trustees are empowered under Article III, Section 1(t) of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust to obtain such insurance
policies as they deem necessary.
Item
31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser.
(a)
To the knowledge of Registrant, none of the directors or officers of Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC is or has been at
any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial
nature, except that they also hold various positions with and engage in business for Wells Fargo Bank.
(b)
Wells Capital Management Incorporated (“Wells Capital Management”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank,
serves as sub-adviser to various Funds of the Trust. The descriptions of Wells Capital Management in Parts A and B of
the Registration Statement are incorporated by reference herein. To the knowledge of the Registrant, none of the directors
or officers of Wells Capital Management is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any
other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.
(c)
Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC (“Allianz”) (formerly RCM Capital Management, LLC), serves as sub-adviser for various funds
of the Trust. The descriptions of Allianz in Parts A and B of the Registration Statement are incorporated by reference herein.
To the knowledge of the Registrant, none of the directors or officers of Allianz is or has been at any time during the
last two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.
(d)
Artisan Partners Limited Partnership (“Artisan”) serves as sub-adviser for various funds of the Trust. The descriptions of
Artisan in Parts A and B of
the Registration Statement are incorporated by reference herein. To the knowledge of the Registrant,
none of the directors or officers of Artisan is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in
any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature.
(e)
Cooke & Bieler, L.P. (“Cooke & Bieler”) serves as sub-adviser for various funds of the Trust. The descriptions of
Cooke & Bieler in Parts
A and B of the Registration Statement are incorporated by reference herein. To the knowledge of the Registrant,
none of the directors or officers of Cooke & Bieler is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged
in any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature.
(f)
LSV Asset Management (“LSV”) serves as sub-adviser to various funds of the Trust. The descriptions of LSV in Parts A and
B of the Registration Statement are incorporated by reference herein. To the knowledge of the Registrant, none of the directors
or officers of LSV is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession,
vocation, or employment of a substantial nature.
(g)
Wells Fargo Asset Management (International) Limited (“WFAM (International) Limited”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary
of Wells Fargo & Company, serves as sub-adviser for various funds of the Trust. The descriptions of WFAM (International)
Limited in Parts A and B of the Registration Statement are incorporated by reference herein. To the knowledge
of the Registrant, none of the directors or officers of the sub-adviser is or has been at any time during the last two
fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.
(h)
Wells Capital Management Singapore, a separately identifiable division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., serves as sub-adviser for
various funds of the Trust. The descriptions of Wells Capital Management Singapore in Parts A and B of the Registration
Statement are incorporated by reference herein. To the knowledge of the Registrant, none of the directors or officers
of Wells Capital Management Singapore is or has been at any time during the last two fiscal years engaged in any other
business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.
Item
32. Principal Underwriter.
(a)
Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC, distributor for the Registrant, also acts as principal underwriter for Wells Fargo Variable
Trust, and is the exclusive placement agent for Wells Fargo Master Trust, both of which are registered open-end management
investment companies.
(b)
The following table provides information for each director and officer of Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC.
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Positions
and Offices with Underwriter |
Positions
and Offices with Fund |
|
Rene
Picazo Wells Fargo Funds
Distributor, LLC 525 Market
Street, Floor 12 San Francisco,
CA 94105 |
Director,
President, Chairman of the Board |
None
|
|
Damian
George Wells Fargo Securities,
LLC 100 Park Ave., Floor
2 New York, NY 10017
|
Chief
Financial Officer, Treasurer |
None
|
|
Carolyn
Wilary Wells Fargo Funds
Distributor, LLC 100 Heritage
Reserve, Floor 01 Menomonee
Falls, WI 53051 |
Chief
Compliance Officer, Vice President |
None
|
|
Loriani
Eckerle Wells Fargo Funds
Distributor, LLC 125 High
Street, 13th Floor Boston,
MA 02110 |
Secretary
|
None
|
|
Todd
McCoy Wells Fargo Bank,
N.A. 125 High Street, Floor
13 Boston, MA 02110
|
Anti-Money
Laundering Compliance Officer |
None
|
|
Yeng
Butler Wells Fargo Asset
Management Group 525 Market
Street, Floor 12 San Francisco,
CA 94105 |
Director
|
None
|
|
Susan
Raynes Wells Fargo Asset
Management Group 525 Market
Street, Floor 12 San Francisco,
CA 94105 |
Director
|
None
|
|
Bernadette
Dooley Wells Fargo Bank,
N.A. 301 S. Tryon Street,
Floor 11 Charlotte, NC
28282 |
Assistant
Secretary |
None
|
(c)
Not applicable.
Item
33. Location of Accounts and Records.
(a)
The Registrant maintains accounts, books and other documents required by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act
of 1940 and the rules thereunder (collectively, “Records”) at the offices of Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC, 525 Market
Street, 12th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105.
(b)
Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC (formerly RCM Capital Management, LLC) maintains all Records relating to its services as
investment sub-adviser at 555 Mission Street Suite 1700, San Francisco, CA 94105.
(c)
Artisan Partners Limited Partnership maintains all Records relating to its services as investment sub-adviser at 875 East Wisconsin
Avenue, Suite 800, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
(d)
Cooke & Bieler, L.P. maintains all Records relating to its services as investment sub-adviser at 1700 Market Street, Philadelphia,
PA 19103.
(e)
DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (formerly Boston Financial Data Services, Inc.) maintains all Records relating to its services
as transfer agent at Two Thousand Crown Colony Drive, Quincy, Massachusetts 02169.
(f)
LSV Asset Management maintains all Records relating to its services as investment sub-adviser at One North Wacker Drive,
Suite 4000, Chicago, Illinois 60606.
(g)
State Street Bank and Trust Company maintains all Records relating to its services as custodian and fund accountant at One
Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
(h)
Wells Capital Management Incorporated maintains all Records relating to its services as investment sub-adviser at 525 Market
Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105.
(i)
Wells Fargo Asset Management (International) Limited maintains all Records relating to its services as investment sub-adviser
at 33 King William Street, London, England, United Kingdom, EC4R 9AT.
(j)
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. d/b/a Wells Capital Management Singapore maintains all Records relating to its services as investment
sub-adviser at 26/F, 80 Raffles Place, 20/21, UOB Plaza, Singapore 048624.
(k)
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (formerly Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A.) maintains all Records relating to its services as former
custodian at 6th & Marquette, Minneapolis, MN 55479-0040.
(l)
Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC maintains all Records relating to its services as distributor at 525 Market Street, 12th Floor,
San Francisco, CA 94105.
(m)
Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC maintains all Records relating to its services as investment manager and class-level
administrator at 525 Market Street, 12th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105.
Item
34. Management Services.
Other
than as set forth under the captions “Management of the Funds” in the Prospectuses constituting Part A of this Registration
Statement and “Management” in the Statement of Additional Information constituting Part B of this Registration
Statement, the Registrant is not a party to any management-related service contract.
Item
35. Undertakings.
Not
applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies
that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Amendment to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A,
pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, and has duly caused this Amendment to its Registration Statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized in the City of San Francisco, State of California
on the 23rd day of November, 2020.
WELLS
FARGO FUNDS TRUST
By:
/s/ Maureen E. Towle
Maureen
E. Towle
Assistant
Secretary
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 716 to its Registration Statement
on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:
|
|
|
|
/s/
James G. Polisson James
G. Polisson* Trustee
|
/s/
Isaiah Harris, Jr. Isaiah
Harris, Jr.* Trustee
|
/s/
Judith M. Johnson Judith
M. Johnson* Trustee
|
|
/s/
David F. Larcker David
F. Larcker* Trustee
|
/s/
Olivia S. Mitchell Olivia
S. Mitchell* Trustee
|
/s/
Timothy J. Penny Timothy
J. Penny* Trustee
|
|
/s/
Jane A. Freeman Jane A.
Freeman* Trustee
|
/s/
Pamela Wheelock Pamela
Wheelock* Trustee
|
/s/
William R. Ebsworth William
R. Ebsworth* Trustee
|
|
/s/
Andrew Owen Andrew Owen* President (Principal
Executive Officer) |
For
each series other than the Wells Fargo
Low Volatility U.S. Equity Fund /s/
Jeremy M. DePalma Jeremy
M. DePalma* Treasurer (Principal
Financial Officer) |
For
the Wells Fargo Low Volatility U.S. Equity
Fund /s/ Nancy Wiser Nancy
Wiser* Treasurer (Principal
Financial Officer) |
*By:
/s/ Maureen E. Towle
Maureen
E. Towle
As Attorney-in-Fact
November
23, 2020
|
|
|
Exhibit
No. |
Exhibits
|
|
(i)
|
Legal
Opinion |
|
(j)(a)
|
Consent
of Independent Registered Accounting Firm |